THE STORY

VOLITION follows Emma, a runaway who is kidnapped and taken to a derelict house in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, AMERICAN SOUTH. She is handed over to a man named Cristoph who tells her that she now belongs to him and his sex trafficking operation. After encountering the other trafficked victims, Emma reveals something that thrusts them all into a chaotic rollercoaster that does not let up until the very end. Pulsing with RAGE, VENGEANCE, EXCITEMENT, & A WHOLE LOT OF ADRENALINE, VOLITION is a fun, ACTION-PACKED THRILLER. It’s raw, heartfelt realism. It’s a heroic anthem for FEMALE EMPOWERMENT.

WHY THIS FILM

INSPIRED BY A TRUE EVENT

VOLITION was born out of an attack I survived in 2021. I was in Atlanta and I would walk the Beltline every morning, listening to audio books. One morning, I was attacked at gunpoint. A couple of life-saving things happened before I was attacked. My headphones weren’t working that morning, so I was listening to my book out loud. Also, my best friend FaceTimed me. Because I always pace on the phone, I turned around and encountered a man two feet away from me. I froze and he kept moving towards me. I looked down to see a revolver in his hand. The next two minutes played out with me screaming and fighting for my life, while the man tried to restrain me and held the gun to my head. I’m fortunate enough to have gone absolutely crazy, fight, and run away. I will never know where he was trying to take me, but my brain played out a million “what if” scenarios (many involving sex trafficking or gang initiation). In processing this, I wrote VOLITION. While I suffered, I was also in absolute awe of what I overcame. Before the attack, I was really struggling with self criticism, social anxiety, and just general self esteem issues, but after the attack my self respect skyrocketed. That feeling of power and fight was so invigorating, I needed to keep it forever. So, I decided to bottle it and put it into an exciting, stylized screenplay & I believe it was the most healing thing I did for my recovery.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

When Emily reached out to me with her very personal story, I was anxious to read. And, wow, her journey captivated me fully.  For me, there’s nothing more inspiring than connecting with others through these stories of empowerment, and this film is the epitome of embracing inner strength and power through the female gaze.  

I appreciate horror films because of the insane emotions and conversations that have stemmed from watching the memorable films that rock me to my core. The horror and humanity of it all. And while VOLITION isn’t a straight-up horror with freaky supernatural monsters, the audacity of the actions these very real people carry out everyday is alarming and terrifying in an even scarier way. What gets people to this place and why? These are the questions I’m asking myself as we make this film, and I hope audiences explore this with me.

At the heart of VOLITION is the issue of human trafficking around the world and here in the ‘heart of America'. Much like my previous film DIABLA, VOLITION will spotlight the women and underrepresented communities who face violence and are treated as less than human every day.  

Luckily Emily got away from this guy, but many do not. I hope to bottle up our collective rage in an impactful way with VOLITION and make a film that leaves minds & hearts spinning.

Thank you for your support of this important film!

RAISING AWARENESS

In processing the attack, my imagination kept returning to sex trafficking. I will never know if this was the attacker’s intention or if I just believed this because the subject of sex trafficking has always weighed heavy on my mind. Initially, VOLITION was written as a way for me to play out what would have happened if I didn’t get away, and then it took flight and became its own story with what feels like an even greater purpose.

This film dives deep into the harrowing reality of sex trafficking and the unspeakable trauma its victims face everyday. We know this topic is a tough one, difficult to stomach, but this is also the main reason information and discussion on the subject is minimal. VOLITION unapologetically explores this dark world, while simultaneously offering catharsis through a story of radical female empowerment. 

LOOK & FEEL 

VOLITION’s look and feel is frenetic, raw and unhinged, much like our character’s experiences in this film. Think organic chaos, embracing natural light and shadows, intimate composition and fluid camera movement. And while things escalate fast, and it’s jarring, it’s also important to give some breathing room to the space and characters.

We’ll highlight the quieter moments the women share together and their rare time alone.  These beats will provide a much-needed balance as they’re mixed with the explosive, messy aggression that ensues. Let’s not forget about the fighting. This film is all about fight and all of the action will come to a head with the help of dedicated physical training and fight choreography.

THE CHARACTERS

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Wondering where your contribution will go? Here is a macro look at the overall VOLITION budget! In addition to a thrilling story, our production is focused on achieving a high quality finish. 

Our Seed & Spark campaign is part of a multi-faceted financing plan. Surpassing our goal on this campaign would allow us to increase the production value of the film on-screen and the experience on-set, by contributing extra funds towards:

• Upgrading our camera package
• Comfortably accomodating our cast & crew on-location 
• Extra rehearsal days for stunt training our actors (an integral part of the safety and overall production value of our high-octane action sequences)

PRODUCTION TIMELINE

Our timeline at a glance...production for VOLITION is a-go from NOW until Fall 2023!

HOW DOES COVID-19 AFFECT OUR TIMELINE?

Covid-19 has been an added hurdle for independent filmmaking in terms of budgets and timeline. We are confident in the following precautionary plans to ensure a smooth production: 

• We require Proof of Vaccination for all of our cast and crew. 
• All 'Zone A' team members will be tested and taking all precautions in accordance with SAG-AFTRA regulations and Covid safety protocols of Louisville, Kentucky. 
• Part of our fundraising from this campaign will be put towards Covid-19 testing and PPE to ensure the safety of our team. 

THANK YOU!

Thank you for taking the time to read about our project and mission! We are so thankful for contributions of any scale to VOLITION. If you are interested, here are other ways to support and get involved! 

+ BASED IN KENTUCKY? HELP US ON LOCATION! While filming on location in Louisville, KY, our biggest needs are meals and lodging for our hard-working cast and crew! And we would love to support local businesses in the process. Have a connection to or own a local hotel, restaurant, or catering business? We'd love to work with you! Please reach out to [email protected]. 

+ EQUIPMENT RENTALS/DONATIONS - Camera and gear rentals make up a significant portion of our budget. If you have any gear that is available for us to use in Louisville, KY, we'd be beyond grateful!

+ FOLLOW US on Social Media! Check out @volition_film on Instagram for updates.

+ SHARE OUR CAMPAIGN! Like what you see? Please share our campaign with your network of friends, family, and fellow filmmakers! The more awareness around our project, the more likely we can bring this project to life.