An update on GIBLETS: a funny motherclucking short film that hasn't got over the line yet 🐔🔪🩸
Last year, we ran a crowdfunding campaign for GIBLETS – a funny, ridiculous, but surprisingly emotional story that, for all its absurdity (yes, there are chicken suits), has always felt worth telling, in both its originally-intended short-form version and the already-written feature.
As you may know, we budgeted it so that we could pay everyone fairly. I’ve had people tell me since that was a mistake, that short films are meant to be scrappy labours of love. And I see that point. But in the current climate I’m not quite ready to ask an entire crew to work for free for four days.
So we didn’t hit our funding goal. And, we need to go find the rest of the money. But that's cool, for now. The money we did raise is safe, ring-fenced, and waiting for the right moment. That moment just isn’t now.
I made a short video to update the amazing backers who supported us:
In the unpredictable world of indie filmmaking, you should have multiple pots on the stove. Sometimes one pot gets boiling and has to be put onto simmer while you wait for things to align, and while it simmers you bring another one up to boil. And that’s what’s happening with a new feature project I’ve been developing – while GIBLETS is back on the simmer, this next one might be coming upto a boil. So we'll see.
If you’re a fellow filmmaker, producer, or creative entrepreneur, you know how important adaptability is. The goalposts move. You pivot. You reassess. You roll with the punches.
The GIBLETS short will still happen. In the meantime, I’ll be documenting the production process of this and other film projects, and sharing insight including how Unreal Engine powers everything I do behind the scenes – as well as my wins, inevitable stumbles, and learnings.
If you're interested in indie film production, using Unreal Engine in indie film environments, or building original IP in a chaotic market, please follow the journey!
Thank you again to everyone who supported GIBLETS and who continue to support my work.
– MX Bell (or just Martin, if you get in touch)