Fund It Friday: Make Whole (Horror Short)
“Make Whole” is a horror short promising a dark and twisty tale taking aim at our culture’s paradoxical expectations of women.
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With Make Whole, writer Jamie Brandel and director Aspen Nelson seek to flip Horror tropes on their head. Their team of women and non-binary creatives hope to illuminate the dark underbelly of our society through a haunting queer love story
Make Whole tells the story of the fragmented parts that live in all of us, attempting to meet and merge as one, and the societal issues that make it so difficult.
It follows an architect named Max who meets a dancer named Deidre at a mysterious place called the Playpen. The two form an instant connection, but their blossoming romance is threatened by the horrifying secrets of the Playpen and its omnipotent Keeper.
It’s a story of gender exploration and queer love told by a crew of women and non-binary filmmakers committed to diversifying the industry and genre.
REASONS TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT
“Horror is at its most powerful when it is meaningful, and the most meaningful horror is that which reflects to us the most insidious and hidden societal ills through the power of allegory.” – The Make Whole Team
Make Whole was born out of the struggles women and people assigned females at birth deal with concerning mental illness, sexuality, and gender. Not only are the filmmakers passionate about telling this story, but their personal experiences guarantee a more authentic story. As queer people, they aim to make a film imbued with the realities they face, and horror has historically been a space for these subjects.
Writer and director Jamie and Aspen draw on their academic background in cinema studies, using technical and sociological concepts to rebel against the traditional mainstream media narrative and harmful tropes regarding the monstrous ‘other’ so prevalent in Horror.
As women and queer people receive more and more opportunities to tell their stories from their perspectives, with the “good-for-her” genre evolving to take a less exploitative approach, who better than a group of horror historians and movie lovers to flip classic horror tropes, face their own monsters on-screen, and examine patriarchal bourgeois constructions of sexuality and gender?
ABOUT THE TEAM
Brandel (she/her) is an actor, associate producer, and writer based in New York. A passionate horror lover, her films explore themes like identity, gender, and sexuality.
Nelson (they/them) is a New York-based producer, director, and production designer. Their goal is to change the set culture to value accessibility, diversity, and sustainability. They typically hire all or mostly female and non-binary crew members and diverse heads of departments, and they platform stories about marginalized communities.
Producer Brooklyn Wilde is an LA-based producer recognized for steering compelling narratives from concept to screen. As an advocate for diverse storytelling, Brooklyn is passionately backing this queer horror short film, aligning their professional prowess with a commitment to representing and celebrating the queer community through powerful cinematic expressions.
The film’s other producer, Genna Edwards, is a writer, filmmaker, and musician based in Brooklyn, New York. She resides in the horror genre and punk spaces with work that challenges the dominant ideology surrounding women and their bodies.
The filmmakers are partnering with the production company Onyx Films to ensure that 75% of the crew on the film consists of women and queer folks.
Additionally, Make Whole will be an eco-conscious set by hiring a sustainability coordinator to monitor how to reduce waste by sourcing second-hand props and costumes, sorting trash, donating leftover food, and much more.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Incentives for backers include a shout-out on social media, inside BTS access, a curated Spotify or Letterboxd list, your name in the credits, a signed poster, tickets to a screening, an IMDb credit, and much more.
As always, if you can’t financially contribute, there are always to show your support for indie film and art that don’t cost a penny.
Don’t ever believe that your contributions aren’t valuable, no matter how small. Making a film is a Herculean task that takes a community, and you CAN make a difference.
Some ways you can help include sharing on social media to help spread the word. Promoting a film on social media is incredibly difficult, and current social media algorithms make it harder than ever before. It’s as easy as simply pressing share and following them on their Instagram @makewholefilm.
By following them, you can also hear about fundraising events and prop drives you can help support.
By backing Make Whole, you’re helping to diversify Horror and platform underrepresented voices.
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