What's 'The Score'?

THE SCORE is a rule-bending, darkly comedic thriller that takes the tropes of heroes and villains and asks: 'is anyone who they really think they are?'

Brought to you by the team behind the award-winning horror OUT AT NIGHT, THE SCORE promises to be an exciting blend of tension, comedy and social commentary - one that's quick on the draw with its thrills, and quicker with its smarts. It's a film that will get into the heads of its characters and audience, and under the skin of genre cinema.

Synopsis

Mica, trouble's favourite plaything, hides out in the bathroom of a dive bar, high and paranoid.

Cutler, the bar owner and a man out of time in more ways than one, sits alone with a loaded gun.

They reluctantly come together to complete a trade for the money Cutler desperately needs. But the other party - Portman and her two bodyguards - are not who he was expecting, and they're everything Cutler isn't: young, in charge, and female.

They attempt to make the swap - a bag of cash for the item in a briefcase - but as tension and prejudice reach a crescendo, fingers (and guns) are pointed. It's then that they all realise that something else is conducting this chaos...

...they can all hear the film's score!

The same one that the audience has been listening to. This malevolent force is pulling the strings of our characters, playing on their fears as it tries to get them to turn on each other.

And it's been manipulating the audience too.

Filmmaker's Statement

We want to explore how film scores are used not only to enhance the audience's experience, but to manipulate them too. THE SCORE allows us to take this a step further and have the music be a character in its own right, one that exploits the cliches of genre cinema to get our characters to turn on each other. As we make them question their own motivations and prejudices, so too do we want the audience to feel complicit in this journey.

The score in our film also works as a metaphor for the narratives we tell ourselves, and others, to help make sense of our own identities and personal journeys. It explores the dangers of not questioning those same narratives that we're fed on a day to day basis by the media and the world around us.

THE SCORE also interrogates the thriller genre's character archetypes that are consistently typecast - all while being an incredibly tense and entertaining crime-thriller.

The time to tell this story has never been more relevant.

Behind the Camera

CHRISTOPHER HEWITT (WRITER / DIRECTOR) - a self-taught screenwriter and director, he has made the previous short films ONE SHOT (2014) and the award winning horror OUT AT NIGHT (2021 - Best Horror Austin Underground Film Festival, Best Horror RS Film Fest). He has written the action/thriller feature EDGE OF JUSTICE, which has been announced at Cannes and is in pre-production with director Jake L. Reid (The Antwerp Dolls).

TIM LASSETER (PRODUCER / EDITOR) - a successful and innovative editor, Tim has crafted multiple award-winning shows such as PREHISTORIC PLANET (Apple+), PREDATORS (Sky/Netflix), the BAFTA winning BLUE PLANET LIVE (BBC), and most recently won the RTS West Award for Best Editing for THE GREEN PLANET (BBC). One of his latest credits is the recently released PLANET EARTH III (BBC). Tim Executive Produced and composed the music for OUT AT NIGHT.

CATARINA OLIVEIRA (PRODUCER / ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) - an accomplished film and tv editor working across a variety of genres, with credits including the upcoming A REAL BUG'S LIFE (Disney+), ISLANDS (Sky), BLUE PLANET II (BBC), and feature film THE UNCERTAIN KINGDOM (**** The Guardian), as well as award-winning short films TALIA and ALICE AND AGNES. Catarina also produced and edited both of Christopher's previous short films, ONE SHOT and OUT AT NIGHT.

RAPHAELLE THIBAUT (COMPOSER) - nominated for Breakthrough Composer of the Year 2021 by the International Film Critics Association, Raphaelle's talent has seen her score (amongst many others) the award winning SECRETS OF THE WHALES (Disney+) documentary series MAMA'S BOY (HBO), HEART OF INVICTUS (Netflix) and feature documentary INTRODUCING, SELMA BLAIR, which was honoured with the Special Jury Award at SXSW.

SARAH SMITHER (DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY) - an award-winning Cinematographer with experience across independent short and feature films in a wide range of genres. Amongst the 50 short films she has worked on she photographed the RTS winning short TALIA and recently wrapped on KIRSTY'S PROMISE, her fourth feature as DoP.

PAUL ZABIHI (ART DIRECTOR) - with experience as a graphic artist, interior architect and filmmaker, Paul has over twenty-five years of experience taking ideas and making them reality. His work as Production Designer can be seen in the feature films ACT OF GOD (starring David Suchet and jenny Agutter), 97 MINUTES (starring Alec Baldwin and Jonathan Rhys Meyers), and the short GOOD BOY(starring Ben Wishaw).

ELLIE WILLIAMS and DREW SEWELL (SOUND) - long time friends and collaborators, Drew and Ellie are as at home in a jungle canopy as a film studio, masters in capturing beautiful warm dialogue. Specialists in Natural History and regulars in high-end drama and commercials, they bring a wealth of experience and sound passion to this project. With backgrounds in music, they’ve been drawn to this project with its playful score twist and they look forward to  contributing to an immersive and powerful soundtrack.

WESLEY HIBBERD (COLOURIST) - with exceptional technical understanding and an excellent eye for detail it's easy to see why Wes was nominated for the RTS WoE grading award in 2020, 2021 and 2023. Among his many impressive credits are FROZEN PLANET II (BBC), THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF (Channel 4) and OUR PLANET (Netflix)

HENRY ST.LEGER (STORYBOARD ARTIST) - a freelance illustrator with over 15 years experience of creating storyboards, character designs and concept art for animation, film and print. Henry's imagination has been seen in the likes of SHAUN THE SHEEP and MOOMINALLEY, commercials for FUNKO and NIKE, music videos for COLDPLAY and CAT STEVENS, and the feature film THE FANTASTIC FEAR OF EVERYTHING (2012).

DAN CHERNETT (GRAPHIC ARTIST) - Award winning illustrator and animator Dan has a long track record of creating visual content for both print and screen. Some of the clients he has worked with include Hasbro, Xbox, Lego, Warner Bros, Marvel, Coca Cola, Disney and CBeebies.

We're also excited to be partnering up with the legendary FILMS@59, one of the top ten Pre and Post Production houses in the country, who will be providing equipment and their world-class post-production team and facilities

Characters and Cast

Portman

Sharp in all the right places, she's always in control because she has to be. What's being exchanged means less than the respect she's looking for.

Portman's leadership will be brought to life by the fast rising star DANI MOSELEY, who many will recognise as 'Amy' from BAFTA-winning BBC3 series 'Dreaming Whilst Black'

Credits: DREAMING WHILST BLACK (BBC/A24, 2023), THE KITCHEN (Directed by Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares, 2023), THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO ISLINGTON (2023)

Bostic

Portman's right hand, one strong enough to put you on your ass with a punch, but would rather put you in your place with a look. A quick draw with an idea, Bostic sees herself as a chaperone first and a bodyguard second, because if she does the first part right she doesn't need to do the second.

Bostic's calm head and quick smarts will be guided by YASMINE HOLNESS-DOVE

Credits: THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS (Sky), INVASION and TRYING (both Apple+)

Kirchman

Portman's left hand, and it's an uppercut in armani. Her presence is an action that speaks louder than words, and those words are 'try it, I dare you'. Kirchman is a woman of action, but tonight is a test of her mental toughness too as she faces an enemy she can't physically intimidate.

Kirchman's responsibility will be shouldered by the formidable ADELE NICOLL, a decorated athlete who competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, won silver at the 21-22 Bobsleigh World Cup, and gold in the shot putt at the 2022 British Athletic Championships. THE SCORE will be Adele's film debut.

Mica

Smarter than she remembers, she's just too used to being told what her opinion is. Her drug induced paranoia is just another voice telling her what to think. Cutler is her only friend, or at least that's what he tells her, so if this deal means a new start for him that means the same for her too...right?

Mica's hidden depths will be uncovered by SOFIA ANTONIA MILONE

Credits: ADULTS TALKING (short), ROLL THE DICE (short), VERONICA (short, also writer and director)

CUTLER

The world is moving forward too quickly for him to keep his place, and the only people who look up to him now are those he can keep down. This deal could be a lifeline for him, but he might be too busy punching down to grab it.

Cutler's shades of grey will be brought out by ALASTAIR G CUMMING

Credits: THE DRAUGHTSMAN'S CONTRACT (1982), DR WHO, VELVET GOLDMINE (1998), SKINS, WELCOME TO THE PUNCH (2013) OUT AT NIGHT (2021) SENSATION (2021)

Why Are We Crowdfunding?

THE SCORE is an independent project, and an ambitious one. Bringing this film to life will come with inevitable costs and your backing will help cover these.

• CAST AND CREW PAY - because they're worth it
• KIT RENTAL - because we do not want to compromise on the quality of our shared vision
• WARDROBE/PROPS - because we want our cast to look the part too
• PRODUCTION INSURANCE - because everyone involved is invaluable (and so is all their stuff).
• FOOD - because we need to feed our stomachs so we can feed your minds
• PERMITS  & LOCATION FEES - because we do not want to be stopped before we have started.
• DISTRIBUTION/FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS - because we want this film to be seen by as many people as possible.

If THE SCORE sounds like an interesting concept to you, please consider backing us as your support will help make this film a reality. And as an investor you will be one of the first people to watch the film when it's ready, as well as have access to exclusive content and perks.

We look forward to working with you on this project.