Stain

A seemingly innocuous stain on the carpet proves to be more than just a speck of dirt for perfectionist Grant.

STAIN is a 15 minute short horror film about the corrosive and infectious nature of obsession. 

"Stain is an abstract horror designed to create a sustained sense of unease rather than provide a clear resolution. It explores the quiet, infectious nature of obsession and how it builds subtly, disguising itself as control before gradually unraveling into powerlessness." - Maddy Sweetman (Director)

This short film is being created as an Honours project for the University of Canterbury’s Digital Screen programme. The crew is made up of passionate students from the programme’s first intake, who will be the first graduates of the degree. This is our most ambitious project to date!

Crew:

• Writer | Director | Editor – Maddy Sweetman
• Producer – Jacob Webb
• DOP | Editor | Colourist – Jackson Clifford
• 1st AD – Meg Armstrong
• 1st AC – Natdanai Varnakomala
• 2nd AC – Ben Dykes
• Location Sound – Ben Fabling
• Gaffer – Jack Robinson
• Gaffer – Ed Halliday
• Wardrobe | Makeup – Siobhan Hoare
• Production Design – Lucy-Rose McClimont
• Production Design – Glenn Swaine
• Production Design – Holly Taylor
• BTS Photography  | Production Design – Daniel Davy
• VFX – Bayedan Hales
• VFX – Oscar Watson
   

Our script, cast, and crew are ready and we've got access to some incredible equipment and post-production facilities through Kōawa Studios and the University of Canterbury to help us make this film.

We need your help to raise $2000 to cover production and distribution costs for the film so we can make the film the best it can be and share it throughout the world.

Your support will go towards:

• Production design and practical visual effects to bring the world of the film to life
• Feeding our talented cast and crew to keep them going during our winter shoot
• Koha for our incredible cast
• Local and international festival submissions

Every donor will be acknowledged in the film's credits.

Much of modern horror relies on gore, jump scares, and a “monster” that terrifies both the characters and the audience, but, Stain offers a different kind of horror altogether. Its terror lies not in what it is, but in how it evokes primal fears, feelings of powerlessness and futility. The film is an ode to the weird and abstract, a distinctive vein of horror associated with authors like H.P. Lovecraft and Junji Ito. 

Stain is important because it is a reminder that it is easy to lose ourselves in something that, in the grand scheme of things isn’t really that crucial, but by losing ourselves in such a way, it comes at the cost of our relation to ourself and others. 

Outside of the story, Stain is important to us as filmmakers. We are in our honours year and this is our final project together as a team within the Bachelor of Digital Screen. We want to pour our heart, soul, and passion into a project that truly showcases our skills for storytelling and technical filmmaking. Your support would mean our project can come to life in a way that isn’t feasible on our own, and we will be able to deliver a film that both we and the audience can be proud of. 

Every bit of support helps our film reach a wider audience. Boosted is an “All or Nothing" platform, meaning if we don’t reach our target goal in 30 days we won’t receive a cent. If you’re not able to contribute financially, a simple share on social media goes a long way. Please help us spread the word!

Donations qualify for a tax credit: NZ income earners qualify for a 33% tax credit on their donations from the IRD with a receipt automatically provided by The Arts Foundation (as The Arts Foundation is a registered charity) for any donation made.