The Monkey's Paw Short Film

Aim

What would you do with three wishes? Explore desire, greed, and consequences with the Monkey's Paw.

Our short film is a near-faithful retelling of the classic story of the Monkey’s Paw, bringing true gothic folklore back to the spotlight. 

Traditional campfire ghost stories give us the creeps – in a good way. We want to create a short that brings the original 1902 short story to life at a time when we all need some escapism.

On a rainy winter's evening at the turn of the century, the White family await their dinner guest. Sergeant-Major Morris has just returned from two decades as a soldier serving in India. His old friend Mr. White is eager to hear stories of his exotic travels... but it's not the stories he holds of foreign landscapes that Mr. White wants his family to hear about.

The Sergeant-Major carries with him a trinket: a cursed monkey's paw that he acquired overseas. It was cursed by an old fakir and can grant the owner three wishes. Despite warning them all of the downfall that befell all those who wished upon it, the White family contemplate taking their chances.

Is it magic? A curse? Or pure coincidence?

Why Support This Project?

This is a classic story designed to spook, creep out, and make you think. What would you do if you knew your wishes might be cursed? 

A study of desire, greed, and consequences might feel like it was written yesterday - but this 1902 story taps into the things that really drive human behaviour. We want to bring this story to a modern audience with a high-quality, engaging short film - and that's where we need your help.

Independent film is a way for storytellers to explore ideas - and while we're very good at making short films in the UK, there is extremely limited funding available for such projects. And yet, there's an appetite for them - that's why you're here, reading about our project! - and as the landscape shifts, more and more independent films rely on crowdfunding sources to make sure they're made. 

Help us to show everyone that classic gothic stories have a place in film - donate today!

Who You'll Be Supporting

Your donation to our short film is in good hands, with a highly experienced team led by award-winning director Ben Caplan. Here are some of the people involved in creating The Monkey's Paw:

Ben Caplan - Director

Ben Caplan trained as an actor at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. His interest in horror piqued after working on feature film Caveat - leading him to the discovery of The Monkey's Paw story.

Combined with his extensive acting experience, Ben has also been directing since 2007. After the success of his award-winning Lockdown Lives short films, created during the 2020 lockdown, he wanted to pursue more directing projects - and that's how The Monkey's Paw short film was born.

As a Director credits include:

Theatre: Snapshot Shakespeare (RSC), SNAP.CATCH.SLAM (Pleasance, Edinburgh), The Collector(Underbelly Edinburgh and Arcola London)

Short films: Intelligence (winner Best Dark Comedy short Independent Shorts Awards), Embraceable You (Best Isolation Short Film LAMP), Silence (Capsule Award Winner), Panic Buy, Park Life, Hope, Intern, Man’s Best Friend, Kung Fu Action Chic, Wilting.

Lockdown Lives: In 2020, when the world shut down, Ben Caplan directed four short films: the Lockdown Lives. He worked with a number of actors remotely, moving within the constraints of social distancing and other pandemic restrictions. 

Check them out here.

As an Actor:

Film: Make Me A King, Pretty Red Dress, Caveat, The Commuter, Leap Year, Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla, Driver (official selection at the London Film Festival 2009), Hospital, Patrick Mann’s Daughter, Scotch Corner.

Television includes: Lagging (BBC), Small Axe (BBC), Silent Witness (BBC),Casualty(BBC), Midsummer Murders (ITV), Maigret (ITV), X Company, The Coroner (BBC), New Blood (BBC), The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries (ITV), Call The Midwife Series 1-6 Playing Sergeant Peter Noakes (BBC), Whitechapel (ITV), Dark Matters (Discovery), The Runaway (Sky), Trinity (ITV), The Passion (HBO/BBC), Maxwell (international Emmy), The Candidate, Judge John Deed, Dwarfs, Band of Brothers (HBO/BBC-winner of Golden Globe and Emmy), A Touch of Frost, Soldier, Soldier, Inspector Morse, The Perfect Blue, Where The Heart Is.

Theatre includes: The Winter’s Tale (RSC), The Exorcist (UK Tour), Describe the Night (Hampstead), Hedda Gabler (Salisbury), Abigail’s Party (Bath and UK tour), Sunny Afternoon (Hampstead, Harold Pinter), Shiver (Watford Palace), Seven Jewish Children (Royal Court), Two Thousand Years (Mike Leigh National Theatre and tour), Romeo & Juliet (UK Tour), Rose and the Ring; Guys & Dolls, Les Grandes Meaulnes, Judging Billy Jones (Young Vic).

Ian Gelder - Mr. White

Ian Gelder is a British actor, best known for his roles as Mr. Dekker in Torchwood: Children of Earth, and as Kevan Lannister in the HBO series, Game of Thrones.

Further credits achieved through an esteemed and long career include roles in series such as London's Burning and Agatha Christie's Poirot, as well as stage credits in London's West End and with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Ian's most recent television appearance was as the villain Zellin in Jodie Whittaker's second Doctor Who series.

Mary Keegan - Mrs. White

Ben first directed Mary in 'SILENCE', an award-winning short created for the Lockdown Lives series. Mary has experience across theatre, radio, film, and television, with credits including the National Theatre, BBC Radio 4, Doctors, Eastenders, and Father Brown.

Mary's credits also include a role in Sam Mendes' The Ferryman (West End), The Mousetrap, and TV credits in The Bill, Ladies of Langham Place, My Hero, and Perfect Scoundrels.

Peter Sullivan - Sergeant Major-Morris

Peter is a familiar face on our screens, with recent roles in Baptiste, Poldark, The Borgias, Marcella, The Accident, Curfew, Silent Witness, Strike, The Limehouse Golem...

Peter is excited to be part of this project to bring the Sergeant-Major - a complex, mysterious character - to life on the screen.

Tristram Wymark - Mr. Shreeves

Tristram not only has a long and esteemed acting career, but is also the great-grandson of the author of The Monkey's Paw, W. W. Jacobs! He's excited to be part of this project that will bring his great-grandfather's famous story to life.

Tristram is currently General Nelson Thursday in Starzplay's Pennyworth, and has a long history of TV, stage, and film credits including Tank Malling, Another Country, Victoria, and Phedre at the National Theatre.

George Rainsford - Herbert

George Rainsford was born in Huddersfield in Yorkshire in 1982, and later attended Repton School in Derbyshire. He joined the National Youth Theatre in 1999 and later became involved with student theatre whilst reading for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama at the University of Manchester.

In 2003 he won a Goldman-Sachs Scholarship to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). On graduation in 2006 his first professional engagement was as D'Artagnan in the Bristol Old Vic's Christmas production of 'The Three Musketeers'.

He is known for his regular performances in, amongst others, "Casualty", "Call The Midwife" and "Waking The Dead", as well as numerous theatre roles (including plays at the Royal Court, RSC and National Theatre).

Colin Coomber - Director of Photography

Colin Coomber is a talented Director of Photography working across Drama and Factual genres. As an experienced collaborator and visual storyteller, Colin's main passions lie in narrative storytelling, with broader experience in TV, Documentary, Promos, Commercials.

He is excited to bring the world of The Monkey's Paw to life with Ben and the team.

Recent narrative work includes: Horror-short Midnight Snack (Snapper Films) - British Society of Cinematographers Short Film Cinematography Competition 2020 - Top 10 selection. Award-winning The Gnome (136 Films) - currently touring festivals, Award winning Remind Me Yesterday (BAFTA Micro-shorts) - currently touring festivals, The Dam (Channel 4 Random Acts & LSFF Official Selection) and Daylight (136 Films) - a heist thriller currently in post production.

Colin is a member of the BAFTA Crew programme  and a technical guru in the sector, crafting his specialist knowledge of cameras and lenses into collaborative film projects. www.colincoomber.com

Lisa Zagone - Paw Designer

Lisa is an artist working primarily in costume and set design. Her work is playful, densely textured, and full of detail and fantasy. Since earning her MFA and BA in Fine Art from SFSU in California, Lisa has worked on a number of theatre and film projects - you can find more on her website here.

Lisa came on board The Monkey’s Paw project after working with Ben on a feature film, Caveat. Her creepy bunny creation for that film has achieved cult status – and now, she’s making the star of the short film: the Monkey’s Paw itself.

(You could own one of Lisa’s Monkey Paw creations – look for the Executive Producer and Paw reward!)

Jonathan Lipman - Costume Designer

Olivier award nominee Jonathan Lipman is on board to design the costumes for our project! Starting at Angels costume house in 1984 as an apprentice to Roger Tonks, he's worked with the costumier ever since and is now Production Director. He's worked on West End, TV and film productions including The Witches, Inspector Morse, and Four Weddings and a Funeral. In 2020, Jonathan was nominated for Best Costume Design for the Sir Trevor Nunn-directed Menier/West End stage show, Fiddler on the Roof.

Kate Unwin - Production Designer

Kate has worked as a freelance set and costume designer for over 20 years. Her art direction includes music videos for Scouting for Girls and Example and an unreleased horror film. Working predominately in theatre, Kate has worked for the National Theatre, London’s West End, regional theatres all over the UK and designed many touring and outdoor productions. She also designs site specific work, installations, bespoke costumes, events and created www.themoonandthefurrow.co.uk over lockdown.. A lifelong fan of horror film and fiction, Kate can’t wait to start working on The Monkey’s Paw. www.kateunwin.co.uk

Torquil Munro - Composer

Torquil trained formally at the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying piano, composition, conducting and commercial music. As a pianist, Torquil has recorded with countless artists, recently including Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli.

Torquil’s music has been heard on major TV networks and film. In 2005, he received a Golden Trailer nomination for best original music for a motion picture trailer for the worldwide campaign for Warner Bros’ Ocean’s Twelve.

He has scored two feature films: True Love (Antic Pictures) and What We Do (Skyrock Entertainment), along with numerous shorts and commercials. He is also a guest conductor for theatre, currently The Lion King, The Tina Turner Musical, and Hamilton.

Annie Grace - Producer

Annie Grace is a screenwriter and producer. Her latest scripts placed in major contests, most notably as a current semifinalist in the Nicholl Fellowship 2021 (finalists announced later this year). She is also the founder of Script Correct, a proofreading and editing service for screenwriters, and is a reader for several festivals.

She’s worked with Ben on developing the script for The Monkey’s Paw and is also a producer for the short film. Currently, Annie is on the post-production team for an upcoming BBC drama series.

Where Your Money Goes

We need to raise funds to cover cast, crew, costume, kit, location and other fees involved with making a short film. 

A period piece always comes with a higher cost than modern-day films, as the set, costumes, and props need to be specifically sourced. That’s why our budget may feel slightly higher than other short film crowdfunders!

We want to deliver a high-quality production that you will be proud of as an investor. Our production value will be reflected not only in the period set, but also in the experience of the cast and crew on board. It’s also important to invest in high quality sound and post-production elements such as colour grading and editing to ensure this short reflects the value of investment. We'll be holding a separate fundraiser to cover these costs, which is why they aren't included below.

We’ll be transparent along the way when it comes to where your money goes, but the current draft breakdown looks like this:

These costs may change slightly over the course of pre-production and the shoot but have been worked out based on industry prices and researched expenses. 

Props and Set: This includes the creation of a unique Monkey Paw, alongside ensuring the location is dressed to reflect the 1902 period in which the film is set.

Costume and HMU: A small cast of five allows us to keep these costs relatively low.

Special FX: Some effects will be required, such as rain if the Welsh winter weather is surprisingly good!  - but costs will remain low.

Cast: Five cast members paid for a four-day shoot.

Crew: Up to 17 crew on set, including sound, camera, production, wardrobe, and lighting departments, plus runners.  Cast and crew are taking part in this project for the love of creating high-quality films with top-calibre cast and crew - so accommodation, travel, and catering will be the majority of their compensation. Cast and crew will be paid an equal nominal fee unless we can raise our stretch target, when we'll be able to raise this amount for everyone.

Accommodation: We're filming in rural Wales, which gives us some logistical issues. We're putting up the majority of the crew, as well as the cast, in nearby accommodation for four nights. 

Catering: A crew runs on its stomach! We're feeding up to 25 people on the busiest day, for at least two meals and snacks.

Location: One of the biggest costs: we'll use a single location to reduce costs of transport, set up, crew, and cast. Our production base is a second cottage at the same location, further reducing costs and carbon footprint.

Travel and Van Hire: Trains and shared cars where possible, plus van hire for kit, and mileage for crew.

Camera, Lights, Kit: Everything we need to get it made! If we hit a stretch goal, we can invest in even more, better kit than this budget allows for - so help us get there!

Risks and Challenges

Any production comes with its own unique risks and challenges. Here’s what we anticipate we’ll face – and what we’re doing to mitigate risk.

Insurance

We're covered by the required insurances on this project to mitigate risk against accidents, unforeseen circumstances, and other potential issues.

Crew Challenges 

Post-Covid means crew are in high demand as productions that were put on pause have now restarted all at once. 

We’re planning the shoot of this short film for November 2021, allowing plenty of time to secure reliable and experienced crew.

Should Covid-19 still be a challenge at the time of filming, and any crew member is unable to attend at short notice due to isolation guidance, we have an extensive network of experienced crew to ensure continuity of the shoot.

Diversity Challenges

We recognise that the screen industries are historically limited in access to opportunities through non-traditional routes and all forms of diversity.

Those involved with the production will come from a range of backgrounds, including neurodiverse, disabled, and other under-represented minorities. This includes, where possible, opportunities for those starting out in TV and film from non-traditional routes to assist, shadow, or participate to gain experience and be a valuable part of the production. 

Kit Challenges

Using high-quality kit is only as good as the person operating it. That’s why we’ve secured Colin Coomber, an experienced DoP with in-depth understanding of how to make the most of the kit on a limited budget. 

Covid-19 Challenges

Production is scheduled for November 2021 in the hope that much of the current threat of Covid-19 is in the past.

In addition, cast and crew will adhere to guidelines in place at the time of filming, such as social distancing. Masks and hand sanitiser will also be available to all cast and crew throughout the production period. Where required, additional cleaning of the location will take place. Lead crew members will also have taken the “Coronavirus basic awareness in production” training provided by ScreenSkills UK.

Budget Challenges

We’re creating a period piece on a limited budget to avoid overspend on unnecessary production items and maximise the potential of your investment seen on the screen itself. 

We’ll operate on a limited crew, and have only five cast members and one single location. This keeps the budget as small as possible whilst remaining faithful to the original story.

If possible, our location will include accommodation for some cast and crew to reduce costs. 

Project Delays and Other Challenges

As we’ve all seen since 2020, sometimes things can go awry. We’ll ensure we’re as prepared as possible by covering the production with all required insurances to mitigate risk caused by unforeseen accidents, incidents, weather, or other difficulties.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact

We’re determined to ensure our production is as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible. This includes:

• Using a location close to the majority of cast and crew to reduce travel miles
• Shooting at a single location with production base on-site
• Online meetings and script readings instead of in-person
• Using public transport and shared vehicle journeys where possible
• Hiring materials and props where possible
• Paper-free where possible and recycling paper materials
• Sustainable catering including plastic-free containers where possible
• Training with We Are Albert (funded by industry organisations) to ensure sustainability awareness during pre-production, shoot, and post-production
  
  

How Else Can You Help?

Your generous donations help us to make our short film a reality – but there are other ways you can help, too!

Spread the word on social media with the #MonkeysPawFilm hashtag, tell your friends and family about our project – and why you’ve chosen to support us. Enthusiasm is contagious!

If you know any businesses who could make the most of a corporate sponsorship with the film, get in touch and let us know! We are happy to discuss potential branding, credits, and marketing agreements, including mention in press releases and promotional materials.

Do you think you could offer an in-kind donation? Maybe you’re able to offer transport, props, or even amazing rewards for our donors! If you think you’ve got the skills, services, or products that could help us, get in touch.

Project FAQs

What’s the short film about?

The Monkey’s Paw is a classic gothic short story written in 1902 by W. W. Jacobs. A soldier returns from decades overseas in India, holding a trinket: a cursed, mummified, monkey’s paw. The holder of the paw receives three wishes – but they must beware: each wish comes with consequences.

The story may be set in 1902, but the themes are ever-relevant today: greed, desire, and the consequences of our actions. It’s a study of human nature - and how even the most level-headed and humble person could be persuaded down the wrong path with the right nudge. 

When will it be released?

Production takes place in November 2021. Once edited, original music will be composed and the film is ready for release soon after. It will also be submitted to film festivals.

Why do you need to raise the target?

Short films cost around £1,000 per minute to make. In addition, a period piece means there are additional costs for costumes, set design, and props compared to one set in the modern era. Other costs include the hiring of kit, location, travel, accommodation, insurance, marketing and other business expenses. We also want to ensure our cast and crew are paid.

What happens if you raise more than the goal?

Our limited budget means we have cut expenses wherever possible. If we were to achieve more than our target goal, additional costs would be spent on things such as enhanced special effects, additional set design for an even higher quality production, extra kit, and industry-standard pay for cast and crew.

I’ve pledged; now what?

Thank you! You’ll receive an email from Crowdfunder to confirm your pledge. We’re running a flexible campaign, which means your pledge is guaranteed once you confirm it.

We’ll keep our donors updated with regular news and behind-the-scenes insights, too. If your donation tier included an extra such as a badge, poster, or other physical item, this will be arranged no later than two months after the completion of the shoot. Some items will ship before (such as badges) but others, like signed photos, will be sent after the production wraps. Make sure your shipping address is correct in your donation!

 If your donation included a set visit or similar event, our team will be in touch with you to confirm dates and arrangements. News of our online screening will be shared when the film is ready. There will be a screening-only event for members in the £100 donation tier; those in the £250 tier or above will be invited to a separate online screening that includes a Q&A with the cast and crew.

What happens if filming doesn't go ahead?

If the film is certain to not go ahead, donations will be refunded. 

The film may be delayed - for example, if another lockdown is enforced - and this will be communicated to donors and funds retained by the production company until the project goes ahead. If the delay extends beyond one year from the close date of the crowdfunder, refunds will be issued.

What’s your social media info?

You can find us on Twitter at @MonkeysPawFilm, Instagram at @MonkeysPawFilm and our Facebook Page. 

We’re using the hashtag #MonkeysPawFilm so please remember to share it far and wide when you tell everyone about our campaign!

This project successfully funded on 10th September 2021