UNTITLED SPORTS TEAM HORROR FILM

WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?

We're Tāmaki-based production company Sports Team!

With a feature length concert film, 26 episodes of our web show Trash Recital, and 40= music videos under our belt, we're ready for a new challenge. After reaching the national final of the 48Hours Filmmaking competition in 2022, we were curious what would happen if we spent a whole year on something. We started throwing around ideas for a feature film... and we reckon we hit on one just crazy enough to work.

Unfortunately, we can't really tell you anything about it.

WHY SO SECRET?

Okay, so you'll have to go with us on this one. This film is our baby, and we're a little protective. It's our first time making a feature film, and we want to mitigate any pressure or expectations from our audience, and let everyone just enjoy the mystery for a while. We think people are going to be really excited about this film, and hope you'll take the leap and support the project without a plot synopsis.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US?

Untitled Sports Team Horror Film is a micro-budget horror feature film shooting in rural Canterbury this summer. We've carved out the entire month of January 2024 to shoot the film. We've got free accomodation, just about all the gear we need, and one hell of story.

Where we need your help is with feeding everyone, covering our rent, set dressing, paying a pro for practical effects and gory prosthetics. And of course providing cash for anyone who lends a hand!

WHAT'S THE BUDGET?

We believe we can make a really good film for $30,000 NZD. We're raising half of that through this Boosted campaign, and the other from alternative funding options, as well as public screenings of previous work (for more about these screenings follow us over on the Sports Team Instagram).

WHO'S INVOLVED?

Sports Team is the creative partnership of Annabel Kean (writer / actor) and Callum Devlin (writer / director). Since 2018 they've been making handmade digital content in and around the independent music community in Aotearoa. They are also the hosts of the 95bFM Top 10. As well as writing, Annabel will also be acting in the film, while Callum is set to direct.

Alice May Connolly is an actor and writer from stage and screen, known for This Town (2020), Daffodils (2019) and Sweet Tooth (2021). She has the honour of being Sports Team's most frequent collaborator, recently appearing as the title role in the music video for Thinking of Nina by Marlon Williams. As well as writing, Alice will also be playing the lead role in this (as yet) untitled film.

Finnius Teppet is a writer and director whose credits include the RNZ web-series The Citizen's Handbook (2020) and short film Democracy (NZIFF 2020). His feature screenplay I.O.U. was selected for the inaugural Black List NZ project. Finn will be lending his writing expertise to the film, and hopes to help make it make sense.

Samuel Austin is an actor and cinematographer. Acting credits include Wellington Paranormal (2022) and Lowdown Dirty Criminals (2020). Swapping roles to shoot the short film Mary Mary (2022), he has also frequently acted as DOP for Sports Team's music videos, including their concert film The Beths: Auckland, New Zealand, 2020 (2021). Samuel will be shooting the film, and will probably be acting in it.

Oliver Devlin, as the identical twin brother of director Callum Devlin, has been collaborating on film projects with him since the age of 11. He is also an award winning musician and sound designer, who's indie rock project Hans Pucket released their album No Drama (2022) on Carpark Records. Oli will be helping to make the film sound amazing.

BUT WHY?

No one's asking us to make this film. As music video makers, we figured it might be another ten years before we get a crack at a feature film. So the question is, how do we get on with it and also make sure that when we finish the film, we can make enough money to do it again? Well, one part is keeping the budget very low ($30K low), and the other part is our solid-as-a-rock distribution plan (which we're working on).

One of our goals as Sports Team is to grow an audience of people interested in micro-budget cinema in New Zealand. It’s already happening, the technology is there, and films are already being made. We want to figure out how to do this for ourselves, and bring people along with us.

OKAY, I'M IN. WHAT ELSE?

You can follow Sports Team on Instagram to find out more about this film as we make it!

If you're interested in helping out, but can't donate, we ask you to share this page with someone who might be interested!

Thank you for your support :)