STORY

CHARACTERS

WRITER'S STATEMENT

"It’s a gift to exist and with existence comes suffering. There is no escaping that. But if you're grateful for your life — then you have to be grateful for all of it." Stephen Colbert discussing his grief over the death of his father and two brothers at age ten.

In the fall of October 2023, I sat with my wife Tiffany in a bar at LaGuardia airport waiting for my phone to ring. We were about to board a plane to head to a regional film festival in Wichita, Kansas. After a long moment of silence, my phone rattled on the table and I quickly answered. The voice on the other end was my mom telling me that my father was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. It was aggressive. There was no cure. And he had a 30% survival rate after 5 years. I asked my mom if I should fly home and she told me the plan of treatment wasn’t in place yet so my Dad wanted me to go to the festival. He didn’t want me to miss it. There was nothing anyone could do right now.

I hung up the phone and burst into tears as the waiter came back with our drinks. We boarded the flight and Tiffany held my hand as the plane launched into the sky and I imagined a world without my Dad. The next morning he called me and in this vulnerable moment he said to me “I don’t want to die. I have so much life left in me.”

My brain started spinning about dying young, missing out on life and the idea of what comes after. I had always believed that when we die, that's it. No pearly gates. No loved ones waiting for me through the fluffy clouds. But when my family faced the very realistic possibility that my Dad could die, I found myself desperately wanting to believe in an afterlife.

Ghost in Indiana is a love story. But it was born out of the anticipatory grief I’ve felt since my father’s cancer diagnosis. I wanted a magical world where you could get more time with a lost loved one to exist… so I created it.

Death is a part of life. And if I’m grateful for eating pasta with my Dad on a cliff looking out on the Mediterranean Sea or staring at the stars from the bottom of the grand canyon after we hiked ten miles… I have to be grateful for the moments I sat next to him as chemotherapy was pumped into his blood.

At this current moment, my father is in remission. He’s doing well but his cancer is terminal and may come back at any moment. But like our protagonist Henry, I’m learning to be grateful for every moment.

- Cory Stonebrook (screenwriter)

SETTING

Our film is set in the fictional town of Portview, Indiana. A tiny little town in the middle of nowhere. Midwestern to its core. One movie theater. One diner. One park. And a bunch of houses. No one locks their doors at night, everyone knows everyone and not a lot happens. It’s conventional, safe and for our protagonist... “purgatory.”

TONE

EXAMPLE STORYBOARD:

*created by artist Miranda Parkin

Industry professionals and screenwriting competition adjudicators have vetted, praised, and awarded Ghost in Indiana. Here are some of the kind things said about the script!

OUR BUSINESS PLAN:

Ghost in Indiana is an independent feature film set to shoot in Columbus, Ohio Fall of 2026.

The project's scalable budget is targeting $350,000 which would allow us to leverage Ohio’s refundable film tax credit to maximize spend efficiency and return potential. Qualified spending may net up to 90k in cash rebates at the state level, with an additional 10 percent earn at the local level in Franklin Co., bringing our tax credit net to 130k.

Key Cost Reduction Strategies

1. Minimal primary locations/core cast: The script largely centers on just a handful of recurring locations and a tight ensemble.
2. Local Talent/Crew: Besides hiring the leads from out of town we will leverage Midwest actors and below-the-line hires at competitive rates.
3. Filming in Ohio allows us to take advantage of lower costs of goods and leverage personal relationships and a growing film community.
4. In-Kind/Trade Sponsorships: Seeking food/housing from local businesses in Columbus.
5. Equipment rental tax incentives or donations from sponsors.
6. Red Cinema Camera Package is already owned by Yeah Yeah Yeah Films, used in high profile films such as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Matrix Resurrections, etc.

Release & Distribution

1. Festival Run: Target festivals prioritizing U.S. indie: SXSW, Sundance, Tribeca, Heartland, AFI, TIFF, and regional festivals.
2. Sales/Distribution: Pitch to U.S. specialty distributors (A24, IFC, Magnolia, Bleecker Street) as well as streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon) and public TV (PBS Independent Lens) post-festival.
3. Ancillary: Foreign sales agent for international boutique platforms and airlines.

TIMELINE:

BUDGET COMPS:

PERKS

As a "thank you" for contributing to our film and joining our team of investors we have put together some exciting perks for every level of investor!

You are now an executive producer of Ghost in Indiana!

+ Two tickets to premiere screening (West Coast, East Coast or Midwest Premiere) (travel and accommodations not included)

+ One day visit to film set (travel and lodging not included)

+ Invitation to early cast and crew screening and party in Columbus, OH (travel and lodging not included)

+ IMDb credit as "executive producer"

+ credit on screen in end credits

+ limited edition Ghost in Indiana ball cap

+ your company logo in end credits (if wanted)

+ signed film poster

+ private link to completed film (see the film before it ever hits theaters)

+ specialized thank you card from our filmmaking team

+ social media shout out on Yeah Yeah Films instagram account

You are now a co-producer of Ghost in Indiana!

+ Invitation to early cast and crew screening and party in Columbus, OH (travel and lodging not included)

+ IMDb credit as "co-producer"

+ credit on screen in end credits

+ limited edition Ghost in Indiana ball cap

+ your company logo in end credits (if wanted)

+ signed film poster

+ private link to completed film (see the film before it ever hits theaters)

+ specialized thank you card from our filmmaking team

+ social media shout out on Yeah Yeah Films instagram account

You are now an associate producer of Ghost in Indiana!

+ Invitation to early cast and crew screening and party in Columbus, OH (travel and lodging not included)

+ IMDb credit as "co-producer"

+ credit on screen in end credits

+ signed film poster

+ private link to completed film (see the film before it ever hits theaters)

+ specialized thank you card from our filmmaking team

+ social media shout out on Yeah Yeah Films instagram account

See your name in the end credits and an early screener of the film!

+ a special thanks to in end credits

+ signed film poster

+ private link to completed film (see the film before it ever hits theaters)

+ specialized thank you card from our filmmaking team

+ social media shout out on Yeah Yeah Films instagram account

See the final cut of the film before anyone else!

+ private link to completed film (see the film before it ever hits theaters)

+ specialized thank you card from our filmmaking team

+ social media shout out on Yeah Yeah Films instagram account

You are now an investor of Ghost in Indiana and we are gonna shout it from the rooftops!

+ social media shout out on Yeah Yeah Films instagram account

+ our biggest gratitude and appreciation!

MEET THE TEAM BEHIND YEAH YEAH YEAH FILMS

Tiffany and Lizzy met in an acting class in NYC and there was an instant connection. Double dates with their partners–Cory and Jordan– quickly turned into TV/Film debates and creative brainstorming sessions.

In 2020 when the world was shut down, they decided to rent a house in the Catskills, quarantine, and make a short with just the four of them. Tiffany, Cory and Lizzy performed on screen, moved furniture, held booms, and Jordan was a one-man crew. The short When this All Ends went on to have a successful festival run, and has hundreds of thousands of views online.

In 2022, they expanded their budget, cast & crew size to make Florence in Customer Care. It played in over 15 festivals worldwide including: Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Best Actress in a Short Film), Panic Fest (Best Actress in a Short Film), El Dorado Film Festival and Phoenixville Film Festival (Best Drama Short and Best Short Film) Tallgrass Film Festival, Soho International and Lighthouse International Film Festival.

After Lizzy and Jordan moved to Ohio, the team stayed together, and in 2024 they made their third short You Have Her Eyes, which is currently enjoying a successful festival run. After shooting in Columbus, Ohio, they knew it would be the perfect place to make their first feature.

With Ghost in Indiana, the team is excited to tackle a larger project and bring a surprising and heartfelt story to the screen.

WATCH OUR PAST WORK:

WHEN THIS ALL ENDS - SHORT FILM:

FLORENCE IN CUSTOMER CARE - SHORT FILM:

YOU HAVE HER EYES - SHORT FILM (CURRENTLY IN FESTIVAL RUN):

We hope you join us on our journey from production all the way to a red carpet premiere on the big screen! Become an investor and join the community of indie film supporters!

SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE FILMMAKERS:

Yeah Yeah Yeah Films Calendarly link

YEAH YEAH YEAH INSTAGRAM PAGE

www.yeahyeahyeahfilms.com