Familiar

Familiar is a daylight horror short focusing on the uncanny ‘double’ and the subconscious. The film follows Jane, a mother in her 50s who is given the opportunity to reconnect with her son, Ollie, and ex-partner, David, after 14 years. This reunion resurfaces repressed feelings in Jane, which emanate psychotic visions of her subconscious into her ordinary life, testing her mental stability, and resulting in a horrific lunch. The film utilises colour motifs, sound, reflections, shadows, and repetition to allow the viewer to delve into Jane's subconscious and uncover the unsettling nature of the weird and unfamiliar.

Dream State Media, formally Dead Slate Studios, backs young and emerging creatives, because we ARE young and emerging creatives. Dream State Media sees visionary narratives and offers an empowering platform for creatives to share their stories, express their vision, and lead their projects with support. In 2024, Dream State Media helped fund and produce Full Moon, Baby!, Paint it Black, and B-Listers among other notable projects. We are excited to see where Familiar leads and the perspectives it resonates with.

For this specific project, these are the HOD's:

Alexei Foster: Director

Martin Bernabe: Producer

Aimee De Saint Laurent: Co-Producer

Alfie Saunders: DOP

A message from Martin, The Producer:

Your support would mean a lot to us as it very much is a passion project. Alexei is very driven and deeply passionate about getting this project out into the world. The film has a unique blend of psychological horror and family drama, combined with an interesting technical and narrative vision, makes it in my opinion a worthwhile project to invest in. The majority of the people working on this production are newcomers which makes it a good opportunity for people to step up into their Ideal roles that they would not get in a larger scale production.

As this is a passion project, all the money raised will go entirely to renting and purchasing equipment, props, and food for the short film production. The production will last three days and involve a total crew of 15.

We will need approximately $3900:

$2,800 for camera and equipment rentals.
$600 for food.
$500 for props and set design.

About a year ago, during my final year at university, I became fascinated by Freud’s theories of ‘the uncanny’, particularly how films like Black Swan and Enemy used the multiplying of characters to evoke this uncanny effect that stirred a totally new fear within me. Since then, I have been keen to see if I could create an art piece invoking the same emotion in others. Familiar does not serve as a definition of Freud's theory, but rather expands upon it and offers a distinctive perspective on the unstable human psyche. The funding I am seeking is essential for acquiring the necessary equipment and provisions to realise this film at a high level, as well as to apply for local and international film festivals. I hope that this film gains enough credibility to help me secure funding for a feature film in the future and bring me closer to my dream of becoming a professional director.

Familiar is a story that deserves to be seen, not only because it delves into the complex dynamics of the unsettling human subconscious but also because it employs psychological elements to explore themes of family, guilt, and the horrors simmering just beneath the surface of everyday life. Aiming to resonate with universal experiences, the film examines fractured relationships, repressed emotions, and the struggle to understand our past. By creating a disturbing atmosphere that showcases the subconscious on screen, it offers an emotional and intellectual experience that will deeply connect with audiences; this is why the film transcends a simple horror story.  This film is particularly special to me as it serves as a testament to my ability to successfully convert my creative vision into a professional art form. I hope it will also provide me with the recognition and experience necessary to pursue a feature film next year.