Movies have a way of connecting with people. Whether it's a comedy, an adventure, a romance, or something completely different, the stories that stay with us usually do so because somewhere along the way, we see a little bit of ourselves in them. Musicals are no exception.

Still Here is an independent animated musical about loss, change, memory, and what it means to keep moving forward when the world you remember doesn't seem to exist anymore.

The story follows Rowan , a 24-year-old wolf with a quick sense of humor, an attachment to just about anything with sentimental value, and a habit of pretending he's doing much better than he really is. After experiencing the deaths of several members of his family, Rowan has quietly developed a fear that everything—and everyone—he loves will eventually disappear.

His hometown isn't helping.

Places he remembers are vanishing. People seem increasingly disconnected. Things are changing faster than Rowan can make sense of them. And presiding over it all is Mayor Vincent Strake , a charismatic tiger who promises that he can restore the town to the way it should be.

But behind Strake's polished public image is a leader obsessed with control—and his idea of restoring the past may require taking away everyone else's ability to shape the future.

What follows is a funny, heartfelt and sometimes painful musical journey about a young wolf discovering that moving forward doesn't mean forgetting what came before.

Because some things don't stay.

Some people can't.

But what they gave us can.

And sometimes, after everything we've been through, the most important thing we can say is:

We're still here.

Why I want to tell this story

Still Here comes from something personal. I've experienced the deaths of quite a few members of my family, while also growing up and watching the world around me change in ways I didn't always understand or like.

I don't want to make a movie that pretends those feelings have an easy answer.

I want to make something that can be funny without making light of grief, hopeful without pretending everything is okay, and meaningful without forgetting to be entertaining.

That's why Still Here is a musical. There are feelings we can talk about—and then there are feelings that sometimes need music.

My goal is to create an animated film that younger viewers can enjoy for its characters, humor, music and adventure, while older viewers may recognize something deeper underneath.

This campaign is the first step toward making that film real.

Become Part of Still Here

Making Still Here won't happen without people who believe this story is worth telling. Whether you contribute $5 or much more, you're helping us take another step toward bringing Rowan's world to life.

And we'd like to give you something in return.

$5 — Still Here Supporter
Our thanks, plus campaign and production updates as Still Here develops.

$15 — Concept Collector
Everything above, plus a digital collection of Still Here concept art and wallpapers.

$25 — Behind the Scenes
Everything above, plus supporter-exclusive looks at character development, storyboards, artwork and the production process.

$50 — Soundtrack Sneak Peek
Everything above, plus early access to selected original music and song demos from Still Here .

$75 — Rowan's Pack
Everything above, plus your name in the supporter credits of the Still Here proof-of-concept.

$100 — The Memory Wall
Everything above, plus the option to add a first name to our Still Here Memory Wall—a special community artwork celebrating someone whose presence or memory has made a difference in your life.

$150 — Founding Supporter
Everything above, plus a special Founding Supporter credit recognizing the people who helped Still Here during its earliest days.

$250 — Background Citizen
Everything above, plus choose an animal species and a few basic traits to inspire a background citizen of Rowan's world! Final design, appearance and placement remain at the discretion of the production team.

$500 — A Voice in the Crowd
Everything above, plus an opportunity to contribute a short background/crowd vocal recording for the proof-of-concept, subject to production, recording and editorial requirements.

$1,000 — Production Patron
Everything above, plus prominent special thanks in the proof-of-concept credits and an invitation to a private virtual production presentation/Q&A about the making of Still Here .

Every Contribution Matters

You don't have to contribute hundreds of dollars to make a difference.

Every contribution helps us create artwork, develop music, work with performers and artists, produce animation, and move Still Here closer to becoming the film we're imagining.

And if you're unable to contribute financially, sharing the campaign helps too.

This movie is ultimately about the things we carry with us—and the people who help us keep going.

We hope you'll become one of them.