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The Goal
 
Root and Branch Films is seeking film lovers and partners to help us meet our budget goals for The Nearly Forgotten Incident: A Proof of Concept. This 10-15 minute short isn't just a standalone piece, it is the cold open to the feature film The Nearly Forgotten Incident. This means your support isn't just helping us raise money for a short film, it is helping to create a high quality sequence that is able to be inserted directly into the feature film during post-production. To ensure we are able to complete the sequence at a high standard of quality and to stay on track with our current timeline, we need to raise a total of $125,000 by July 11, 2025. This allows us to complete production in August as intended so that we are able to kickoff the feature film capital campaign with the proof of concept in early 2025. As of this writing, we have raised just under $60,000 and are expected to cross that threshold without outside donations this month.
 
We have deal memos and letters of intent in place for all of our talent, commitments from the crew, and permission for all of the locations. However, none of these can be officially confirmed until we reach our budget goals and sign the paperwork.
 
 
About the Film
 
Genre: Mystery, Espionage, Thriller
Created by: Kyle Marra, Lief Thomason, James McTague
 
The Story:
 
Dr. Emeka Okoro arrives under cover of fog, burdened by the weight of his own invention—“Candy Cane,” a device with the power to reshape the future. When ordered to hand it over to shadowy government agents, he faces a painful reckoning: trust the system or destroy what he created. As betrayal looms, Okoro must confront the terrifying cost of his own brilliance in The Nearly Forgotten Incident.
 

Thematic Depth and Social Relevance:

The Nearly Forgotten Incident is more than a Cold War thriller—it’s a meditation on moral responsibility, systemic corruption, and the resilience of conscience. Set during a time of intense institutional distrust, the story explores the tension between innovation and ethics, power and purpose, and personal integrity versus blind allegiance.

While the film is packed with suspense and genre-driven energy, its heart lies in the internal conflict of Dr. Okoro—a man wrestling with whether to trust his creation to the very system that seeks to exploit it. His friendship with Harrison grounds the story emotionally, providing a quiet contrast to the chaos around them, and reinforcing themes of loyalty, redemption, and courage.

The Feature:

The events that take place in this 10-15 minute 1960's sequence directly set the stage for the mystery and conflict that the characters of the feature film wrestle with decades later where the story expands to explore family legacy, corporate manipulation, and the dangers of unchecked technological progress. It also uniquely integrates food as a thematic symbol—”Candy Cane” itself—and teases a larger commentary about what we consume, who controls it, and the hidden costs behind everyday indulgences. 

What You Get

Should you choose to contribute financially to the project, all donation tiers are eligible to donate to our fiscal sponsor From the Heart Productions. By using this method all donations are tax deductible, and all donors will receive a form indicating their contribution for tax season.

Tier 1 – Supporter ($25-$249):

  • IMDB Credit – “Special Thanks”
  • Name in “Thank You – Supporters” rolling credit block
  • Thank You Email
  • Inclusion on project mailing list
  • Digital Behind the Scenes still photo

Tier 2 – Community Contributor ($250-$499):

  • IMDB Credit – “Special Thanks”
  • Name in “Thank You – Community Contributors” rolling credit block
  • Thank You Email
  • Invitation to local feature film capital campaign kick-off screening
  • Digital Behind the Scenes still photo
  • Inclusion on project mailing list

Tier 3 – Production Ally ($500-$999):

  • IMDB Credit – “Special Thanks”
  • Name in “Thank You – Production Allies” rolling credit block
  • Thank You Email
  • Invitation to local feature film capital campaign kick-off screening
  • Signed Behind-the-Scenes set photo or fundraiser booklet.
  • Social media shoutout
  • Inclusion on project mailing list

Tier 4 – Associate Donor ($1,000-$4,999):

  • IMDB Credit – “In Association with Credit”
  • Shared end credit card under “In Association With” credit block
  • Personalized thank-you video from the cast or crew
  • Donor name or logo listed on the film’s website
  • Invitation to local feature film capital campaign kick-off screening
  • Signed Behind-the-Scenes set photo or fundraiser booklet.
  • Social media shoutout
  • Inclusion on project mailing list

Tier 5 – Associate Producer ($5,000-$9,999):

  • IMDB Credit – “Associate Producer”
  • Shared end credit card
  • Personalized thank-you video from the cast or crew
  • Donor name or logo listed on the film’s website
  • Invitation to local feature film capital campaign kick-off screening
  • Signed Behind-the-Scenes set photo or fundraiser booklet.
  • Social media shoutout
  • Access to exclusive production updates

Note: This is a donor credit only, not a producer credit with any creative or legal authority.

Tier 6 – Co-Producer ($10,000-$24,999)

  • IMDB Credit – “Co-Producer”
  • Prominent end credit solo card
  • Invitation to a pre or post screening dinner and Q&A
  • Donor name or logo listed on the film’s website and press surrounding the film
  • Invitation to local feature film capital campaign kick-off screening
  • Signed Behind-the-Scenes set photo or fundraiser booklet.
  • Social media shoutout
  • Access to exclusive production updates
  • Optional first-look at pitch materials for the feature film

Note: This is a donor credit only, not a producer credit with any creative or legal authority.

Tier 7 – Co-Executive Producer ($25,000+) – 3 Available:

  • IMDB Credit – “Co-Executive Producer”
  • Prominent solo card in opening and closing credits (Names of business representatives only, no business names)
  • Invitation to a pre or post screening dinner and Q&A
  • Donor name or logo listed on the film’s website and press surrounding the film
  • Invitation to local feature film capital campaign kick-off screening
  • Signed Behind-the-Scenes set photo or fundraiser booklet.
  • Access to exclusive production updates
  • First-look privileges at the trailer, score, or promotional clips
  • Optional first-look at pitch materials for the feature film
  • Social media shoutout

Note: This is a donor credit only, not a producer credit with any creative or legal authority.

 

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