Neighborhood
by Michael Merrell

Michael Merrell
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Neighborhood
by Michael Merrell
Michael Merrell
Follow
"Our film follows a young man as he struggles with fear, loss and isolation in a desolate world. Our story however is for those who stand in the face of such unimaginable circumstances, yet choose to reach out, to connect, and to hope."
"Our film follows a young man as he struggles with fear, loss and isolation in a desolate world. Our story however is for those who stand in the face of such unimaginable circumstances, yet choose to reach out, to connect, and to hope."
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Story
Mission Statement
Our team consists of artists, students, and professionals from many different backgrounds (75% Female/BIPOC), working closely together to foster a diverse and inclusive environment on set as we share our stories with the world.About The Project
OUR STORY
The Synopsis
Neighborhood is a short film about a young man's struggle to accept the realites of a post-apocalyptic world shortly after the death of his father and only companion. Upon finding an abandoned house still stocked with supplies, Chris uses this new found shelter to try and enjoy the comforts and safety of his childhood one last time.
A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
As with most scripts, Neighborhood went through many changes before reaching the final draft. While it began as a rather simple post-apocalyptic concept, the script slowly focused less and less on the classic elements of that genre with each revision, as I found myself wanting to explore more of this character’s longing for companionship and a return to his childhood.
With that shift in focus, the script had developed these really strong themes of loss and isolation, and as I was writing it became very cathartic for me in viewing some of my own childhood experiences in a new light. That catharsis also helped me realize that, while still a thematically dark film, I wanted this film to stand apart by ending with a sense of hope and optimism in face of such sorrow.
Those themes even bled into the production itself as, despite most having never worked together before, the crew bonded quickly and became a joyously cohesive team. The sense of community and comradery that developed on set was unlike anything I’d experienced before and it was truly humbling to be surrounded by so many passionate artists working to bring this story to life.
Of course, we had no way of knowing, as we said our farewells that last day on set, just how special that connection was or how relevant those themes of loss and isolation would become only a few weeks later.
Post-production began just as the coronavirus became a global pandemic, and like so many others, we watched as the stay-at-home orders rolled out across the United States, and our future grew frighteningly uncertain.
When it came time for us all to discuss how to best adapt to the current health crisis, one thing was immediately clear. We knew we needed to share our story now more than ever, but in that moment it became about far more than just a film to us. We wanted to share that sense of companionship and connection we’d all experienced on set with as many as we could.
Our film follows a young man as he struggles with fear, loss and isolation in a desolate world. Our story however is for those who stand in the face of such unimaginable circumstances yet still choose to reach out, to connect, and to hope.
It’s about the dream I think we all should share no matter our differing ideals or backgrounds, one of building a community that cares for each other….of finding our own little Neighborhood.
Thank you so much for your support and I wish you all the best,
- Michael Merrell
So What's in it for You?
First off, we'd like to send a sincere thank you to each and every person who's shown their support for not only our project, but to the countless filmmakers and organizations around the world in this chaotic time. Please know that your continued generosity and passion for independent film has meant so much to thousand of people around the world who hope to share their stories.
When you contribute to Neighborhood, we want you to feel a part of the crew. This is why we've created rewards that give you a unique connection to the film, and an inside look at how Neighborhood came to be. Those rewards include special screening invites, access to cast and crew interviews, exclusive posters, and a "Making of the Film" digital art book with gorgous concept art and images from the film!How to Support the Project
Follow Us!
Seed & Spark doesn't just look at who's raising the most money, that's why we wanted to work with them. Just like the filmmakers, Seed & Spark knows that it's the audience that matters, which is why they offer additional resouces for us the more our audience grows.
Share our Story!
We've alway believed in quality over quantity when it comes to our fans, but there's no denying that having a solid presence online is crucial in bringing awareness to a project. By sharing this page with friends and family who share your love of film, you're helping our story to connect with those it might otherwise never reach.Support the team directly!
By making a financial contribution to the project and selecting an incentives package, you're doing far more than just showing your support. Everything raised during the 30 days goes directly to supporting this amazing team of people who donated their time and talents to this film, and anything beyond our goal will go to help get their hard work seen by as wide an audience as possible.To get a better understanding of how you'll be supporting the project, take a look at our breakdown through the Wish List tab.
Thank you again, and welcome to the Neighborhood!!!
Incentives
$5
THANK YOU
Every little bit helps and your support means the world to us. You'll recieve a special Neighborhood themed "I Support Indie Film" Digital Art to show off across your social media accounts!
$10
SHOUT OUT
You'll get mentioned in a special shout out on all our social media pages!
$25
EARLY SCREENING
See the film early with an enclusive invite to our online screening and Q&A event in January!
PLUS
+ Shout Out$50
BTS PACKAGE
Get access to a pdf copy of the script, an extended interview with the director & cinematographer of Neighborhood, and a digital "Making of the Film" Booklet with concept art and bts photos from the set.
PLUS
+ Early Screening Invite+ Shout Out
$75
THE ART LOVER
Get the exclusive 18" x 24" Alt-art poster signed by the director and lead actor!
PLUS
+ All Previous Rewards!!
$100
THE SUPER FAN
Get the film on BlueRay! This disk will also include extended interviews with Neighborhood's cast & crew, along with our previous two films, "Through The Valley of The Hunter" and "Nomads"!! All in an awesome full color hard case signed by the director!
PLUS+ All Previous Rewards!!
$150
THE COLLECTOR
You'll recieve a beautiful 9x6" softcover Coffee Table Book filled with concept art and bts photos from the set of Neighborhood, along with the exclusive alt-art poster and the Neighborhood BluRay!
PLUS+ All Previous Rewards!!
$300
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Get your name on the big screen with an Associate Producer credit in the film.
PLUS
+ All Previous Rewards!!Claimed: 1 of 6
$600
Executive Producer
Get listed in the credits alongside the filmmakers as an Executive Producer showing your passion and support for this project.
PLUS+ All Previous Rewards!!
Claimed: 2 of 4
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
THANK YOU
Every little bit helps and your support means the world to us. You'll recieve a special Neighborhood themed "I Support Indie Film" Digital Art to show off across your social media accounts!
$10
SHOUT OUT
You'll get mentioned in a special shout out on all our social media pages!
$25
EARLY SCREENING
See the film early with an enclusive invite to our online screening and Q&A event in January!
PLUS
+ Shout Out$50
BTS PACKAGE
Get access to a pdf copy of the script, an extended interview with the director & cinematographer of Neighborhood, and a digital "Making of the Film" Booklet with concept art and bts photos from the set.
PLUS
+ Early Screening Invite+ Shout Out
$75
THE ART LOVER
Get the exclusive 18" x 24" Alt-art poster signed by the director and lead actor!
PLUS
+ All Previous Rewards!!
$100
THE SUPER FAN
Get the film on BlueRay! This disk will also include extended interviews with Neighborhood's cast & crew, along with our previous two films, "Through The Valley of The Hunter" and "Nomads"!! All in an awesome full color hard case signed by the director!
PLUS+ All Previous Rewards!!
$150
THE COLLECTOR
You'll recieve a beautiful 9x6" softcover Coffee Table Book filled with concept art and bts photos from the set of Neighborhood, along with the exclusive alt-art poster and the Neighborhood BluRay!
PLUS+ All Previous Rewards!!
$300
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Get your name on the big screen with an Associate Producer credit in the film.
PLUS
+ All Previous Rewards!!Claimed: 1 of 6
$600
Executive Producer
Get listed in the credits alongside the filmmakers as an Executive Producer showing your passion and support for this project.
PLUS+ All Previous Rewards!!
Claimed: 2 of 4
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