From District Files to the Big Screen: The Indiegogo Plan for Becoming Hank Luciano

Graphic novel first, trailer next, then film. Unreal Engine + MetaHuman. $500,000 goal. Launch date TBD.

Some projects chase hype. We’re building a legacy. Developed by the creator Adam Dudley — also known as Hank Luciano — Becoming Hank Luciano is the flagship story inside the StoneGate Cinematic Universe: a tech-crime origin built with intention, precision, and a long-game mindset.

This update centers the Indiegogo campaign — what’s first, where funds go, what changed since the last announcement, and what a successful launch will unlock. We’re keeping it honest while we line up the pieces to do this right.

At-a-Glance

• Funding type: Flexible (Keep-What-You-Raise)
• Public goal: $500,000
• Campaign objective (stretch): $750,000
• Original plan: Fall 2025 campaign launch
• Update: Launch date now TBD to prioritize audience growth and stronger campaign assets
• Release path: Graphic novel series first, then official trailer, then the movie.
• Film tech: Unreal Engine + MetaHuman
• If the film succeeds: expand into a series that goes deeper into StoneGate City.

First Release: District Files — Issue #1: BleakStone Point

We start on the page. District Files — Issue #1: BleakStone Point takes you back to the early life of Sincere Cross — before “Hank Luciano” was ever spoken. It’s the scars, choices, and silence that shaped him. Canon first. Cameras second.

From Page to Trailer to a 3D Animated Feature

Before the feature, we will develop and release an official cinematic trailer produced in Unreal Engine and MetaHuman. It will draw from the pilot/prologue and select bespoke shots to introduce the tone, characters, and world — and to power festival submissions, partner conversations, and audience growth.

From there, production builds toward a full 3D animated film using Unreal Engine and MetaHuman. Screenplays are being developed with a co-writer and a tight crew of illustrators and world-builders. The approach is ambitious, bold, and cinematic — the beginning of something legendary. If the movie is successful, the plan is to expand into a series that explores the characters and districts of StoneGate City in greater depth.

Funding Type and Goals

Funding type: Flexible (Keep-What-You-Raise

• We set our public goal at $500K to guarantee Phase 1: Graphic Novel Issue #1 + a 1–2 minute UE5/MetaHuman cinematic trailer.
  
• Our campaign objective is $750K, which unlocks a 20–28 minute UE5/MetaHuman pilot, a marquee set-piece, additional performance capture, and an expanded score.

Perks

Perks are preliminary and may be refined or replaced prior to launch. Physical items are threshold-based and only enter manufacturing when their tier is funded; otherwise, we provide equal-value digital/credit substitutions.

Why Crowdfunding — And What Changed

This level of storytelling is expensive, and independence matters. Indiegogo keeps us transparent and community-driven while we also pursue private investment and partnerships. We originally targeted Fall 2025. Straight up — the audience needs more runway. We’d rather launch strong than launch rushed, so the campaign date is TBD while we grow the fan base, sharpen visuals, and finalize perks.

Where the Funds Go

• Production and virtual art direction: environments, sets, look development
• Unreal + MetaHuman pipeline: performance capture, rigging, realism passes.
• Sound and original score: tense, cinematic, urban-surveillance tone.
• Casting and VO/performance capture: talent, direction, core crew.
• World-building assets: concept art, visual language, groundwork for series expansion

Perk Concepts in Development

• Digital starter pack: concept art drops, wallpapers, behind-the-scenes notes
• Name in credits: official Backer Roll
• District Files perks: early access plus a limited cover variant for Issue #1
• Black Signal Unit patch and enamel pin (collector set)
• Hank fedora mini pin and art card
• Producer-level tiers with private production updates

Note: perk concepts are provisional and may be refined or replaced prior to launch. Final names and details will appear on the campaign page.

Stretch Goals Under Consideration

• Short character vignettes set across StoneGate districts
• Expanded score with live session elements
• Extra production days for signature sequences
• Early writers’ room for the series arc

What a Successful Campaign Unlocks (Beyond the Film)

This isn’t fashion — it’s strategy. The Hank Luciano brand is built for people who move with precision and elevate through presence — blending luxury fashion, street culture, and a cinematic mindset into a focused mix of eyewear, footwear, apparel, and signature pieces.

Funding and Launch Path

• Official production for the graphic novels
• Trailer development and release
• Film development
• Manufacture and fulfillment for HL-branded eyewear and curated designer frames.
• Initial runs of tactical streetwear and signature fedoras
• Expanded merchandise, packaging, and supporting infrastructure
• Additional StoneGate Cinematic Universe initiatives

Eyewear: Luxury to Everyday

Designer labels will be curated through a newly established partnership with a luxury, authentic eyewear distributor that carries more than 100 brands and services over 3,000 clients in the U.S. and internationally. Their clients range from local brick-and-mortar shops to major department stores, and their portfolio spans both high-end designer collections and popular, on-trend product lines. Expect Cartier, Gucci, Chanel, Versace, plus Burberry, Dior, Tom Ford, and Prada — all selected for the Luciano mindset: silent status.

HL house line: lightweight acetates and metals, low-profile branding, polarized and prescription-ready options, blue-light and anti-glare coatings, Luciano-palette colorways.

• Authenticity first: authorized channels only — no resellers, no knockoffs.
• Everyday essentials: clean, affordable optical frames for work, weekend, and low-key movement.Footwear: Built for Movement
• Casual activewear trainers and slip-ons (unisex)
• Branded clogs (select Crocs styles) with optional HL charm pack
• Curated designer sneakers in disciplined, neutral palettes
• City boots with stable, chunky soles and weather-resistant uppers

Crowdfund unlock: sample runs, first colorways, exclusive bundle tiers.

Apparel and Merch

• Core streetwear and everyday casual with subtle District marks and Black Signal iconography
• Tailored joggers and slim cargos; bombers and long coats inspired by Hank’s trench silhouette
• Grown-man and grown-woman pieces: minimalist knitwear, slim-fit button-ups, wool overcoats, leather jackets, modern eyewear, refined gold chains
• Fedora line (hero piece): Everyday Classic, Collector’s Edition, and seasonal drops, presented in a collector’s hat box styled. 

Premium drops: District Fedora Series and bundled rewards (Fedora + Graphic Novel + Chain + Poster)

Want the full breakdown of the upcoming Hank Luciano Collection? Read the feature

Timeline (Working Plan)

• Now to pre-launch: audience growth, visual previews, perk testing.
• Trailer production and drop: aligned with or shortly after campaign launch.
• Campaign window: announced when ready.
• Post-campaign: production ramp with consistent backer updates.

This is bigger than a story — it’s legacy in motion.

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Written by ThinkwithAD — PULSE

Think with vision. Move with purpose. Build with legacy.

⚠️Disclaimers: Plans, perks, and timelines may evolve as materials are refined and the audience grows. Perk concepts are preliminary and may be refined or replaced prior to launch. Contributions to future crowdfunding support production; they are not investments and do not provide financial returns. Campaign launch date is TBD.