Founded in 2008, The Film Stage was created as an outlet for a pair of students (myself and Dan Mecca) to discuss film, with the hope to connect with fellow cinephiles around the world. As our independently owned site has progressed above and beyond our dreams in the years since, we’ve long discussed working together to create our own original, narrative content.

Today we’re excited to share the first initiative down this road with the launch of a Kickstarter to raise funds for a short film. Titled Strange Bird, the film, with modern noir influences, will explore the nature of evil, tracking a detective who is out to find the man who murdered his young sister a decade prior.

Our Kickstarter page provides more details on the short, including a cost breakdown for the $5,000 project and the bevy of available rewards. One can also see our pitch video below, which provides a glimpse at the tone of the project, as well as an extended synopsis. We’re thrilled to invite our readers to take part in this with us and any backing, regardless of the amount, is greatly appreciated.

When terrible, heinous crimes are committed the first thing most of us ask is, “For what reason did this happen?” In thinking about this, it becomes clear that the most frightening answer is: there was no reason at all. To kill without any motive or intent is something sociopathic, something almost alien. Something very strange indeed.

When we meet our hero Detective Henry Harker, he’s at the tail end of a decade-long journey to find Simon, the man who killed his younger sister. As he finally encounters Simon, he’ll try to better figure out the man behind the murder.

The two men share a long, sordid history, beginning from childhood and culminating here, at a lake house in the middle of nowhere.

This story serves as the first act of a much longer tale, one that explores the nature of evil and the temptation within all of us to turn to that dark part of ourselves. In Henry Harker we see a complicated hero who’s narrative has only just begun.

Thank you for your support. Please find more information on the official Facebook and Kickstarter pages.

No more articles