Production Notes
Status
Phase: Development
Working Title: Some Homes Never Fully Become Empty
Target shoot date: TBD
Estimated shoot days: TBD (estimate: 15–20 days)
Target delivery: TBD
Budget Framework
Budget tier: Micro-budget to low-budget independent (300K range; to be determined)
Funding approach: TBD — self-funded, grant, private investment
Budget document: To be created
Likely Cost Centers
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cast | Non-star indie rates; SAG low-budget agreement likely |
| Camera | 16mm film stock costs significant if shooting hybrid film/digital |
| Locations | NYC residential permit + MTA permit; owner fees for Bronx house |
| Art Department | Minimal intervention required — the house must look ordinary |
| Sound | Critical — invest in experienced production sound and post sound |
| Post Production | Sound design and mix are primary post investment |
| Insurance | E&O required pre-distribution; general liability for locations |
Crew Structure (Lean)
| Role | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Director | TBD | — |
| Producer | TBD | — |
| Director of Photography | TBD | Must understand the ambiguity rules |
| 1st Assistant Director | TBD | — |
| Production Designer | TBD | Critical — must resist horror aesthetics |
| Costume Designer | TBD | — |
| Sound Mixer / Boom Operator | TBD | Must prioritize clean production sound |
| Editor | TBD | Long-form sensibility required |
| Colorist | TBD | Grade philosophy: support, don’t impose |
| Sound Designer / Re-recording Mixer | TBD | Post sound is a major creative collaborator |
Shoot Schedule Framework
Day Type Distribution (Estimate)
| Day Type | Estimated Days |
|---|---|
| Bronx house — interior | 8–10 |
| Basement | 2–3 (dedicated, not combined) |
| Staten Island apartment | 2–3 |
| Transit (ferry / subway) | 2–3 |
| Exterior (park, street) | 1–2 |
| Buffer / weather cover | 1–2 |
The basement days are not combined with other interior days. The basement requires specific attention and a crew and cast that are mentally prepared for the pace the scenes require.
Casting Notes
Kendrie
Must be able to communicate interior experience through restraint. The camera is close; there is nowhere to hide and no need to perform. Looking for an actress whose emotional life reads in the body and the face, not in technique.
Charlize
Must be warm first, rational second. If the performance plays as cold or controlling, the film’s central dynamic loses its tragedy. The audience must understand exactly why Kendrie loves her and exactly why love is not enough.
Alexis
Must be able to hold the weight of the history without dramatizing it. The telling scene requires complete commitment and complete economy. No performers who lead with their instrument.
Melissa
Must be genuinely warm — not performed warmth. The camera will see through anything that isn’t real.
Uncle
A specific type: physically warm and present, but with an absolute inner knowledge that shapes his behavior without being spoken. This role may be small in screen time and outsized in impact.
Post Production
Editing approach: Long form, slow average shot length; the film must be cut with the rhythm of its world, not of conventional indie film
Sound design: Major creative investment — this is where the house is built in post
Music: Sparse; diegetic preferred; score to be composed only after picture lock
Color grade: 2–3 weeks minimum; the grade is a creative decision, not a technical fix
Deliverables (for distribution):
- DCP (2K or 4K)
- Streaming master (per platform specs)
- Subtitle files (English SDH minimum)
- EPK materials
- E&O insurance (required for theatrical/streaming release)
Festival Strategy
Target tier: Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, New Directors/New Films, BlackStar Film Festival
Realistic initial target: Sundance Dramatic or BlackStar; SXSW Narrative Feature Competition
Hold date: Do not release online before festival premiere; protect the premiere