Reale Film Festival Winner March/April 2022!

The Reale film festival is an international bimonthly cinema festival with a final ceremony where the best works received are awarded.

https://filmfreeway.com/RealeFilmFestival

My film Essentials of Survival won at the Reale Film Festival Bimonthly Awards for March/April 2022. I have been submitting to several film festivals. It also got selected at the Boston Independent Film Awards for November 2021. If you haven’t seen the film, it is not available to the public at this time. I do have a trailer you can check out.

WATCH Essentials of Survival *LIMITED RELEASE*

For a limited time Essentials of Survival is available to watch for free! Afterward, it will be submitted to film festivals. Watch it below or on Vimeo. After June 21, 2021, it will no longer be public on Vimeo.

Essentials of Survival – Short Film from Candace Duffy Jones on Vimeo.

Emily is tired of being a scout, nature survival is overrated in her mind. When her family goes on an overnight hike, she gets lost in the forest and must survive the night. Using her scouting skills, she does well and can navigate the forest through a cold night, a fall in a stream, injury, and more. However, when the weather turns bad and there is no sign of being found she starts to give up hope.

WRITTEN, DIRECTED, PRODUCED, EDITED BY Candace Duffy Jones
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Samuel Jones
MUSIC COMPOSED BY Erica Johnson

STARRING…
Casey Jones as Emily
Nicky Lowney as Hannah
Daniel Carberg as Jeff
Mimi Walsh as Megan
Peter Mendes as George
Anya Keelie as Park Ranger 1
Derek Nelson as Park Ranger 2

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Candace Duffy Jones
SOUND MIXER Ryan Baxter
STUNTS AND SAFETY Samuel Jones
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Anya Keelie
Dillon Tavitian
Katie Diaz
Liam Jones
Ryan Baxter
SOUND EDITOR Candace Duffy Jones
PIANO Erica Johnson
FLUTE Franck Douvin

SPECIAL THANKS
Darren Duffy
Nancy Rupp
Grace McWalter
Ted White
Teresa Podlesney
Taylor Dunne
Brandon Doherty
Meghan Mickela
Keene State College
Peterborough Fire & Rescue
Edward MacDowell Lake
Milford Firearms
Eastern Mountain Sports
Studio 101A

Copyright 2021 Candace Duffy Jones Films, All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Erica Johnson!

Essentials of Survival now has a composer hard at work making music for the film! Erica Johnson teaches music lessons for her business Music Magic. She studied Film Scoring/Composition at Berklee College of Music. Recently, she has branched our to film composing. She has already composed for several films, including a film for a 48 Film Festival (trailer below).

I know she will do a fantastic job composing for Essentials of Survival. And I can’t wait to hear her music in the film.

Essentials of Survival – Kickstarter

Essentials of Survival is a short narrative film about a 12-year-old girl who gets lost in the woods and has to use the skills she learned in scouting to survive. Using her scouting skills, she does well and can navigate the forest through a cold night, a fall in a stream, injury, and more. However, when the weather turns bad and there is no sign of being found she starts to give up hope.

FROM THE WRITER This is a story I have wanted to tell for a while. I have two kids in scouting and they have learned a lot, more than just survival skills. I wanted to share this with the world, while also showing girl power (as girls can be scouts too).

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So far this film has been paid for out of my pockets. I can’t keep paying for all the costs myself as my money is limited (after all I am a student and a mom). I still have costs for post-production: editing, color grading, sound, music, publicity, film festival fees, etc. Any contribution will help cover these costs.

Filming was completed in November 2020. Post-Production starts in December and will continue until April 2021. The final film will be completed by May 2021 and will be shown at the Keene State College Capstone Film Festival at the Colonial Theater in Keene, New Hampshire. Afterward, it will be submitted to various other film festivals.

$5 Our Appreciation

 Every dollar counts! With this tier, you might not get a tangible reward, but we greatly appreciate your help, thank you for supporting us!

$10 Social Media Shoutout

Our little way of saying “thank you!” to you in a personalized message on social media.

$25 Digital Download of Film

Get a downloadable link to download a digital copy of the film anytime!

$50 Name in Credits

How often do you get to see your name on the end credits of a film? Well, you can have your name in the credits as a thank you for your donation!

$100 Behind-the-Scenes and Bloopers

Watch the behind-the-scenes footage and get to see bloopers. Access to this content will be for a limited time only for 1 year.

$200 Live Chat with Candace Duffy Jones

Join an exclusive live chat with the director and editor on the making of the film.

$500 Associate Producer Credit

Get credited as an “Associate Producer” at the beginning and end of the film.

If you are unable to help financially please share this page on social media.

The more people who know about this fundraiser, the higher the chance of us reaching our goal.

Thanks,

Meet the Cast!

CASEY JONES is in 6th grade. She is new to acting. She is very excited to play the role of Emily. She is a scout as well and she enjoys horses, playing with her gerbils, reading, and Minecraft. She wants to be an artist when she grows up, but recently she has explored an interest in engineering.

A longtime fan of the stage, NICKY LOWNEY made her New England debut in the 2018 ShirleyArts! production of Godspell. Subsequently, she played “the Twelfth Princess” in Once Upon a Mattress. Her roles in local theater inspired her to take on other acting gigs, such as creating and performing the role of the late “Lucretia Blood” at a ghost story event at the Groton Inn. Nicky is a freelance medical writer and editor. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dogs, embarrassing her three adorable teenaged children, and haranguing her long-suffering husband.

DANIEL CARBERG is a professional musician and actor and is the Coordinator of Vocal Activities at Keene State College. As a classical singer Carberg has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and New Zealand and holds a Doctorate in Music from Indiana University. As an actor Carberg has appeared in numerous television commercials, theatrical productions, as well as short and full-length films. 

My name is MIMI WALSH. I was born and raised in West Hartford, CT. Spent most of my teens in Manhattan, then came back to CT for college at the University of Hartford, majoring in Mass Communications, with a focus on TV production. I have been an actor in spirit since the age of 7 making my brothers and sister act out the last scene in Dirty Dancing with me over and over. I finally got my confidence to immerse myself into acting in 2016 on the set of Patriots Day. I am very passionate about making people feel and that is why I am an entertainer.

PETER MENDES is a resident of Vermont; performing in regional theater and films throughout New England. Stage roles include Lucky (“Waiting for Godot”), Jack Mullen (“The Weir”), Ben Loman (“Death of a Salesman”) and Thomas Jefferson (“1776”). Recent film projects include Charles (“Brutus’ Bounty” – Shades Repertory Theater); Bernard (“In The Weeds” Pilot – Wilco Productions) and Lucy’s Dad (“Kings and Queens” – Thrive Productions). Peter enjoys working with student filmmakers and has done several films with local artists.

My name is ANYA KEELIE. Acting has always been part of my life. The constant  in an ever changing world. I travelled the world, discovering diverse cultures and picking up a few languages along the path. Now that my appetite for wandering is somehow satiated, I am dedicating my time and energy to the Seventh Art. Becoming an Actress; bringing emotions to people; telling stories is my call. I know what I want and I will need all the help I can get, for everything spectacular is the product of cooperation and collaboration.

Cast & Location Update

We are finalizing cast selection and should have a cast update later next week. We have found our film location. We will be filming at Edward MacDowell Lake in Peterborough, NH.

Edward MacDowell Lake is  1,194 acres of land and water. It is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and they have gladly given us permission to film at the park. It is beautiful with lots of great trails. We can’t wait to film there.

Help Fund Our Film!

Essentials of Survival is a short narrative film about a 12-year-old girl who gets lost in the woods and has to use the skills she learned in scouting to survive. Using her scouting skills, she does well and can navigate the forest through a cold night, a fall in a stream, injury, and more. However, when the weather turns bad and there is no sign of being found she starts to give up hope.

FROM THE WRITER This is a story I have wanted to tell for a while. I have two kids in scouting and they have learned a lot, more than just survival skills. I wanted to share this with the world, while also showing girl power (as girls can be scouts too).

Our Needs (aka The Budget)

Filmmaking isn’t cheap. We need money for equipment rentals, catering, travel, costumes, props, administrative fees, etc. 

In order to produce Essentials of Survival, we need $6000. 

If we don’t make our budget we will push ahead anyway and hopefully find ways to raise more funds or to cut costs.

Risks & Challenges

Producing a film is a massive undertaking. During our pre-production process, we are being extremely mindful of any risks and challenges we may face along the way. We are taking every precaution and doing our best to foresee any problems that could potentially arise. However, even with every precautionary measure, the future can be unpredictable.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you are unable to help financially please share this page on social media. The more people who know about this fundraiser, the higher the chance of us reaching our goal.

Thanks,

The Crew

CASTING CALL!

Casting “Essentials of Survival” a short film about a 12-year-old girl named Emily who is tired of being a scout, nature survival is overrated in her mind. When her family goes on an overnight hike, she gets lost in the forest and must survive the night. Using her scouting skills, she does well and can navigate the forest through a cold night, a fall in a stream, injury, and more. However, when the weather turns bad and there is no sign of being found she starts to give up hope.

Roles 

Hannah (Supporting)

Female, 35-45

Hannah is the mother of Emily. She wants what is best for her daughter. She enjoys hiking and camping with her family. Motherly, adventurous, outdoorsy.

Ethnicity: White / European Descent

Required Media: Headshot/Photo, Video Reel

Jeff (Supporting)

Male, 35-45

Jeff is the father of Emily. He was a scout and loves going hiking and camping with his family. He worries about his daughter but doesn’t really show it. He has a sense of humor. Funny, adventurous, outdoorsy.

Ethnicity: White / European Descent

Required Media: Headshot/Photo, Video Reel

Brandon (Supporting)

Male, 45-65

Brandon is a hunter who encounters Emily. He is middle-aged. He enjoys hunting as a hobby with his buddy George. He is a grandfather. Friendly, intelligent, outdoorsy.

Required Media: Headshot/Photo, Video Reel

George (Supporting)

Male, 45-65

George is a hunter who encounters Emily. He is middle-aged. He enjoys hunting as a hobby with his buddy Brandon. He is a family doctor and a grandfather. Friendly, caring, intelligent, outdoorsy.

Required Media: Headshot/Photo, Video Reel

Park Ranger 1 (Day Player)

All Genders, 18+

Park Ranger 1 is a small part with a few lines. Dutiful, outdoorsy, authoritative.

Required Media: Headshot/Photo, Video Reel

Park Ranger 2 (Background / Extra)

All Genders, 18+

Park Ranger 2 has no lines. He just leads Emily out of the woods and stands in the background afterward.

Required Media: Headshot/Photo

Rehearsal and Production Dates & Locations

Shooting in November on weekends. Talent must be willing to travel to the Milford to Keene, New Hampshire area. All filling will be down outdoors in the woods.

Compensation

No Pay. Reimbursement for travel costs, material for acting reel; food/catering will be provided.