NarcoLeap
When college student Kelsey Atkins unexpectedly begins to leap into the bodies of other people during her bouts of narcolepsy, she becomes a target in the deadly world of military espionage.
Interview with Director/Producer Kate Green
Congratulations! Why did you make your web-series?
I am absolutely bananas for sci-fi and serialized work. I love having the opportunity to really delve into the virtues and flaws of characters and see them evolve through their series arc.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this web-series?
Chelsey Reist (The 100) plays the lead role of Kelsey Atkins who suffers from narcolepsy and finds herself thrust into a world of espionage when she discovers that during her lucid dreams, she is actually commandeering the bodies of real people across the globe. Reist is joined by Aleks Paunovic (War for the Planet of the Apes/Van Helsing), Nicole Oliver (Wonder/ Britney Ever After), Madison Smith (Aftermath/ Frozen In Love), and Austin Eckert (Colony/The Flash).
How do personal and universal themes work in your web series?
Kelsey Atkin’s story is of a young woman learning to control her own future. Our experiences, especially as women, are mirrored in Kelsey’s story and how she ultimately takes control. The great thing about Sci-fi is that it is a genre where we can play with these ideas and themes while taking it to the next level.
How have the script and series evolved over the course of their development?
There has been a HUGE development since I was pitched the idea 2 years ago by Donald Auger. At the time the concept involved a young girl trapped in a military facility that had special powers. We were getting ready to pitch the concept and at the same time Stranger Things came out. Our concept was somewhat similar, which was frustrating, but it was good to know that we were in the Zeitgeist.
I had the opportunity to develop and continue co-creating the concept through the Women In the Director’s Chair (WIDC) program. I feel very fortunate to have the support of programs like Women In the Director’s Chair. It provided me with an incredible learning experience and opportunity to develop a community with other female directors. There are not a lot of women creating and producing content in this space. NarcoLeap is female driven content and I’m so excited to be pushing boundaries in this arena.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Most people are really connecting with the idea that Kelsey ‘Leaps’ into other people. It’s a modern-day Quantum Leap with a millennial lens. Imagine if you had the power to leap into anyone. Who would you leap into? Would you ‘leap’ for good, or do something naughty? It’s a fun idea to think about and I think that is capturing people’s imagination.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I’m blown away by the support and feedback that we’ve received. We already have fans that are making fan art and their own fan Instagram accounts. They are so excited for the release in mid-July. We are starting to build our own little army of fans and it is really wonderful to see.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m hoping that there may be young women out there that see a little of themselves in Kelsey Atkins. Perhaps they are at a cross-roads in their life or just trying to find their way. Kelsey is on a journey to find her inner strength in what are some pretty unconventional circumstances. I hope it’s inspiring and thrilling for those that choose to watch.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I do plan to do a festival run with the series so please find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates. @NarcoLeap I’d also like to start connecting with any sci-fi journalists out there that want to have a sneak peak of the series.
The series will also air on TELUS in Canada, However, I am currently seeking International distribution.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this series to have?
It feels like it is starting to get the attention we are hoping for, so if we can continue the momentum I’ll be one happy camper!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this series?
Have you ever had a crazy dream? Are you sure it was only a dream? #areyousureitwasonlyadream
Would you like to add anything else?
Even though it was a long road to get to this point, and it involved a lot of hard work, I am so incredibly grateful for the amazingly talented group of people that said yes to this project when there was no hope of it going anywhere. From the funders, the cast, David Schmidt who wrote the scripts, Ryan McMaster (co-producer & DOP) and my long suffering, extraordinary producers, Emily Keller & Ross Vivian who made this project happen. Thank you!
Interview: March 2018
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIAQ+, scifi, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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NarcoLeap
When college student Kelsey Atkins unexpectedly begins to leap into the bodies of other people during her bouts of narcolepsy, she becomes a target in the deadly world of military espionage.
Length: 8 x 8mins
Director: Kate Green
Producer: Emily Keller, Kate Green
Supervising Producer: Ross Vivian
Writer: David Schmidt
About the writer, director and producer:
KATE GREEN: Co-Creator, Director, Executive Producer: Kate has a passion for telling engaging and inspiring stories having worked in both fiction and non-fiction genres for the last 15 years.
Key cast: Chelsey Reist, Aleks Paunovic, Nicole Oliver, Madison Smith, Austin Ekert
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Film Festival directors, distributors, sales agents
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarcoLeap/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/narcoleap
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/?hl=en
Other: @KGPFilms
Funders: @storyhive https://twitter.com/STORYHIVE
@theIPF https://twitter.com/theIPF
@creativebcs https://twitter.com/creativebcs
Made in association with: @WIDC_ca https://twitter.com/WIDC_ca
Where can I see it in the next month?
On our NarcoLeap You Tube Channel NarcoLeap Teaser IPF Trailer 2017