Always on
This project successfully funded on 28th February 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
'On The Line' - Short Film
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Aim
Help us fund our most ambitious short film yet, enabling us to cover cast, locations, set design, music, marketing and festivals.
Statement:
This is our final-year film project leading to our graduation. Actualising a short film 15-30 minutes in length, it is our most challenging project yet. It represents the culmination of everything we've learned, demonstrating all the skills we've acquired and displaying the passion we all have for film making.
Though this is an academic, student level film, we want to create something greater. We want this film to show that we as a production team, have what it takes to create a short film that not only is produced and marketed in a professional manner, but also deliver artistic merit and true creative passion. We want to make a film together that is bigger than ourselves, a film that has a purpose and meaning on a scale we have never done before.
This crowd funder will help enable us to cover a variety of production elements, such as booking locations. Funding will also be allocated to production designs costs, such as set design, props, costumes and make-up, along with technical aspects such as visual effects and renting equipment. We will be collaborating with actors and music producers, who we want to treat with fair pay. Additionally, the funding will contribute to distributing and marketing the film and help with festival submissions.
This project is the first step forward for us into the greater film making world and we aim to prove ourselves and demonstrate our potential and enthusiasm, with your help and support pushing us along the way.
What is our film even about?
Title:
"On The Line"
Logline:
A solitary young man must navigate an unpredictable night, as he learns the woman of his dreams is in danger, he must confront a world full of lies, to save her before it’s too late.
Synopsis:
A lonely young man’s world is changed forever after receiving an anonymous call from a women claiming she’s been kidnapped. Desperate to save her, he races through the city trying to find ransom money by making increasingly reckless and dangerous choices. As time ticks down, his pursuit leads him into a trap, narrowly escaping it with his life. After finding out that the ordeal was a scam, he decides to disappear back into societies depths.
Why are we making this film?
The film is a fusion of our current perspective, our place in the world and our outlook on the future.
We devised this idea from the emerging reality that today more than ever before, we do not know what is real or not.
Misleading media, that is utilising generative AI technology is making us doubt everything we see and hear in our digitised world. As a result, genuine human connection, faith and trust is at risk of being slowly eroded completely and many people are choosing to alienate themselves from others just to feel safe.
Specifically we aim to explore how AI-powered scam calls are a new, highly effective and rapidly growing form of fraud. By using cloned voices of those we know and love, scammers are tricking people at a higher level of emotional manipulation and causing a greater sense of panic than previous methods.
Imagine your voice, your face, your entire identity being replicated with seemingly perfect detail, to be used as a weapon against those you care about.
Even though we as a production team, are on the younger side and are more familiar with computing technology and how it can deceive you, this does not mean we are invulnerable. If left unchecked, if we do not raise awareness on this issue, many more lives are at risk. This may only be the beginning and could develop into something far worse.
We want to create a realistic but dramatised tale about how the youth of today are inheriting and growing into a world that is becoming increasingly urbanised, digitised and paradoxically, more disconnected. Though we're not approaching it with all doom and gloom. We believe that making this is not just a social commentary but serves as an act of hope that despite the ever growing dangers of our changing social habits and norms, there are always people out there that we can rely on and build a stronger, more honest and trustworthy community, no matter who lurks behind the phone.
Creative Styles, Technical Elements & Inspirations:
Picture a dark urban-scape, race against time thriller. With naturalistic performances, involving an ensemble cast of characters from various walks of life, representing the best and worst of ordinary everyday people. Edited in a fast paced framework that cuts between wide shots of urban landscapes, belittling and overwhelming our protagonist. Contrasted with tight cinematography, to enclose us in this high-stress journey.
With a major focus on handheld camera work to make it feel as if you are not just an observer, but a participator. Like you are walking beside our protagonist as they race from place to place. Accompanied with an electronic, high tempo but unsettling soundtrack to show the chaos and constant unnerving feeling our world embodies.
The tension in our film is ever growing and we want to make you feel on edge the entire time.
For reference our of inspirations, look to films such as
'After Hours' & 'Taxi Driver' by Martin Scorsese
'Uncut Gems' by the Safdie Brothers
'Punch Drunk Love' by Paul Thomas Anderson
'Her' by Spike Jonze
Storyline Overview:
Act I
Young Robert collects and eats his midday meal of soup alone. At a table nearby, a group of girls laugh together. He glances at one girl for a moment, and briefly catches her eye before returning to his soup. He stays sat alone glued to his phone. Later in the day he walks in the masses hood up, unnoticed, towards home.
Later in the eveing, he’s back in his accommodation. His room is bare and untidy, misplaced clothes and litterr decorate the room. In the door he, undresses and sits in his bed and scrolls on his phone. He switches position and sits at his window staring out into the busy night. Brushing his teeth in his ensuite his phone begins to ring, it’s not saved but it’s a local number. Robert cautiously answers and is surprised to hear a girl’s voice. She asks if its him, Robert tells her his name. It’s the girl from the lunch hall her name is Sophia. Trembling she explains she’s been kidnapped, she called him because he looked trustworthy. Robert feeling overwhelmed says he will call the police. Sophia begs him not to, the kidnappers would know. Sophia tells him they need five thousand pounds in the next two hours. Robert honestly admits he doesn’t have any money, there’s a pause on the line. He then says he can try and get it despite not knowing how. Sophia thanks him profusely and tells him the final destination for the ransom. Robert scrambles for a pen and writes on his hand. Sophie can’t wait to see him and hangs up. Overstimulated Robert scrambles for his phone and kicks on some joggers and quickly leaves his flat.
Pacing his hallway, he lands on knocking on his neighbour Finlay’s door. The smell of weed hits him as he awkwardly begins small talk. Robert initially asks for money but is met with a cheesy grin and a rejection. Finlay gives him an address and the name Jamie and says he can help. Robert continuously thanks him as he scurries off.
Act II
The streets are packed, people going home and people going out. Robert dressed for a cosy night in stands out. Sophia calls him as he shuffle's through a crowd, Robert quietly tells her the good news, Sophia asks how long it will take. Robert apologetically doesn’t know. Sophia asks to stay on the line just for her comfort. Juggling the two situations Robert keeps moving forward and keeps Sophia satisfied.
He reaches Jamie’s location. He can see lights and hear rap music, Robert awkwardly walks in past clusters of people flooding into the hallway, the door is open and he makes his way inside. He squeezes through the crowd holding his breath apologising. On the cusp of the hallway he stops and looks around, underdressed, clearly out of place as he notices people posing with money and expensive accessories. A girl interacts with him asking if he's okay. He stutters and says he’s looking for Jamie, She points to a man sitting on the sofa. Robert walks over and sits next to Jamie. Jamie squints at Robert before asking who he is, Robert says Finlay sent him. Jamie is adamant he doesn’t know a Finlay, He pokes fun and embarrasses Robert before telling him to get out. Robert obediently heads for the exit. He notices in a side room a man bag with a bit of money poking out. Robert enters the room and is mesmerised by the money and quickly pockets the bag. He gets to the exit but hears a shout. Someone aggressively asking the whole party who took his bag. Robert turns to exit, someone notices the bag in his hand. People start to scream in his face and push him. Nearest to the door, Robert makes an eventual run for it. Securely hid he calls Sophia, he informs her on progress and asks just to hear her voice. She comforts him. Robert asks her how she got kidnapped. A guy at a bar drugged her and now she’s stuck. They also talk about the future together. Safe to return, Robert continues to walk. Robert is suddenly alarmed. We are now with Sophia, the room is pitch black but a tiny reflection of light is in the distance. Robert’s phone is on two percent and with just over an hour to go, Sophia might be in grave danger. Now closer to that reflection we see a mouth, with a beard within millimetres of a microphone. The man replies, on his computer an audio waveform changing his voice into Sophias, pleading Robert to find a solution. Robert decides to try a bar and see if he can charge his phone. He awkwardly weaves his way to the bar. He asks to charge his phone, they deny him. He asks again but accepts defeat. Out in the open, Sophia is calling him, he goes to explain but is cut off because his phone has ran out. Robert is hysterical he screams, kicks the curb and has his head in his hands, he has failed Sophia.
An older lady in classy aPre, makes her way home. She gets to her doorstep and finds Robert post meltdown. She asks his name and what’s the matter, he explains. She invites him up to charge his phone. Born again, Robert thanks her profusely. The woman introduces herself as Orla, She lets him in and takes him through to the kitchen and hands him a charger. She offers him a drink, he declines. She pulls up a seat next to him and relentlessly asks questions and for his opinion on her and her home. She tells him about her life and how she had a child, more interested in the phone interested in the phone, he is still polite. She asks about his love life. He goes to talk about Sophia but is cut off, Bruce her husband barges in. Orla and drunk Bruce bicker . Bruce isn’t happy with Robert being there. Robert tells the couple he needs money urgently to get this girl a present. Orla insists on helping and gives him money to help and some jewellery to pawn. Orla leaves the boys alone in the kitchen, Bruce won’t speak. Orla hands Robert earrings and money out her purse. Robert alludes that he has never actually met Sophia. Sceptical, Bruce pounces, verbally attacking Robert and Sophia. Robert deeply hurt and angry defends his love. Orla tries to referee and get Robert to stay but he insists on going, Orla blocks him from taking the phone in desperation. Robert shoots up and screams at the pair to let him leave using a chair as a weapon. Bruce makes a drunken attempt at violence, wide eyed Robert pushes him off and hurry’s for the door. Orla wails begging him not to go, blocking the door. Unremorseful, Robert screams for her to move, she falls to the floor
Robert calls Sophia, he only has 30 minutes. Out of options and far away, Robert waves down a taxi and lets the driver know the address. Impatiently he tries to hurry the driver and gets at him for not going quick enough. He shouts down the phone to Sophia saying he’s coming and he’s got more money than what’s needed. Robert heckles the driver, he’s had enough and halts. Tells Robert to get out, he manages to get him out. Shouting in desperation to the driver. Robert stands in front talking to him through the screen. The driver presses down his horn, Robert eventually moves on.
Act III
As the taxi is pulling off, Robert realises his phone is in the taxi. So close to the destination, he makes a run for it. Sprinting towards Sophia, he believes he is making Ame. As he runs towards her he starts to imagine the future and the happiness with this girl. He is running with energy. He arrives at the destination and rushes through the door. The warehouse is empty, the lights are on, there is no one to be seen. From the door he came in slowly three masked men with guns and knives creep up. They shout at him to get on the floor.Robert in a fit of fear, complies and cries for help. The masked men take his money and leave him. Robert makes his way down the same road he walked down, he drags himself along and as he walks into the night. Sophia appears alongside him but disappears soon after. Robert goes into the darkness never to be seen again.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made