Valhalla
St. George, Utah | Film Short
Drama, Fantasy
While on the run from Giants who destroyed their village, a Viking father trains his daughter to be a warrior in the hopes that she will be welcomed into Odin's Halls when the time comes. It tells a story of a place where you can go if you die fighting, something a lot can relate to these days.
Valhalla
St. George, Utah | Film Short
Drama, Fantasy
1 Campaigns | Pennsylvania, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $3,675 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
73 supporters | followers
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While on the run from Giants who destroyed their village, a Viking father trains his daughter to be a warrior in the hopes that she will be welcomed into Odin's Halls when the time comes. It tells a story of a place where you can go if you die fighting, something a lot can relate to these days.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It is well known that those Vikings who fail to die in battle do not get accepted into the realm of Valhalla, Odin's gates of heaven. In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the anglicized name for Old Norse: Valhǫll ("hall of the slain"). It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin.
Yrsa, a young Viking girl practices her swordplay by the river. Over the sound of the water, she hears her people in her nearby village being massacred by the fearsome Giants who live in the surrounding mountains. Her father Njal appears before her, covered in blood, the only survivor from the slaughter. He leads his daughter away into the wilderness to escape knowing the Giants will follow.
Njal is determined to make sure his daughter can defend herself as a Viking Warrior so she may be welcomed into Valhalla when the day comes... Yrsa is distracted fearing for her mother's soul. Her mother will never join them in Odin's Hall after her murder from the bloodthirsty Giants.
"Valhalla" is a film that will be emotionally driven. It's not about violence or glory. It's about fighting the feelings of loss, of the repercussions of battle, of waiting for the sun to rise.
In contrast to the violence brought on by three savage giants, we will explore the juxtaposition of a father's love for his family and a daughter's honor for her mother.
Through the eyes of the camera's lens, we will feel those emotions in the final hours before death, be rocked to sleep by a father's love for his child, and charge into battle by rage and torment. We will truly learn the cost of reaching Valhalla.
Valhalla's story was born out of dealing with the aftermath of traumatic losses and experiences. Our director began developing the story with the help of a close friend to help each other through their grief. This film is meant to inspire all those who deal with loss and pain and to encourage them to find the power within to heal from it.
Over the past few years with what the world has been collectively going through, our creative team hopes that our story will inspire our audience to keep fighting even when it feels hopeless and everything is lost.
OUR TEAM
Our director Zachary Larson grew up inspired by legends of Vikings, Greek Gods, and stories about Middle Earth & Dragons. His creation of Valhalla has been a project many years in the making. Valhalla's story was created by Zachary and inspired by his friend Nickolas Hofheins.
Zach has been making films for over a decade including horror films, westerns, comedies, and his latest fantasy film Wrath about a man who lost his love to a dragon.
Zach met Landon and Lance while growing up in the performing arts studio, Diamond Talent Productions in St. George, UT. Together they have made multiple short films together. Valhalla is their biggest and most ambitious film yet!
WHY THIS FILM NOW?
Zach has been working on this script for the past few years and we are finalizing the script now!
Zach will also be playing the Viking Njal who fights for his daughter, Yrsa, played by Sophia Armstrong, another student from Diamond Talent. Our cast will also include Yrsa's mother and three fearsome giants who are all cast and will be announced later on!
One reason we want to make this film soon is to include Sophia while she is the age she is. Sophia has a pure soul and is an amazing actress. We want to make sure that this film has her beautiful heart in it.
Our goal is to make this film in 2023 while Sophia, our three Giants, and our director Zach are all still available!
WHERE CAN I WATCH THE FILM?
Our film will first be available to those who pledge to our campaign. We will then be sending Valhalla out to film festivals so people can see the adventure on the Big Screen. Any updates to our film festival journey will be posted here and on our social media.
After we have seen the film through festivals, we would love to see it through some distribution to independent theatres across the country as one of our high goals. Depending on interest, we are also thinking about posting it for the streaming screens on Zach's YouTube channel for all to see and appreciate the amazing work of our cast and crew as well as creating digital versions for those contributors who would like their own copy of the film.
HOW ELSE CAN I GET INVOLVED?
We are always looking for more help! If you would like to help on set, let us know! Also, if you have a restaurant that wants to sponsor us with catered food, contact us at [email protected] for details.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE RAISE OVER 100% OF OUR GOAL?
If we reach past our goal, we plan to pay our cast and crew more for their time and efforts, add more make-up and special effects to the film, and increase the number of festivals we can attend so more people can see the film on a big screen! We will also consider making a digital drive version of the film for any contributors who would like to have their own copy. We would be ecstatic if we surpassed our goal!
SPREAD THE WORD!
@valhallashortfilm
#valhallashortfilm
THANK YOU for contributing to our film and sharing it with your friends and family!
We are so excited to make our biggest film yet!
*Note, we have protection plans in place for safe working conditions, proper stage fighting rehearsals, and for the health and well-being of our actors and crew. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Transportation
Costs $500
To get cast and crew to all locations, gas money, shuttles, and whatever else is needed.
Food for Cast & Crew
Costs $250
We need the energy to make an epic Viking film! We're also interested in a food sponsor. Click loan!
Make-Up Expenses
Costs $200
We have a make-up artist ready to create the battle scars and Giants.
Giants Wardrobe
Costs $595
All the little and big things to put this project together, including costumes for three Giants.
Production Costs
Costs $1,110
Everything it takes to make a film including SFX, paying the crew, and all the little things.
Send Us to the Festivals!
Costs $1,150
We want to share this with the world! Help us submit Valhalla to the festivals!
Share this update!
About This Team
Zachary M. Larson is a director, editor, producer, actor, and writer who has a background in filmmaking and musical theatre. He attended the Musician's Institute in LA and received a certificate in Music Video and Film Arts. He finished his film education at Salt Lake Community College with an associate's degree in applied science and film. Zach began making short films as a teenager and now makes his own independent films under the production name Wise Dragon Studios. Over the past decade, he and his friends and crew members Lance Hardy and Landon Adams, have worked together on various projects and genres including horror movies, comedies, westerns, passion projects, and more. His latest film "Keep Going" was in tribute to his cousin Larson Davenport who passed away a few years ago. Zach approaches his filmmaking with a huge passion for storytelling, dreaming big, and inspiring others.
Miranda Jean Larson is honored to executive produce her brother Zach's new film, Valhalla. Miranda is an award-winning filmmaker, actress, and writer living in Philadelphia. She has a BA in Theater and a minor in Film from Pace University in New York City and Regent's University in London.
As an Editor and Producer, she freelances with several small businesses & organizations and is the Lead Editor and Post Producer for The 24 Hour Plays (@24hourplays) theatre company.
Her first award-winning short film "Innocence" (for which she was credited as screenwriter, producer, co-director, and lead actress) won multiple awards including Best Short Film at the IFFNY Film Festival in New York City and three awards at the Top Shorts Online Film Festival including Best Indie Film (March 2018). She has multiple scripts in the works for production including her first feature film which recently reached the Semi-Finalist Round of Screencrafts Screenwriting Fellowship.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It is well known that those Vikings who fail to die in battle do not get accepted into the realm of Valhalla, Odin's gates of heaven. In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the anglicized name for Old Norse: Valhǫll ("hall of the slain"). It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin.
Yrsa, a young Viking girl practices her swordplay by the river. Over the sound of the water, she hears her people in her nearby village being massacred by the fearsome Giants who live in the surrounding mountains. Her father Njal appears before her, covered in blood, the only survivor from the slaughter. He leads his daughter away into the wilderness to escape knowing the Giants will follow.
Njal is determined to make sure his daughter can defend herself as a Viking Warrior so she may be welcomed into Valhalla when the day comes... Yrsa is distracted fearing for her mother's soul. Her mother will never join them in Odin's Hall after her murder from the bloodthirsty Giants.
"Valhalla" is a film that will be emotionally driven. It's not about violence or glory. It's about fighting the feelings of loss, of the repercussions of battle, of waiting for the sun to rise.
In contrast to the violence brought on by three savage giants, we will explore the juxtaposition of a father's love for his family and a daughter's honor for her mother.
Through the eyes of the camera's lens, we will feel those emotions in the final hours before death, be rocked to sleep by a father's love for his child, and charge into battle by rage and torment. We will truly learn the cost of reaching Valhalla.
Valhalla's story was born out of dealing with the aftermath of traumatic losses and experiences. Our director began developing the story with the help of a close friend to help each other through their grief. This film is meant to inspire all those who deal with loss and pain and to encourage them to find the power within to heal from it.
Over the past few years with what the world has been collectively going through, our creative team hopes that our story will inspire our audience to keep fighting even when it feels hopeless and everything is lost.
OUR TEAM
Our director Zachary Larson grew up inspired by legends of Vikings, Greek Gods, and stories about Middle Earth & Dragons. His creation of Valhalla has been a project many years in the making. Valhalla's story was created by Zachary and inspired by his friend Nickolas Hofheins.
Zach has been making films for over a decade including horror films, westerns, comedies, and his latest fantasy film Wrath about a man who lost his love to a dragon.
Zach met Landon and Lance while growing up in the performing arts studio, Diamond Talent Productions in St. George, UT. Together they have made multiple short films together. Valhalla is their biggest and most ambitious film yet!
WHY THIS FILM NOW?
Zach has been working on this script for the past few years and we are finalizing the script now!
Zach will also be playing the Viking Njal who fights for his daughter, Yrsa, played by Sophia Armstrong, another student from Diamond Talent. Our cast will also include Yrsa's mother and three fearsome giants who are all cast and will be announced later on!
One reason we want to make this film soon is to include Sophia while she is the age she is. Sophia has a pure soul and is an amazing actress. We want to make sure that this film has her beautiful heart in it.
Our goal is to make this film in 2023 while Sophia, our three Giants, and our director Zach are all still available!
WHERE CAN I WATCH THE FILM?
Our film will first be available to those who pledge to our campaign. We will then be sending Valhalla out to film festivals so people can see the adventure on the Big Screen. Any updates to our film festival journey will be posted here and on our social media.
After we have seen the film through festivals, we would love to see it through some distribution to independent theatres across the country as one of our high goals. Depending on interest, we are also thinking about posting it for the streaming screens on Zach's YouTube channel for all to see and appreciate the amazing work of our cast and crew as well as creating digital versions for those contributors who would like their own copy of the film.
HOW ELSE CAN I GET INVOLVED?
We are always looking for more help! If you would like to help on set, let us know! Also, if you have a restaurant that wants to sponsor us with catered food, contact us at [email protected] for details.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE RAISE OVER 100% OF OUR GOAL?
If we reach past our goal, we plan to pay our cast and crew more for their time and efforts, add more make-up and special effects to the film, and increase the number of festivals we can attend so more people can see the film on a big screen! We will also consider making a digital drive version of the film for any contributors who would like to have their own copy. We would be ecstatic if we surpassed our goal!
SPREAD THE WORD!
@valhallashortfilm
#valhallashortfilm
THANK YOU for contributing to our film and sharing it with your friends and family!
We are so excited to make our biggest film yet!
*Note, we have protection plans in place for safe working conditions, proper stage fighting rehearsals, and for the health and well-being of our actors and crew. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Transportation
Costs $500
To get cast and crew to all locations, gas money, shuttles, and whatever else is needed.
Food for Cast & Crew
Costs $250
We need the energy to make an epic Viking film! We're also interested in a food sponsor. Click loan!
Make-Up Expenses
Costs $200
We have a make-up artist ready to create the battle scars and Giants.
Giants Wardrobe
Costs $595
All the little and big things to put this project together, including costumes for three Giants.
Production Costs
Costs $1,110
Everything it takes to make a film including SFX, paying the crew, and all the little things.
Send Us to the Festivals!
Costs $1,150
We want to share this with the world! Help us submit Valhalla to the festivals!
Share this update!
About This Team
Zachary M. Larson is a director, editor, producer, actor, and writer who has a background in filmmaking and musical theatre. He attended the Musician's Institute in LA and received a certificate in Music Video and Film Arts. He finished his film education at Salt Lake Community College with an associate's degree in applied science and film. Zach began making short films as a teenager and now makes his own independent films under the production name Wise Dragon Studios. Over the past decade, he and his friends and crew members Lance Hardy and Landon Adams, have worked together on various projects and genres including horror movies, comedies, westerns, passion projects, and more. His latest film "Keep Going" was in tribute to his cousin Larson Davenport who passed away a few years ago. Zach approaches his filmmaking with a huge passion for storytelling, dreaming big, and inspiring others.
Miranda Jean Larson is honored to executive produce her brother Zach's new film, Valhalla. Miranda is an award-winning filmmaker, actress, and writer living in Philadelphia. She has a BA in Theater and a minor in Film from Pace University in New York City and Regent's University in London.
As an Editor and Producer, she freelances with several small businesses & organizations and is the Lead Editor and Post Producer for The 24 Hour Plays (@24hourplays) theatre company.
Her first award-winning short film "Innocence" (for which she was credited as screenwriter, producer, co-director, and lead actress) won multiple awards including Best Short Film at the IFFNY Film Festival in New York City and three awards at the Top Shorts Online Film Festival including Best Indie Film (March 2018). She has multiple scripts in the works for production including her first feature film which recently reached the Semi-Finalist Round of Screencrafts Screenwriting Fellowship.