‘The Neon Ghost’ Brings Cyber-Noir To A Zero-Budget Short

Award-winning independent filmmaker Mark Starks and Starks Films LLC have officially completed production on The Neon Ghost, a gritty, avant-garde cyber-noir short film. Marking a historic milestone as the production company’s first official SAG-AFTRA project, the 14-minute thriller achieved a flawless $0.00 production cost, relying entirely on creative resourcefulness, open-source visual assets, and a stellar ensemble of Hollywood veteran voice talent who deferred their salaries to bring the director’s visceral script to life. On its very first day of release, the project has already commanded industry attention, securing 100% entry fee waivers from seven independent film festivals as it begins its circuit run. Told entirely from a claustrophobic, faceless, first-person perspective, The Neon Ghost follows a desperate father named Elias as he descends into the glowing shadows, subway tunnels, and industrial storm drains of Los Angeles to find his missing daughter. Because the camera remains anchored strictly in Elias’s point-of-view, the narrative bypasses traditional physical constraints, forcing the audience to inhabit his psychological headspace while the elite voice cast delivers the film’s emotional core. To achieve a total production cost of zero dollars and zero cents, Starks uniquely engineered the film’s entire visual, musical, and sound design palette using free stock assets from Pixabay, demonstrating a masterclass in modern micro-budget editing and directorial discipline. The project's narrative weight is anchored by a heavy-hitting union voice cast whose iconic performances span Disney blockbusters and massive gaming franchises:

• Wally Wingert (Batman: Arkham series, Bleach, The Garfield Show) as Ghoul
• Spencer Lacey Ganus (Frozen’s Teen Elsa, South Park) as Laura
• Paul Ganus (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) as Elias
• John Malone (Fallout 76: Skyline Valley) as Carl
• Deanna Rashell (NCIS: New Orleans) as Peaches "The Neon Ghost is proof that the traditional financial barriers to cinematic storytelling have completely collapsed," says writer and director Mark Starks, whose previous documentary work is preserved in the Academy Film Archive (AMPAS). "By marrying world-class union acting talent with a strictly stylized POV and open-source sourcing, we were able to protect our actors under SAG-AFTRA guidelines while creating a high-caliber cinematic experience out of pure creative engineering." The Neon Ghost is currently entering the 2026-2027 film festival circuit. Industry professionals, programmers, and audiences can track the film's festival run, view official production details, and request screening access by visiting the official FilmFreeway page.  About Starks Films LLC: Starks Films LLC is an independent production company founded by Mark Starks, a multi-hyphenate creator with over 200 festival awards and honors. Known for moving seamlessly between narrative shorts, animation, and high-impact documentaries, Starks’ work includes Glaciers: Nature's Resilient Water Towers, which was inducted into the Academy Film Archive and selected as a flagship media partner for the United Nations. Media Contact: Mark Starks, Founder & Director Starks Films LLC mastar149@cs.com The Neon Ghost - Cyberpunk Neo-Noir Short Film (4K Ultra HD) - FilmFreeway