Handle

In a secluded safe house, two former allies, now adversaries, engage in a tense negotiation, but the truth of their past—and the true cost of their loyalty—unfolds in a shocking twist. What seems like a simple conversation becomes a deadly game of deception and they are literally running out of time.

What would you do if you could go back in time? Would you change anything? Talk to your younger self and warn them of the future?  So many options yet so little thought of the dangers. 

Handle is a noir/sci-fi short that plays with time travel and the consequences of it’s misuse. It’s a showcase of what the average person would do if the ambitions were selfless or selfish. It explores the temptations and flaws of being human and how messy it can become. We’re looking for backers who love the sci-fi/ action genre and want to see more of it in New Zealand.

I am slowly assembling my Avengers of emerging talent including a DoP, Producer, Gaffer and Make-up. Currently we have:
 

• Actor/Writer/Director: Myself
• Actor: Richie Sikuea
• Actor: Amy Cotter
• 1st AD: Shanna Paese
• Production Designer/ Art: Sophie Jackson
• Composer/ Sound Designer: Vahid Qualls
• Sound Recordist: Robert Goodliffe
• Grip: Tinashe Chinyanganya
• Script Supervisor/Art Assist: Faith Ward

What we’re raising money for:

We’re raising funds to bring Handle to life with the care, craft, and collaboration it deserves. Your support will go directly toward the people and tools that make this story possible. Here’s how the budget will be used:

• Crew costs – Fair payment for a small, talented crew including a director of photography, 1st AD, sound recordist, and other key roles
• Cast – Koha/pay for our actors who are generously giving their time and energy to this story
• Gear hire & accessories – Including camera rig, lighting, sound equipment, and a used iPhone 16 Pro Max for principal shooting
• Production design & art – Props, costume, and set dressing to bring the world of the story to life
• Location costs – Hiring our main location (a diner or similar space) for filming
• Transport & catering – Getting people and equipment to set, and keeping everyone fed and energised
• Contingency – A small buffer for unexpected costs or emergencies

We’re aiming to raise $9,000 total, which includes $3,000 in match funding from Creative New Zealand if we meet our minimum goal of $3,000 through Boosted. That means your donation can go twice as far — every dollar you give helps unlock even more support.

Stretch Goal:

If we’re fortunate enough to raise more than our $9,000 target, any extra funds will go toward post-production costs — such as sound mixing, colour grading, festival submissions, and marketing — ensuring Handle reaches audiences far beyond the shoot.

We’re working with a lean, resourceful model — and every dollar raised goes directly into the creative process. With your help, we can make this film a reality.

Handle is a short film blending crime drama with a touch of sci-fi and action, set almost entirely in a retro diner. It follows two former agents caught in a slow-burning standoff over a mysterious device, a missing daughter, and years of buried betrayal. What begins as a negotiation quickly spirals into something far more personal, with shifting loyalties, tense silences, and a final twist that upends everything the audience expects. Inspired by character-driven thrillers and grounded science fiction, Handle explores themes of trust, survival, and sacrifice — all on a modest scale designed for emotional impact over spectacle. The film will be shot locally with a tight crew of emerging creatives, using a practical and resourceful approach to bring this story to life.

As someone who grew up with video games and VFX YouTube channels like Corridor Digital and RocketJump, I’ve always known what type of narrative story telling I wanted to use. I want to take those aesthetics and marry them with my martial arts and VFX background, giving it the cinematic treatment it deserves.

This will be my first Indie outside of film school that will thrust me into key creative roles like directing and fight choreography and am excited to share my proof of concept.

I want to collab with a group of creatives and emerging talent who love great storytelling with deep narratives and sweet VFX. To rep not only New Zealand but the Cook Islands with more sci-fi/video game concepts brought to life through cinema from a gamers point of view.