It's Hard Not to be Romantic About Time Travel
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Adventure, Comedy
A wild comedy about time travel that’s equal parts absurd and heartwarming. Think "Pineapple Express" meets "Somewhere in Time"—where romance, revenge, and weed collide. Support this project because we all need a little escape, a lot of laughs, and the power to rewrite our past.
It's Hard Not to be Romantic About Time Travel
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Adventure, Comedy
1 Campaigns | Texas, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,675 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
84 supporters | followers
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A wild comedy about time travel that’s equal parts absurd and heartwarming. Think "Pineapple Express" meets "Somewhere in Time"—where romance, revenge, and weed collide. Support this project because we all need a little escape, a lot of laughs, and the power to rewrite our past.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"It's Hard Not to be Romantic About Time Travel" is a comedy short and a proof of concept for a feature film I'm developing. It's a story about Swann, a man recently released from prison after serving a five-year sentence for a crime he didn't commit, who's angry and looking for revenge.
His best friend Randall offers him a chance to discover the truth about what happened by traveling back in time to find the real perpetrator... using the power of love to travel through time!
The film is full of absurd concepts, witty dialogue, and ridiculous villains, and the feature film will tell a story of love overcoming anger, pushing past grudges, and finding a way forward. Oh, and did I mention that they have to get high to travel through time? Yeah, that’s a big part of it, too.
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Cast
Taylor Fredricks as the lead role of "Swann"
Taylor Fredricks is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and actor with a deep passion for storytelling. Originally a musician, he discovered his true calling in filmmaking and founded Static Heart Productions, where he has spent over a decade bringing bold, original stories to life. He has written, directed, and produced more than 40 short films and music videos, many of which have screened at festivals across the country, earning him multiple Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Film awards.
Taylor thrives on collaboration and believes in creating a community of like-minded creatives. His latest project, Basil King, is a dark comedy TV series inspired by classic mafia films and satirical storytelling. The screenplay has already won awards, and the pilot episode is making waves on the festival circuit. With an unwavering commitment to his craft, Taylor continues to push boundaries, challenge perspectives, and tell stories that leave a lasting impact.
Ronald Short plays his best friend "Randall"
Ronald Short is a writer/director/actor Midwesterner turned Texan who's been rasslin' broncos and munchin' tacos in Austin since 2009. Short has written and produced several award winning sketches, shorts, and feature films, his most recent being Good Feels On Wheels which played in festivals across the country and won several awards in 2019/2020. In 2022/2023, his short comedy, Breakfast To Go, won Best Micro Short Comedy at Hell's Half Mile Film Festival, Laugh After Dark Comedy Fest, and the Lone Star Film Festival. And within the last year, his most recent horror comedy, Body, has won Best Horror Comedy at both Hex After Dark in Calgary, Canada and Tokyo Horror Film Festival in Tokyo, Japan along with screening at big genre fests like Chattanooga Film Festival and Another Hole in the Head.
As an actor, Ronald has performed in commercials, short and feature length films, and series. He has been nominated as Best Actor at numerous festivals and has even won a few, most recently at Austin Revolution 2024 for his work in Leverage.
Alyssia Rivera plays Swann’s love interest and skeptical accomplice to time travel, "Liv"
Alyssia Rivera was born and raised in Kingsville, Texas. She found her passion for theatre and film at a young age and began working in film professionally when she moved to San Antonio in 2010. Since then she has made a name for herself as an award winning actress on the Independent Film Festival Circuit. When she is not on set or preparing for her next role, she enjoys spending time with her dog and her family. In recent years, Alyssia has ventured into producing with her company “Dream to Fly Productions” and has three award winning films under her belt. In the near future she’s looking to branch out into more work behind the camera, writing and directing her own project.
Chadwick Smith plays "Ian", an annoying party goer who butts in on their conversation
Chadwick Smith is an Austin, TX-based artist with a diverse range of talents, including acting, comedy, music, and building. He is best known for his work with the emo puppet band Fragile Rock, which has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series, America's Got Talent, and SXSW. Smith has also taught and performed comedy improv and puppet manipulation, acted in both short and feature films, and contributed as a writer to several films. He has also lent his skills to musicals with TinPanPally Production Company. Rumors suggest that he is currently developing a new electronic music project called ZADVIK.
Erik Anderson plays "Officer Young", a police officer who stumbles into the middle of the chaos
Having become enamored with storytelling and performing at an early age, Erik Anderson began acting at the age of 11, in Georgetown, TX, where he performed in stage productions directed by his middle school theater teacher. His feature film debut came in 2001, with a lead role in the indie comedy Jobbers. He has performed in four feature length films, over two dozen shorts, and is also an accomplished voice actor performing a wide range of characters and accents; having contributed to projects with Austin Humane Society, Voyant Inc., Enspire Learning, and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Follow the Money
So, you might be wondering, "Where's all this money going?" Well, making movies ain't an easy, or cheap, hobby! I’ve got the bruises and debts to prove it!
I've been lucky enough to find an amazing group of talented folks who are passionate about filmmaking. They're always ready to jump on board and pour their hearts into a project, simply because they love what they do. But their time isn’t free. And let's not forget about all the other things that go into making a movie: the cameras, the lights, the costumes, the props, even the meals and snacks to keep everyone going! All of that costs money, and it adds up faster than you might think.
The minimum budget required for production is $6,400. The breakdown of the film's costs is as follows:
- 58% for cast and crew production costs
- 27% for wardrobe, props, production design, and equipment
- 15% for post-production.
Achieving a goal of $8,000 would allow for additional equipment and an expansion of the post-production process. Attaining the stretch goal of $10,000 would cover all costs for production, post-production, and film festival submissions!
Timeline
We run a pretty tight ship as far as timelines go and we’ve turned out about one short a year for the last eight years working this way so we have it down pretty well. This is due to an extremely talented group of people behind the scenes that work through all these things. Here’s the plan:
- Pre-Production - Early May
- Production - Late May
- Post Production - June and July
- Submissions to fests starting in July
Risks and Challenges
There’s very little risk here. We have a track record that can be seen at Rogue Alchemy Pictures--of shorts going back eight years that have screenings all over the country and have won a whole slew of awards in categories like acting, directing, cinematography, sound mix, best of fest and various others. We’ll get it done, you will see it, and it’ll get out into the world to be seen.
The challenge here is getting the money and being able to stick to the time line I laid out above. We want to be able to premiere it in the fall so we need to make sure we can stick to our planned shoot dates and push through post production quickly.
But honestly? We’ll get it done however we need to, even if it takes longer than expected. You can count on that.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $3,800
Money to pay Cast and Crew!
Props, Wardrobe and Set Design
Costs $1,750
We gotta make the sets and cast look pretty!
Post-Production
Costs $1,000
Putting together the final product!
Meals
Costs $450
Meals to keep the Cast and Crew fed and ready to work!
Lighting and Gear
Costs $1,000
We need some extra equipment to make this thing as pretty as we can!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Michael Charron, Writer/Director
Michael sees the movie theater as a place where traditions are subverted–where the status quo get turned on its head. And this is where his writing sensibilities lie–in taking an established concept or idea and finding a way to turn it into something different. From slasher films where the “sexy” girls are the most competent ones to a rom-com where the meet cute takes place during casting for a snuff film, there’s no trope he’s unwilling to push to its limit.
Michael’s written more than a dozen feature films (and produced four of them) as well as written and produced a series of successful shorts. Michael has had several feature scripts both place as finalists and win in festivals and has had multiple short films win awards in recent years, including several that took top honors.
Brandon Torres, Producer
Brandon Torres is an award-winning filmmaker based in Texas, with over two decades of experience in the industry. Born in Houston and raised in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Brandon discovered his passion for visual storytelling at an early age when he picked up his first camera. He went on to earn a degree in Radio and Television with a concentration in cinematography, laying the foundation for a dynamic and evolving career.
He began his journey in the Grip and Electric department as a Gaffer, quickly earning a reputation for his keen eye and artistic use of lighting. His talent behind the lens soon propelled him into the role of Cinematographer, where he crafted stunning visuals that earned him multiple awards, including recognition for his work on Kill or Be Killed, Date from Hell, and Esperanza.
In recent years, Brandon has transitioned more fully into Producing, applying his deep knowledge of visual storytelling to a broader creative vision. He has produced several upcoming projects, including the episodic comedies Skip Danger, Time Capsule, and Background Action. His passion for directing remains strong—he earned a Best Directing award for Tell Me a Story and has helmed the SXSW red carpet premieres in 2021-2024.
Brandon continues to push boundaries across film, television, and advertising, with a reputation
in the Texas film community as a versatile and visionary filmmaker.
Alyssia Rivera, Producer
Alyssia Rivera was born and raised in Kingsville, Texas. She found her passion for theatre and film at a young age and began working in film professionally when she moved to San Antonio in 2010. Since then she has made a name for herself as an award winning actress on the Independent Film Festival Circuit. When she is not on set or preparing for her next role, she enjoys spending time with her dog and her family. In recent years, Alyssia has ventured into producing with her company “Dream to Fly Productions” and has three award winning films under her belt. In the near future she’s looking to branch out into more work behind the camera, writing and directing her own project!
Erik Anderson, Producer
Having become enamored with storytelling and performing at an early age, Erik Anderson began acting at the age of 11, in Georgetown, TX, where he performed in stage productions directed by his middle school theater teacher. His feature film debut came in 2001, with a lead role in the indie comedy Jobbers. He has performed in four feature length films, over two dozen shorts, and is also an accomplished voice actor performing a wide range of characters and accents; having contributed to projects with Austin Humane Society, Voyant Inc., Enspire Learning, and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Steven Gunter, Director of Photography
Steven is a photographer and filmmaker who fell into his craft by accident. He studied vocal performance and pedagogy in college to ensure his ability to either work in retail or be self-employed, and he’s grateful the self-employment thing is working out. Steven’s film work ranges from traveling the world making micro-docs and promo films for NGO’s, clever Kickstarter videos, and music videos for local artists. Typically a team-of-one filmmaker, he’s looking forward to working on more team-based productions.
TW Bond, Composer
T.W.Bond began creating scores and soundtrack songs for independent projects in Osaka, Japan in 2000. After relocating to Austin TX in 2002, he came to specialize in recreating the Spector Wall-of-Sound style & technique as well as recreating distinct nuances of various film score classics. In early 2017, he completed the music, lyrics, and soundtrack of the Adult Swim musical sitcom, The Suplex Duplex Complex. Bond pioneered the idea of the “video flyer” in the early days of YouTube to promote band shows at local venues. He has performed with Nirgilis, Gary Wilson & the Blind Dates, Barry Micron, Big Bill, and Pataphysics.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"It's Hard Not to be Romantic About Time Travel" is a comedy short and a proof of concept for a feature film I'm developing. It's a story about Swann, a man recently released from prison after serving a five-year sentence for a crime he didn't commit, who's angry and looking for revenge.
His best friend Randall offers him a chance to discover the truth about what happened by traveling back in time to find the real perpetrator... using the power of love to travel through time!
The film is full of absurd concepts, witty dialogue, and ridiculous villains, and the feature film will tell a story of love overcoming anger, pushing past grudges, and finding a way forward. Oh, and did I mention that they have to get high to travel through time? Yeah, that’s a big part of it, too.
Cast
Taylor Fredricks as the lead role of "Swann"
Taylor Fredricks is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and actor with a deep passion for storytelling. Originally a musician, he discovered his true calling in filmmaking and founded Static Heart Productions, where he has spent over a decade bringing bold, original stories to life. He has written, directed, and produced more than 40 short films and music videos, many of which have screened at festivals across the country, earning him multiple Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Film awards.
Taylor thrives on collaboration and believes in creating a community of like-minded creatives. His latest project, Basil King, is a dark comedy TV series inspired by classic mafia films and satirical storytelling. The screenplay has already won awards, and the pilot episode is making waves on the festival circuit. With an unwavering commitment to his craft, Taylor continues to push boundaries, challenge perspectives, and tell stories that leave a lasting impact.
Ronald Short plays his best friend "Randall"
Ronald Short is a writer/director/actor Midwesterner turned Texan who's been rasslin' broncos and munchin' tacos in Austin since 2009. Short has written and produced several award winning sketches, shorts, and feature films, his most recent being Good Feels On Wheels which played in festivals across the country and won several awards in 2019/2020. In 2022/2023, his short comedy, Breakfast To Go, won Best Micro Short Comedy at Hell's Half Mile Film Festival, Laugh After Dark Comedy Fest, and the Lone Star Film Festival. And within the last year, his most recent horror comedy, Body, has won Best Horror Comedy at both Hex After Dark in Calgary, Canada and Tokyo Horror Film Festival in Tokyo, Japan along with screening at big genre fests like Chattanooga Film Festival and Another Hole in the Head.
As an actor, Ronald has performed in commercials, short and feature length films, and series. He has been nominated as Best Actor at numerous festivals and has even won a few, most recently at Austin Revolution 2024 for his work in Leverage.
Alyssia Rivera plays Swann’s love interest and skeptical accomplice to time travel, "Liv"
Alyssia Rivera was born and raised in Kingsville, Texas. She found her passion for theatre and film at a young age and began working in film professionally when she moved to San Antonio in 2010. Since then she has made a name for herself as an award winning actress on the Independent Film Festival Circuit. When she is not on set or preparing for her next role, she enjoys spending time with her dog and her family. In recent years, Alyssia has ventured into producing with her company “Dream to Fly Productions” and has three award winning films under her belt. In the near future she’s looking to branch out into more work behind the camera, writing and directing her own project.
Chadwick Smith plays "Ian", an annoying party goer who butts in on their conversation
Chadwick Smith is an Austin, TX-based artist with a diverse range of talents, including acting, comedy, music, and building. He is best known for his work with the emo puppet band Fragile Rock, which has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series, America's Got Talent, and SXSW. Smith has also taught and performed comedy improv and puppet manipulation, acted in both short and feature films, and contributed as a writer to several films. He has also lent his skills to musicals with TinPanPally Production Company. Rumors suggest that he is currently developing a new electronic music project called ZADVIK.
Erik Anderson plays "Officer Young", a police officer who stumbles into the middle of the chaos
Having become enamored with storytelling and performing at an early age, Erik Anderson began acting at the age of 11, in Georgetown, TX, where he performed in stage productions directed by his middle school theater teacher. His feature film debut came in 2001, with a lead role in the indie comedy Jobbers. He has performed in four feature length films, over two dozen shorts, and is also an accomplished voice actor performing a wide range of characters and accents; having contributed to projects with Austin Humane Society, Voyant Inc., Enspire Learning, and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Follow the Money
So, you might be wondering, "Where's all this money going?" Well, making movies ain't an easy, or cheap, hobby! I’ve got the bruises and debts to prove it!
I've been lucky enough to find an amazing group of talented folks who are passionate about filmmaking. They're always ready to jump on board and pour their hearts into a project, simply because they love what they do. But their time isn’t free. And let's not forget about all the other things that go into making a movie: the cameras, the lights, the costumes, the props, even the meals and snacks to keep everyone going! All of that costs money, and it adds up faster than you might think.
The minimum budget required for production is $6,400. The breakdown of the film's costs is as follows:
- 58% for cast and crew production costs
- 27% for wardrobe, props, production design, and equipment
- 15% for post-production.
Achieving a goal of $8,000 would allow for additional equipment and an expansion of the post-production process. Attaining the stretch goal of $10,000 would cover all costs for production, post-production, and film festival submissions!
Timeline
We run a pretty tight ship as far as timelines go and we’ve turned out about one short a year for the last eight years working this way so we have it down pretty well. This is due to an extremely talented group of people behind the scenes that work through all these things. Here’s the plan:
- Pre-Production - Early May
- Production - Late May
- Post Production - June and July
- Submissions to fests starting in July
Risks and Challenges
There’s very little risk here. We have a track record that can be seen at Rogue Alchemy Pictures--of shorts going back eight years that have screenings all over the country and have won a whole slew of awards in categories like acting, directing, cinematography, sound mix, best of fest and various others. We’ll get it done, you will see it, and it’ll get out into the world to be seen.
The challenge here is getting the money and being able to stick to the time line I laid out above. We want to be able to premiere it in the fall so we need to make sure we can stick to our planned shoot dates and push through post production quickly.
But honestly? We’ll get it done however we need to, even if it takes longer than expected. You can count on that.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $3,800
Money to pay Cast and Crew!
Props, Wardrobe and Set Design
Costs $1,750
We gotta make the sets and cast look pretty!
Post-Production
Costs $1,000
Putting together the final product!
Meals
Costs $450
Meals to keep the Cast and Crew fed and ready to work!
Lighting and Gear
Costs $1,000
We need some extra equipment to make this thing as pretty as we can!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Michael Charron, Writer/Director
Michael sees the movie theater as a place where traditions are subverted–where the status quo get turned on its head. And this is where his writing sensibilities lie–in taking an established concept or idea and finding a way to turn it into something different. From slasher films where the “sexy” girls are the most competent ones to a rom-com where the meet cute takes place during casting for a snuff film, there’s no trope he’s unwilling to push to its limit.
Michael’s written more than a dozen feature films (and produced four of them) as well as written and produced a series of successful shorts. Michael has had several feature scripts both place as finalists and win in festivals and has had multiple short films win awards in recent years, including several that took top honors.
Brandon Torres, Producer
Brandon Torres is an award-winning filmmaker based in Texas, with over two decades of experience in the industry. Born in Houston and raised in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Brandon discovered his passion for visual storytelling at an early age when he picked up his first camera. He went on to earn a degree in Radio and Television with a concentration in cinematography, laying the foundation for a dynamic and evolving career.
He began his journey in the Grip and Electric department as a Gaffer, quickly earning a reputation for his keen eye and artistic use of lighting. His talent behind the lens soon propelled him into the role of Cinematographer, where he crafted stunning visuals that earned him multiple awards, including recognition for his work on Kill or Be Killed, Date from Hell, and Esperanza.
In recent years, Brandon has transitioned more fully into Producing, applying his deep knowledge of visual storytelling to a broader creative vision. He has produced several upcoming projects, including the episodic comedies Skip Danger, Time Capsule, and Background Action. His passion for directing remains strong—he earned a Best Directing award for Tell Me a Story and has helmed the SXSW red carpet premieres in 2021-2024.
Brandon continues to push boundaries across film, television, and advertising, with a reputation
in the Texas film community as a versatile and visionary filmmaker.
Alyssia Rivera, Producer
Alyssia Rivera was born and raised in Kingsville, Texas. She found her passion for theatre and film at a young age and began working in film professionally when she moved to San Antonio in 2010. Since then she has made a name for herself as an award winning actress on the Independent Film Festival Circuit. When she is not on set or preparing for her next role, she enjoys spending time with her dog and her family. In recent years, Alyssia has ventured into producing with her company “Dream to Fly Productions” and has three award winning films under her belt. In the near future she’s looking to branch out into more work behind the camera, writing and directing her own project!
Erik Anderson, Producer
Having become enamored with storytelling and performing at an early age, Erik Anderson began acting at the age of 11, in Georgetown, TX, where he performed in stage productions directed by his middle school theater teacher. His feature film debut came in 2001, with a lead role in the indie comedy Jobbers. He has performed in four feature length films, over two dozen shorts, and is also an accomplished voice actor performing a wide range of characters and accents; having contributed to projects with Austin Humane Society, Voyant Inc., Enspire Learning, and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Steven Gunter, Director of Photography
Steven is a photographer and filmmaker who fell into his craft by accident. He studied vocal performance and pedagogy in college to ensure his ability to either work in retail or be self-employed, and he’s grateful the self-employment thing is working out. Steven’s film work ranges from traveling the world making micro-docs and promo films for NGO’s, clever Kickstarter videos, and music videos for local artists. Typically a team-of-one filmmaker, he’s looking forward to working on more team-based productions.
TW Bond, Composer
T.W.Bond began creating scores and soundtrack songs for independent projects in Osaka, Japan in 2000. After relocating to Austin TX in 2002, he came to specialize in recreating the Spector Wall-of-Sound style & technique as well as recreating distinct nuances of various film score classics. In early 2017, he completed the music, lyrics, and soundtrack of the Adult Swim musical sitcom, The Suplex Duplex Complex. Bond pioneered the idea of the “video flyer” in the early days of YouTube to promote band shows at local venues. He has performed with Nirgilis, Gary Wilson & the Blind Dates, Barry Micron, Big Bill, and Pataphysics.