Crowdfunding is Underway for a Thriller Shot Entirely in Iowa

Independent filmmakers in Iowa have started the process of crowdfunding a new movie that would be shot in several locations around the state with a cast and crew of native Iowans to boot.

The project is called Operation: Crimson Night and it's a product of Mediaverse Studios in Marengo, IA. The co-director on the project is Jake Daniels, and in a recent interview with Radio Iowa, spoke about his vision for the project and the hopes of getting financial backing from people who want to see it come to fruition.

Per the project's Indiegogo page, Mediaverse Studios bills Operation: Crimson Night as part of the "SCP Universe," which is elaborate from the description to say the least:

The SCP (Secure, Contain, Protect) universe is a collaborative and expansive fictional world that revolves around a secret organization tasked with identifying, capturing, and containing anomalous entities, objects, and phenomena. These anomalies defy the laws of nature, ranging from supernatural creatures to inexplicable artifacts. [....]

 

In our unique SCP Universe, The Foundation has evolved into a formidable entity, seamlessly intertwining with both government and religion. The SCP Foundation has emerged as a ubiquitous force, influencing political and spiritual spheres. The organization is now openly acknowledged as an integral part of governance, and the state legitimizes its containment efforts. - per Indiegogo

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The film itself will "follow a team of soldiers working for a shadow organization who are sent to find and kill a creature that escaped from its containment area in a small town in Romania," per Radio Iowa. Daniels told the outlet that the story will have elements of mystery and play like a suspenseful thriller:

When we see these kind of movies, we basically just see the action and shoot ’em up stuff, but what we’re trying to create is something that’s more character-driven and has a little bit more heart, and leans more to the horror than the action. - Jake Daniels, per Radio Iowa

One thing that's clear is Daniels is passionate about the project. One of his many goals with Operation: Crimson Night is to show that the film landscape in Iowa is healthy, and despite a small budget, a production of this caliber can look like it has vastly more money behind it. Right now, the film has a set goal of $7,500 and has raised a little over $2,000 with just over two weeks to go in the campaign.

Once completed, the tentative plan is to take the film on a festival tour and then eventually get it onto streaming platforms. Daniels also has plans for screening the film in Iowa theaters as well.

This is not the first crowdfunded movie to be shot in Iowa. For over a year now, I've been following Dyersville native Jayme Schmitt's project Are You Dead Yet?, a horror movie that was filmed in Dubuque and the surrounding areas. The project is slated for a release later this year.

For more information on Operation: Crimson Night, or to contribute to the campaign to see it come to fruition, visit the project's Indiegogo page.