Benefits ~ Short Film

Friends, family and everyone else who have stumbled across this page,

We have almost everything ready and in place to make this film – we just need the money to make it. Which, as you’ve probably guessed, is where you come in.  We need your support to make it all possible (and we have some great rewards to offer in return!)

What’s this film all about then?

Well. Let me explain. Benefits is a gritty action drama web series which introduces Danny, a teenage boy who lives alone in his grimy flat. When a briefcase full of money turns up in his flat, he and his friend are in a moral dilemma about what to do. Keep the money along with the guilt that comes with it, or hand it in like characters from a soppy, kids’ animated film. But we’re not intending to make a soppy, kids’ animated film, so you can probably guess what they decide to do. Anyway, they soon find out that the money wasn’t just a nice little gift from Auntie Sue, and that it is at the centre of a fraudulent crime.

Although you might think that the money would make their lives better, it forces Danny to relive some uncomfortable memories from his unhappy past. As the audience, we hope to make you feel empathetic for Danny throughout the series.

Why do we need this money anyway?

Film making is like putting together a big jigsaw puzzle. And we mean a really big jigsaw puzzle. Each piece must be put together to make the final film. The trouble is, these pieces cost money. For us, these pieces represent: sets, costumes, equipment, lighting and makeup. Notice we didn’t mention any people. That’s because we all just want to get experience as to what it’s like to be involved in a serious film. So don’t worry, we’ll make sure that all of the money goes towards the film and none will be spent on stuff like video games and fast food. We promise.

Right, I’m in – how do I donate?

Great! It’s nice to know that someone believes in us. It’s very easy – the first thing you need to do is choose the amount you would like to give. The amount you give corresponds to the reward you get. The more you give, the better the reward you get. The rewards include a credit at the end of the film, a DVD of the finished film, a personal Thank You video message from all the cast and crew plus more.

You don’t even have to make an account, just fill in a few details and Bob’s you’re uncle!

Great- I’ve made a donation, what else can I do?

If you want, you could help spread the word about this page by emailing it to your friends and family, or posting it on social networking sites, like Facebook or Twitter.

If you got to here, we’d like to thank you for reading this, it’s much appreciated by us and we hope you are considering donating.

Thanks,

Sam, Tim and Alfie.