Impressions - Short Film

Join Us in Bringing Our Project to Life!

Hello, fellow film enthusiasts!

Impressions is a short film that forms our final project for our Masters on the Acting for Screen Degree at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Notably,  alumni of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama include Dame Judy Dench, Martin Freeman, Andrew Garfield, and Riz Ahmed to name a few. 

The Story 

In the aftermath of losing her closest friends in an accident in which she was the only one to survive, Michaela falls victim to prescribed antipsychotics to help her deal with the trauma. As she loses herself in the fog of her distorted reality she can no longer identify the real from the unreal. Her subconscious haunts her as her memories become nightmares that she desperately tries to escape. 

Michaela finds herself at the scene of the accident, not knowing how she got there. Stuck in the loop of the horror she must decide, either to continue to run and resist the truth or confront it head on. 

Meet Our Team

Collectively we come from across the globe as master’s students; Uk, Canada, China and South Africa. Our final Artefact requests that we produce a short film from inception, fund raising, production and performance. We hope to finance through our community the ability not only to perform our roles as students but to birth ourselves into the Entertainment industry as intelligent, self- acknowledging and refined masters in the art of storytelling. 

Linda Adey (London) - Art Director

Linda's dual talents as an actress and art director elevate the artistic design of our short film. With experience as a screen actor and journalist for the BBC, as well as upcoming roles in a Netflix series, Linda's eye for detail ensures that our film will be visually stunning

Alessia Hatch (Swiss-Canadian) - Producer

Multilingual Alessia (Italian, French and English), is an experienced theatre actor in both Canada and Switzerland, who is transitioning into screen acting through the prestigious masters program, and is making her debut as a producer. Alessia was part of a theatre production broadcast around Canada to help healthcare professionals foster a language suitable for patients with dementia and memory loss.

Eero Chen Liu (China) - Movement Director

Eero's expertise in acting, movement and dance adds depth and dimension to our film. With a wealth of experience in theatre as an actor and dancer, and having studied in multiple countries around the world, Eero brings a unique perspective to the craft, linking movement and body to the art of acting.

Mikkie-dené Le Roux (South Africa) - Writer and Director

An actress with experience in both theatre and film. Some of her latest work includes Black Mirror (Netflix), Raised By Wolves (HBO) and The Power (Amazon). Alongside acting, she is the co-founder of Oya Pictures (South Africa) a banner under which she writes and produces independent work. Mikkie-dené is excited to take on her first time role as director on “Impressions”.

How Your Contribution Will Make a Difference

We have raised the funds for a portion of our project and with your help we will be able to fully realize our short film.  It is very important to us that we pay and acknowledge all crew and team members as we bring to life “Impressions”.  Every penny counts and we are grateful for your contribution! 

Base Goal (£4000): This covers  a portion of our production expenses as well as basic post-production costs such as editing, sound mixing and color grading.

Stretch Goal (£5000 and above): Achieving our stretch goal will enable us to cover film festival application fees, promotional expenses, and distribution costs, extending the reach of our film and sharing it with a broader audience. 

Perks for Backers

By joining our campaign, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy one of many perks as a token of our appreciation:

Name in the Credits: Your name will be immortalized in the credits of our film, showing the world your contribution to our project.

Co-Executive Producer Credit: Gain the prestigious title of co-executive producer, acknowledging your significant support.

Executive Producer Credit: Become an executive producer of our film, showcasing your crucial role in bringing our vision to life.

Digital Access to the Finished Film: Enjoy digital access to the completed film, allowing you to experience our storytelling from the comfort of your own home.

Access to Behind-the-Scenes Stills: Gain exclusive access to behind-the-scenes stills, offering a glimpse into the filmmaking process.

Personal Invite to a Film Premiere: Receive a personal invitation to a premiere event for our film, where you can celebrate its debut with the cast and crew.

The Impact

Our intention is to produce work that is not only sophisticated and interesting but that speaks to the times we live in and to reflect back to the world, itself. “Impressions” explores the themes of grief, identity, trauma, and memory. Through visual storytelling, we hope to foster a sense of community and shared experiences, leaving audiences feeling seen, heard, and hopeful. This story of friendship and loss, and the journey to rediscover one's identity and reconnect with their community, has the potential to inspire and uplift viewers from all walks of life.

Our Inspiration

Other Ways You Can Help

If you're unable to contribute, we would greatly appreciate your support in spreading the word about our project! Simply sharing our campaign with your friends, family, and social networks can make a huge difference. 

Thank you for considering supporting our campaign. We are so grateful for all our donors around the world and are excited to make a story that we can connect to, no matter where we are from!

Alessia, Eero, Linda, and Mikkie-dené.

Any Extra Questions? Here are some answers!

1. How will my contribution help achieve the objective of the short film?

Your involvement is pivotal to the success of our short film project. Your contribution plays a vital role in realizing our objectives. Without your support, bringing this film to fruition might not be possible. Your contributions will directly fund essential aspects such as compensating our film crew, covering production expenses, and facilitating post-production tasks like editing, sound mixing, and composing.

2. What is the anticipated impact and success criteria for the short film?

For us, success would entail achieving a polished final product that we're proud to stand behind—one where our messages resonate clearly and we effectively convey significant themes to our audience. Additionally, success would involve the opportunity to showcase our film in international film festivals, broadening its reach to audiences worldwide.

3. What will happen to the excess funds if we surpass our goal?

In the event that we surpass our fundraising goal, any surplus funds will be allocated towards essential post-production expenses. These include editing, sound mixing, color grading, covering festival entry fees, and facilitating necessary travel expenses. Moreover, the surplus will ensure fair compensation for our dedicated crew members, fostering a seamless production process.

4. What is a Masters artifact?

On the MA Acting for Screen Course at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama we are required in place of a written final dissertation to create and produce a short film from start to finish. In the process we are encouraged to take on multiple roles beyond acting so that we are highly skilled and motivated as we move into the industry.

5. Does your school help finance your film?

Unfortunately no. As master’s students we are required to work independently in acquiring the necessary funds to produce our film.

6. Does continuing to give funds beyond the target amount benefit your film?

YES! 

The more money we raise, the better the film will be and the more reach we will  have. Totally, we can make our project with a smaller budget, however the extra funds significantly help us elevate the quality of our short film.