Kickstarter

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Welcome to Year Zero is a zombie noir animated feature that follows an infected loner as he struggles with his parasite's growing influence in order to lead an orphaned girl safely through hostile streets of NYC.  A living and breathing graphic novel with striking visuals and sardonic tone, WTYZ is a unique apocalyptic spin on surviving the urban jungle, as well as humanity's own carnivorous nature, and the ever-pervading class injustices of society. (Story details coming with "updates".)

The feature is set to take place shortly after the initial outbreak depicted in my celebrated indie animated short, Year Zero, which premiered at the 2011 Tribeca FIlm Festival.

I've been called a "veritable one-man show"*-- I do take matters into my own hands. From writing the script, photographing the actors (myself included), digitally illustrating and animating each frame, to recording and mixing dialogue and sound effects, composing the score**, editing, promoting and all of the others jobs required to produce a movie.

This means no waiting around for others to finish up their end, common with smaller film budgets, no creative sacrifices, just me going mad-scientist on the project until it's reached my vision and my standards...then I have those standards raised further by a group of very honest friends, and possibly, now, YOU! (Check out the rewards panel.)

*Ben Umstead, TwitchFilm

** Composer John Marrone will also be working on the WTYZ score with me for this feature!

Take a look at the WTYZ teaser trailer that I recently made, introducing the characters' situation within the zombie apocalypse that overwhelms NYC.

Also, here's the trailer (10,000+ views) from the original 2011 animated short, Year Zero.

"Slow down, what is Kickstarter about, anyway?" - Good question. KS is a great new approach to funding independent creative projects. Basically, a creator pitches an idea to the online community; if the idea is good, communicated well, and the creator, a credible investment, odds are good the project will reach its funding goal. Backers get fun and creative rewards for contributing; starving artists work. The American Dream flourishes.

And, of course, it's about strength in numbers.

"What's that Kickstarter all-or-nothing policy all about?" - Well, it means I need to raise the whole $45,000, or there will be no zombie apocalypse, after all. All contributions go back to the backers, and no fun rewards. Frowns all around :(

I don't want to go out like Harold Camping. Please support, and I'll make sure to present you with an awesomely IMMERSIVE and NIGHTMARISH End-of-Days-- with some cool some incentives in return.

"Ambitious goal, what's the money being spent on?" - Ambitious indeed, but here's why --  I don't want to return and ask you, my generous KS supporters, for additional production $$ in a year, because I was too timid to shoot for a sustainable budget now. So here's the basic breakdown of my rather modest budget to the feature-length zompocalypse animation: 

$15-17,000 is going directly into necessary production upgrades, i.e. a computer on which all animation and rendering will be performed, (I'm now working off a Mac-Mini), a larger camera lens (to capture cityscape) Final Cut Pro and After Effects updates, additional animation software (ToonBoom package), a pen tablet for digitally illustrating every frame, basic studio equipment, and reproduction costs. These investments are all need to accelerate the production process, but will also, in turn, make the animation look better than ever. 

The remaining $28-30,000 will allow me to work on every facet of production for the next one and a half years, an ambitious and intensive schedule for a feature animated production created almost entirely by 1 person. It will also compensate talent, pay contract fees, promotional expenses, KS/Amazon fees, and, of course, RETURN to my supporters in the form of cool rewards!

Any extra $$ I raise will go toward:

• Paying additional production talent/crew to get this movie out to audiences all the sooner.
• Other people's cool projects right here on Kickstarter! And civilization advances!

"Should I bother coming back to this project page?" -  Hells YES! I am setting up camp here. I'll be answering questions, taking suggestions, and bringing updates, as well showing you some of my past experience in self-financed independent filmmaking. Got a question, comment, suggestion? BRING it: rec327@gmail.com

"Well, what if I have no money to contribute?" - No prob. Money isn't everything! Social media involvement can and has changed the world. 

So your MENTIONS and RETWEETS on the Year Zero Twitter, and LIKES on Facebook, with good ol' fashion word out mouth, here and there, over the next 2 months can totally get a little indie animation produced :P

"Okay. What do you got for rewards?" -

Good Question!

Here are just a few:

Product Placement: Think "Seinfeld" meets zombies! Just the featured sci-fi book, Dead Land, in the new trailer; any small biz, website, author, comic book, or zombie survival gear or toy maker, etc. can advertise within the virtual set of the WTYZ feature film, producer credit included! 

• Be an extra in the movie! Or have a cameo scream, includes Producer credit!

• Get an 8x10 zombified portrait of yourself or some you pick, illustrated and signed by creator Richard Cunningham, wall worthy, oh yeah, includes Producer credit! Bam.

• Get the PRE-SALE of the upcoming debut album from Richard Cunningham, listen to a live sample now.
• Pick a song and I'll record a cover, just for you. Open to duets and spoofs. My version of Radiohead's, "Exit Music (for a film)".
• Get a TEST SCREENER of WYTZ and direct CREATIVE INPUT into the final cut of the feature film!
• Also, check out some of the fun WTYZ merchandise (Large magnet/ coffee mug):

I've been committed to storytelling and filmmaking since I was fifteen years old. It's not just a passion for me, it defines who I am and what fulfills me. And your support, from the smallest gesture to the largest, means the world. I truly can't wait to make this living Hell in my mind into a movie reality for people to enjoy! More is to come.

Thanks everyone,

Richard Cunningham III

Oh...

FREE MOVIE!! Learn how our two survivors met, please enjoy the critically-acclaimed 2011 TFF zero-budget animated short, Year Zero -- my first time animating and directorial debut! Year Zero focuses on a loner trapped in his NYC apartment, as a parasitic zombie plague overwhelms the five boroughs.