Aaron and Bridget drive into the desert for their friend group’s annual camping trip. Bridget flips through the binder of inspiration for Aaron’s upcoming wedding, and in the back finds a list of all their names, ranked. The van is forced to pull over, the trip (and their friendships) put on hold.
Aaron and Bridget drive into the desert for their friend group’s annual camping trip. Bridget flips through the binder of inspiration for Aaron’s upcoming wedding, and in the back finds a list of all their names, ranked. The van is forced to pull over, the trip (and their friendships) put on hold.
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Story
Mission Statement
We’re new filmmakers working to make inclusive, queer art that is honest, personal, and funny. This short film, directed by a woman, explores long-term friendships, and the ways in which we can be so horrible to the best people we’ve ever met. With a protagonist obsessed with being the protagonist.About The Project
THE STORY
In a vehicle stuffed to capacity with best friends and supplies, Aaron and Bridget barrel down the highway toward their group's annual camping trip. Trying her best to be happy about Aaron's recent engagement, Bridget thumbs through his wedding binder, full of inspirational photos and sketches. In the very back, she finds something that Aaron hadn't meant to leave there.
On a piece of paper folded small are all of the friends' names, ranked.
Absolutely shocked by her placement, Bridget forces Aaron to pull the car over, the rest of the group now turning against him, and each other. The car's hazard lights blink as this six-sided, roadside episode explodes into a mess of accusations and confessions.
A NOTE FROM THE WRITER
I've been hearing lines of dialogue from this script in my head for the last year and a half. I'm so excited to finally have all the pieces in the right order, forming something of which I'm really proud. After hearing it out loud at a 'reading' with my roommates and a couple other friends, we're just so ready to film this.
I'm inspired by my relationships with my friends, and their relationships with each other. I'm inspired by the things we talk about, the things we fight about, the things we laugh about. This story is personal, and it's ridiculous.
At first, Lana Dvorak came on as my script editor. Through development, it became clear that she was the one to direct this story. She has such a grasp of the emotional lives of these characters, and the beautiful ways in which they clash. Being married herself, Lana has come face-to-face with the puzzle that is fitting friends into a wedding. I can't wait to see this through her lens.
We reached out to our dream cinematographer, Adam Gundersheimer, who Lana had worked with previously. It was the colors and scale of his work that let us know he'd be perfect for this project. He's able to capture something so beautiful and candid through short-form documentaries and music videos (with Grimes, Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker, Florist). Before we even had to consider other options, he told us that he resonated with the script and that he was in.
We're shooting some test footage later this month, which I'm already so excited to share with you. All of our meetings so far have been virtual, so you can imagine our eagerness to play around in person. This also means finally getting to see my co-star in action. We lucked out again, being able to work with our friend Kara Overlien, one of the best, smartest actors I know.
I love the backflips that we do in order to make situations about ourselves. (I've had some of my best panic attacks at other people's weddings.) This short film is about that self-obsession, selfishness, and fear of abandonment. It's about codependency, and our comfort to say and do cruel things to our best, best friends.
- Jay Stalder
WHY WE NEED YOU
We're fundraising for production and post-production. This means paying our cinematographer, sound operator, actors, and our editor. It also means renting video and sound equipment, providing food for our cast and crew, and transportation to our desert location. Shooting during a pandemic brings with it additional costs: proper PPE (personal protective equipment) and a compliance officer to ensure safety during Covid-19.
This queer, inclusive project has been a labor of love since the beginning, but now we need more than love. Luckily, our story lends itself to a small budget. We're asking for $8,000 to cover the necessary costs of bringing it to life.
We're in the process of casting right now, and planning to shoot in March. With your contributions, we'll be able to make this short film look and sound as great as we know it can. Once finished, we'll be submitting to film festivals all across the country, so a portion of our budget goes toward submission fees. This means it may be a while before our short is available to be streamed online. Make sure you check out our incentives to see how you can watch it early!
This story makes us laugh, and makes us think aobut the ways we navigate through change in our own friendships. We hope that you'll come along with us! Be a part of this absurd, little story.
Incentives
$5
Thank You for Being a Friend
Thank you so much for supporting this film. Forever grateful to YOU for helping us bring this film to life.
$7
FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS
Since we probably won't see you at summer camp this year, get yourself a made-with-love friendship bracelet so we will always be in your memory. Our co-star Kara Overlien is pretty much a professional friendship bracelet maker on top of her other professional titles and she has infused these bracelets with the energy of a Star™️. All the cast-mates will have one so that means you're pretty much best friends with the whole cast :') Shipped to you immediately!$10
You're a Real Close Friend
For ten bucks, you will be added to our “Close Friends” story on Instagram. These will be available for you to watch always; our highlight reels on our profile will only be visible to you! The fun part? You’ll get behind-the-scenes shenanigans of things like: our test shoot with our DP, rehearsals with the cast, Jay and I’s pre-production process, and more.
INCLUDES:
-Added to our “Close Friends” story on Instagram
$30
Concept Pics
With a $30 contribution, you will recieve a digital copy of Jay’s original concept sketches. Extra special because he made them while we were camping together! Cute!
INCLUDES:
-Digital copy of original concept sketches
-All previous incentives
$50
Van Gogh Vibes
With a $50 contribution, you will recieve a print of our hand-painted poster made by Jacob Scott (@Jacob.scott_art) straight to your door.
INCLUDES:
-A print of our hand-painted posted
-All previous incentives
$50
VIRTUAL TABLE READ
HALF OFF TILL END OF CAMPAIGN! $50!
Learn the plot before anyone else! For a $50 contribution you will get an invite to our virtual table read of the script with our cast and crew.
INCLUDES:
-Invite to virtual table read
-All previous incentives except limited quantity items
$100
First to Watch
It will be a while till this baby is streamable since we are submitting it to festivals. With a $100 contribution you will get a private link to A Definitive Ranking of My Closest Friends when post-production is complete.
INCLUDES:-A private link to the short film
-All previous incentives
$200
The Infamous Binder
Want to see inside the brain of an engaged love-bird? For $200 you will get a photo-copy of every page inside of Aaron’s wedding binder.
INCLUDES:-Photo-copy of Aaron’s wedding binger
-All previous incentives except limited quantity items
$250
Extended Cut
It took Jay a year to write 32 pages, and a few months to cut that down to 28. For $250 you will get a copy of the script that includes deleted scenes that were cut for time. These scenes give our beloved characters even more depth, and you will fall deeper in love with these quirky humans.
INCLUDES:-Signed copy of the script that includes deleted scenes
-All previous incentives except limited quantity items
$1,000
Executive Producer
You're famous, and we don't deserve you. Your name will be in the ending credits, you'll recieve an IMDB credit, and a private link to the short film.
INCLUDES:
-All previous incentives except for limited quantity items
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Thank You for Being a Friend
Thank you so much for supporting this film. Forever grateful to YOU for helping us bring this film to life.
$7
FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS
Since we probably won't see you at summer camp this year, get yourself a made-with-love friendship bracelet so we will always be in your memory. Our co-star Kara Overlien is pretty much a professional friendship bracelet maker on top of her other professional titles and she has infused these bracelets with the energy of a Star™️. All the cast-mates will have one so that means you're pretty much best friends with the whole cast :') Shipped to you immediately!$10
You're a Real Close Friend
For ten bucks, you will be added to our “Close Friends” story on Instagram. These will be available for you to watch always; our highlight reels on our profile will only be visible to you! The fun part? You’ll get behind-the-scenes shenanigans of things like: our test shoot with our DP, rehearsals with the cast, Jay and I’s pre-production process, and more.
INCLUDES:
-Added to our “Close Friends” story on Instagram
$30
Concept Pics
With a $30 contribution, you will recieve a digital copy of Jay’s original concept sketches. Extra special because he made them while we were camping together! Cute!
INCLUDES:
-Digital copy of original concept sketches
-All previous incentives
$50
Van Gogh Vibes
With a $50 contribution, you will recieve a print of our hand-painted poster made by Jacob Scott (@Jacob.scott_art) straight to your door.
INCLUDES:
-A print of our hand-painted posted
-All previous incentives
$50
VIRTUAL TABLE READ
HALF OFF TILL END OF CAMPAIGN! $50!
Learn the plot before anyone else! For a $50 contribution you will get an invite to our virtual table read of the script with our cast and crew.
INCLUDES:
-Invite to virtual table read
-All previous incentives except limited quantity items
$100
First to Watch
It will be a while till this baby is streamable since we are submitting it to festivals. With a $100 contribution you will get a private link to A Definitive Ranking of My Closest Friends when post-production is complete.
INCLUDES:-A private link to the short film
-All previous incentives
$200
The Infamous Binder
Want to see inside the brain of an engaged love-bird? For $200 you will get a photo-copy of every page inside of Aaron’s wedding binder.
INCLUDES:-Photo-copy of Aaron’s wedding binger
-All previous incentives except limited quantity items
$250
Extended Cut
It took Jay a year to write 32 pages, and a few months to cut that down to 28. For $250 you will get a copy of the script that includes deleted scenes that were cut for time. These scenes give our beloved characters even more depth, and you will fall deeper in love with these quirky humans.
INCLUDES:-Signed copy of the script that includes deleted scenes
-All previous incentives except limited quantity items
$1,000
Executive Producer
You're famous, and we don't deserve you. Your name will be in the ending credits, you'll recieve an IMDB credit, and a private link to the short film.
INCLUDES:
-All previous incentives except for limited quantity items
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
LANA DVORAK, Director.
JAY STALDER, Writer.
ADAM GUNDERSHEIMER, Director of Photography.
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