ACTUALIZATION
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Drama, Other
This short film explores the often misunderstood fear of vomiting, a struggle I’ve faced my whole life. Actualization reveals the hidden rituals, looping thoughts, and family narratives that live behind the fear and the courage it takes to confront them.
ACTUALIZATION
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Drama, Other
1 Campaigns | Massachusetts, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $16,209 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
73 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
This short film explores the often misunderstood fear of vomiting, a struggle I’ve faced my whole life. Actualization reveals the hidden rituals, looping thoughts, and family narratives that live behind the fear and the courage it takes to confront them.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Actualization is a surreal short film about one woman confronting her greatest fear: vomiting. Through handcrafted sets, raw performances, and an immersive visual style, this film turns an invisible phobia into something tangible, visceral, and cathartic.
When Billie, a woman tormented by a lifelong phobia of vomiting, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she’s pulled into a surreal confrontation with her mother, brother, and childhood teddy bear, where buried fears surface and she must face the horror she’s avoided all her life.
This story isn't about fear, it’s about reclaiming control over your future.
Who are we?
We are Jaina Cipriano, Carley Byers and Alecia Orsini, a small, passionate team of filmmakers who know fear intimately. Jaina’s award-winning work has always explored transformation through immersive, hand-built worlds. With Actualization, she’s taking that process to its most personal level. Carley and Alecia bring producing and storytelling expertise that ensures this film will get made and it makes an impact.
What is emetophobia?
Emetophobia affects millions, but almost no one talks about it. Jaina has had this fear since elementary school but it wasn't until her early 20's that she realized there was a name for it. And a name meant treatment, it meant understanding. It meant there was hope.
This project can’t exist without you. Every dollar raised goes directly to:
- Paying our cast and crew fairly
- Building handcrafted sets that bring the protagonist’s inner world to life
- Renting the gear needed to capture the story at a cinematic level
- Finishing the film with care, from sound design to color correction
We need to raise $20,000 to make this happen. And when we do? Producer Alecia Orsini gets SLIMED—Nickelodeon-style.
We’ve developed the story, gathered our team, and proven our commitment—Jaina and Carley were slimed when we hit our development goal! Now we’re ready to move into full production. The only thing standing in our way is funding.
From Jaina:
I’ve always worked with small, passionate teams. But to pull these projects off, I’ve often filled the gaps myself—funding what I can, building what I don’t have money to rent, stretching my time and energy to the edge.
For Actualization, I want to do more than pull through, I want us to blow the roof off!
How Your Support Moves Us Forward
- $20,000 gets us through production and into post.
- Backing us means joining the team: your support is what makes this world real.
Stretch Goals
If we surpass our goal, additional funds will go toward:
- Expanded set builds (multi-room environments)
- A longer shoot schedule (so the crew doesn’t have to sprint)
- Wider distribution and impact screenings for communities affected by phobia and anxiety
When You’ll See It
We plan to shoot Actualization in 2025 and premiere it at festivals later that year. Backers will get behind-the-scenes updates, sneak peeks, and access to screenings.
This campaign is about facing fears together. Here’s how you can help right now:
- Pledge – Every contribution, big or small, helps us reach $20,000.
- Follow – Click “Follow Project” so you get updates as we hit milestones.
- Share – Spread the word with your friends, family, and networks. Fear thrives in silence; let’s break it together.
ACTUALIZATION is our moment to not only face our fears, but make something beautiful and impactful.
If you’ve ever felt trapped in your body…
If you believe in art that helps us feel less alone...
This is your moment to help.
Thank you for believing in Actualization.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Construction Materials
Costs $3,000
To build the world we need lots of materials and space to create the phobia filled puzzle Billie must navigate!
Feed the Family!
Costs $2,000
Naturally a film crew moves on it's stomach...as long as we can keep it down..
GEAR
Costs $2,500
With great storytelling comes the need of great gear! Listen, we don't need much but something would be nice!
Post Audio & Music
Costs $2,500
One area we know we will need help is in the music and audio for post. We want our best ear forward.
Color & VFX
Costs $2,500
Once the edit is done, we need to add the final touches, especially with color and vfx.
Casting
Costs $3,000
One of the big goals is the bring in the perfect cast to do our fears and the journey with them justice.
Location Location Location!
Costs $2,500
We need a place to film!
Art Dept
Costs $2,000
Props, Costumes, Paint, OH MY! All the arts to make the movie!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jaina Cipriano, Writer + Director
Jaina Cipriano is a filmmaker, photographer, and experiential designer whose work delves into the emotional complexities of religious and romantic entrapment.
Jaina writes and directs award-winning short films that navigate the challenging path of healing. Her second short film, Trauma Bond, a dreamy coming-of-age thriller that explores the allure of quick fixes for deep wounds, won the grand prize at the Lonely Seal International Film Festival. She was selected for Stowe Writers Retreat 2025 for her feature film, Heaven Can’t Be Better Than This.
Jaina’s photographic works are fabricated by hand in her Lowell studio. She studied at the New England School of Photography and The Griffin Museum. She has shown at Leica Gallery Boston, The Griffin Museum of Photography, Boston University and Kingston Gallery, among others. Her work has been published over 200 times and selected for the top 200 of Critical Mass 2024.
Jaina is currently developing two immersive experiences. What Are You Afraid Of blends ritual with performance for a solo experience through facing fears. Odd One is about memory and empathy. Jaina plans to take them public in 2026.
Jaina is the owner of the Arlington International Film Festival and the founder of Finding Bright Studios, a design company building narrative experiences based in Lowell, MA. She has collaborated with GRRL HAUS, Boston Art Review, The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, and was a Boston Fellow for the MassArt Creative Business Incubator. Jaina was a finalist in EforAll Merrimack Valley in 2022 and a 2025 recipient of New England Foundation for the Arts Public Learning Fund.
Carley Byers, Producer
Carley Byers is a filmmaker based in New Bedford, Massachusetts—a whale-obsessed creative hub in the SouthCoast region. She strives to produce films with unique perspectives pushing boundaries emotionally and creatively.
Carley is a 2025 Stowe Producers Lab Fellow and a receipt of the Tarkovski Grant. She’s an active member in the New England film community, serving on the board of Women in Film New England and New Bedford Film Festival. Through these organizations she creates educational opportunities for those eager to break into the film industry. Since graduating from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2021, she's worked on a wide variety of projects from short films to commercials finding her speciality in producing.
Her most recent short film, Don’t Fall From Grace screened at notable genre film festivals such as Boston Underground Film Festival and the BFI Future Film Festival. She recently wrapped working in the production office of the upcoming A24 film, Tony broadening her production experience. Carley strives to lead projects with kindness. She aims to foster inclusive and collaborative on set environments that make for impactful storytelling from set to screen.
Why?
“I’m incredibly excited to produce Actualization because it's a bold, surreal exploration of emetophobia that pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling. The script transports you to an otherworldly dimension where fear is both abstract and hauntingly personal, offering a rare, immersive look into a phobia that’s often misunderstood. I'm thrilled to work with Jaina as a director. I admire her work that is both deeply personal and visually powerful.”
Alecia Orsini, Producer
Alecia Orsini is an award winning and multi-media professional with 18 years of experience working in the film industry. She is currently working as a Line Producer for the New England region, but has spent time as a Director, Production Designer, Radio Engineer, and Camera Operator.
Alecia is a prominent voice in the region's film community as President Emerita of Women in Film and Video of New England. She also devoted time to Save MA Film Jobs, working behind the scenes for the grassroots organization supporting the Film Tax Incentives in the state of Massachusetts. She's a staunch advocate, utilizing her experience and platform to amplify the voices of the underserved within the film industry such as women of color and members of the LGBTQI+ communities.
In 2012 she was named one of the Cape & Plymouth Business 40 Under 40 for her volunteer work & entrepreneurship and in 2019 she was named an Imagineer for her service to the film industry by Imagine Magazine. Aside from her professional work Alecia is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts, can drive a stick shift and is the proud mother of two rambunctious boys.
Why?
“If you asked 19 year old me why I got into filmmaking, I probably tell you it was to work with artists like Jaina. People who are unafraid to be authentic to their voices. Making films that are thought provoking, issue driven, visual feasts. Films that make you scratch your head, jump for joy, cry with a much needed release, or hopefully make you feel seen as a viewer. For me, working with someone like Jaina and the rest of the team is going back to something that’s been buried for a while in my personal storytelling journey. Hopefully you’ll want to join us and go on your own artistic journey of exploration!”
Ben Phillipo, Director of Photography
Ben Phillippo is a creative director, designer, and filmmaker based in Boston, Massachusetts. From writing and directing, to shooting and editing, to production design and visual effects, he employs a wide range of skill sets to bring his concepts to life.
Ben's commercials for clients such as Bank of America, Adidas and Verizon have aired nationally. His projects have screened at festivals worldwide and earned accolades from Cannes Lions, Vimeo Staff Picks, Berlin Music Video Awards, and the New England Emmy Awards, among others.
Why?
“I’m a huge fan of Jaina’s style and sensibility, and super excited to help capture that world on camera. Beneath the surface, she is crafting a story that’s rewarding to unpack and interpret, and I’m looking forward to offering that same experience to viewers.”
Wesley Scanlon, 1st AD
A gregarious ginger from Hawaii, Wesley now makes his pocket change as Technical Director at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre—he has had his hand in all the cookie jars of local Boston freelance since 2019, and NYC years previous. A frolicsome set builder & madcap fabricator, he also has a penchant for jubilant lighting electrics, rigging lofty elements, motif live events, props that take on a life of their own, & geeking out on artistic make-believe as Assistant Director and other beguiling crew roles in film/television/commercial productions for the last decade—dreaming of the times above the line.
Jordan Potash, Composer
Jordan Potash is a composer and musician hailing from Massachusetts and currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Over the years he's contributed his signature brand of melodic and textural stylings to a wide range of works, from film scores to live theater productions. As an instrumentalist, he's played guitar, piano, and other instruments in groups spanning genres from pop to classical to punk to funk, including touring with established artists across the country. He has also released music as a solo artist and as a part of various other projects, including the alt-rock/hip-hop duo 5 Day Weekend.
Dylan Castora, Sound Mixer
Dylan is a Boston-based Sound Mixer and Designer with over a decade of experience as an audio engineer and entrepreneur. Before transitioning into film, he founded and operated a recording studio which continues to inform his work as a filmmaker. Specializing in immersive technologies to enhance storytelling, he has contributed to numerous feature films, short films, and documentaries. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Dylan’s extensive technical expertise enables him to craft rich, emotionally resonant soundscapes that bring narratives to life.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Actualization is a surreal short film about one woman confronting her greatest fear: vomiting. Through handcrafted sets, raw performances, and an immersive visual style, this film turns an invisible phobia into something tangible, visceral, and cathartic.
When Billie, a woman tormented by a lifelong phobia of vomiting, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she’s pulled into a surreal confrontation with her mother, brother, and childhood teddy bear, where buried fears surface and she must face the horror she’s avoided all her life.
This story isn't about fear, it’s about reclaiming control over your future.
Who are we?
We are Jaina Cipriano, Carley Byers and Alecia Orsini, a small, passionate team of filmmakers who know fear intimately. Jaina’s award-winning work has always explored transformation through immersive, hand-built worlds. With Actualization, she’s taking that process to its most personal level. Carley and Alecia bring producing and storytelling expertise that ensures this film will get made and it makes an impact.
What is emetophobia?
Emetophobia affects millions, but almost no one talks about it. Jaina has had this fear since elementary school but it wasn't until her early 20's that she realized there was a name for it. And a name meant treatment, it meant understanding. It meant there was hope.
This project can’t exist without you. Every dollar raised goes directly to:
- Paying our cast and crew fairly
- Building handcrafted sets that bring the protagonist’s inner world to life
- Renting the gear needed to capture the story at a cinematic level
- Finishing the film with care, from sound design to color correction
We need to raise $20,000 to make this happen. And when we do? Producer Alecia Orsini gets SLIMED—Nickelodeon-style.
We’ve developed the story, gathered our team, and proven our commitment—Jaina and Carley were slimed when we hit our development goal! Now we’re ready to move into full production. The only thing standing in our way is funding.
From Jaina:
I’ve always worked with small, passionate teams. But to pull these projects off, I’ve often filled the gaps myself—funding what I can, building what I don’t have money to rent, stretching my time and energy to the edge.
For Actualization, I want to do more than pull through, I want us to blow the roof off!
How Your Support Moves Us Forward
- $20,000 gets us through production and into post.
- Backing us means joining the team: your support is what makes this world real.
Stretch Goals
If we surpass our goal, additional funds will go toward:
- Expanded set builds (multi-room environments)
- A longer shoot schedule (so the crew doesn’t have to sprint)
- Wider distribution and impact screenings for communities affected by phobia and anxiety
When You’ll See It
We plan to shoot Actualization in 2025 and premiere it at festivals later that year. Backers will get behind-the-scenes updates, sneak peeks, and access to screenings.
This campaign is about facing fears together. Here’s how you can help right now:
- Pledge – Every contribution, big or small, helps us reach $20,000.
- Follow – Click “Follow Project” so you get updates as we hit milestones.
- Share – Spread the word with your friends, family, and networks. Fear thrives in silence; let’s break it together.
ACTUALIZATION is our moment to not only face our fears, but make something beautiful and impactful.
If you’ve ever felt trapped in your body…
If you believe in art that helps us feel less alone...
This is your moment to help.
Thank you for believing in Actualization.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Construction Materials
Costs $3,000
To build the world we need lots of materials and space to create the phobia filled puzzle Billie must navigate!
Feed the Family!
Costs $2,000
Naturally a film crew moves on it's stomach...as long as we can keep it down..
GEAR
Costs $2,500
With great storytelling comes the need of great gear! Listen, we don't need much but something would be nice!
Post Audio & Music
Costs $2,500
One area we know we will need help is in the music and audio for post. We want our best ear forward.
Color & VFX
Costs $2,500
Once the edit is done, we need to add the final touches, especially with color and vfx.
Casting
Costs $3,000
One of the big goals is the bring in the perfect cast to do our fears and the journey with them justice.
Location Location Location!
Costs $2,500
We need a place to film!
Art Dept
Costs $2,000
Props, Costumes, Paint, OH MY! All the arts to make the movie!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jaina Cipriano, Writer + Director
Jaina Cipriano is a filmmaker, photographer, and experiential designer whose work delves into the emotional complexities of religious and romantic entrapment.
Jaina writes and directs award-winning short films that navigate the challenging path of healing. Her second short film, Trauma Bond, a dreamy coming-of-age thriller that explores the allure of quick fixes for deep wounds, won the grand prize at the Lonely Seal International Film Festival. She was selected for Stowe Writers Retreat 2025 for her feature film, Heaven Can’t Be Better Than This.
Jaina’s photographic works are fabricated by hand in her Lowell studio. She studied at the New England School of Photography and The Griffin Museum. She has shown at Leica Gallery Boston, The Griffin Museum of Photography, Boston University and Kingston Gallery, among others. Her work has been published over 200 times and selected for the top 200 of Critical Mass 2024.
Jaina is currently developing two immersive experiences. What Are You Afraid Of blends ritual with performance for a solo experience through facing fears. Odd One is about memory and empathy. Jaina plans to take them public in 2026.
Jaina is the owner of the Arlington International Film Festival and the founder of Finding Bright Studios, a design company building narrative experiences based in Lowell, MA. She has collaborated with GRRL HAUS, Boston Art Review, The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, and was a Boston Fellow for the MassArt Creative Business Incubator. Jaina was a finalist in EforAll Merrimack Valley in 2022 and a 2025 recipient of New England Foundation for the Arts Public Learning Fund.
Carley Byers, Producer
Carley Byers is a filmmaker based in New Bedford, Massachusetts—a whale-obsessed creative hub in the SouthCoast region. She strives to produce films with unique perspectives pushing boundaries emotionally and creatively.
Carley is a 2025 Stowe Producers Lab Fellow and a receipt of the Tarkovski Grant. She’s an active member in the New England film community, serving on the board of Women in Film New England and New Bedford Film Festival. Through these organizations she creates educational opportunities for those eager to break into the film industry. Since graduating from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2021, she's worked on a wide variety of projects from short films to commercials finding her speciality in producing.
Her most recent short film, Don’t Fall From Grace screened at notable genre film festivals such as Boston Underground Film Festival and the BFI Future Film Festival. She recently wrapped working in the production office of the upcoming A24 film, Tony broadening her production experience. Carley strives to lead projects with kindness. She aims to foster inclusive and collaborative on set environments that make for impactful storytelling from set to screen.
Why?
“I’m incredibly excited to produce Actualization because it's a bold, surreal exploration of emetophobia that pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling. The script transports you to an otherworldly dimension where fear is both abstract and hauntingly personal, offering a rare, immersive look into a phobia that’s often misunderstood. I'm thrilled to work with Jaina as a director. I admire her work that is both deeply personal and visually powerful.”
Alecia Orsini, Producer
Alecia Orsini is an award winning and multi-media professional with 18 years of experience working in the film industry. She is currently working as a Line Producer for the New England region, but has spent time as a Director, Production Designer, Radio Engineer, and Camera Operator.
Alecia is a prominent voice in the region's film community as President Emerita of Women in Film and Video of New England. She also devoted time to Save MA Film Jobs, working behind the scenes for the grassroots organization supporting the Film Tax Incentives in the state of Massachusetts. She's a staunch advocate, utilizing her experience and platform to amplify the voices of the underserved within the film industry such as women of color and members of the LGBTQI+ communities.
In 2012 she was named one of the Cape & Plymouth Business 40 Under 40 for her volunteer work & entrepreneurship and in 2019 she was named an Imagineer for her service to the film industry by Imagine Magazine. Aside from her professional work Alecia is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts, can drive a stick shift and is the proud mother of two rambunctious boys.
Why?
“If you asked 19 year old me why I got into filmmaking, I probably tell you it was to work with artists like Jaina. People who are unafraid to be authentic to their voices. Making films that are thought provoking, issue driven, visual feasts. Films that make you scratch your head, jump for joy, cry with a much needed release, or hopefully make you feel seen as a viewer. For me, working with someone like Jaina and the rest of the team is going back to something that’s been buried for a while in my personal storytelling journey. Hopefully you’ll want to join us and go on your own artistic journey of exploration!”
Ben Phillipo, Director of Photography
Ben Phillippo is a creative director, designer, and filmmaker based in Boston, Massachusetts. From writing and directing, to shooting and editing, to production design and visual effects, he employs a wide range of skill sets to bring his concepts to life.
Ben's commercials for clients such as Bank of America, Adidas and Verizon have aired nationally. His projects have screened at festivals worldwide and earned accolades from Cannes Lions, Vimeo Staff Picks, Berlin Music Video Awards, and the New England Emmy Awards, among others.
Why?
“I’m a huge fan of Jaina’s style and sensibility, and super excited to help capture that world on camera. Beneath the surface, she is crafting a story that’s rewarding to unpack and interpret, and I’m looking forward to offering that same experience to viewers.”
Wesley Scanlon, 1st AD
A gregarious ginger from Hawaii, Wesley now makes his pocket change as Technical Director at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre—he has had his hand in all the cookie jars of local Boston freelance since 2019, and NYC years previous. A frolicsome set builder & madcap fabricator, he also has a penchant for jubilant lighting electrics, rigging lofty elements, motif live events, props that take on a life of their own, & geeking out on artistic make-believe as Assistant Director and other beguiling crew roles in film/television/commercial productions for the last decade—dreaming of the times above the line.
Jordan Potash, Composer
Jordan Potash is a composer and musician hailing from Massachusetts and currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Over the years he's contributed his signature brand of melodic and textural stylings to a wide range of works, from film scores to live theater productions. As an instrumentalist, he's played guitar, piano, and other instruments in groups spanning genres from pop to classical to punk to funk, including touring with established artists across the country. He has also released music as a solo artist and as a part of various other projects, including the alt-rock/hip-hop duo 5 Day Weekend.
Dylan Castora, Sound Mixer
Dylan is a Boston-based Sound Mixer and Designer with over a decade of experience as an audio engineer and entrepreneur. Before transitioning into film, he founded and operated a recording studio which continues to inform his work as a filmmaker. Specializing in immersive technologies to enhance storytelling, he has contributed to numerous feature films, short films, and documentaries. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Dylan’s extensive technical expertise enables him to craft rich, emotionally resonant soundscapes that bring narratives to life.