Lukeworth Pictures presents
The Black Child
An Original Drama Series
Every legend begins with one child.
Goal $1,300,000 · Every gift counts, from $5
The Story
1850s. A plantation in the American South. A father named Abraham runs into the night with everything he has left: the woman he loves, their young daughter, and the newborn son who was stolen from their arms.
Hunted through the forest by riders with torches and rifles, the family hides inside an abandoned cabin. The flames close in. They hold each other in the dark and wait for the end.
The end never comes.
When they open the door, the fire is gone. So is the world they knew.
The American South1850s
→
New York CityDec 31, 2020
Their escape was no accident. An ancient prophecy has waited thousands of years for their son. He carries gifts no one on Earth has ever seen, and a darkness older than time is already coming for him.
The Black Child moves from the brutal truth of American slavery to the wonder of a world beyond our own. It is a story about family, freedom, and a hero the screen has waited far too long to see.
Why a Pilot
In television, the pilot is everything. It's the episode networks and streaming platforms watch before deciding to order a full season. A finished, high-quality pilot puts The Black Child directly in front of the people who greenlight series and gives this story its best chance to reach audiences around the world.
Where Every Dollar Goes
| Visual effects | $500,000 |
| Crew | $170,000 |
| Cast | $160,000 |
| Sets, locations & period production design | $140,000 |
| Post-production: editing, color, sound, original score | $90,000 |
| Camera, lighting & equipment | $70,000 |
| Wardrobe, hair & makeup | $60,000 |
| Insurance, permits, legal & processing fees | $60,000 |
| Contingency reserve | $50,000 |
| Total | $1,300,000 |
The visual effects budget is based on a quote the production obtained from Wētā FX, the studio known for Avatar and The Lord of the Rings. It covers the cabin fire, the leap through time, photorealistic creatures, a hidden kingdom, the child's awakening gifts, and an aerial final battle.
What Happens Next
Pre-production
Casting, locations, and design
Production
Filming the pilot
Post-production
Editing, visual effects, music, and sound
The pitch
Taking the finished pilot to networks, streamers, and film festivals
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is The Black Child?
- The Black Child is an original fantasy drama series from Lukeworth Pictures, written, directed, and produced by Chris Lukeworth. It follows an enslaved family who escapes a plantation in the 1850s American South and finds themselves transported to New York City on New Year's Eve, 2020. Their newborn son is the center of an ancient prophecy, and the series blends historical drama, time travel, and epic fantasy.
- Who created The Black Child?
- Chris Lukeworth is the creator, writer, director, and producer of the series. He wrote the original pilot script in 2018 and is developing the show through his independent film and television company, Lukeworth Pictures.
- When and where does the story take place?
- The pilot begins on a plantation in the American South in the 1850s. After a night escape and a fire in an abandoned cabin, the family arrives in present-day New York City on New Year's Eve, 2020. From there, the story expands into a hidden fantasy kingdom of mountains, waterfalls, and mythical creatures.
- Is The Black Child based on a true story?
- The series is fiction. It is grounded in the real history of American slavery and the courage of families who risked everything to escape it, then carries that story into a fantasy world where a Black child becomes the hero of an ancient legend.
- Who is Abraham?
- Abraham is the father at the heart of the pilot. He runs into the night with the woman he loves, their young daughter, and the newborn son who was taken from them, and he fights to protect his family as they are hunted through the forest.
- Why is Lukeworth Pictures raising money on GoFundMe?
- The campaign funds the pilot episode, the single most important step for any new television series. Networks and streaming platforms watch a pilot before deciding whether to order a full season. Raising the budget directly from supporters lets the production make the pilot at the cinematic level the story deserves.
- How much is the campaign raising?
- The goal is $1,300,000. The full budget is listed on this page and on the GoFundMe campaign, line by line, so every supporter can see exactly where the money goes.
- Why are visual effects the biggest cost?
- The story moves between 1850s America and a world no audience has seen before. The $500,000 effects budget, based on a quote from Wētā FX, covers the cabin fire, the leap through time, photorealistic creatures, a hidden kingdom, the child's awakening gifts, and an aerial battle that ends the pilot on a cliffhanger. These are the moments that show networks the series belongs on the world stage.
- What happens after the pilot is finished?
- The finished pilot goes to networks, streaming platforms, and film festivals in search of a full season order. Supporters will get updates on the GoFundMe page at every stage, from pre-production and filming through post-production and the pitch.
- Where can I watch The Black Child?
- The series is in development and the pilot has not been filmed yet. Funding the pilot is what makes it possible for the show to reach screens. Follow the GoFundMe campaign for news on production and release.
- Can I donate any amount?
- Yes. Donations of every size help, whether $5 or $5,000. All donations are made securely through GoFundMe at gofund.me/1789a3e28.
- How can I help if I can't donate?
- Share the campaign. Post the link on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, or in a group chat, and tell people why the story matters to you. A single share can reach the person who helps bring The Black Child to the screen.
Be Part of the Story
Every great film begins with people who believed in it before anyone else did. If you can't give today, sharing is just as powerful. One share can reach the one person who helps make this happen.
https://gofund.me/1789a3e28
Chris Lukeworth
Writer, Director & Producer · Lukeworth Pictures
