About VENISON EATERS:

VENISON EATERS tells the story of a father and son on their first hunting trip together.  The trip is meant to be a bonding experience for Eli, who has rarely seen his father since his parents’ divorce.  Father plans on the trip being Eli’s entry into manhood with his son getting his first kill.

The trip begins just as planned, with Father teaching Eli to shoot a bow and survive in the wilderness.  Eli is very receptive but also takes time to take photographs along the way against Father’s wishes.  Father makes it clear that Eli is expected to perform on this trip and needs to keep his focus.  He gives Eli a wrapped package and instructs him not to open it before he has achieved a successful hunt.

Between shooting lessons, Father tells Eli the history of the land they are on.  It used to belong to the Native Americans who put their children through savage rituals as they pursued manhood.  The tribes were later slaughtered, however, by an army of white men led by Father and Eli’s ancestors.  Father ends his story by informing Eli that all the land around them belongs to their family.

With the knowledge of his heritage, Eli looks at the woods and his father in a new light.  He perfects his shooting abilities and watches Father pursue a kill of his own.  During a hunt, Eli snaps a photo, which scares off the deer in Father’s sights.  This sends Father into a rage and drives him to destroy Eli’s camera and tell him there is more to this trip than he understands.

After spending a day in silence, Father apologizes to Eli but maintains that the trip is far more important than Eli realizes.  He assures him that he will get his first kill and that it is of the upmost importance that he does.

The next day, Eli gets his chance upon seeing a large buck.  He aims his bow at the animal but as the thoughts of his heritage and his father flood his mind, he decides to abandon the shot and instead launches the arrow into the treetops.

After this act of defiance, Father spends the night alone.  When Eli wakes up the next morning, he finds no sign of his father except for a flashlight pointing east.  He opens the wrapped package and finds a gold key encrusted with the family name.  With nobody to help him, Eli heads east in search of his father and an answer to what the key unlocks.  The discoveries he makes, however, are darker than he ever imagined and he is forced to become a man if he intends on leaving the woods with his life.

VENISON EATERS will be filmed in North Carolina and is intended for festival distribution.

ABOUT THE KEY CREW:

Jordan Taratoot - Director/Editor

Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, Jordan fell in love with films at an early age and has directed and edited numerous short films, music videos, and commercials since 2002.

Jordan founded Run and Gun Films with producer Nick Gonzalez in 2010. Their work has appeared on ABC, FOX, MTV, and in movie theaters nationwide.

Nick Gonzalez - Producer

Nick grew up in Miami, FL and in Barcelona, Spain. The award-winning short films he has produced have been shown at film festivals across the nation. While studying at UNC School of the Arts, he had the distinct pleasure of studying under the mentorship of Dale Pollock (SET IT OFF, A MIDNIGHT CLEAR), Susan Ruskin (ANACONDA) and Jordan Kerner (CHARLOTTES WEB, SMURFS). 

Nick co-produced a project entitled ASSEMBLY REQUIRED which was funded by sports legend Dan Marino. Besides co-founding RUN and GUN Films, INC. with Jordan, Nick also buys and sells real estate and manages a successful investment portfolio for himself and other investors.

Keenan Porterfield - Writer

Keenan developed a love for film after seeing JURASSIC PARK at age 5. Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, he graduated with a degree in screenwriting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Keenan strives to create stories featuring strong characters and mystery; he has found inspiration in works ranging from LOST to THE SOPRANOS. 

WHY WE NEED KICKSTARTER:

We have received a $2,500 grant from Wilkes County towards our production budget, although we are still in need of further funding to be able to make the short film.

We have access to a RED EPIC camera package as well as a RED SCARLET-  amazing tools with which we can film our movie, but requiring costly insurance and lens rentals.

The money we raise will be used for equipment, lodging, supplies, and essentials needed to create the film. We are paying our actors and crew a stipend but we are in no way profiting from the money raised by KickStarter. 

Please help us make our short film a reality by contributing to our KickStarter!

WHATS NEXT

We have storyboarded the film and are currently working on casting and locations. Thank you for looking at our KickStarter and giving us the opportunity to make this film a reality!

*Concept art by Ashley Hardy and Tiara Falk