ANTHEM
A Feature Film Produced, Written, Directed, and Edited by Cody Clarke
Based on the Novella ‘Anthem’ by Ayn Rand
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Fundraising Goal: $250,000
Next Fundraising Update: 7/28/25
Click Here To Fund This Movie!
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If you believe in, and want, great art made entirely outside of the machine, then read on.
If you don’t, then leave and never come back.
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THE PITCH:
My name is Cody Clarke. I’m a filmmaker, author, actor, comedian, musician—the list goes on. To put it simply, I’m an artist—and I work as autonomously as possible. I own all my creations and distribute them myself.
I’m especially passionate about what I call truly independent filmmaking—a phrase I coined and a concept I’ve been instrumental in defining. I wrote the definitive book on the subject, Kill The Lion: A Manifesto and How-To Guide for the Truly Independent Filmmaking Revolution, and I’ve made over 30 feature-length films in this way. To put it simply, I more than practice what I preach.
I’ve loved Ayn Rand’s Anthem ever since I first read it as a teenager. It’s always struck me as a deeply visual and emotional story—one that feels perfect for film. I have no desire to replace her novella. I want my film to drive people to her book, and for her book to bring people back to the film—perfect symbiosis. I want to give people the opportunity to see what I see in it, and hear the music that I hear in Ayn Rand’s words. That, to me, is the power of adaptation—and that power is a responsibility that I take very seriously.
To me, Anthem is a love story—and by the end of the film, I want people to cry, not from sorrow, but from beauty. This is a movie that people need right now, and a prescient, cautionary science-fiction tale that is more relevant now than ever before. People need Anthem—both the book and my film.
THE ASK:
Making a feature film adaptation of Anthem is a serious financial undertaking. Sure, it’s in the public domain—but the actual making of a film of this scale requires funds. I can’t afford to do it on my own. Luckily though, through donations, it can happen.
If this is a film that you would like to see exist in the world, then put your money where your heart is. Whether it’s a lot or a little, every dollar gets us closer—and this film will not happen any other way.
Most campaigns of this nature only ask for enough money to be able to shoot the film. I’m factoring in everything: pre-production, shooting, post-production, release, and promotion. If we hit this goal, this movie will be made, and it will be released properly.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
This film will be made entirely outside of the Hollywood studio system—which is more than a lot of so-called ‘independent filmmakers’ can say. If famous actors want to be in this movie, then they’ll have to be naughty and break their stupid little oppressive union’s rules. But, we don’t necessarily need famous actors—we just need the right faces, and the right performances. Finding those people, and bringing those performances out of them, is one of my specialties—my filmography is proof of that.
There are no perks for donating to this campaign. You donate, I make the movie, and you get to watch it: simple as that. I don’t want to be stuck fulfilling perks while I’m busy trying to make the greatest film adaptation of an Ayn Rand book of all time. (Not that impressive a goal, as there are some seriously bad adaptations of her work, but still—this will be a truly great movie.)
When this film is released, you will be able to buy it on physical media, rent it online, or go see it at one of our screenings—but also, as with all my movies, there will be a free version made available online sometime after its release.
You may have noticed that I’m not using a crowdfunding platform like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo for this campaign. I’m doing this all myself, with no platform butting in as a middle man and taking some ridiculous cut of what’s raised. Other than standard, unavoidable (but minuscule) payment processing fees (take it up with credit cards and the banking system if you have an issue with that—it’s got nothing to do with me) every cent that you donate will go to me in order to make this movie.
I’ll be manually updating the total amount raised once a week (so if the amount raised doesn’t change right away after you donate, that’s why).
Thank you for listening, and thank you in advance for your donation. Let’s do something incredible here. An Ayn Rand adaptation by a Howard Roark-esque filmmaker. All gas, no permission. Let’s do it.
— Cody Clarke, Kill The Lion Films
Click Here To Fund This Movie!