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Invest in Silent as the Grave Movie

A high-tension, thrilling mystery film that offers hope in the midst of tragedy

Mokena
Entertainment Film Crowdfunding Motion Picture

Invest in Silent as the Grave Movie

A high-tension, thrilling mystery film that offers hope in the midst of tragedy

This story has a lot of meaning for me not only because it is based on my family's past but also because of the themes it explores – the importance of family and the power of forgiveness. Everyone loves a good mystery. We believe the market for this genre is under-served, which provides us a great opportunity for success!
Brad Podowski Writer/Producer @ Silent as the Grave Movie
Goal Reached!

$114,220

of a $50,000-$175,000 goal from 107 investors

Invest via a

Revenue Participation Agreement
120%of Principal + 50%of Net Proceeds
see more terms & learn more
100% of proceeds are paid to investors pro-rata until 120% of principal investment is returned. Thereafter investors earn 50% of Net Proceeds. This is a custom contract, see document for details.
see investor perks from $500 to $10,000

Held in Escrow & Refundable. Wefunder Portal LLC can refund upon request while funds are in escrow. You'll get a 5 day notice when a round closes.

  • About
  • Updates 7
  • Grapevine 74
  • Ask a Question 21

Invest via a

Revenue Participation Agreement
120%of Principal + 50%of Net Proceeds
see more terms & learn more
100% of proceeds are paid to investors pro-rata until 120% of principal investment is returned. Thereafter investors earn 50% of Net Proceeds. This is a custom contract, see document for details.
see investor perks from $500 to $10,000

Why you may want to invest in us...

1 Producer's previous film had a worldwide release and is on track to return a profit within 2 years of its release.
2 This film already has a distribution LOI from Vision Video. They are interested in acquiring domestic and international rights.
3 Our Team has produced 15+ Films, winning over 12 awards collectively along the way.
4 Our previous film, Redemption Way, has been on our distributor's best-selling list for nearly two years.
5 We are a multi award-winning production team who will be targeting two of the largest movie-going audiences with this film.
6 Join us in delivering a positive message to the masses.

Our Team

And Our Major Accomplishments
Brad Podowski
Writer/Producer
Brad Podowski is an award-winning film producer. His debut feature won the bronze award for best drama under $250,000 at the ICVM film festival. He has been writing and producing film and video content for over 10 years.
William Carroll
Co-Producer
Bill Carroll has served as associate producer or consulting producer on over 15 projects including narrative features, documentaries and animated series, which have aired on PBS affiliates nationwide.
Suzanne Johnson
Executive Producer
Suzanne is an actress and producer most known for The World Without You (2019), which she produced and starred in and for the award-winning faith based drama, Redemption Way (2017).
Brian Sheridan
Executive Producer
Brian Sheridan is a Chicago based actor and producer. He can be seen acting in several independent films with distribution. He is a founding member of Chimera Ensemble theater company and co-founder of The Filmlet, a digital media production company.
Alex Kudrna
Production Manager
Alex Kudrna is a Director, Tech Director, Set Designer/Builder, and Production Manager based in Southeast Wisconsin. He is the owner of Backyard Dream Studios in Kenosha. Alex has had the opportunity to work on media projects throughout the world.

Why people love us

As an independent business man Brad has a high degree of Professionalism and Ethics.
George Podowski
Parent

Some of our investors

we've raised $114,220 from 107 investors since our founding
Brian Sheridan
Brian Sheridan
I am a Chicago based father, actor, and producer.
Robert Shepherd
Robert Shepherd
Full time Actor.
Longkill Group LLC
Longkill Group LLC
We back entrepreneurs building innovative companies. Industry agnostic.
Elizabeth. C. Fogarty
Elizabeth. C. Fogarty
Accountant from San Diego
Philip Burkhardt
Philip Burkhardt
I'm in construction sales, training and also a part time realtor. I like to try new things and am not afraid to take a chance.
Paula Myers Waterman
Paula Myers Waterman
My nephew has type 1 diabetes, so I am particularly interested in technology that can treat children will life altering diseases.
Doray Hill
Doray Hill
Dynamic individual with progressive experience in legislative and government administration pursuing more experience in all aspects of policy, advocacy, and public relations.
Andre Harrell
Andre Harrell
I love investing in startups that we benefit the world and upset the status quo.
Jeffrey Miller
Jeffrey Miller
physician Rheumatologist.
along with   98 other investors

In the news

Hot Films in the Making - From the Heart Productions Inc
Hot Films in the Making Hot Films in the Making are films that we highly support. They have excellent concepts and brilliant filmmakers, they should be in our finals in the future. Fall Grant 2019 Hot Films in ... Continue reading →
January 7, 2020 @ fromtheheartproductions.com
Mokena Resident Raises Funds For Second Feature Film
MOKENA, IL - A Mokena resident and independent filmmaker is raising funds for his second feature film. Brad Podowski, a Lincoln-Way graduate, is working on his mystery film, "Silent As The Grave." According to a release, the film is a mystery inspired by actual events, and the story is based on Podowski's uncle's death.
November 4, 2019 @ patch.com
Mokena resident in production for mystery film 'Silent as the Grave'
Creative ideas can come from all sorts of places, even from long-lost family stories.
October 17, 2019 @ mokenamessenger.com

Downloads

SATG Pitch Deck 2019.pdf
Mokena
entertainment film crowdfunding motion picture

Silent as the Grave

The world's first mystery film funded by investors like you!

Chris, an obsessive documentary filmmaker, battles powerful unknown forces as he investigates his Uncle Edgar's mysterious death, a tragedy that has plagued his family for decades.

This thrilling mystery explores the dark side of the human condition, while offering hope in the midst of tragedy.

A Track Record of Success

In 2017, we produced an award-winning, low budget film, Redemption Way. We acquired worldwide distribution and placed in two festivals. We are now on track to turn a profit after only 2 years of its release. In short, we know how to make a quality film with limited resources. 

There is a sweet spot in terms of production quality and budget that will maximize our opportunity for a return on investment. Based on our comparable films, the budget range for that in today's market is between $100-200k. 

Our Distribution Plan

We are fortunate enough to already have a distribution letter of intent from Vision Video. They are interested in acquiring domestic and international distribution rights. We have a great relationship with Vision Video as they acquired worldwide distribution for our previous film, Redemption Way. However, we will continue to build relationships with other distributors as we move forward in order to secure the best possible offer for our team and investors.

Selling a movie to a distributor is one of the best options for independent producers and investors to turn a substantial profit. Distribution companies that focus mostly on smaller independent films have bid in the $50k to $500k range. Distributor Anchor Bay offered $250k for A Horrible Way To Die (2010), which was made for $96k. 

A more recent indie success, A Ghost Story (2017), was made for $100k, and was picked up by distributor A24 and went on to make 1.9 million dollars! For an independent film like Silent as the Grave, this opens up a big window of opportunity to turn a profit.

Our Proof of Concept Trailer

The purpose of the video is to communicate the concept, style and theme of the film to potential investors. 

The Vision

Our vision for the film is to draw inspiration from such noir classics as “The Maltese Falcon”, "Chinatown" and “Rear Window” while combining it with contemporary film language. We will be working within a Neo-noir aesthetic.

Investor Q&A

Expand all
What does your company do?
Silent as the Grave Movie, LLC's sole purpose is to produce the feature film, "Silent as the Grave."  A separate LLC from the production company is formed to protect its equity members and managers. We are an award-winning team who has produced over 15 films, which have been released worldwide and have aired on PBS affiliates nationwide.
Where will your company be in 5 years?
In five years "Silent as the Grave" will be complete and distributed worldwide. We plan to continue making entertaining films that inspire people, are profitable and reach a large audience. 
Why did you choose this idea?
This story has a lot of meaning for me not only because it is based on my family's past but also because of the themes it explores – the importance of family and the power of forgiveness. Everyone loves a good mystery. We believe the market for this genre is under-served, which provides us a great opportunity for success!
Why is this a good idea, right now? What changed in the world? Why wasn't this done a few years ago?
Forgiveness is an ideal we can all embrace in this current cultural climate. Family values are eroding away as many fight for their own individual desires while neglecting the greater whole of our society. The universal themes we explore in this film are worth striving for, now and into the future. Our mission as filmmakers is to inspire audiences with an uplifting, positive message. It is what brings purpose to our lives as filmmakers. We have done this with our last 15 films and will continue to do so with each film we produce.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Redemption Way, our debut feature film, was entered into two film festivals and were official selections in both. At the ICVM festival, we won the bronze award for best drama under $250,000. We also acquired worldwide distribution for the film. We are very proud of that. We are also on track to earn a profit after only 2 years of the film's release.
How far along are you? What's your biggest obstacle?
Over the past year, we have been writing, rewriting and refining the script. It’s taken six drafts to get where we are today but we're really happy with the results and are excited to move forward! We have already begun to generate excitement about the project from our fan base. We have produced a proof of concept trailer, created a website for the film, have begun to interview cast and crew and have been in talks with a successful casting company in Chicago. Our biggest obstacle right now is financing and the timing of it. The story dictates that we shoot in the winter, so in order to do so, we need to get the financing in place as soon as possible to begin principal photography this winter.
Who are your competitors? Who is the biggest threat?
Everyone loves a good mystery. Some of the great classics are mystery films. For example, Citizen Kane, Rear Window, Touch of Evil and Chinatown. The Hallmark Channel has their own mystery division, "Movies and Mysteries", which the NY Post describes as "niche movie ratings gold". However, Hallmark mainly serves the television market. In the rare instances that they did produce an original film, it has done very well. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Original and is rated #11 on the top 100 bestselling DVDs on Amazon. We believe the market for this genre is under-served, which provides us a great opportunity to make a substantial profit. However, a substantial profit is of course, not guaranteed.
What do you understand that your competitors don't?
There is a sweet spot in terms of production quality and budget that will maximize our return on investment. Based on our comparable films, the budget range for that in today's market is around $150k. Keeping the production costs at a minimum, but not too low to sacrifice quality, is where this film needs to be to create the best opportunity to make a return for our investors. We are targeting two of the largest movie-going audiences 1) The Mainstream Market - Male & Female, ages 25-39 and 2) The Faith & Family Audience. This high-tension thrilling mystery film has been carefully crafted to bridge the gap between both audiences. It is exhilarating for date night entertainment but still PG-13-safe enough for the family. This will maximize our opportunity for a great return on investment, which of course is not guaranteed.
How will you make money?
We are fortunate enough to already have a distribution LOI from Vision Video/Gateway Films. They are interested in acquiring domestic and international distribution rights to "Silent as the Grave". We have a great relationship with Vision Video as they acquired worldwide distribution for our previous film, Redemption Way. Vision Video is committed to maximizing distribution of the film in order to reach as many markets as possible. We will continue to build relationships with other distributors as we move forward in order to secure the best possible offer for our team and investors.
What are the biggest risks? If you fail, what would be the reason? What has to go right for you to succeed?
The Equity Members and the Managers recognize and agree that investment in the film industry is highly speculative and inherently risky. There can be no assurance of the economic success of any motion picture since the revenues derived from the production and distribution of a motion picture depend primarily upon its acceptance by the public, which cannot be predicted. The commercial success of a motion picture also depends upon the quality and acceptance of other competing films released into the marketplace at or near the same time, general economic factors and other tangible and intangible factors, all of which can change and cannot be predicted with certainty. Silent as the Grave Movie, LLC has not yet generated any revenue. Future generation of revenues will be dependent on successfully fundraising for the film and other factors.
What do you need the most help with?
Film is a powerful medium. It is also very expensive to produce a quality film. However, it has the potential for a great return on investment that can reach the masses. Combine that with a powerful, positive message and you have a project you can feel good about investing in!
What would you do with the money you raise?
The business model for a financially successful feature film has many variations, but it follows the same basic stages: development, pre-production, production, post-production, and finally - distribution, where the movie can bring a return to the investor. With the multi-faceted development stage already complete, once the funding is raised, we would move immediately into pre-production. While in pre-production, we will attach a recognizable actor to the project, hire the rest of our production team, cast the film and plan and schedule principle photography. We would then follow a strict post-production timeline with the goal of producing the highest quality film possible in the shortest amount of time for our investors.
Who are our customers?
For film especially, knowing your demographic is key to producing a successful project. Even before the script is written, careful consideration of our market is given. The two questions we ask are: What are we saying? & Who are we saying it to? This may seem obvious but this is where many films fail. We are targeting two of the largest movie-going audiences 1) The Mainstream Market - Male & Female, ages 25-39 and 2) The Faith & Family Audience. This high-tension mystery film has been carefully crafted to bridge the gap between both audiences. It is exhilarating for date night entertainment but still PG-13-safe enough for the family. Think of the way Hollywood classics used to be made and combine that with a contemporary aesthetic.

Financials

Silent as the Grave Movie has financial statements ending September 15 2019. Our cash in hand is $0, as of September 2019. Over the three months prior, revenues averaged $0/month, cost of goods sold has averaged $0/month, and operational expenses have averaged $0/month.

At a Glance

July 17 to December 31
$0
Revenue
$0
Net Profit
$0
Short Term Debt
$0
Raised in 2019
$0
Cash on Hand
Income
Balance
Narrative
A note from Wefunder. Unlike companies on the NASDAQ, early-stage startups have little operating history. Financial analysis is not as useful when there is limited data. It's more important to predict the size of the future market. If the founder achieves their vision, will enough customers pay the company enough money?

It's also common for fast-growing startups to lose money even faster: they are investing in future growth. In these cases, it's often better to check if the Cost of User Acquisition (CAC) is lower than the Lifetime Value (LTV) of that customer. If one spends $1000 today to make $10,000 over the next five years, that may be a smart bet. Amazon is a famous example of re-investing potential profits to maximize growth over 20 years.
Net Margin:
N/A
Gross Margin:
N/A
Return on Assets:
N/A
Earnings per Share:
N/A
Revenue per Employee:
N/A
Cash to Assets:
N/A
Revenue to Receivables:
~
Debt Ratio:
N/A
CPA Review GAAP - SATG 2019.pdf

Risks

1

The Equity Members and the Managers recognize and agree that investment in the film industry is highly speculative and inherently risky. There can be no assurance of the economic success of any motion picture since the revenues derived from the production and distribution of a motion picture depend primarily upon its acceptance by the public, which cannot be predicted. The commercial success of a motion picture also depends upon the quality and acceptance of other competing films released into the marketplace at or near the same time, general economic factors and other tangible and intangible factors, all of which can change and cannot be predicted with certainty.
2

To date, Silent as the Grave Movie, LLC has not generated any revenue. We do not foresee generating revenue in the near future and therefore rely on external financing.
3

The entertainment industry in general, and the motion picture industry in particular, are continuing to undergo significant changes, primarily due to technological developments. Although these developments have resulted in the availability of alternative and competing forms of leisure time entertainment, such technological developments have also resulted in the creation of additional revenue sources through licensing of rights to such new media, and potentially could lead to future reductions in costs of producing and distributing motion pictures. 
4

Our future success depends on the efforts of a small management team. The loss of services of the members of the management team may have an adverse effect on the company. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting and retaining other personnel we require to successfully grow our business.
5

Silent as the Grave Movie, LLC is a startup company and our business model currently focuses on our film's production rather than on generating revenue. While we intend to generate revenue in the future, we cannot assure you when or if we will be able to do.
6

The Company itself is in its organizational stage and is subject to all the risks incident to the creation and development of a new business, including the absence of a history of operations and minimal net worth. In order to prosper, the success of the Picture will depend partly upon the ability of the Manager to produce a film of exceptional quality at a lower cost, which can compete in appeal with higher-budgeted films of the same genre. In order to minimize this risk, the Manager plans to participate as much as possible throughout the process and will aim to mitigate financial risks where possible. Fulfilling this goal depends on the timing of investor financing, the ability to obtain distribution contracts with satisfactory terms, and the continued participation of the current management.
7

Brad Podowski is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.
8

The financial success of Silent as the Grave is dependent upon our distribution deal, our distributor's efforts to successfully market the film and the reception of the audience to the movie, which is extremely difficult to predict and, therefore, inherently risky.
9

The production and marketing of feature films is capital-intensive and our capacity to generate cash from our project may be insufficient to meet our anticipated cash requirements.

Details

The Board of Directors

Director Occupation Joined
Brad Podowski Marketing Manager @ Professional Building Services 2019

Officers

Officer Title Joined
Brad Podowski Manager 2019

Voting Power

Holder Securities Held Voting Power
Brad Podowski Membership Interests 100.0%

Past Equity Fundraises

None.

Outstanding Debts

None.

Related Party Transactions

None.

Use of Funds

$50,000 20% towards development - phase 2 (which includes, marketing, networking & fundraising events), 72.5% towards the film budget, 7.5% towards Wefunder intermediary fee
$175,000 10% towards Pre-Production, 52% towards Production, 18% towards Post-Production, 8% toward Advertising, 4.5% towards Contingency, 7.5% towards Wefunder fees.

Capital Structure

This is an LLC with no issued units.

The Funding Portal

Silent as the Grave Movie is conducting a Regulation Crowdfunding offering via Wefunder Portal LLC. CRD Number: #283503.

Form C Filing on EDGAR

The Securities and Exchange Commission hosts the official Form C on their EDGAR web site.




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