STORY

Our film opens with a rush of commuters. Amongst them, a man absorbed in his phone, we follow him thinking he is our protagonist, until a blur whooshes past him. His phone is gone!

Meet Skinny & Big two thieves on a moped weaving through the London Chaos. They banter celebrating their latests score: a stolen phone, complete with a bank card tucked behind it.

They rush into a CornerShop to use the contactless card. While looking for a bank card pin amongst the phone’s notes, Big finds what looks like a suicide note. Their victim might be on the edge of ending it.

Skinny & Big talk about the note and are at odds on what to do. Big feels they should do something. While Skinny wants to forget all about it. Why should they care?

The debate continues and escalates as they walk the London streets and reach their flat. What could they even do? Call a friend? Warn a family member? Tension builds, Skinny, frustrated, decides to just reset the phone, wipe it clean. Big intervenes and they scuffle over it. As they do

The phone rings. Its the Victim’s mum…

Director's Statement

The themes & ideas of this short could not be more relevant right now. In London, phone snatching is common, so many friends have had phones stolen or been in the vicinity of a theft. But the way these stories are portrayed in the media often serves to divide us.

A stolen phone isn’t just about theft. Phones are personal, intimate devices, and when one is stolen, it opens a window into someone else’s life. A phone’s true purpose is to communicate, and in this story, the stolen phone inadvertently does that, even though the victim doesn’t want it to.

At its core, Mugged is a story about mental health and how hard it can be to talk about it. Our characters are prime examples of this, living in a constant state of public bravado, masking any of their own private pain. Their crime puts them in a situation where they have to confront topics they usually avoid, empathy, guilt & the need to reach out.

I want the film to balance humour & darkness. It will be full of banter, energy and realism but it will stay focused on its heavier themes.  It draws inspiration from La Haine for its raw character portrayals and social tension; from the Safdie Brothers for their ability to capture the chaos and complexity of city life; from Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank and its ability to show & not tell the inner life of its characters; and from Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting that manages to find humour in the darkest of places.

Mugged, is a story about how we communicate about our vulnerabilities and mental states, but packaged in a fast paced dramatic tale of two friends whose initial intention is to have fun.

THE TEAM

• Daniel Pachalski –(Director) has extensive on-set experience working in the AD department of major projects such as House of Dragon, The Diplomat & Neuromancer. Also working extensively as a 1st AD on short films, including the BAFTA winning Jellyfish & Lobster. He is now ready to bring this experience into the directing role.
• Tom Simington – (Cinematographer) A NFTS  graduate who since graduating has been nominated for the BSC Cinematography in a Short Film award, as well as at the Student Oscars. He recently won a BAFTA for his work on ‘Crab Day’ and his films continue to screen at festivals across the world.
• Gili Ofri – a London-based production designer whose credits include the BAFTA-winning short Jellyfish and Lobster. She’s also worked across major productions in the art department.
• Chiara Bellesia – an Italian editor based in London, with work spanning drama, features, and documentaries. Her films have earned Student BAFTA nominations and recognition on platforms like WePresent.
• Josh Jacobs - A 1st Assistant Director working across Commercials with clients such as Burberry, Rimowa and Nike, Music Videos for artists including Nia Archives, Jamie XX, and Narrative Film - including Meat Raffle which is streaming on Channel 4 and has been nominated for an Iris Award. Josh is also a writer and director, and has a real passion for character driven narrative filmmaking.

BUDGET 

I will be raising £3000 myself for to the budget. 

We want to make sure the budget gives us all the tools necessary to make this project the best it can be.

We are aiming to be as efficient with the budget as possible. Having worked as an AD I truly value the wellbeing of the crew and have seen many times how some cost-cutting measures end up being detrimental to the crew and ergo to the film itself.

PERKS

As a small thanks, everyone who donates will be credited in the film. For higher-tier supporters, I’ll also be designing a t-shirt inspired by the film. Something I love doing and would also be very happy to hear ideas & suggestions for. Bellow you can see some early designs. We will have poll later and the most voted one will be distributed.

I completely understand that contributing isn’t always possible, but even a quick share of our campaign would really help.

THANK YOU

Really appreciate anyone taking the time to look at our campaign.

If you would like to know more, get in touch I've been working on this project for a few months now and love any opportunity to talk more about it.

Bellow you can see a tiny teaser for our campaign.