What is Kickstarter? We’re the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. Learn more!

2657028_300.large

Alex Cheng

Chicago, IL

As a child, Alex Cheng once had a fever of 105.2 degrees and, for many months following, suffered from hallucinations of specters, ghouls, and being forced to pick up every grain of sand on a beach using tweezers. He considers this period a prime creat... view more

  1. on February 9
    2657028_300.thumb Backer

    Alex Cheng
    backed a project

    Double Fine Adventure by Double Fine and 2 Player Productions

    An adventure game from Tim Schafer, Double Fine, and YOU!

    • 834% funded $3,336,371 pledged
    • 87,142 backers
    • Funded Mar 13, 2012
  2. on January 17
    2657028_300.thumb

    Alex Cheng
    Posted project update #5

    Success!


    When I was a kid, around the age of 8 or so, I looked at my bed and thought, "Well, that's dumb."

    I began documenting tests for more adventurous sleeping quarters: Under a futon (which held a promise of stealth), on a closet floor (where I could pull myself up using dangling clothes) and even the basement (before running away from the shadow monsters.)

    Eventually, I settled on the weathered couch in our faux-wood paneled family room. I thought of it as a cabin and myself an adventurer in the wilderness — an effect heightened by the eerie sound of wind, whistling through a barely open window. On that first night, my father walked in and, unquestioning of my bedding choice, offered to read me a story. This was a rare occurrence, and I was always eager to hear a story — of course I accepted.

    He returned moments later with a withered and peeling royal-blue book. Splashed across its cover was a monkey, enrobed by swirling cloud and staff in hand, soaring towards a sword-wielding woman with peacock feathers in her hair.


    He began reading; his voice cool and steady, "The monk Hsuan-tang, escorted by his disciples Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy, was on his way to the west in search of the Buddhist scriptures. The journey was to be a hard one, and Monkey was chosen to lead the way..."

    That was the exact moment when a 400-year old character changed my life. As I grew, the Monkey King became entrenched in my mind. I continually reread the storybook my father had read to me and sketched the character when I was supposed to be studying in school.

     

    When I grew up, I eventually came across a translation of the original story, Journey to the West. I discovered the wonderful lyrical poetry of its pages and forged an even closer personal connection to the Monkey King. The characters in my films began sharing a part of his brazen and cacophonous spirit. And, as I matured, I found the character to be an analogue for my own socioethnic concerns.

    This has all led to Rampage In Heaven. The film is a culmination of a life-long love; a personal statement and a testament to the "monkey awakened to emptiness." If it wasn't for all of you generous backers, there's no telling how long it would take for this project to see the light of day. We're beginning immediately to secure the talent needed for finishing the effects. With your donations we'll be creating a film quite unlike anything else.

    I can't wait until I'm finally able to share the finished work. Thank you all for your friendship and support!

    Sincerely,

    Alex Cheng

    Post Comment
  3. on January 15
    Funded!

    Rampage In Heaven – a post-apocalyptic short film by Alex Cheng

    A gritty, violent, post-apocalyptic film about identity; based on the 16th century Chinese novel, 'Journey To The West'.

    • 100% funded $10,000 pledged
    • 49 backers
    • Funded Jan 15, 2012
  4. on January 14
    2657028_300.thumb

    Alex Cheng
    Posted project update #4

    ¡Pasión Por El Fantástico!

    Along with Quiet Earth and io9, Rampage was recently featured by the Spanish sci-fi publication, SCIFIWORLD

    CLICK HERE to check out the post (in Spanish of course.)

    Post Comment
  5. on January 8
    2657028_300.thumb

    Alex Cheng
    Posted project update #3

    Rampage In Heaven Teaser Trailer

    For you generous backers, attached is a direct video of the teaser trailer. Thank you all so much for the support.

    • Video-70951-h264_high

    Post Comment
  6. on January 8
    2657028_300.thumb

    Alex Cheng
    Posted project update #2

    First Teaser Trailer

    The first teaser trailer for Rampage In Heaven is officially up and gratiously hosted through the stupendous genre-film blog, Quiet Earth

    CLICK HERE to Watch it!

    Please pass the trailer around to those you know — we still have some time to match our goal and bring the project to life. Thank you all for the support!

    -Alex Cheng

    Post Comment
  7. on December 12
    2657028_300.thumb

    Alex Cheng
    Posted project update #1

    40% in 26 days!

    In only 26 days we've reached 40% of our goal. An enormous thanks to all of the backers, so far — the generosity and support you've shown has been remarkable. Also, a thanks goes to Quiet Earth and io9, who've helped spread word of the project to their readers. Thank you all so much for believing in the project. Attached is one of the newest posters for the film (in a Polish poster style) — soon there will be updates with new art, award previews and more.

    Also, a quick reminder of how Kickstarter works: If the goal isn't reached, none of the pledges go through. We're just about to pass the crucial halfway point, so  If you have a moment, please help spread word of the project further through email, facebook, twitter, tumblr, word-of-mouth; anything! The more who know of our film, the greater our chances at bringing it to life.

    Thanks again, and happy holidays!

    –Alex Cheng

    • Image-80597-full
    Post Comment
  8. on November 16, 2011
    2657028_300.thumb

    Alex Cheng launched a project

    Rampage In Heaven – a post-apocalyptic short film by Alex Cheng

    A gritty, violent, post-apocalyptic film about identity; based on the 16th century Chinese novel, 'Journey To The West'.

    • $10,000 funding goal
    • 01/15/2012 Funding Ended