The Roots of Bark
BARK is being built between jobs, borrowed time, and a group of people deciding to make something happen.
What started as a conversation has now stepped into motion.
We will be following it from the ground up and have dedicated them a page on the Ipswich Underground as we exist to support artists and projects like this.
We will be following it from the ground up and have dedicated them a page on the Ipswich Underground as we exist to support artists and projects like this.
Work that’s made without guarantees but with intent.
We believe people should be able to create art without limitations, and have a space where that work is seen, backed, and carried forward.
We’re rooting for you, BARK. And can’t wait to see it all materialise.
About the Film
BARK is a 10-minute short abstract film following the narratives of three hunters in the woods.
What begins in the steady rhythm of a hunt quickly turns into something far more unsettling when a deer is killed and found pregnant.
From that moment on, the film shifts.
It stops being about the hunt and starts becoming about consequence. Not just from the act itself … but what it means.
Set against the vast, open landscape of Suffolk, BARK leans into atmosphere, tension, and ambiguity. Leaving space for interpretation, for discomfort, for conversation and wants to resonate with you long after the screen goes dark.
A surreal, slightly unhinged parable about maturity, identity, and the quiet erosion of humanity.
The People Behind It
BARK is led by Reuben Van Tankeren (Director), alongside Hal Waghorn (Producer) and Jacob Rose (Writer) – three filmmakers who met at the University of Bristol and have carried that collaboration into something far more real.
Since returning to Ipswich, Reuben has been working closely with local arts organisations including DanceEast and SPILL Festival, building connections across the town’s creative scene.
BARK sits right in the middle of that—bridging experience gained elsewhere with something rooted here.
This isn’t a studio-backed production.
It’s being made with limited resources, shared effort, and belief in their work
Reuben, the cinematographer and 1st AC doing a recce around Suffolk (Photo: Hal Waghorn) Photo from Ipswich.co.uk article Ipswich short film fundraiser unites local artists
Featured: The Fundraiser
Ipswich live music comes alive at St Stephen’s Church during the BARK fundraiser. Featuring Harriet Cree, Fighting Steaks, and The Bungees in a night of raw talent and community energy. It was a memorable night of music and community at St Stephen’s Church, Ipswich, in support of the upcoming independent film BARK, created by local filmmakers.
Featured: The Interview
We sat down with filmmaker Reuben Van Tankeren following the BARK fundraiser to talk about what it really takes to make a film with no budget, no safety net, and just community and passion.
With the crowdfunding campaign now live, this is where the project steps out of conversation and into reality.
We’ll be following BARK closely as it develops- starting with the crowdfunding launch in April 2026, moving into filming over the summer, and continuing through location scouting across Suffolk and into planned festival submissions. This page will evolve alongside the film, documenting each stage as it unfolds.
Support the film
This is where it either happens—or it doesn’t.
BARK is currently being funded through its community. No big studios. No safety net. Just people choosing to support something before it exists.
Every contribution goes directly into making the film the best it can be—from pre-production through to filming and post.
We love this town.
Keep its heart alive.