"Evil!" was based on a one-act play written by my friend Justin Rogers and published in Emerson College's Thread Anthology in May 2011. I really liked the idea and decided to adapt it into a film for my BFA thesis project. Although the story veers in a supernatural direction, it all boils down to some very real and universal themes - the dangers of not being honest about your feelings (even to yourself), the importance of the bonds between family, and the morality of our actions.

We've had a very strong response so far - even from some older family members who aren't entirely sure about this whole Internet thing! In my experience, it's not unusual for student filmmakers to turn to crowdfunding to help them realize their projects; in the last year or two it has become quite common. The choice to use RocketHub rather than Kickstarter or another platform was a more unique aspect of my campaign, and thus far I think it has turned out quite well.

I appreciate RocketHub's All & More fundraising system, as I think it rewards projects that are looking to make their idea the best it can possibly be, rather than places the completion of that idea at risk if certain monetary goals are not met. Plus, they're a growing company that will really take interest in your project - as this guest post can attest to!

Raising money is never an easy thing to do. Your project will only get as much support as you put into it, but if you really believe in the idea then it's a good bet that others will too. Work every day to spread the word, share your video, and thank your supporters. Crowdfunding has helped some really amazing projects get funded that might never have happened otherwise, so I wish you luck and can't wait to see what you will bring to the table!

- Rob Leshin, Student & Filmmaker