High Water is a neo-noir thriller set and shot completely in the city of Brighton & Hove, UK.
12/09/18 UPDATE: We've now hit our Kickstarter target!! Thank you to all who have pledged. We really appreciate it. We are going to continue to fund raise here and our new stretch goal will be £4000.
Story
The plot centres on a journalist who investigates the drug-related death of his twenty-year-old son revealing a trail of murder and intrigue, that leads back to his family and those around them.
The film doesn't shy away from featuring issues such as homelessness and drug taking. The style is dark, a modern noir. Grief, loyalty, love and regret are the themes explored. The line between the light and dark is thin, and the main character moves between the world of the 'haves' and 'have nots' and back again.
This a full length (90 minute) feature film, and we are Black Rock Films, a group of filmmakers and an independent outfit. We're making our second feature having previously made the children's adventure movie Young Hunters: the Beast of Bevendean. That film is currently on Amazon Prime.
Making a film can seem like an end in itself, but really, it's only the beginning. We intend to get the film out there in front of a paying audience. To that end we already have a relationship with US Sales Agent Princ Films Inc, and UK sales outfit Evolutionary Films (who themselves have close links to Brighton).
Who are we?
Our team includes Annie Warburton (Producer), Ewan Gorman (Director), Jonathan Glendenning (Editor), Jay Proctor (Production Designer), Mark Bader (Cinematographer) and Kelly Michele (Costume Designer).
Our cast includes:
Jonathan Hansler, Adrian Annis, Emily Haigh, Ciara Pouncett, Nick Schofield, Marc Sinclair and Charlie Blackwood.
High Water will be a stylish and cinematic film. We want to make something about the dark side of Brighton and about the realities of life, that don't always fit into the picture postcard image.
High Water was written by Ewan Gorman and novelist Phil Williams, who are both from the area. So far we have cast the film and we are extremely pleased with the quality of actors who are involved.
Our Plan
The plan is shoot the movie in early 2019. The end result is to sell it in the international market.
An online streaming release for the film is a priority, and a DVD release is a must. We also aim for a limited theatrical (cinema) release via Picturehouse's "Our Screen" service. This is cinema on-demand, which means we will be able to arrange a screening at a cinema near you. You can also set up your own screenings!
The director is a big Alfred Hitchcock fan. His favourite Hitchcock thrillers are The 39 Steps, and The Lady Vanishes. His influences are (amongst others) Directors such as Michael Mann (Thief, Manhunter), John Huston (The Treasure of The Sierra Madre, The African Queen) and William Friedkin (The French Connection, To Live and Die in L.A.)
Our production schedule:
- Pre-production: September-December 2018
- Shooting: January - March 2019
- Post Production: March - April 2019
The film is being made with the support and assistance of Film Brighton. This is a new community company helping to get feature films made in the city of Brighton & Hove.
This film has been written so it can be made on a micro-budget. As well as Kickstarter we are raising finance from other sources. We are all absolutely passionate about this film project. We all know it doesn't take pots of money to make a great movie. It's a real challenge to make a great movie on a small budget, and a very enjoyable one!
And, in the end it will all be worthwhile because it will be our film. Filmmaking is a team exercise and so if you pledge you become part of the team. It's a team thing!
Some of our rewards:
High Water director, Ewan Gorman, spoke to Latest TV about Film Brighton. He chated with Guy Lloyd about their plans to make five small budget feature films in the next 18 months:
Please remember, your credit or debit card is only charged if and when we hit the target. And then you are only charged what you have pledged. You will receive your rewards, and we get to make the film. Everybody’s laughing!
If we miss our goal your card will not be charged.
Please do visit the Black Rock Website for more details on the project.
We'll be posting regular updates to this project. If you have any questions please do contact me. Thanks for your support.
Risks and challenges
There are risks and challenges associated with making this film. Money is one thing, but a lot depends on the motivation and commitment of the team.
We respect each and every person that pledges in this Kickstarter campaign. The goal is to complete the film, first and foremost.
We will endeavour to communicate with all of our Kickstarter supporters concerning the project and the delivery of the rewards. If we don't deliver you will get a full refund.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterSupport
Funding period
- (31 days)