Filmmaker and director Olaf Blomerus hopes to show us a vision of a technologically advanced future that isn’t as bleak as we might imagine, but he needs your help to do it.

Blomerus is running a Kickstarter campaign to help cover post-production costs for his upcoming short film, Hello World. Hello World tells the story of an android that serves a father and son in the wake of their wife and mother’s death. As they grieve, the android learns about the complexities of human emotions.

The campaign is currently seeking $7,000 CAD to help cover post-production costs, specifically, the visual effects and audio design for the android, as well as the final sound mix for the film. Blomerus says he has always been a very focused on the technical aspects of his work, but recently became more interested in telling captivating stories.

“I’ve been very focused on shooting what I thought would look ‘cool’. Trying to create slick imagery that in the end felt empty of any real substance. So, as I began production on a project that would have been just exactly that, again, I came across an, ‘88 quotes from cinematographers.’”

“’Don’t shoot your demo reel. Be true to the story.’ – Tobias Schliessler.”

Blomerus says the quote was a wakeup call for him.

“I had been so focused on the technical aspects of making the best looking films and videos I could, I didn’t step back and build the foundation of what makes the best films first. So now I’m armed with a great technical know-how on how to get what I want visually but Hello World is really the first project I’ve been a part of that’s genesis came from a great story.”

When asked about his inspiration for Hello World, Blomerus said he wanted to be a part of a group of filmmakers who show that, “…stories about technology don’t have to be all blood and metal,” and that he was interested in shifting the perspective of the future.

“I think there is a ton of room for stories where technology is the focus but the subject is rooted in emotion.”

The film also addresses the importance of female figures in life; Hello World‘s lack of a female character serves as, Blomerus admits, the catalyst for the film.

“It very much is the catalyst but doesn’t stop there. I don’t want to give away the story but I think the audience of Hello World will like how we approach the importance of female figures in our lives.”

helloworldposterHello World was able to make it through pre-production and principal photography through a grant from Storyhive, a community-voted grant competition that provides funding for short films and documentaries in the Vancouver area. Blomerus says he knew that the grant would not be enough to cover all the costs, but he was determined to tell his story.

“We knew from the get go, even after all the favours, we wouldn’t have enough with just the help of Storyhive. There was obviously a slight concern but I’ve always looked for reason why to do something, than why not to.”

Blomerus has been working with New Zealand-based Indie Film Sprites to help get the word about Hello World. Indie Film Sprites is partially monetized business that provides publicity, social media strategy and marketing for filmmakers.

“I can’t begin to count how many people I’ve connected with through Twitter that have now helped, assisted, influenced, taught, created, or learnt with me in the world of film. If you’re an emerging filmmaker, it’s the first networking tool you should have.”

At the time of this writing, Hello World has raised nearly $3,500 of its $7,000 goal. Regardless of the campaign’s outcome, Blomerus remains confident that the project will be completed.

“Even if, in the end, Kickstarter fails,Hello World is going to be finished. Every dollar just helps make that finished film better.”

The campaign officially ends Monday, August 11 at 1:59 AM, EDT. Please be sure to donate and help this amazing project.

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