The Tunnel

Detroit, Michigan | Film Short

Sci-Fi, Thriller

Jon Clark

1 Campaigns | Michigan, United States

Green Light

This campaign raised $8,220 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.

54 supporters | followers

Enter the amount you would like to pledge

$

Joseph and Chris have recently purchased a historic mansion that has been perfectly preserved, including the mysterious tunnel in the basement with a time dilation. 1 minute in the tunnel equals 1 hour outside. After a horrible event, the men decide to spend 1 week in the tunnel.

About The Project

  • The Story
  • Wishlist
  • Updates
  • The Team
  • Community

Mission Statement

In The Tunnel, a hate crime propels a gay couple to take a risky leap. A major motivation of this film is to address the social anxiety that under-represented populations are feeling in the country right now. We are also committed to having a cast/crew diverse in sexuality, gender, and race.

The Story

THE FILM:

Joseph and Chris have just purchased a new house. Joseph looks to the future, holding hopes of rennovation, while Chris looks to the past, hoping to preserve the home's original glory. The men discover that the tunnel in their basement has a unique characteristic—a time dialation. 1 minute in the tunnel equals 1 hour in the outside world. After a series of threatening homophobic messages in their yard, they have a decision to make: spend 1 week in the tunnel to jump forward 1 year or deal with their issues in the present. 

 

The Tunnel is a fim about time, social change, obsessions, and relationships. Unfortunately, we live in a time where many people have been empowered to spread hateful and dangerous rhetoric. We want to make this film to examine the very relatable desire for a more progressive environment. And more specifically, how different people approach the need for change. We aim to explore these topics while also creating a visually captivating and thrilling film. 

 

THE LOCATION:

The setting of The Tunnel is a main component of the story. We will be filming at a unique and historic home in Detroit, MI. The home has a tunnel in the basement, which will act as a character itself in the film.

 

In the story, the tunnel has a hypnotic presence about it. It draws in Joseph and furthers his desire for exploring the future, while driving a wedge between him and his partner, Chris. Joseph becomes obsessed with the tunnel and it's mysterious powers. It is both an adecdote for the troubles the couple face while silmultaneously becoming a foreboding entity. We will film in the winter, in order to add to the sense of isolation and fear that our two main characters feel. As many of us know, Michigan winters are harsh and we want to leverage that for our film. We could not make this film without this marvelous location, which we have already secured permission for. 

 

Why We Need You:

We cannot make this film without your support. We believe this is a story worth telling and especially important to be told right now. Your contributions will allow us to move beyond the no-budget realm and into a more professional arena. We are in this together! Every dollar counts. If we hit our fundraising goal, we promise to create a film that you'll be proud to be a part of. If we don't hit our goal, your credit card will not be charged. 

 

THANK YOU for reading through our campaign and considering to support us in this process. We can't do it without you.

Wishlist

Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.

Cash Pledge

Costs $0

Camera Package

Costs $3,000

We need to rent a cinema camera and lenses in order to sculpt beautiful and haunting images.

Crew

Costs $3,000

We need to hire creative pros like a cinematographer, sound mixer, and gaffer (for lighting).

Post Sound Design/Mixing

Costs $2,000

Sound is 50% of the moviegoing experience. Quality sound is critical to our film's success.

Colorist

Costs $1,000

Color grading shapes the tone, quality, and overall experience when watching a film.

Festival Submissions

Costs $500

Once we finish the film, we want people to see it! That's why we'll send it to many different fests.

Food

Costs $500

We want our cast/crew to be well fed. We think buying them some food would help with that.

About This Team

Jon will direct and has a wide range of video production experience, from shooting and editing commercials to directing videos for major non-profits. He cut his teeth at Alma College where he studied New Media and worked as a second assistant director on the internationally acclaimed short film, Break my Bones. Winner of the Kapp Honors Award for oustanding research in immersive filmmaking, Jon went on to work for clients such as Ford and the University of Michigan. He's directed several short films that have premiered at Michigan film festivals, including Wompus, which was an award-winning film at the 2019 Detroit 48 Hour Film Project. Jon and Anthony have worked on multiple films together and have developed a strong creative partnership. Currently, Jon leads the video production efforts for The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, where he's created videos for major public awareness campaigns throughout Metro-Detroit. The Tunnel is his first crowd-funded film. 

 

 

Anthony Douglas is co-writing the film and will be one of the lead actors. He is an actor, writer, and improviser, balancing a career in the entertainment industry with a job as a bedside nurse in the ICU. He is a co-creator and star of the comedic web-series, The Gay Agenda, and has written and acted in stage productions such as Camptastic, which was performed at Second City LA. He's also been involved in a number of comedy and improv shows at the Planet Ant Theater in Hamtramck, MI. He was honored this summer with the award for Best Actor at the 2019 Detroit 48 Hour Film Project for his work in Wompus, which he also co-wrote. 

Current Team

Supporters

Followers

Incentives