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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
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.)
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.
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.
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
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
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on January 15.
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A special thanks in the film’s credits. A postcard print of fully-colored character concept-art mailed to your address.
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A special thanks in the film’s credits. A postcard print of fully-colored character concept-art mailed to your address. Exclusive, online access to the film after it’s finished its festival run.
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A special thanks in the film’s credits. A postcard print of fully-colored character concept-art mailed to your address, saying thanks for your contribution. A fully-featured DVD of the film, after it’s finished its festival run.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
A special thanks in the film’s credits, and on IMDb. A postcard print of fully-colored character concept-art mailed to your address. A fully-featured DVD of the film, after it’s finished its festival run.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
A special thanks in the film’s credits, and on IMDb. A fully-featured DVD of the film, after it’s finished its festival run. A museum-quality print of fully-colored character concept-art.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
A special thanks in the film’s credits, and on IMDb. A fully-featured DVD of the film, after it’s finished its festival run. A framed, museum-quality print of fully-colored character concept-art. A hand-made replica of the Monkey King's staff prop.
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A Associate Producer credit, in the film and on IMDb. A fully-featured DVD of the film after it’s finished its festival run. A framed, museum-quality print of fully-colored character concept-art. A hand-made replica of the Monkey King's staff prop. And an incredibly thankful letter from myself.
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A Co-Executive Producer credit, in the film and on IMDb. A fully-featured DVD of the film after it’s finished its festival run. A framed, museum-quality print of fully-colored character concept-art. A hand-made replica of the Monkey King's staff prop. And a ridiculously thankful letter from myself.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
A shared Executive Producer credit, in the film and on IMDb. A fully-featured DVD of the film after it’s finished its festival run. A framed, museum-quality print of fully-colored character concept-art. A one of a kind, beautifully engraved and hand-painted recreation of the Monkey King’s staff prop, with a personalized display stand. A meticulously-detailed, fully-colored, 3D printed statue of the Monkey King in mid-transformation. And an obscenely thankful letter from myself.
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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 creative influence. His work has screened in festivals, PBS, and the Independent Film Channel. He received a Peabody Award for a documentary he made in high school, which puzzles him to this day.
Alex is also the senior editor at Concentrated, a Chicago-based creative production studio. If you'd like to see his commercial work, please visit www.concentrated.tv.
