Spiral - Short Film

Aim

We're Ro, Paul & Tom. And together, we're trying to make a powerful film exploring the current worldly themes of conspiracy and secrecy.

The Project:

SPIRAL began with a simple question that stayed with us for a long time: what happens when someone becomes so isolated, so anxious and so desperate to survive, that they stop trusting even their own mind?

As filmmakers, we’ve always been drawn to stories that use genre to explore real human experiences. Beneath its psychological horror and dystopian world, SPIRAL is ultimately a film about loneliness, grief and vulnerability - and how easily people can be exploited when they feel they have nowhere left to turn.

The film follows Quinn, a man struggling to survive while battling severe social anxiety, paranoia and financial hardship. When he discovers a paid drug trial that promises both money and relief from his suffering, it feels like a lifeline. But after disturbing injuries begin appearing across his body, Quinn realises the trial may be hiding something terrifying.

Although the story is fictional, the fears behind it are very real - and increasingly relevant. We are living in a time where trust in governments, institutions and authority feels more fragile than ever. Technology is evolving faster than society can comfortably process it. Artificial intelligence, misinformation, surveillance and the growing threat of cyber warfare have created a climate where many people genuinely struggle to know what is real, who to trust and where the line between truth and manipulation now exists.

SPIRAL taps directly into those anxieties.

The film explores the fear of being controlled by systems that appear helpful on the surface, while hiding darker intentions underneath. Quinn’s paranoia is not simply treated as a personal condition - it reflects a wider cultural mood of uncertainty, suspicion and instability that feels deeply connected to the world we live in right now.

That is why we believe this story needs to be told now.

We want SPIRAL to feel intense, cinematic and unsettling, but also deeply human. This isn’t horror for the sake of shock - it’s a story about fear, isolation and the desperate need for connection in a world where reality itself can feel increasingly unreliable.

The Team:

SPIRAL is the debut collaboration between director Tom Gentle, screenwriter Ro Kumar and producer Paul Mindel. We are independent filmmakers trying to create ambitious stories outside of the traditional system, and this project represents years of ideas, development and passion finally coming together.

Tom has previously directed award-winning short films including Close and Do You Have Kids on extremely limited budgets, proving what can be achieved with creativity, commitment and the right team. But SPIRAL is our most ambitious project yet.

To bring this world to life properly, we need to create detailed locations, stylised lighting, practical make-up effects and a believable dystopian atmosphere. We also want to work with professional actors and crew who can elevate the film and give it the emotional weight it deserves. Beyond filming itself, funding will also support editing, sound design, colour grading and festival submissions.

How you can help:

We have already raised £5,000 ourselves because we truly believe in this film and are committed to making it happen. Now we’re asking for your help to take the next step.

Our fundraising target is £6,000, and we are hoping to qualify for Creative Scotland match funding, which would help us reach the minimum budget needed to complete the film.

Every contribution, no matter the size, genuinely helps move SPIRAL closer to becoming a reality. By supporting the project, you’re not just helping fund a short film - you’re helping independent filmmakers tell bold, personal stories that otherwise might never get made.

As a thank you, supporters will receive rewards including film credits, early access to the finished film, signed scripts, set visits and Executive Producer credits.

We can’t wait to share SPIRAL with you.

Budget Breakdown:

We will keep costs as low as we can but filming is expensive and we will need every pound for the process, if we exceed our funding target, we will use any surplus money for additional distribution. The budget has been allocated across production, post-production and distribution to ensure the film can be completed to a professional festival-ready standard.

The Creative Team:

Director - Tom Gentle

Tom is a Scottish Writer/Director from Glasgow, whose work encompasses fiction, factual and commercial. He is an alumnus of Edinburgh, Reykjavik, Storyfutures and LiM Talent Labs.  His shorts, developed by Screen Scotland, have played at BAFTA & Oscar-accredited festivals around the world, including RiverRun, Vienna Shorts, Flickerfest and Hollyshorts. His work has been developed by BFI: NETWORK and shortlisted by National Film and Television School and Disney. His short film "In the Fall" won Best Scottish Film at Edinburgh Short Film Festival, the Hilton Earl Memorial Prize at Glasgow Short Film Festival, and was nominated for Best British Film at London Short Film Festival.

Writer - Ro Kumar

Ro Kumar is an actor and screenwriter with a passion for character-driven storytelling and psychologically complex narratives. Drawn to projects that explore human vulnerability through bold genre filmmaking, Ro combines emotionally grounded performances with a strong creative voice as a writer. As the screenwriter of SPIRAL, Ro brings a deeply personal understanding of the film’s themes of anxiety, isolation and paranoia, helping shape the project from its earliest development through to production.

Producer - Paul Mindel

Paul Mindel is a producer and experienced 1st Assistant Director with a strong background in independent film production. Having worked across a range of short films and creative projects, Paul brings extensive on-set leadership, logistical planning and production management experience to SPIRAL. His background as a 1st AD gives him a practical understanding of how to deliver ambitious productions efficiently and professionally, helping bridge the gap between creative vision and execution. As producer on SPIRAL, Paul is focused on building a production that maximises both cinematic quality and independent filmmaking resourcefulness.

Attached Cast

QUINN - Jordan Mahr https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10766179/

RICHARD - Brandon Grace https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10834608/

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 12th June 2026 at 5:00pm