From the director: Film is the passion of everyone involved in this project. I am a fan of the old school thriller and one of my biggest filmmaking influences is Alfred Hitchcock. I decided that, for my first foray into short film making, I would do something a little different. Inspired by Strangers On A Train, I set about creating a story that could convey tension, intrigue and suspense within a limited space and within a limited budget. I happened to be very interested in the debate on the use of drones in military conflict and as such, I picked this as the subject of the film.
My goal with this project was, and is, to entertain. To convey the same raw narrative that I enjoyed in the paranoid thrillers of yesteryear.
As such, I felt there was no better place to seek support than the film watching community. The people I am making the project for. Fans of cinema.
Myself, executive producer Austin Nichols, my co producer Joe Holt, and the whole NOSTRADAMUS creative team, hope that via this crowd funding campaign, we can get the funds to give this project the best chance of success. We love film and we know you do too. Thankfully this funding medium gives us the freedom to keep doing what we love!
THE FILMMAKER: THOMAS IKIMI was born in 1979 in Westminster, London. He attended primary school in Nigeria, prep and public school in England, and university in America. He holds a literature and writing degree from Columbia University, New York.
In 2002, in his sophomore year, Thomas wrote, produced, and directed the existential thriller 'Limbo'. It was a student feature film made for only $9,000 on his CITIBANK student credit card, that went on to become an Official Selection and Opening film of the 2005 Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, Italy after playing at the Cannes Film Market.
In 2007, while working shifts at his local electronics store in London, Thomas began writing 'Legacy' a film he would go on to co-edit, produce, and direct. It starred Golden Globe-winner Idris Elba, and Thomas raised the $500,000 budget himself.
Legacy premiered at the 2010 Tribeca FIlm Festival, and garnered the Best Film Award at the American Black Film Festival, was nominated for Best UK Feature at the Raindance Film Festival in London, was nominated for a British Independent Film Award, won Best Director at the London Screen Nation Awards 2011, was selected by Michael Moore for his Traverse City invitational, was a part of the black voices in cinema strand at the Chicago Film Festival and was picked up for distribution in both the US and UK with limited theatrical releases in both countries.
Thomas currently resides in both London, UK and Los Angeles, CA.
ACTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: AUSTIN NICHOLS was born in Michigan and raised in Texas from the age of 2. At 18, Nichols enrolled at the University of Southern California and simultaneously began his acting career with small television and film roles. After graduating, a role on HBO's Six Feet Under led Nichols to the big-budget environmental disaster flick, The Day After Tomorrow.
He followed that up with Wimbledon and Glory Road. It was playing Morgan Earp on Deadwood, where Nichols met David Milch. Milch asked if Nichols would play the title role in his new series for HBO, John From Cincinnati. The very interesting and enigmatic series lasted only one season, but it left its mark on the actor.
Ever since, Nichols has been seeking out great writers and directors to work with. A string of indies followed with The Informers, Beautiful Boy, and Parkland. Most recently, Nichols can be seen on Showtime's Ray Donovan, playing the dark and tortured movie star, Tommy Wheeler.
ACTRESS: AMY SLOAN Amy hails from the Yukon Territory of Canada’s far north.She is a graduate of the National Theater School of Canada and now resides in Los Angeles. Selected film credits include: A Single Shot, The Aviator, The Day After Tomorrow, The Heartbreak Kid.Selected television credits include: Call Me Fitz (series regular), Mad Men, Big Love, C.S.I, Touch, N.C.I.S, Grey's Anatomy.Selected stage credits include: God Of Carnage (La Mirada Theater of the Performing Arts), All My Sons (Geffen Playhouse, L.A.), Plunge (Downstage Blackbox Theater, L.A.),The Crucible (Centaur Theater, Montreal), Richard III (Monument National du Canada, Montreal).
PRODUCER/ACTOR: JOE HOLT made Nostradamus his second turn at producing after a successful venture with noël , a recent HollyShorts Film Festival selection that he wrote, co-produced, directed, and acted in.
He is thrilled to be collaborating with Thomas Ikimi and Austin Nichols after years of working on the other side of the camera, including roles on Scandal, The Good Wife, Prison Break, Grey’s Anatomy, Supernatural, Franklin & Bash, and NCIS.
Joe is interested in collaborating with other talented, professional, culturally-diverse artists to create projects with complexity, integrity, and, most importantly, humanity.
THANKS TO THE DARK SIDE ADVERTISING AGENCY, LONDON FOR THE EXCELLENT POSTER ART.
Risks and challenges
There are number of obstacles that one encounters when faced with making any film. With so many people and factors that need to be in synch, it is a difficult process, especially when working at a low budget.
In order to mitigate this, we had a plan. Taking out loans and putting in a percentage of our own money, we managed to get primary production done in the hopes that a campaign such as this will help alleviate some of the burden and allow us to release the film in the best possible post production finish.
This means the chances of not having a film when the dust settles is much lower. The film will be completed. How well it is completed is in the hands of you wonderful and generous Kickstarter massive!
No amount is too small, and every little bit helps.
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Funding period
- (20 days)