Out on the Road - Feature Film

Aim

To raise £15,000 to shoot the key Nottinghill Carnival proof of concept scenes for Out on the Road feature film.

Out On The Road

Help us shoot the first Notting Hill Carnival feature film told from inside the culture.

Hi, I’m Kesi Steven a writer, producer of 'Out On The Road' and founder of The Creative Calling Productions.   

Out On The Road is an independent feature film set during Notting Hill Carnival, following two sisters- Destiny & Faith racing across West London on Carnival Monday as they try to catch their Mas band (Monarch Carnival) before judging point.

Through their journey, the film explores Carnival, Caribbean-British identity, sisterhood, community, belonging and the beautiful chaos of trying to find your place on the road.

Notting Hill Carnival is one of the largest street festivals in the world. It brings millions of people together every year and holds deep cultural, historical and economic power. Yet there still has not been a major narrative feature film that truly centres Notting Hill Carnival from inside the culture.

That is what we are building.

Why We’re Crowdfunding

We are raising £15,000 to shoot the key Notting Hill Carnival production days for Out On The Road.

This Crowdfunder will cover our first major production phase: filming across Notting Hill Carnival weekend, including Saturday, Sunday and Carnival Monday.

These are the most important shoot days because Carnival cannot be recreated in the same way. The energy, the crowds, the music, the road, the Mas bands, the food, the sound systems, the movement and the atmosphere are all live, real and once-a-year.

2026 marks the 60th anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival, and there could not be a more important moment to honour its legacy on screen. This is not just another Carnival year- it is a milestone year for one of the world’s biggest Caribbean cultural celebrations.

The full feature will require further funding, brand partnerships and investment, but this first phase allows us to capture the most time-sensitive part of the story: Carnival itself.

This crowdfunder allows us to secure the essentials such as the equipment, crew compensation, key shoot days and the foundation we need to keep building momentum around the feature.

This is about giving Out on the Road the strongest possible start, while continuing conversations with the wider partners who can help us take the film even further.

Capturing this footage now allows us to create the foundation of the film and build a powerful proof of concept to support the next phase of production and fundraising.

What We’re Shooting

The funds raised will help us capture the heart of the story across Carnival weekend, including:

• Key scenes with the lead characters
• Carnival Monday road scenes
• Mas band and costume moments
• Supporting cast scenes
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Visual material for a proof of concept
• Promotional content to support the wider film campaign

What the £15,000 Will Support

Your support will go directly towards the production costs needed to shoot safely, professionally and respectfully during Carnival weekend.

This includes:

• Crew fees
• Equipment hire
• Production support
• Transport and logistics
• Hair, Makeup & Wardrobe
• Food and refreshments
• Insurance and safety planning
• Location and access costs where needed
• Contingency for the realities of filming during Carnival

This is an independent production, and the team are already investing significant time, energy, resources and networks to bring this story to life. The Crowdfunder will allow us to pay people fairly, protect the production, and capture Carnival with the care it deserves.

In-Kind Support & Brand Partnerships

We are also open to in-kind support from individuals, businesses and organisations who may be able to contribute goods, services, equipment or professional support instead of a financial donation.

Support could include (but is not limited to):

• Crew and production support
• Equipment
• Food and refreshments
• Hair, makeup, wardrobe or styling
• Rehearsal, meeting or filming spaces
• Accommodation or hospitality
• Product placement and brand partnerships
• Marketing, PR, photography or content creation
• Printing, design or promotional materials
• Professional services such as legal, finance, insurance or health and safety
• Post-production support including editing, colour, sound design, VFX or music
• Distribution, exhibition and screening partnerships

Brands and businesses interested in product placement, sponsorship, brand integration or Carnival-related campaign opportunities.

Please contact us directly at: [email protected]

We are especially interested in hearing from brands across beauty, drinks, food, tech, transport, fashion, wellness, travel, music and lifestyle.

Full casting call available on Backstage Mandy and Star Now or Drop us an email For more information on roles.

Why This Film Matters

Carnival is more than a street party.

It is ancestral.
It is spiritual.
It is legacy.
It is resistance.
It is memory.
It is survival.
It is joy.
It is identity.
It is community.
It is home.

For many Caribbean and Black British people, Notting Hill Carnival is one of the few spaces where culture takes over the city unapologetically. It is where generations meet, where music carries memory, where food tells stories, where the road becomes a place of release, expression and belonging.

Out on the Road is not just a film about Carnival. It is a film about what Carnival means to the people who carry it and and the role everyone plays in the ecosystem to make it what it is.

This film is about sisterhood, family, fear, freedom, cultural disconnection and reconnection. It is about the journey back to yourself, back to community and back to the road.

Meet the Team

Out on the Road is being created by a Woman-led Caribbean team; bringing together a range of skills, experiences and island heritage. Each member of the team contributes to the film’s cultural authenticity and our shared commitment to telling this story from inside the community 

Kesi Steven:  Writer and Producer
Representing: St.Lucia and Dominica

Simone Haynes: Assistant Producer
Representing: Guyana

Charlie Maguire: Cinematographer / Island Girl Films
Representing: The Bahamas and Ireland

The Bigger Vision

This crowdfunder is the first step in a much bigger vision.

Our long-term goal is to build a wider Carnival storytelling world; one that honours Carnival as culture, movement,  history, economy, spirituality, creativity and global diaspora connection.

Out on the Road is the first narrative feature in that vision.

By supporting this crowdfunder, you are helping us prove what is possible when Caribbean stories are told with depth, care, ambition and ownership.

What Your Support Means

Every donation helps us move closer to getting this film made.

Whether you give £1, £5, £50, £500 or more, you are helping us:

• Capture real Carnival footage
• Pay cast and crew
• Support Black British and Caribbean storytelling
• Create opportunities for emerging talent
• Build a proof of concept for the full feature film
• Show funders, brands and the industry that there is an audience for this story

This is about more than one film.

It is about making space for stories that should already exist.

Help Us Get Out on the Road!

We are asking our community, supporters, Carnival lovers, film lovers, creatives, cultural workers, brands, businesses and believers to help us raise £15,000 to shoot this first phase.

If you have ever felt the power of Carnival…

If you have ever wanted to see our stories on screen with care and authenticity…

If you believe in Black British and Caribbean storytelling…

If you know culture deserves investment before it becomes obvious to everyone else…

Please support Out on the Road.

Donate. Share. Connect us with partners. Help us get this film made.

Let’s get Out on the Road.

Thank you

-Kesi Steven

Website: The Creative Calling

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 12th September 2026 at 12:00am