
About

Making Love: A short film conceived by Peter Rollins
$32,371
247
Immanuel Kant once sketched out a dilemma faced by a man enthralled by the charms of a beautiful woman. A woman who is utterly inaccessible.
Entirely out of reach.
Things change however when an opportunity arises where they can be together for one night. But there’s a catch.
If he takes the opportunity, he will be hanged on the gallows the next day.
For Kant, the solution is simple: walk away.
Almost 200 years later, Jacques Lacan referenced this dilemma and noted that walking away might be harder than we could imagine.
For Lacan, the gallows are not simply a deterrent for the lover. They also fan the flames of his desire. The very threat of death makes the temptation all the more compelling and impossible to resist.
He might be unwilling to pay the price, but he is unable to walk away.
Making Love is inspired by this dilemma. It tells the story of two people reuniting after the end of a short but passionate affair. They meet one night in the bar of a luxury hotel to rediscover the sexual chemistry that had once drawn them inexorably together.
But they only have an hour. Should they sleep together, or stay past the hour, the man will be killed.
Should he spend one final night with the author of his desire and die, or leave and never see her again?
A hyper-real, film-noir exploration of drive, desire, love, lust and loss, Making Love reflects the cornerstone of my wider project. It will blend radical theology and psychoanalysis with urban cinematography, a driving score and a compelling story, to create a tense and thoughtful drama.
WE MADE IT! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The more we receive, the more we spend on post-production and promotion. But we also have a second script called Síolta Mustaird that was inspired by my favorite Buddhist parable.
Our stretch goal of $33,000 will enable us to make this second short. There is something of the story that resonates with Celtic wisdom, and so we're going to give this story a fresh twist by setting it in the mythic landscape of Ireland in the 1st century. This stark cinematic reimagining of the story will bring its message to tens of thousands of new people.
I know first hand the power of the story. There's no other that I've told which has evoked more responses from people who've found encouragement, healing and help from it.
If you know my work, you likely already know the story. If you do, please take a moment to ask yourself whether this short might be able to help someone you know. Or whether it could be something you might be able to use in a community setting. Or if you would just like it to be out there in the world, as a digital artifact ready to be found by someone who might need it. If the answer is "yes" to any of these, I ask you to please consider donating. Anyone signed up for Making Love will also get Síolta Mustaird.
Here I tell the story and talk about its meaning,
Will these films just be seen in a few festivals, then disappear?
No. While we'll definitely be showing them in festivals, I'll also be showing them across the world to audiences as part of my lectures, talks and storytelling nights. So they are set to have a much greater impact than a standard short.
How will the money for Making Love be spent?
Here's a breakdown,
Actors: $3500
Props, Costume and Locations: $1750
Food: $500
Travel and Expenses: $1500
DP and Camera: $1750
Additional Crew: $1500
Editing, Post-Production and Sound: $4500
Promotion: $1500
Development, Story and Pre-Production: $2500
Contingency: $2000
Crowdsourcing fees: $1000
Risks and challenges
Films are long and arduous to produce. They are also quite complex and require a great deal of time and skill to complete. We have created a budget that is generous enough to cover the work of the best possible cast, crew and artists, as well as the rental of equipment and locations of the highest calibre.
We estimate that the film will be comfortably completed before the delivery date, however there is always the small risk that delays might occur. We will regularly be in contact with all of our backers, communicating and explaining any hiccups in the production process as they may arise.
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Funding period
- (30 days)