DND, Do Not Disturb

A dark comedy (R-rated, ~25min), dealing with issues such as friendship, love, politics (in general), race, and other themes.
Not necessarily mainstream - showing a group of friends, acting and talking like "nobody is around". As the story unfolds, veering into unexpected paths, walking out is not an option. Or, perhaps the smarter thing to do.

Elshan
Amaan
£1,165.00
raised of £11,400.00 goal
Funded
13 Backers
Genre
Film
Scope
Short
Seeking funding for
Production
Campaign type
Flexible Funding
Support project
    Project

    DND, Do Not Disturb

    Elshan
    Amaan
    Genre
    Film
    Seeking funding for
    Production
    Scope
    Short
    Campaign type
    Flexible Funding
     
    Genre: Dark Comedy / Drama

    Log line 1: A group of old school/ uni-friends in their 30s is together for an evening. While some have deeper discussions, others just want to let go and have fun. As the night comes closer, their sense of responsibility seems to be thrown out the window, but it only lasts until reality strikes back.

    Log line 2: London, Friday night. Fabio, Colin and Haru are at Dante and Lior's flat. They are old friends who reunite every now and then and catch up. Dante has invited Sheri over. Neither they have seen each other in a while. They met through Fabio and Lior and came very close, but eventually evolved into not more than good friends. Both have had enough of the single life and this evening might just get them out of the friend-zone.

     

    Meet the cast (Q&A on www.dndshortfilm.co.uk)

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    Meet the crew

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    About

    The idea of the story is to be bold and thought provoking. It's not necessarily mainstream. It shows a group of friends (90s babies), acting and talking like "nobody is around". 

    A serious comedy, dealing with issues such as friendship, love, adulthood, politics (in general), race, and other themes. It’s about perseverance, the freedom to express yourself, and the repercussions it may bring.

     

    Locations

    Location A
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    Location B
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    Mood-board & Visuals

    We are aiming for a mature look (less saturation), with warm tones. Since the story of a group of friends with likeable personalities is told, whose evening gets out of control, it is going to transmit a homecoming feel, however, with room for surprises.

    The movie 'Parasite' balances it brilliantly, illustrating comfortable moments with difficult ones.

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    What makes 'Pulp Fiction' incredibly watchable is the dialogue between the characters. It's almost as if you are invited into their day.

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    Quite hard to watch, 'The Warriors' displays the journey of a group of friends towards uncertainty and hope. As you go along, you more and more start rooting for them, thanks to the appealing cinematography.

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    Equipment (selection)

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    The Shot list reflects the narrative's energy and feel. Most of the time, we have two separate events running simultaneously: Living Room and Dante's Room. Where Dante's room is a place of harmony and depth; Sheri and him talking about life, work, past and present, the living room is rather loose and unpredictable; a grownup's playground. To capture these moments we introduce ‘the boys’, who finish each other’s sentences, with swift camera movements, close ups and rack focus shots - going back and forth. Meanwhile, what could be described as a "rendezvous at home", we want to emphasise on the dialogue and relationship between both characters in Dante's room. Create warmth with (medium) wide, static and point of view shots.

     

    Camera Angles, Movements & Shots (selection)

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    Rhythm & Cues: The story lives off its dialogue and directness, which represents the characters in return. They are all 'working professionals' and successful in their careers. What makes them likeminded and best friends, apart from knowing each other for years, is their curiosity for life. They look at the "bigger picture". It's a special occasion, Friday night, and the spirits are high.

    We aim to deliver the lines overall snappy and drum like filming in the living room and rather tranquil when listening to Dante and Sheris' conversations - as if sitting by the river, with all the time in the world.

     

    Production

    The script of 26 pages was finalised in late August 2023.
    Auditions were held throughout September and October 2023. The cast and crew was announced the following month (with the exception of two cast / crew members).
    The initial shoot was scheduled for mid December ('23) and planned were two shoot days (night shoots) - with the objective to limit the number of shots and takes required. Having to get everything into place during Christmas time and facing various strikes in London, we decided to allow the project to rest.

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    Ultimately, consisting of 75 shots, we are looking at a 4 day shoot to bring everything under one roof; two days each to film in both locations. Sufficient time to approach scenes thoroughly (setting up camera, re-mic actors and blocking).

    We have been rehearsing via video-calls since early December and our first in-person rehearsal took place in January. We also started our Instagram page, dndshortfilm the same week we had our first group video-call.

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    Costumes

    The attire of our characters (seen on the current film cover) is intended to reflect their distinct personalities, taking into account the specific occasion.

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    Shoot

    Steering towards the end of September '24, the filming process spans four consecutive nights. With the initial two nights set in Dante's Room and the subsequent two in the Living Room.

    Post-production is slated to commence right after we have wrapped filming. The editing phase is estimated to span 2-3 weeks, followed by an additional two allocated for sound mixing and colour grading.
    Notably three songs are featured within the scenes, and some dialogue is delivered via voice-over narration.

     

    • The final cut will be approximately 25 minutes.

     

    Promotion

    We have amassed a little over 250 Instagram followers since its inception in December. There is a good chance to double the following by the conclusion of filming in September. Upon completion of a short-film trailer, we will focus on promoting DND with add placements across prominent social media and streaming platforms ( i.e. Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook). Another simple but efficient method: word of mouth (friends, family, colleagues). Furthermore, our website www.dndshortfilm.co.uk, which debuted on the 10th of February, is already garnering consistent daily traffic ranging from 20 to 25 visits. Additional content, including interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, will be regularly disseminated to maintain audience engagement.

     

    Premiere

    Nov. / Dec. '24: Finally, when our short-film is ready to be unveiled, we will seek venue rental options to host the premiere event; opting for a projector-based presentation. It will offer both, cost-saving advantages and enhanced flexibility for attendee interaction, facilitating elements such as discussion, re-watching and of course, live-streaming!

    DND will officially release one week after its premiere.

     

    Potential venue: 'The Roof' in South East London

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    Budget

    Despite being an indie short-film, we place paramount importance on compensating our cast and crew above ‘minimum equity rates’. The standard pay for actors in a short-film normally is about £150 per day (10 + 1 hour). Our proposed rates are slightly higher (£200 - £250). 

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    The amount of preparation before actually starting to film is almost, if not even more, the same and should be acknowledged. This, we believe, fosters a collaborative ethos conducive to exemplary project outcomes - full circle.

    Each shoot day incurs an average expenditure of approximately £2,500, encompassing catering, logistics, costumes, props, lighting/ equipment rentals, insurance, location fees and wages. 

    Post-production endeavours are budgeted at £2,700, covering expenses of editing, colour grading and ‘finishing touches’.

    The comprehensive promotional journey, inclusive of advertising expenditures and website maintenance is estimated at £500, plus £750 for premiere-related expenses such as venue hire, catering, projector rental, sound equipment, and insurance coverage.

    Last but not least *and most importantly*, we have earmarked £1,500 to honour our phenomenal backers with their promised rewards!

    • In summation, our carefully curated budget of £16,400 underscores our determination to precisely execute our project, building upon the foundation laid during its start last summer. Our personal investment of £5,000 serves as a testament to our passion and drive to see “DND, Do Not Disturb” come to life. With the requisite budgetary allocation standing at £11,400 (including Greenlit fees) to realise our collective vision. 
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    Conclusion

    The night of seven individual souls, entrenched in the busyness of their lives. Ready to immerse themselves in joy and shake off the demands of their daily routines. As the evening unfolds, veering into unexpected paths, walking out is not an option. DND is about perseverance and the conquest of uncertainty. The goal is the goal.

    The script has received positive feedback for its natural dialogue flow and humour. Notable for its 'going against the grain' mindset. While a fictive (short) story, it is genuine in regards to the contemporary landscape.
    We want it to be a short-film you can revisit time and again. We envision DND to make the film festivals circuit, and above all, want it to be a collaborative effort we can truly be proud of. A billboard of exemplary qualities.

     

    Your DND Family

    £1,165.00
    raised of £11,400.00 goal
    Funded
    13 Backers
    Backer's Backer

    As a sign of your recognition, we would love to show you our appreciation by following you on your social media profile.

    (11400 remaining out of 11400)
    £1.00
    Big Backer Thank You

    Sharing is caring. We will show our gratitude on our social media Stories (Instagram & Facebook) and follow you on Instagram and/ or Facebook. If it's okay with you of course!

    Additionally, we will inform you about the release date of the project.
    You will also be the first to own a digital edition of the official film poster!

    (1140 remaining out of 1140)
    £10.00
    Exclusive Backer Live Stream

    For your truly amazing support we would love to invite you to the live stream of our premiere!

    You will also be the first to own a digital edition of the official film poster.

    In addition, we will show our gratitude on our social media pages (Story & Follow).

    (454 remaining out of 456)
    £25.00
    Backer's Delight

    The least we can do for your generosity is to invite you to the live stream of the premiere and send to your home the official DIN A2 film poster of "DND, Do Not Disturb".

    Of course, we would love to keep in touch and follow you on your social media pages and mention you in our Story!

    (224 remaining out of 228)
    £50.00
    DND Mug + 2 Tickets To The Premiere

    There is no way now, not to start a mini merchandise line and gift you with our very special DND Enamel Mug. On top of that, you will receive 2 tickets to the premiere in London. Exciting times!

    *** all previous rewards are included ***

    (112 remaining out of 114)
    £100.00
    Backer's Ceremonial Prop

    A set-deco beauty. Although only a background prop and not used in any parts of the short-film, this ceremonial pipe or peace pipe, has a special meaning about our DND characters: explore and connect, in peace. And to connect with our beautiful backers in a special way, this amazing prop you will hold in your hands while celebrating with us the premiere of our short-film personally in London. What more can be said?!

    (56 remaining out of 57)
    £200.00
    DND Hat-trick

    This being our first crowdfunding project, we are thrilled to even receive one pound in support, honestly.

    Working so many hours on DND, someone must have felt the effort, long nights and early mornings. Each backer is a true angel and one of a kind.

    You just made the golden Hat-trick. You are special, and we are much looking forward to see you at the London premiere!!

    *** of course all previous rewards are included ***

    (37 remaining out of 38)
    £300.00
    DND Executive Chair

    Holy Moly.

    You are simply amazing, an inspiration at that! Most importantly, VIP on our film set and wrap party in London - and indeed, at the premiere!

    It is with great pleasure to announce you Executive Producer of DND, Do Not Disturb. This is It!

    *** all previous rewards are of course included ***

    (23 remaining out of 23)
    £500.00