One in a Crowd: “Neuro”

A still from the proof-of-concept for "Neuro," the upcoming short from Wes Ellis. The Austin filmmaker is looking for crowdfunding for the film through Spark & Seed. (Image Courtesy of Wes Ellis)

Rooster Teeth may have closed up shop, but the talented artists who honed their creative skills there are still part of the Austin community. Now one of those RT veterans is looking for crowdfunding support for his upcoming film.

Who's raising the funds?

Austin-based photographer and former RT Associate Creative Director of Marketing-turned-filmmaker Wes Ellis. Fans of Austin's beloved online studio may remember him from his seven years at the firm, but he's also worked on brands including Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, and Warner Bros. Now he's founded his own creative studio, Toy Astronauts, and his work for Malik Baptiste's “Who!?” was nominated for Music Video of the Year at the 42nd Annual Austin Music Awards.

What's the project?

"Neuro," a retro sci-fi short with a very Seventies vibe. Ellis has called this a dream project that he's been developing for the last five years, influenced by mindwarpers like Twin Peaks, Brazil, THX-1138, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He describes it like this:

In the late 1970s and after a traumatic event on their honeymoon, Peter and Julie visit an experimental and borderline unethical memory research facility. Here they witness Dr. Mellechamp, a controversial figure in this fictional world, demonstrate the full range by healing grief and repairing memory loss before their eyes. What could go wrong?

Ellis hopes to begin filming in October and hopes to be able to start submitting the finished film to festivals next January. However, he's already completed a proof-of-concept short starring fellow RT alum Barbara Dunkelman as part of his pitch video.

Target

$47,000 by Sept. 19. The project needs to raise a minimum of $37,600 to get greenlit, but that full total will cover all production costs including shooting the film on 16mm. However, there are stretch goals: $62,000 will cover post-production and editing, $70,000 will allow them to increase crew rates, $78,000 will give the team their ideal props and costume budget, and $89,000 will mean they'll be able to shoot on 35mm.

What are the perks?

$15 will get you a social media shout out, but Ellis has all kinds of packages including a Neuro zine, enamel pins, and even photoshoots with the director himself!

You can donate to the production via Seed & Spark.

About One in a Crowd Like many artists, Austin's creative community is increasingly turning to crowdfunding platforms to cover developmental costs. For potential backers, it can be hard to navigate all the sites out there, so the Chronicle's One in a Crowd is a quick guide to some noteworthy campaigns. Remember, do your own due diligence before you back anything.