UBIQUITOUS

A young man is forced to confront feelings of self-rejection and isolation as he struggles to express his love for his best friend. Ubiquitous is a short film that blends music, visual poetry and an emotionally grounded performance to tell the story of a young man battling with internalised homophobia and unrequited love.

£3,505.00
raised of £3,500.00 goal
Ongoing
48 Backers
Genre
Film
Scope
Short
Seeking funding for
Production
Campaign type
Ongoing
Support project
    Project

    UBIQUITOUS

    Genre
    Film
    Seeking funding for
    Production
    Scope
    Short
    Campaign type
    Ongoing
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    Welcome!

    We're incredibly excited to be developing the short film Ubiquitous and we hope you will join us in bringing it to life. 

    The purpose of this campaign is to raise the remaining funds needed for the production and distribution of the film. The images you see throughout are frames from a test shoot. With our locations and all the creative in place we will be ready to shoot as soon as we piece together the remaining finance. 

    Story

    A young man is forced to confront feelings of self-rejection and isolation as he struggles to express his love for his best friend. Ubiquitous blends music, visual poetry and an emotionally grounded performance to tell the story of a young man battling with internalised homophobia and unrequited love. 

    Inspired by filmmakers Wong Kar Wai, Andrei Tarksovky, Andrea Arnold & Melina Matsoukas, this short is a visually lyrical piece - fusing together the real and the cinematic. Through a combination of gritty realism and transformative fantasy and with an evocative score, we hope to create an intimate portrait of an isolated young man, set against the backdrop of brutalist buildings. 

    The film is a map of our character's interiority. It explores the Young Man’s inner conflict as he journeys through his estate, navigating complex feelings around his identity. We as an audience become witness to the internal monologue running through his mind – it is not what we expect. The juxtaposition of the Young Man’s outward masculinity, versus his deep, internal vulnerability is portrayed through a poetic stream of consciousness. 


    ‘The Song’ which haunts the Young Man throughout his journey, is written by award-winning Composer Fran Amewudah-Rivers. It drives the narrative, pulling us in and out of the Young Man’s memories. Filmed in a way to capture the sensation of falling in and out of one’s own memories and the intersection between reality and desire. The young man attempts to find freedom from his thoughts yet glimmers of ‘The Song’ can be found everywhere. It is ubiquitous.

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    Director's Statement

    The inception of Ubiquitous stemmed from my personal experience of loss. A familiar feeling of grief that can be triggered at any time. A feeling that is universal. No matter what gender, race, socio-economic background or sexuality, we all desire connection.

    I want the viewer to experience the Young Man’s interiority. To punctuate the racing tempo of his thoughts - the movement of the camera will be jagged with frequent cuts. As we journey through his memories towards his own reconciliation with his sexuality and repressed emotions we will flow into smooth continuous shots and fluid camera movement. 

    Sound is a key storytelling component. We will experience what the Young Man hears, which informs how he is reacting to the world around him. Sound is so rooted in what we’re feeling. It carries emotion. ‘The Song’ will be heard throughout as the Young Man makes his journey through the estate, intersecting memory with reality. 

    Internalised homophobia renders a person unable to express themselves honestly and freely, which our Young Man in Ubiquitous so aches to do. I hope to explore and highlight the deep impact of gender stereotypes and bring attention to minority voices who are all too often silenced.

     

    Producer's Statement

    Masha is an exceptionally talented theatre director and deserves the opportunity showcase her ability in her very first short film. She’s an incredibly visual story teller and plays with form and magical realism on stage in such bold and experimental ways.

    It is clear that Masha is minded very much as a filmmaker in the way she combines music, sound and story and is therefore able to create such emotionally gripping and visceral work. Theatrical directors have a special ability to draw performances from their actors, and I can't wait to see the work she has developed for screen come to life.

     

    Cast & Creative Team

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    Masha Kevinovna is a Writer/Director of Ukrainian, Russian and Jewish heritage. She is the Artistic Director of OPIA Collective. Recently she was a JMK Finalist 2022 for her production of 'Crave' by Sarah Kane. In 2020, Masha was awarded the inaugural Bryan Forbes Bursary for NYT REP Company where she assisted Ed Stambollouian and Miranda Cromwell before writing and directing the acclaimed 'Ordinary Miracle', premiering at National Youth Theatre. Her debut play 'The Girl With Glitter In Her Eye' premiered at Bunker Theatre to a great critical reception. 

    As a Writer and Director her work has been performed, commissioned and developed by Royal Albert Hall, Bunker Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Battersea Arts Centre, Nabakov Theatre, National Youth Theatre, Harts Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Royal Court and Pleasance Theatre. 

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    Juliet Kirby is a Development Executive at Aluna Entertainment – the London based film & television production company focused on telling stories from the spectrum of the untold female experience. Aluna aims to promote underrepresented storytellers, producing radical and uncompromising material across both film and television. Alongside Aluna's main slate, Juliet is developing a slate of shorts and debut features with emerging female writers and directors. 

    Prior to moving into development, Juliet worked for several years as an Assistant Director her credits include Last Night In Soho (Working Title Films), Indiana Jones 5 (Disney), Spiderman: Far From Home (Marvel), Artemis Fowl (Disney). 

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    DOP/Editor: Joseph Hobbs 

    Selected Credits: Shapes (BBC Short Film)

    Hilda (Feature Film) Awards: FIPRESCI Award for best Film at Moscow International Festival. Included in BIFA longest nominations for various categories. Premiered at Raindance Film Festival 2019 and screened at Kerry Film Festival 2019. 

    Lubtha (Short Film). Selected for various film festivals including Aesthetica Short FIlm 2019. Over a million views on Youtube. 

    Joseph Hobbs was selected to be part of the inaugural BFI Network x BAFTA Crew 2021. 

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    Cara Evans graduated from the RCSSD with first class honour in 2019. Cara is an Associate Director of OPIA Collective and a reader at the Royal Court. 

    Theatre includes as Designer: The Living Newspaper (Royal Court); Sirens (Mercury Colchester Studio); Get Dressed! (Unicorn Theatre); Queer Upstairs (Royal Court); SK Shlomo: Breathe (Royal Albert Hall), Bright Half Life (King's Head Theatre); Blanket Ban (New Diorama/ Underbelly); Ordnairy Miracle (NYT Studio); Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon (Southwark Playhouse); The Woman Who Turned Into A Tree/Refuge (New Nordics Festival/ Jackson's Lane); The Girl With Glitter In Her Eye (Bunker); as Associate Designer for Chloe Lamford, Teenage Dick (Donmar School's Tour) 

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    Fran Amewudah-Rivers is a British-Ghanian composer, musician and actor who was awarded the 2021 Evening Standard Future Theatre Award for Audio Design. Fran trained at Oxford University, graduating with a BA in Music, and with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.  

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    Cast: Will Atiomo 

    Selected Credits: Sandman (Netflix), Samskara (The Yard), Animal Farm (Royal&Derngate, NYT), Othello (Royal&Derngate, NYT), Ordinary Miracle (NYT)

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    Cast: Jack Matthew

    Selected Credits: Get Up Stand Up! (Lyric Theatre), Babel (Camden People's Theatre), Animal Farm (Royal&Derngate, NYT), Othello (Royal&Derngate, NYT), Ordinary Miracle (NYT) 

    Where does my money go?

    A large proportion of what we raise will be allocated to equipment and paying our crew, and also post; the offline edit, grade, composition, sound mix and delivery. 

    We want to bring UBIQUITOUS to festivals and give it an international career so funds will allow us to pay for festival entries also. 

    Production: 

    • Pay cast and crew 
    • Equipment 

    Post-production: 

    • Editing
    • Grading
    • Composition
    • Sound Design

    Marketing and Distribution: 

    • Graphic design 
    • Festivals submissions
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    We need your help 

    Short films enable filmmakers the freedom to take creative risks and develop their voice. They are integral to building a portfolio and career within the industry and yet, they are notoriously difficult to fund. 

    For early-career film-makers this can be a catch-22; unable to get financed without existing work but unable to develop as artists without the resources to create that work in the first place. 

    Investing in Masha and UBIQUITOUS will develop the skills and knowledge of its creative members by giving talented artists the tools to continue to make high quality work. 

    If you’re inclined to support artistic endeavour, storytelling, filmmaking or just a friend, relative or colleague with what they’re trying to get off the ground - you could support generously on this project by contributing and sharing. Thank you so much! 

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    £3,505.00
    raised of £3,500.00 goal
    Ongoing
    48 Backers
    A leg up!
    £50.00
    Take a look at our Storyboard

    We will send a digital book of our storyboard created by Masha Kevinovna & Svetlana Maroutitch

    £100.00
    Thank You Credit

    A huge thanks for your help with our project. A mention in the credits for your generosity!

    £250.00
    Associate Producer Credit

    An Assosiate Producer credit for our investors who want to help us along our way. Your name will appear credited as Executive Producer and you'll receive and invite and complementary ticket for our screening. Thank you for your generosity.

    £1,000.00
    In Association with Credit

    In Association with Credit in the films titles

    £4,000.00