Hi SS,

As some of you know I made my first short film last year. It was a Stephen King story that went on to play at 11 festivals, win 2 awards, and get 2 honourable mentions.

Well, I’ve gone and done it again. Since march this year I have been working tirelessly in the background setting up the campaign for my next film, this time Willa from Just After Sunset by Stephen King.

This new campaign is like the original one, but on steroids... very strong and very illegal steroids.

I have 5 of the best artists working in the King world that contributed original art to the campaign. Each of them has worked on limited edition Stephen King books in the past.

I also have one of the SFX makeup and prosthetics artist that worked on the Australian critically acclaimed horror, Talk To Me. And, I have an Oscar and Bafta nominated (for Elvis) and multi-award winning sound designer and mixer on board. In fact all our crew are working professionals with some crazy credits amongst them.

Anyway, I'd love for you to take a look, even if just to see the amount of work that went into this behemoth. Definitely no pressure to donate, but it would obviously be appreciated if you wanted to.

This is also why I've been pretty absent from SS in regards to new scripts.

We launched today and were at 50% funded in the first hour!

I was deathly sick when I made the promo video so I blame that on how terrible I sound!

Thanks for looking :)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575394286/willa-based-on-the-story-by-stephen-king?

Okay Warren, a few things:
How did you score all those Pros?
Yes, I will happily donate.
Congrats on getting that target in such a short time - I doubt you'll have trouble reaching the full amount

And finally, OMG, your hair is longer than mine.  :D

Quoted from LC Okay Warren, a few things: How did you score all those Pros? Yes, I will happily donate. Congrats on getting that target in such a short time - I doubt you'll have trouble reaching the full amount And finally, OMG, your hair is longer than mine.  :D

Some were certainly not easy to hook... lots of back and forth discussions and phone calls. It definitely helped that I had done a Stephen King film previously and I had delivered on all the promises I made during that Kickstarter. So I think I had some good will built up. And, I think people just really love Stephen King :)

Very much appreciated! Every bit gets us closer.

It seems like we should hit it, still a long way to go really, it's a crazy amount of money to ask for, but damn those pros do not come cheap!!!

My hair has only been trimmed twice since COVID. I usually have it tied back but thought I'd let the locks flow for this one :)

Seriously, the hair alone is worth supporting.

You, btw, are a Kickstarter god.

I'm in.

You're on a roll!!! Good luck with this one. I can't remember this one off the top of my head, but I'm sure I read it at some point. Got to look into that.  8)

Quoted from PKCardinal Seriously, the hair alone is worth supporting. You, btw, are a Kickstarter god. I'm in.

;D I'd have to agree!

Still not over the line yet! But thanks, I do feel like I have a pretty good understanding at this point of how to make an appealing campaign.

Appreciate the support!

Quoted from Grandma Bear You're on a roll!!! Good luck with this one. I can't remember this one off the top of my head, but I'm sure I read it at some point. Got to look into that.  8)

Thanks, lots of hard work in the background to pull in together but I'm glad it seems to be paying off.

It's a great little story. My adaptation is a little different... a bit more bloody if anything, but King's story very much shines through.

Passed the 80% mark. 23 days to go.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575394286/willa-based-on-the-story-by-stephen-king

Quoted from PKCardinal Passed the 80% mark. 23 days to go. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575394286/willa-based-on-the-story-by-stephen-king

Not a bad first week at all. 86% funded by 148 backers and we still have 3 weeks to go. Still a bit of a hill to climb and we have definitely hit the lull after the initial rush, but I'm optimistic we will get there :)

Quoted from Warren I'm optimistic we will get there :)

All you need is one person interested in being an extra or one person interested in a severed hand prop. Someone like Zack. :)

Quoted from PKCardinal All you need is one person interested in being an extra or one person interested in a severed hand prop. Someone like Zack. :)

As it turns out someone was interested in the severed hand, and with that massive pledge we are now FULLY FUNDED!!!

Still 17 days to go so I'm hoping that figure only continues to climb, but damn it feels good!

Congrats, Warren!
I don't think it was ever in doubt.

Very exciting. When is the shoot?

Quoted from LC Congrats, Warren! I don't think it was ever in doubt. Very exciting. When is the shoot?

Thanks!

Still to be determined. The campaign isn't over so I can't really celebrate too hard until we are all done and dusted. Once I received the funds I'll first focus on getting all the physical rewards out first so I can get that ticked off the list to focus fully on the film. Then, a conversation will happen with all the cast and crew to lock down a date. There are a hell of a lot more moving parts on this than All That You Love. It's terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

I should check the Kickstarter page again, but how does this work with Dollar Baby re the actual script? Have you written it, does it have to be approved?

Quoted from LC I should check the Kickstarter page again, but how does this work with Dollar Baby re the actual script? Have you written it, does it have to be approved?

You just apply to get the rights to the story. They send you a contract which you sign and then send it back with a physical $1USD and then they give the okay for a year.

I adapted the story way back in March when I first got the rights and have been tinkering ever since. I can't imagine it will change much more from this point.

When one of your actresses is also in PR...

https://cinemaaustralia.com.au/2023/11/06/warren-duncans-stephen-king-adaptation-willa-gets-kickstarted-for-2024/

Quoted from Warren When one of your actresses is also in PR... https://cinemaaustralia.com.au/2023/11/06/warren-duncans-stephen-king-adaptation-willa-gets-kickstarted-for-2024/

How cool is that!

Awesome.

Quoted from PKCardinal How cool is that! Awesome.

Thanks! I think there might be a few more in the mix as well...

My local paper published an article about the Willa Kickstarter...

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/8416866/pages-to-the-screen-for-grays-point-director/

Nice one, Warren!

Thanks :)

And another...

https://regionillawarra.com.au/wombarras-tahlia-crinis-lands-eerie-role-in-willa-on-track-to-become-most-funded-stephen-king-short-film/13801/

Another good one! That's some excellent press.

Quoted from PKCardinal Another good one! That's some excellent press.

Thanks!

And another...

One of our cast members was interviewed on her local ABC radio station. The interview starts at 20:44 if anyone wanted to listen.

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/illawarra-drive/illawarra-drive/103076334

I somehow accidentally bumped into this:

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8424592/warren-duncans-on-a-mission-to-create-the-ultimate-stephen-king-adaption/

Quoted from PKCardinal I somehow accidentally bumped into this: https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8424592/warren-duncans-on-a-mission-to-create-the-ultimate-stephen-king-adaption/

Thanks! Was just coming to post it :)

I think that's all of them now!

Quoted from Warren Thanks! Was just coming to post it :) I think that's all of them now!

I was messing with my computer and somehow lost all my bookmarks. Later, as I was Googling for the Kickstarter to get an update--that was the first hit. :)

And we are done! Massive thanks to the SSers who supported the Kickstarter, you know who you are.

It came down to the wire, but we did also make some history as the most-funded Stephen King Dollar Baby through crowdfunding ever across all crowdfunding platforms, which means I now hold two records... Most backed for All That You Love and most funded for Willa.

Now the real work starts :)

Big Congratulations!!! Can't help but ask, which one will you do after that?  :)

Quoted from Grandma Bear Big Congratulations!!! Can't help but ask, which one will you do after that?  :)

Thanks!

Which Stephen King film? I'm done! I have another big project I'll be working on with an SS member :)

Quoted from Warren Which Stephen King film? I'm done! I have another big project I'll be working on with an SS member :)

How cool! May I ask who? Dena and I have made several short films together and have become very good friends over the years. I have a handful of people here from SS I'm not just friends with but have met in person as well. 8)

Quoted from Grandma Bear How cool! May I ask who? Dena and I have made several short films together and have become very good friends over the years. I have a handful of people here from SS I'm not just friends with but have met in person as well. 8)

Paul and I are working on something in the background. Nothing to really talk about yet and nothing may come of it, but if we pull it off it's going to be something truly special.