The Herd

“The cacophony of sorrow entwines with the noises of pain”

 

What’s it about?

Imprisoned within inhuman squalor with other women; Paula’s existence and human function is abused as a resource by her captors.

Escape, on any level, is hopeless as the women are condemned to a life of enforced servitude for one reason only – their milk.

Enslaved, inseminated and abused – every facet of their life is violated. At first the premise seems exaggerated and absurd; but is, in fact, disgusting in its stark normality.

In short, THE HERD inflicts the life of the average dairy cow on to a group of human women and weaves this premise into a brutal tale of original horror.

 

What is ‘The Herd’?

Deliberately avoiding the lack of finesse associated with “torture porn” and exploitation, THE HERD eschews these in favour of a vicarious descent into the visceral nightmare of relinquishing the most innate rights of existence.

Existing principally as a dark and transgressive horror short; THE HERD also asks questions as to how we approach the sentiency of other beings and the importance of the concept of individual freedoms in modern society.

 

Who’s behind ‘The Herd’?

THE HERD began as a concept and script by horror writer Ed Pope. The project was then made real by artist, director and horror industry stalwart Melanie Light.

 

Melanie has assembled an exceptionally talented cast and crew to achieve the initial vision to the highest possible standards. These include Pollyanna McIntosh (The Woman, Filth, Burke & Hare), Victoria Broom (ABCs of Death 2, Stalled), Jon Campling (Sleeping Dogs, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows), Sarah Jane Honeywell (The Eschatrilogy: Book of the Dead, Dead Man’s Lake), Craig Conway (The Descent, Dog Soldiers) and Charlotte Hunter (Dungeons and Dragons, Vitality). An original score is composed and performed by Laurent Barnard from the internationally acclaimed band Gallows.

 

Confirmed crew are: the wonderfully talented Cinematographer Bart Sienkiewicz - http://bsienkiewicz.com/ and awesome Special Effects master Tristan Versluis (Game of Thrones, WWZ, Sweeny Todd) We also have some of the effects team GTFX from the film Inbred and Make-up Designer Marie Morgan. Comic book makers and costumer Gemma Bedeau and Lee Fenton Wilkinson will be designing and building props.  Graphic Designer Heather Gordon (The IT Crowd, Psychoville) and Concept Artist Adam Pescot (Division 19, Vampires vs Leprechauns, The Crypt) also join us. Poster designs and artwork are provided by the talented Alex CF. VFX friend and award winner Oliver Smyth (Kirill, Corpse Bride) will handle our set extensions. Also, Frighfest behind-the-scenes filmmaker Mags Linster and voice over artist Sarah Holmes complete the current crew.

 

We are still on the look out for various other crew members and a passion towards our project within the crew makes a happy and fun shooting team!

 

Why should I support ‘The Herd’?

If you are interested enough to be reading this, we are extremely humbled. Thank you.

 

We would also like to assure you that we would not ask anyone for contributions to this project if we were not dedicated to producing cinema of the highest possible quality; we believe we have the team to do this. We want all contributors to justifiably feel a sense of pride in the film and their essential part in its production.

 

Each person that contributes financially to THE HERD is every bit as vital as any other member of the crew – because it will not happen without you.

 

We fervently believe there are many good reasons to contribute towards this project:

 

• Perhaps you are a passionate supporter of quality independent filmmaking?

• Perhaps you want to support an original script that dares to be different

• Perhaps you feel strongly about the themes in the film and the message it contains?

• Perhaps you’ve enjoyed the work of the actors cast in THE HERD and want to see more of them?

• Perhaps you are an aficionado of the horror genre? Be assured that this independent crew will give you want you want to see, not what studio executives deem appropriate.

• Perhaps you just like art that has the balls to be confrontational?

• Perhaps you’re a wonderfully supportive friend or family member?

• Perhaps you’re any or none of the above, but very kind and generous?

Whatever your reason for being interested in this project, we are so grateful that you are considering helping us to fund it and thank you sincerely. We will not let you or your donation down.

 

If you are generous enough to contribute, just pick the level of donation you wish to make and/or the perk that you are most interested in. We really hope you enjoy the whole process and offer our heartfelt gratitude.

 

How else can I help?

My goodness, you are a keen one!  We adore you for it.

In one word: Share!

 

Please share this Sponsume page. Email, text, Facebook, Twitter - maybe even talk about it to your friends!

 

Sharing is the lifeblood, or nurturing milk, of this campaign. The more people who know about it the more chance it has of succeeding. We would be so grateful for any efforts to spread the word far and wide.

 

If you were kind enough to donate, we want you to tell everyone about your donation, so that they know what a bloody good sort you are.

 

What will you spend the money on?

The majority of people in the crew are giving their time for free, or in an exchange of skills. The writer and director (Ed and Mel) are also going to put our money where our mouths are and invest our own cash into THE HERD. We wouldn’t ask you to do something we were not prepared to do ourselves.

 

Funds kindly donated by you will go towards things like: location costs, very basic sustenance and, especially, to providing the highest production values possible with regard to cinematography, set design, make-up and special effects, sound and lighting etc.

 

What happens next?

Hopefully this campaign will be successful and THE HERD crew will get straight out on location and start filming under Mel’s directorial stewardship. There will definitely be blood and sweat, and almost certainly tears, until we have made one of the most brutally disturbing, yet highly thematic and justified, pieces of horror cinema you’ve ever seen.

 

We will ensure all the perks are honoured and we will keep you informed of our progress and let you know where the film screens so you can come and have a few beers with us.

 

You can donate from any part of the world!   We'd love to go global!!

 

What happens if we fall short of the target funds?

As we believe passionately in this project, and because we will be using whatever we have of our own funds, we will make the film anyway – it just won’t be anywhere near as professional-looking or effective if we fail to hit our funding target.

Every penny raised from this funding campaign, however much that is, will go towards making this the best film it can be.

 

And finally…

 

Thank you!

Thank you for visiting this page.

Thank you for reading it and for your interest.

A big thank you if you have helped spread the word.

A very special thank you if you have donated.

 

We are going all-out on this film – we won’t let you down.

 

It’s going to be brutal.

 

Be a part of THE HERD.

 

Our Facebook page - for HERD updates on Cast and Crew along with artwork and designs.

 

www.facebook.com/TheHerdMovie

 

Melanie's website - www.misartressmelanie.com and twitter twitter.com/MisartressMel