Against the backdrop of a cabin isolated in a snowy forest, a Writer grapples with the personification of his inner Critic. Think of their relationship as a more intimate, but toxic pairing of Brad Pitt and Edward Norton’s characters from Fight Club. Writer must overcome Critic's constant verbal abuse in order to finally complete the manuscript in time of his publisher's deadline.

The film will incorporate fast-paced sequences featuring a vintage typewriter that is intercut with glimpses of a violent fate... Ultimately, the character’s codependency will result in the Critic’s demise by the Writer’s own hands.

Our two characters will be pressure-cooked by the cabin in which they stay. The only thing cooling the situation is the soft blanket of snow amassed in the forest surrounding them.

A collage featuring a winter jacket, pants, and boots, a red flannel shirt, a typewriter and lantern, a stack of coffee mugs, a partially-bitten apple, a long-sleeved brown shirt, and tousled hair. In the bottom right corner, there is a cameo profile of a man with short hair, and the word "Writer" in red typewriter font.

The Writer is, by several accounts, a man out of his depth. He wrestles with imposter syndrome as he struggles to push out a follow-up murder mystery to his previous bestseller.

Subconsciously - or perhaps not so subconsciously - he's put together a Jack Torrance cosplay for his time up at the cabin. After days hunched over his typewriter, his thinning hair is disheveled and his face is worn and covered in gray stubble. As the coffee mugs and softening fruit pile up around him, his dress and demeanor also fall into disarray. Something is brewing within the timid and worn Writer… something fiery and dangerous.

A collage featuring a pair of hands with stylish rings on several fingers, stylishly groomed short hair, a fashionable blue winter jacket, a light blue button shirt, slacks, and stylish glasses. In the bottom left corner, there is a cameo silhouette of a man and the word "Critic" in red typewriter font.

The Critic, contrasting in every possible way from the Writer, assumes a cool and ethereal air within the cabin. Still, there is an eerie similarity between the Critic and the Writer. It's as if the Critic is the polished, photoshoot-ready young man that Writer both wishes he could be and never quite was. With his spiffy glasses, pressed oxford button-down, and fingers full of gaudy yet tasteful jewelry, the Critic has a bold and commanding presence without ever actually interacting with anything other than the Writer.

The way he moves about the cabin makes it seem like it's his own personal vacation home, but everything about his appearance suggests he's never spent a single day outside his posh Brooklyn loft. His disarming handsomeness emboldens him to be unapologetically, well, critical of everything the writer says and does. He's a smooth-talking naysayer to Writer’s ideas, always ready with a fiery opinion. Like a manipulative lover, the Critic is every bit dangerous as he is charming.

Cosmo Spada (he/him) was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Lover of genre films and movies that take place in cramped/confined spaces, his passion for filmmaking is deeply rooted and nourished by the works of the talented artists that make it all possible. Cosmo also works as the lead videographer at a marketing strategy company.

Avery Abigail (they/them) has been an Oregon resident most of their life, and an avid movie lover for just as long. They became fascinated with the craft of filmmaking through watching behind-the-scenes features on DVDs as a child. As a former ballet dancer and always musician, Avery has a particular love for films that use music and/or dance, no matter the genre. Avery’s favorite genres to work in, broadly speaking, are narrative short films, music videos, and documentaries.

Ty Cayatineto (he/him) credited as “T.C. William”, was born and raised in New Mexico and grew up with films like Back to the Future, Star Wars, Terminator, and Titanic. He loved immersing himself in stories and media, often inspired by the vast New Mexico landscape. Ty began passionately pursuing filmmaking in high school, where he fell in love with the power of story and the effect it can have on an audience. He moved to Oregon for college where he continued to study film. Ty’s dream is to be able to bring modern Diné life to the silver screen.

David Panton (he/him) has been living in Portland, OR since 2008. He came here to go to college for filmmaking at Pacific University and has stayed in the area ever since. David’s love for filmmaking started in high school when his teacher introduced a documentary film to the class called Invisible Children. It was the first time David realized how powerful the film medium was and how it can impact people’s lives. David is currently pursuing a career as a cinematographer and automotive photographer.

Casey Hastings (she/her) is a gal with an affinity for queer horror, whimsical soundtracks, practical effects, playing dress-up, and making movies with her friends. Though she’s spent her entire life involved in the arts via ballet, string orchestras, photography, and theatre, only within the past few years did it finally click that filmmaking is what makes her feel most alive and combines everything she loves about art and collaboration. 

We are crowdfunding now in order to produce our film in early March, before we say goodbye to all of the snow found within the Pacific Northwest. Fortunately, our location is already secured, a cozy cabin near Oregon’s Mt. Hood.

Our plan is to shoot over a 3-day weekend and most of our expenses are budgeted toward paying the crew members who will make our shooting go as seamless as possible.

We’re also budgeting to secure transportation for our crew, in order to maintain safety in getting crew members to and from the snowy location. Safety is a priority for us when ensuring there will be proper PPE and that every cast and crew member can get COVID tested prior to arriving on set.

We hope to deliver a 10 minute or under film by early April 2022.

[ID: a chart that says "Total Project Expenses" on the left, and a pie chart showing those expenses on the right. The items are as follows: Cast $400, 10%. Crew $1,100, 27%. Transportation $400, 10%. Crafty $800, 20%. Equipment Rentals $150, 4%. Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe $100, 2%. PPE, Safety, Expendables $1,150, 28%. End ID.]

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Support a Collective of passionate filmmakers (made visible by @vi.arts.co) as they journey through the snow to film a psychological thriller in an isolated cabin. Join them on @seedandspark: seedandspark.com/fund/writers-retreat