Crowdfunder Pick: "The Guiding Light"

Crowdfunder pick: “The Guiding Light”

Genre: Horror Musical

Synopsis: “The Guiding Light” is a surreal short film that follows Barbara (Jessica Messenger), a world champion dancer who after years of struggling with autoimmune disease is forced to retire. Shortly after, she contracts pneumonia and becomes critically ill. Minutes from death, she’s visited by the mysterious Angela (Martina Lopez). The two embark on a journey through Barbara’s happiest memories before she’s forced to face her pending mortality. 

Directed by Tom Brumpton and written by Adam Luff, the film is a colourful celebration of life and an examination of legacy which takes nods from Videodrome‘s use of body horror, The Neon Demon‘s visual tone and La La Land‘s take on traditional musicals.

About the moviemaker: TomBrumpton, who co-founded Akarusa Yami in 2011 with Guitarist Tom Clarke, parted ways with the band in 2015 after releasing two EPs (2011’s “Ouroboros” & 2012’s “Trace Element Rebirth”) and an album (2015’s “Heavy Climb”), states he hasn’t performed live since leaving the band.

Acting for many years outside of music, Brumpton spent the next two years appearing in various films and co-directed and produced a handful of projects with writer and best friend Adam Luff. This included 2016’s “Nurture of the Beast”, which was nominated for a number of awards, including Best Actor for Brumpton, and was screened at various film festivals around the world. In mid-2017 the pair began working on “The Guiding Light”, a sprawling surreal film that in Brumpton’s own words: “Is a celebration of life, those we share it with and the idea of legacy”.

He is working with Adam Luff (writer, producer) and Gisele Mauvecin (producer) to bring the short to life.

Platform: IndieGoGo

Campaign end date: September 19, 2018

Target amount: $15,555

Current amount: $946

Request: Outside of the usual filmmaking issues (balancing budgets, location scouting, cast/crew availability, etc) the biggest concerns for the team were “Does this coalesce?” and “Are we making something that will resonate and entertain?”

We are attempting to make a short that takes in lots of different elements (graphic body horror, decade-spanning dance sequences and a visually arresting tone). All the while telling the story of a woman who despite living with a debilitating illness has lived a rich life which she is now left fighting for.

We’ve tackled this by keeping the narrative tight, focused, and bringing in the best cast and crew possible.

“All donations are appreciated, but for those unable to, you can share this link on social media and help spread the word. Although any amount helps, word of mouth is just as valuable.”

Crowdfund by visiting: “The Guiding Light” MM