The Night Courier
by Tabitha & Mason McDonald

Tabitha & Mason McDonald
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The Night Courier
by Tabitha & Mason McDonald
Tabitha & Mason McDonald
Follow
It is human nature to categorize people, to make assumptions, to create a narrative, to judge - but how far do you take it? Exploring bias, and categorization through the lens of horror, The Night Courier is the story of a woman's brutal journey to finally seeing the oppression of those around her.
It is human nature to categorize people, to make assumptions, to create a narrative, to judge - but how far do you take it? Exploring bias, and categorization through the lens of horror, The Night Courier is the story of a woman's brutal journey to finally seeing the oppression of those around her.
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Story
Mission Statement
Horror has been used for generations to take on our fears of the world around us - through a cautionary tale, a way to explain the unexplainable, or an inadvertent social commentary. The Night Courier explores common themes in an uncommon world and leaves you questioning the society you live within.About The Project
A single night offers a suffocating glimpse into the life of a woman whose occupation is feeding people to monsters. When one of her victims escapes, the story escalates into a hellish cat and mouse chase. Through the analogy of vampires and the metaphors of horror, The Night Courier explores how our differences pit us against each other, and how our humanity might bring us together.
In a society where vampirism is known and somewhat common, a night courier is hired to feed those who have been turned and are unable to live amongst us. The effects of vampirism occur on a spectrum where some are able to pass as 'normal', while the effects make others so volatile that average life is impossible.
The courier's assignment is to capture the chosen prey and deliver it. When one of those selected victims escapes, a situation that has been meticulously planned slips out of her control.
Forced to deal with the issue, the courier is placed in a scenario that opens her eyes to the oppression of communities around her in an unconventional way.
Mason and Tabitha, creators of award-winning films September and By Sunrise have assembled a team of extremely talented humans for their film The Night Courier.
First up, the extremely talented screen & stage actor - Emily Tynan McDaniel. Emily is magnetic, both in person and on-screen.
Emily Tynan McDaniel - Character Study
Alongside Emily, will be Drez Ryan. Drez is no stranger to horror. His role in HBO's The Outsider will make your skin crawl. The subtlety that Drez brings to his performance is always astounding.
And, as if Drez and Emily weren't strong enough on their own, The Night Courier will also have appearances by renowned writer, director, and actor Jennifer Trudrung, Paul Gregory Clark, and Maximillian Koger.
The extremely talented Nicholas Byers and Darren Conrad will also propel the story forward. Both actors have outstanding resumes and their presence on screen will likely leave you on the edge of your seat.
Behind the scenes will be award-winning cinematographer Bridget LaMonica, director Mason McDonald, well-known SFX artist John Lauterbach, and stunning production designer, Zachary Gladwin.
One of the most pivotal parts of any film is quality sound and the score. We will be working with Bill Piveta on production sound, Robert Gowan on post-production sound, and Zachary Briggs of Mordaga will be creating the chilling score.
Get a taste of Zach's music by watching our pitch video, and the interviews with our crew. Meet the rest of our crew here over the next few weeks as we share their stories!
So, now you know who we are, and you may have an idea of the tone and visuals we are going for, but let's dive in a little deeper.
Almost as much as the characters themselves, the visual landscape of The Night Courier is pivotal to completing the tone of the story.
Pulling visual inspiration from films such as Prisoners, Don’t Breathe, You Were Never Really There, and No Country for Old Men. The Night Courier sets out to paint the atmosphere in shadows and silhouettes, amplifying the idea that less is so much more.
Color is a huge component within the visual language of any story. Each character of The Night Courier has their own color that represents who they are as well as the mentality they find themselves in.
Now that you have met our cast and crew, and seen our vision - you understand where our budget is going, and why. These talented people deserve the best. They are putting so much creative and physical energy into this project.
It is extremely important to us that our set is not only inclusive, but welcoming, and safe. We do our best, no matter our budget, to make sure that everyone is taken care of. We want to not only pay our team something for their work but also provide a good on-set experience. Warm meals, healthy (and delicious) snacks, the tools they need to make good movies, and everything in between. And all of that was BEFORE COVID-19 was a thing.
Now on top of what we already aim for, we need to make sure that we are minimizing risk, and being as calculated as possible in how we run our set. We need PPE. We need COVID compliance measures in place. We need funds if rapid testing is required. We need extra supplies to ensure we are minimizing contact. And we want to do all of this and provide a safe set, all while still retaining the magic of making movies. Our budget is built to cover it all.
Okay, all of that is great, but why?
You love movies or someone involved with this project, or you wouldn't be here. So - why not join in the production? There are so many creative minds at work here, and we want them to be able to bring this story to the screen with quality and to expand their talents and resume.
To be honest, we can't fund this out of our own pockets. That's the long-term goal, but it isn't the reality. Without this funding, The Night Courier won't happen for a very long time, if at all. We need people like you to go on this journey with us. And, we will do our best to return the favor. Both through our incentives, but also through this film.
And if that's not enough, you will also be making some creative, passionate people really happy to be working on a film. Your contribution gives these wonderful people the opportunity to pursue what they love. So hop on board, and join us on our journey of making The Night Courier. It doesn't get better than that.
Incentives
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Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
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Current Team
About This Team
We spent a lot of time bringing together a team of very talented independent filmmakers from all over the southeast. We will be highlighting their talent and work over the next few weeks!
Mason McDonald - Director
Tabitha McDonald - Editor / Producer
Bridget LaMonica - Director of Photography
Emily Tynan McDaniel - The Courier
Drez Ryan - The Man
Maximilian Koger - Jack
Nicholas Byers - Daniel
Darren Conrad - Police Officer
Paul Clark - Old Man
Jennifer Trudrung - The Businessperson
John Bolden - Gaffer
Bill Pivetta - Production Sound
Kolin Murray - 1st AC
Brandon Hendrix - Best Boy Grip
John Lauterbach - Key Grip / SFX
Jennifer Yates - Hair & Makeup
Brittany Jackson - Script Supervisor & Slate
Zachary Gladwin - Production Design
Nicki LaRue - Art Department
Zachary Briggs - Composer / Artist
Zach Echols - PA
Jeff Payne - Still Photographer
And more coming soon!
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