Have to show some crowdfund love to friends makin' a movie... Crush the Skull, from actor/co-writer Chris Dinh and co-writer/director Viet Nguyen, is described as a "scary, darkly funny, popcorn, horror movie." Or, in a nutshell, "burglars vs. serial killer." All they key personnel are in place, and they're aiming to shoot this summer. Now they're raising the cash to make it happen.
The film is actually a hybrid of Chris and Viet's two award-winning short films, Crush the Skull and Things You Don't Joke About. Watch this video for some more info about the project and to get a feel for the tone:
Here are some more details about the plot:
Our heroes are Ollie and Blair – a fun, young couple – comfortable enough to be constantly picking at each other's flaws, secure enough to start making long-term plans together – who happen to earn a dishonest living by breaking and entering into poorly secured, upper class homes. After falling into debt when their last job goes comically, horribly awry, they find themselves having to pull one more last job.
The job sounds easy enough: a B&E of a secluded vacation home in the mountains, right in Blair and Ollie's wheelhouse. Unfortunately for them, the job was set up and planned by Blair's irresponsible, unprepared, hothead younger brother, Connor. Ollie and Connor have a contentious history, but if he wants to repay his debt, he doesn't have much choice but to follow Connor's lead and fall in with the rest of the idiots on his so-called crew.
Of course, the "easy target" turns out to be anything but – the break-in is no problem, but the crew is immediately trapped inside, unable to break back out. As they explore the house for a solution, it becomes clear that this seemingly beautiful and innocuous home is actually a sadistic torture den, a mind-screwing maze of dead-ends and wrong turns, with an unseen killer separating them from one another and stalking them from the shadows. Ollie, Blair, and the rest of our would-be robbers are now fighting for their lives.
This is a good crew of creative people, and the premise sounds really fun and original. Their goal is to raise $75,000 -- a very modest production budget for a feature film -- by May 28. Help them make it happen. For further information about the project, and to make a pledge, visit the Crush the Skull Kickstarter page.