Coming soon
First look at the tripods — VFX progress reel
A behind-the-glass look at how we're finishing the tripod attack sequence on a fraction of a studio budget.
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The World's First Creator-Powered Film Studio & Community
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Join a global film community building the future of independent cinema and mobile entertainment. Welcome to the FilmCrowd.
★ Launch offer
20% off Movie Roles & Film Credits
Use discount code GROVE20 at checkout
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Why FilmCrowd?
Hollywood is changing.
Independent creators now have the opportunity to finance, produce and distribute films directly to audiences.
FilmCrowd connects filmmakers, creators and fans into one community where everyone can help bring great stories to life.
Grover's Mill is only the beginning.
Now Crowdfunding · Post-Production
Grover's Mill
When love is the only thing left on earth.
A cinematic reimagining of The War of the Worlds from the minds of ex-MTV director Timothy E. Burke and, in spirit, Orson Welles. Made independently for a fraction of a studio budget — and finished with your help.
A Timothy E. Burke Film·Bigger Picture Studios·Releasing on Vertica
Talk to Production
Chat with our team on WhatsApp — questions, tiers, custom pledges, cameos.
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Create Your Movie Page
Get your name on the film, insider updates, and first access to everything happening on set.
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Your own movie page
A dedicated fan page with your name in the credits & backer wall.
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First in line for screenings, cast meet-and-greets, and set visits.
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Insider-only drops
Early cuts, behind-the-scenes photos, and exclusive merch giveaways.
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Cameo & role chances
Community members are first considered for cameo & background roles.
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Flagship Film
Grover's Mill — Movie Flagship
Grover's Mill is the flagship feature film launching the FilmCrowd platform.
By supporting this production, you're helping build a completely new creator-powered movie studio where filmmakers and audiences work together to finance, produce and distribute independent films.
"The future of filmmaking belongs to creators, not gatekeepers."
● Live · Now CrowdfundingPhase 1 · 42 days remaining
We've just launched. Join today.
$1,011pledged of $150,000 goal
1%
funded
11
backers
42
days left
War of the Worlds · A Cultural Heritage
88 years of tripods, panic and pop-culture obsession.
From Orson Welles' 1938 radio broadcast to Spielberg's 2005 blockbuster — Grover's Mill stands on the shoulders of every War of the Worlds retelling. This is our chapter.
Official Teaser
Watch the trailer.
A first glimpse at Grover's Mill — the sky on fire, the tripods stirring, and one woman running for the one person she can't leave behind.
NOTE: THIS IS A SHORT PREVIEW TO SHOW FOOTAGE & PRODUCTION STYLE — NO SFX OR AI TRIPOD CREATURES ARE ADDED YET. FINAL TRAILER COMING SOON.
Cinema Quote
"You had me at hello."
— Jerry Maguire
Creator Partner Program
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Earn commissions by sharing incredible films with your audience.
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A message from the director
Timothy E. Burke
"I've worked in film and TV for more than 22 years, and I genuinely believe we're living through one of the biggest changes filmmaking has ever seen. Independent filmmakers finally have an opportunity to compete — no gatekeepers, no waiting for permission. That's why I created Bigger Picture Studios."
Ex-MTV director. Founder of Bigger Picture Studios. Building Vertica — a distribution platform designed for independent creators.
The Story
Grover's Mill, New Jersey. The night the world ended.
A cinematic reimagining of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds — set in the same small town Orson Welles chose to terrify America over the radio in 1938. Only this time the tripods are real, the sky is on fire, and a woman is running through the wreckage for the one person she can't leave behind.
Made independently for a fraction of a studio budget. Finished with your help.
Meet the Cast
The people on screen.
A cast pulled from indie theatre, TikTok, and Timothy's ex-MTV network — proving you don't need studio names to deliver studio performances.
Full cast list and bios drop with the release. Backers at the Extra Role tier and above appear on-screen alongside them.
Lesson No. 1
Cast is King.
Lesson number one, straight from James Cameron. The single biggest determinant of whether an audience believes what they're watching is who is on screen — so we built Grover's Mill around that.
"Cast is King."
It's the lesson we lead with in every casting session. Every face on screen had to belong to Grover's Mill — small-town New Jersey, 1938, the night the sky fell in.
Rewards
Buy a role. Pre-order the film.
Cameos. Extra roles. IMDb credits. Screen-used props. Executive producer credit. Every tier funds finishing the film.
Most popular
Extra Role on Screen
$500
Appear on-camera in a scene. Tiers from $500 up to $1,750 depending on scene & screen time.
Limited · 40 available
Select this tier
RareBehind the Scenes
On set.
Companion Feature
#FilmorDie
How We Made Grover's Mill For Under $15,000.
A feature-length making-of documentary teaching indie filmmakers Tim's method — how a $15k film competes with a $150m one. Festival-submitted alongside Grover's Mill.
Production Photos
Stills from the shoot.
Press
Coverage.
Press quotes and coverage will land here as the film premieres on the festival circuit. Journalists: hello@biggerpicturestudios.com.
FAQ
Everything you'll ask.
Updates
From the cutting room.
Coming soon
Cameo roles filming schedule announced
The first block of backer cameos will shoot in early 2026. We'll email everyone in the Extra Role and Speaking Cameo tiers with dates.
Community
Backers speak.
Comments open at launch. Backers will be able to leave messages, quotes and questions here — and Tim replies personally.
Coming soon
The future of independent film
Join the Future of Independent Film
Whether you're a filmmaker, creator, investor or movie lover, FilmCrowd gives you the opportunity to help finance, produce and share independent films with the world.
Festival Roadmap
The Grover's Mill Movie and #FilmorDie doc — the making-of documentary
Distributed via FilmFreeway — the industry-standard platform used by 12,000+ festivals worldwide — for automatic submission to every major festival on our roadmap. A portion of this raise funds our submission strategy and the #FilmorDie documentary. Inclusion is subject to festival selection.
Films will be submitted to:
Official SelectionSundancePark City, Utah · 2027
Official SelectionTribecaNew York · 2027
Official SelectionTIFFToronto · 2027
Official SelectionSXSWAustin, Texas · 2027
Official SelectionFantastic FestAustin, Texas · 2027
Official SelectionSlamdancePark City, Utah · 2027