The Honeymoon Period

Aim

rom-com short film

The Idea 

The Honeymoon Period is a romantic comedy with a twist — it starts where most rom-coms end. Teresa was a mess, Nick was perfect. Together they brought out the best (and worst) in each other -- as friends. Then Teresa ran to the airport. She gave the big speech. She had the big kiss. She won over the love of her life. Now they're on a long haul flight and she's feeling a little bit trapped -- and did he just mention a wedding?

It’s a story about expectations colliding with reality. About the gap between fantasy and love as it really happens. We want to make people laugh, wince, and maybe even reflect on their own relationships.

The Funds

We’re aiming to raise a budget that covers everything we need to shoot, edit, and finish the film to a professional standard. Specifically:

• Paying cast and crew fairly for their talent and time
• Equipment, props, costumes, and locations (yes, even the plane!)
• Post-production (editing, sound design, colour grading)
• Marketing, distribution, and film festival submissions

Your contributions ensure we’re not just making a film, but making it properly — with the respect and care everyone involved deserves.

The Rewards

• We don’t want this to be a one-way street. In return for your support, we’re offering:
• Social media shout-outs and digital thanks
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes access and updates
• A private digital screening of the finished film
• Your name in the credits
• Exclusive Merchandise and Special Edition Blu-rays from our previous film "The Bench" (Now on Prime Video and Tubi)
• Associate or Executive Producer credits for higher tiers

We want you to feel like part of the team — because you are.

The Team

Sean Wilkie - Writer/Director  -- This project is led by writer-director Sean Wilkie. Sean co-wrote Sci-fi rom-com Matter of Time which has screened at festivals in London and Dallas, while his horror feature The Bench has been picked up for release on Amazon. His work is built around “humour with heart” — funny characters, emotional honesty, and stories with a beating soul.

Chris Somerville (Producer) — Chris produced The Bench and brings  experience managing indie film productions from script to screen. His eye for detail and ability to keep complex shoots on track make him an invaluable part of the team.

Mike Webster (Co-Producer / Director of Photography) — Mike Webster is a Scottish filmmaker, director, and cinematographer with nearly two decades of experience in both documentary and scripted production. As founder of Spiral Out Pictures, he has delivered films for BBC, Discovery, and international broadcasters, filming in locations as diverse as South America, East Africa, the Galápagos, Mongolia, and Antarctica. His documentary credits include Eastbound: Jenny Graham’s Round the World Adventure and Chacra. In narrative work, he served as Director of Photography on the indie horror feature The Bench. His films have screened on television, at festivals, and on Amazon Prime.

Together, the team blends creative vision with production experience — a proven partnership that knows how to deliver under pressure.

The Cast

James Rottger — Actor (Nick) -- James is a Scottish actor based in the West Highlands.  He recently completed filming rom-com feature-film, Premature (Sonorous Films), in which he played the lead role of Cameron. Other feature film credits include Irish Wish (Netflix), The Lost King (Warner Brothers) Much Ado About Christmas (MPCA) and Our Ladies (Sony). TV includes: The Nest, Scot Squad, River City and Gary Tank Commander (all BBC). 

James has also appeared in many short films, theatre plays and Radio 4 dramas.

In The Honeymoon Period, James brings his trademark authenticity and subtle humour to the role of Nick, a hopeless romantic trying to hold it together when the fairytale ends and reality hits at 30,000 feet.

Jade McDonald -- Actor (Teresa) --Jade is a 2020 BA Acting for Stage and Screen graduate from Queen Margaret and Edinburgh Napier Universities. Jade is upcoming in major new BBC film series 'MINT' in the role of Elsie. Recent credits include: 'SINGIN' I'M NO A BILLIE, SHE'S A TIM' (Glasgow Pavilion, Old Red Lion Theatres) 'Behind' (Mythic Picnic) and 'Bi-Panic' (BBC SCOTLAND).

In The Honeymoon Period, she plays Teresa — a fiery, impulsive “hot mess” of a romantic lead who’s suddenly faced with the terrifying reality of what comes after the rom-com ending. Jade’s sharp wit and emotional honesty make her the perfect fit for this modern, messy love story.

Rebekah Copeland — Actor (Flight Attendant) -- Rebekah Copeland is a versatile Scottish actor who graduated in 2018 from Glasgow Clyde College’s Acting and Performance program, Rebekah has appeared in numerous short films and theatre productions, earning praise for her natural delivery and timing. Credits include 'Outwith' (Fraser Denholm), 'Hymn' (Screaming Unicorn Productions), and 'Cavendish' (Prime Video)

In The Honeymoon Period, she plays the Flight Attendant — a calm professional caught in the middle of one of the most awkward in-flight meltdowns imaginable. With Rebekah’s trademark humour and subtle expression work, the role becomes one of the film’s unexpected highlights.

The Timeline

• Pre-production: Casting, final prep – September 2025
• Filming: October 2025
• Post-production: Winter 2025
• Festival submissions: Spring 2026 and into 2027

Backers will receive regular updates at each stage so you can follow the journey from page to screen.

Our Plea

We love this story. We believe in it. And we want to share it with audiences worldwide. But we can’t do it alone. By supporting The Honeymoon Period, you’re not just helping fund a short film — you’re helping us build a pathway to our feature projects, and supporting the growth of Scottish independent film.

Every pound helps. Every share of this campaign helps. And every backer becomes part of the story.

The Challenges

Independent filmmaking is never without hurdles. Budgets are tight, schedules are tough, and unexpected setbacks can happen. But this isn’t our first film, and we’ve built a track record of delivering projects, even when resources are limited.

Our biggest challenge will be keeping costs low while still paying cast and crew fairly. Crowdfunding helps us bridge that gap. With your support, we can overcome those challenges and bring this rom-com with a twist to life.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made