It seems that Hollywood is only interested in producing movies that are guaranteed money makers in today’s world. You may say that this has always been the way, but you can’t deny there are far less chances taken on new ideas. Remakes, reboots, and recycles are the safe way to make big money, bottom line.  Sure, if you’re Tarantino or Wan then there is no end of wallets waiting to open for your new ideas, but when was the last time you’ve seen a potentially iconic villain comparable to Freddy, Jason, or Leatherface? Or even creatures, such as Predator and Alien?

If you have an idea for a new antagonist and you are not already rubbing shoulders with the big guys, your only realistic shot at getting your story out there are crowd funded communities such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. A fellow indie lover pointed out a project on Kickstarter by a guy with similar views to my own, and I think it will prove there is still room for new ideas. He has the message, “If Hollywood won’t do it, I will!”

Sandy Collora
Collora started his journey on the path to making movies at the young age of 17, where he moved to California and managed to get work at Stan Winston Studios. Working as a Sculptor and Creature Creator, his portfolio includes movies such as Total Recall, The Abyss, and Men in Black. He has had success using Kickstarter to produce two volumes of The Art of Creature and Character Design, and he has experience in the director’s chair, having made the very successful feature film Hunter Prey in 2009.  And even if you haven’t come across any of these projects, you may have heard of his short film Batman: Dead End (2003), which was at the time the most downloaded short film in history. The fact that he is a world-class practical effects artist means that he can make exactly what he wants without the obstacle of relaying his vision to someone else first.

His idea comes from his love of the ocean, the environment, and most importantly, the horror genre.  He believes that when the environment is abused, our damaged ecosystem can become host to creatures that we can not even comprehend.

His Kickstarter intro video shows plenty of footage of his monster, and I am told none of it is for the final movie. It has been shot solely for Kickstarter backers as a concept and to give a preview of the rewards for getting involved. These include resin busts, action figures, and full body Marquette’s of the creature.  However, the horror and sci-fi genres don’t generally get the same attention on Kickstarter as do the documentaries and celeb-based dramas and we normally only see success in small projects. This limits the standard of production in order to tackle the mainstream.  Sandy Collora wants to smash through this ceiling with his project and prove that artists don’t always need Hollywood’s pockets if the public is behind you.  Collora is asking for quite a sum of money in comparison to most projects we have seen, but with the project already raising over $90k and almost 30 days left to go, it doesn’t seem unattainable.

By watching his concept intro video it is easy to see that Collora is experienced, enthusiastic, and passionate. I for one will be happy to back his project knowing my money would be put to good use.

Shallow Water by Sandy Collora
Shallow Water tells the story of a seemingly innocent adventure. Six fishermen embark on a fishing trip to a remote and mythical fishing hole nestled deep in the Sea of Cortez. They scour the Baja peninsula to find this magical place, but when they do, they encounter unexpected sea life, which puts them at odds, and it becomes every man for himself. Adds Collora: “It’s Mother Nature versus Human Nature.”

This might be a turning point in indie horror where we see better effects, better production, and more elaborate but achievable content from what was once only available to the wealthy filmmakers. If Hollywood wasn’t paying attention before, they will be with this one!

If you would like to read more about Sandy’s project and maybe get involved click here!