Tokos - short film

Aim

Help us to make TOKOS - a visually ambitious, one-shot psychological horror short that traps us inside the spiralling mind of a father-to-be

Using surreal production design, POV cinematography and in-camera effects, Tokos transforms paternal anxiety, self-doubt, and the fear of losing your identity, into a visceral journey through one man's imagination.

From a filmmaking team whose previous work has screened at OSCAR and BAFTA-qualifying festivals around the world.

What if every fear you couldn’t say aloud became a place you couldn’t escape?

Robin believes he has a shot at redemption when he gets a phone call from Emily, the woman he regrets leaving six months previously. But rather than a romantic reunion, Emily has another reason for their meeting: she is pregnant, and Robin is the father.

Emily wants to discuss the future, but the shell-shocked Robin considers a different path. His first instinct is to run, but as panic takes hold, his fears begin appearing before his eyes. 

Doubts cover the walls in graffiti. A children’s party twists into something sinister. A terrifying vision of birth threatens to pull both Robin and Emily under.

Tokos takes us inside Robin’s spiralling mind as he confronts the fear of becoming a father: of losing himself, repeating his mistakes and simply not being enough.

He has walked away once before. What will he do this time?

Your pledge will help us bring these nightmare worlds to the screen and tell a story about the fears that can sit behind life’s biggest moments.

Tokos will be an incredibly visual and unique short film, blending together traditional performance art with modern cinematography techniques, filmed in one-shot style that gives the viewer an unblinking journey into the depths of fear and anxiety; we will be taking a psychological approach to horror, blending together minimalist settings (akin to those in Backrooms and the films of David Lynch) with the twisted fairytale symbolism of Guillermo Del Toro and Dario Argento. If you like films which are eerie and unexpected, Tokos is for you!

As is the case with most of our films, our use of genre in Tokos is anchored by our desire to explore what it means to be human, bringing ones internal thoughts and hidden emotions onto the screen. Our use of production design and set dressing will therefore echo the primary colours of a nursery, but in a twisted way, tying everything directly to the perspective of our terrified lead character as he processes his impending fatherhood.

This is the film that we, as a team, have been wanting to make for a while now, as a culmination of all the work, skills, and creative style we've developed over the years. We are so excited by the visual potential of this project, and we know that it will be a visceral thrill-ride for our audience.

But underlying what the viewer sees is an important and heartfelt message that we will be handling with the utmost care; there are very few stories out there which tackle the subject of male mental health and anxiety, and even less which explore a fear of fatherhood. 

Our film puts its central character in a very vulnerable place where he needs to process his emotions, and while the film's imagery might be haunting (and occasionally monstrous!), it all comes from a real, honest, and personal perspective - particularly for our co-writer, Tommy Draper, who is himself a single father. It is our hope that Tokos will raise awareness and connect with audience members who will feel seen and understood by its central themes, encouraging them to talk more openly about their feelings and get support if they need it.

Tokos will be made by established team of creatives with decades worth of experience between them. Our work has shown at numerous OSCAR, BAFTA, and BIFA-qualifying festivals around the world, and some of us were even long-listed for a BAFTA! We're also highly skilled at balancing genre-based work, including horror and high-fantasy, with character-driven drama pieces that really connect with audiences, making us the perfect team to bring Tokos to life.

For the role of Robin, the narrator and POV character of Tokos, we have recently announced the casting of Michael Muyunda, a prolific and beguiling actor who we know will bring a fantastic sense of presence to the role. We are currently in the process of casting Emily, so we will have more updates to share with you all very soon.

Watch the campaign film (above) to find out more about the people involved in the project; throughout the campaign, we'll also be releasing more videos about the crew's background and inspirations for Tokos, so keep an eye on our social media channels!

Your pledge will help fund the locations, props, set dressing, and costumes that turn Robin’s fears into places we can step inside. It will also provide the camera, lighting and rigging needed for our ambitious one-shot approach and keep our cast and crew fed and looked after throughout the shoot.

You’ll be backing an experienced filmmaking team who have successfully crowdfunded and delivered short films before - meaning this project and your funds are in safe hands!

Furthermore, we’ve designed Tokos to adapt to the budget we raise, with every contribution helping us realise more of its visual ambition. 

Back Tokos and become part of the team behind it. We’ll share production updates and behind-the-scenes moments so that you can follow the journey from concept to screen and see what your support has helped create.

Choose a reward and pledge today to help us reach our goal. Whatever you can contribute, you will be helping to bring this story to life, and we will be so grateful. 

If you can’t pledge, sharing the campaign with someone who loves independent film (particularly horror!), or who resonates with our film's themes, is also a valuable way to support us.

 - THANK YOU!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 29th November 2026 at 9:49am