Angel Wanted
Hudson, New York | Film Feature
Comedy, Drama
When Ellie tries to kill herself on the anniversary of her friend Angel’s suicide, she wakes up in a depressed version of her high school. Greeted by Angel himself, she discovers the only way out of this world is to convince someone that life is worth living...but what if she doesn't believe that?
Angel Wanted
Hudson, New York | Film Feature
Comedy, Drama
26 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$7,893
Goal: $70,000 for pre-production
When Ellie tries to kill herself on the anniversary of her friend Angel’s suicide, she wakes up in a depressed version of her high school. Greeted by Angel himself, she discovers the only way out of this world is to convince someone that life is worth living...but what if she doesn't believe that?
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It has always helped me to laugh, even in, especially in, the dark parts.
That's me.
My name is Ava Hase and I’m a filmmaker in Los Angeles, originally from New York. I’m directing my first feature film this December 2026. It’s a dark comedy called “Angel Wanted”. (Don’t let the word “comedy” fool you too much, however.) It’s a story that handles themes of suicide, anxiety, grief, guilt, and ultimately appreciation for the lives we get to live. It’s a story I intend to tell with upmost tenderness and passion for the subject as someone who's struggled with depression and anxiety through my life. It's the film I would show my younger self who was struggling to feel connected with her purpose and reason. I truly believe it has the potential to influence Gen Z in preventing suicide and de-stigmatizing mental health.
I'm going to tell you a story. It's a little fucked-up, a little weird, and ultimately about why living is a beautiful thing:
Tomorrow marks the three-year anniversary of Ellie’s best friend Angel’s suicide, an event she secretly blames herself for. Tired of feeling alone, Ellie decides if she doesn’t make a friend today, she’ll kill herself. While she has a promising day at mentally-well South High (the Prom theme next week is "mindfulness"), a humiliating incident the next day leads Ellie to retreat to the bathroom and take out the pills. Until...the world SHAKES.
Ellie wakes up in a new world where Angel is standing in front of her. He explains that she’s now in an in-between, depressed version of South High. Angel’s been stuck here since his death. The rules are simple: Ellie has 24 hours to convince someone that life is worth living. If she succeeds, Angel can move on, and Ellie gets another chance at life.
While initially delighted with this world, where everyone she hates is severely bummed, Ellie comes across someone she truly wants to save: Marcy—her crush.
Ellie’s the last person you’d want for this job, but she cannot fail.
What follows is a story about Ellie rediscovering why she wants to live, all while navigating this strange world where her teachers listen to Evanescence and weep face-down on the floor.
Where we are now:
We have our location locked in for December 1-15 2026 in Hudson NY at the abandoned-high-school-turned-art-gallery “The Campus”. We also have secured an exciting cast thus far with our brilliant casting directors Maya Osep and Nicole Arbusto...more to come. The script also got into the second round of the Austin Film Festival Comedy Feature category. We’ve had some exciting momentum, but are now looking for funding to get us into production.
We were lucky to connect with the suicide prevention foundation “Keep The Spark Alive”, which was started by Nathan and Sylvia Harrell after they lost their son to suicide. Committed to tell this story safely, we just added have Brett Wean at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention as an advisor, as well as Devika Bhushan from NAMI. KTSA has graciously pledged funds as investors to the film. Presently, we have 100k raised.
Why now:
Making my first feature as a 26 year old girl has been...wild. It has been a crazy journey to get here, an even crazier journey ahead. That said, I've never been happier. I've never felt more purposeful and dedicated to something in my life. It really does feel like now is the time for this story to be told.
Something that's given me hope is the shift we're seeing in indie films right now. This year, 2 genre films made by first-time directors have made box-office history: Backrooms and Obsession. I think audiences are welcoming new voices and itching for stories that break out of the box in exciting ways. Audiences are more open-minded than ever. Being in Gen Z, I believe humor in darkness is our superpower. I've described this film is the strange baby of It's A Wonderful Life and Heathers, and I think now is the perfect time for Gen-Z's cult-classic dark comedy.
Why we need your help:
To pay these name actors a SAG rate, to pay our crew at least a minimum wage, and to cover costs of production and equipment, we need to raise 70k. This will make our total budget 170k (That's a lot of money. But surprisingly, in the movie world, that's still super low for a feature film. But, we're scrappy and passionate artists ready to make this happen no matter what!) It would mean the world for you to help us reach our goal and get our page some momentum:
Well, if you're feeling like Mother Teresa...we have some options for you...
-If you give 1,000, you will get “Backer” credit at the end of the film, and I will send you a personal thank you along with a custom “Angel Wanted” pencil and sticker, a little token of my gratitude (that will never be enough!)
-If you give 5,000, I will send you the personal thank you and custom “Angel Wanted” pencil, but you will also get a “Film Sponsor” credit at the end of the film, along with an invite to any festival premiere/screening down the line! I will make sure of it! You will also get a signed printed copy of the shooting script.
-If you give 10,000, along with my eternal gratitude, you will get a “Presented with care and support from” credit at the end of the film. You will also be invited to visit us on set, receive a signed poster when it’s finalized, and receive everything above (Signed printed script…pencils…my love forever…)
This platform requires us to hit 80% of the budget in order to keep what we raise, making us need to raise at least 56,000. Below that, we will not be able to keep anything we raise. They also say that campaigns that hit at least 30% of their budget (21,000 for us) in the first week are more likely to reach their goal. So that said, if you are willing to help us make this happen, contributing earlier than later would be incredibly helpful. I am so proud of our team so far, and so confident that we are prepared, ready, and passionate beyond belief. This is my dream, and it’s a dream that takes a village. Your generosity will mean that you are part of the fabric of this movie, a story I believe in so deeply.
Thank you thank you, times a million. (and then some.)
Ava
(music in video by Hayden Waggener)
Psssst here is me at our location, post crying with joy:)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
CAST
Costs $30,000
Mannequins work for free but they're terrible at crying on cue. Help us pay our actors a real rate.
LOCATION
Costs $5,000
Turns out you can't just show up somewhere and start filming. Help us rent the spaces this story actually needs (see home page for details!)
CATERING
Costs $7,000
Nobody has ever done their best work hungry. Help us keep the crew fed, caffeinated, and speaking to each other.
GRIP DEPARTMENT
Costs $15,000
Grips are the reason the camera can move, float, and not fall over. Help us pay those who make every shot possible, and rent their gear.
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Costs $13,000
Every classroom looks like a classroom until someone makes it look like the depressed classroom of our dreams. Help us make it happen.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director
Ava Hase is an actor/writer/director based in Los Angeles, CA and Brooklyn NY. She received her BFA in Acting from CalArts. Her short films Kitty Kitty, Cowards, Thank You, Tabby Tobias One Meatball and web series A Person Named Universal Love have been featured in online-indie-film spheres such as MUBI, Vimeo, NoBudge, and Directors Notes. Cowards also screened at The IFC Center in New York.
Producer
Rebecca Lafon (Undertone Films) is a bilingual and bicultural French producer in Los Angeles. She is co-owner and CEO of Undertone Films. She holds an MFA in Film Production from the American Film Institute Conservatory (class of 2023). She’s since produced shorts, music videos, and co-produced her first feature.
Producer
Jamie Sanger (178 Blank Productions) is a producer and actor based in Los Angeles. He is a cofounder of 178 Blank Productions, working with brands like Google and Liquid Death, and currently pitching to network the sitcom pilot Residential - which he produced and stars in. A USC Alum, Jamie works throughout Production as a Producer and 1st AD. Recent Projects include the Comicon-premiered feature Unexpected Treasures, and producing the indie dramedy Crohnie, starring Emmy nominated Margaret Cho (30 Rock, Will Trent), and Chris Parnell (SNL, Rick and Morty).
Producer
Andrew Nibbi (178 Blank Productions) is a cinematographer, producer, and musician, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and based in Los Angeles. From the first time he picked up his mom’s camera as a tween, he’s been captivated by the power of art to control time and truth. As a cinematographer, he is enamored with the textures and geometries of the natural world, and strives to draw audiences’ eyes toward more unnoticed beauty. As a producer and partner at 178 Blank Productions, he works to lower the technical and societal barriers to creativity in order to push the film industry toward a more equitable and sustainable future. His work can be seen across commercials and narrative shorts, and most recently in theaters as the DIT of Obsession.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It has always helped me to laugh, even in, especially in, the dark parts.
That's me.
My name is Ava Hase and I’m a filmmaker in Los Angeles, originally from New York. I’m directing my first feature film this December 2026. It’s a dark comedy called “Angel Wanted”. (Don’t let the word “comedy” fool you too much, however.) It’s a story that handles themes of suicide, anxiety, grief, guilt, and ultimately appreciation for the lives we get to live. It’s a story I intend to tell with upmost tenderness and passion for the subject as someone who's struggled with depression and anxiety through my life. It's the film I would show my younger self who was struggling to feel connected with her purpose and reason. I truly believe it has the potential to influence Gen Z in preventing suicide and de-stigmatizing mental health.
I'm going to tell you a story. It's a little fucked-up, a little weird, and ultimately about why living is a beautiful thing:
Tomorrow marks the three-year anniversary of Ellie’s best friend Angel’s suicide, an event she secretly blames herself for. Tired of feeling alone, Ellie decides if she doesn’t make a friend today, she’ll kill herself. While she has a promising day at mentally-well South High (the Prom theme next week is "mindfulness"), a humiliating incident the next day leads Ellie to retreat to the bathroom and take out the pills. Until...the world SHAKES.
Ellie wakes up in a new world where Angel is standing in front of her. He explains that she’s now in an in-between, depressed version of South High. Angel’s been stuck here since his death. The rules are simple: Ellie has 24 hours to convince someone that life is worth living. If she succeeds, Angel can move on, and Ellie gets another chance at life.
While initially delighted with this world, where everyone she hates is severely bummed, Ellie comes across someone she truly wants to save: Marcy—her crush.
Ellie’s the last person you’d want for this job, but she cannot fail.
What follows is a story about Ellie rediscovering why she wants to live, all while navigating this strange world where her teachers listen to Evanescence and weep face-down on the floor.
Where we are now:
We have our location locked in for December 1-15 2026 in Hudson NY at the abandoned-high-school-turned-art-gallery “The Campus”. We also have secured an exciting cast thus far with our brilliant casting directors Maya Osep and Nicole Arbusto...more to come. The script also got into the second round of the Austin Film Festival Comedy Feature category. We’ve had some exciting momentum, but are now looking for funding to get us into production.
We were lucky to connect with the suicide prevention foundation “Keep The Spark Alive”, which was started by Nathan and Sylvia Harrell after they lost their son to suicide. Committed to tell this story safely, we just added have Brett Wean at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention as an advisor, as well as Devika Bhushan from NAMI. KTSA has graciously pledged funds as investors to the film. Presently, we have 100k raised.
Why now:
Making my first feature as a 26 year old girl has been...wild. It has been a crazy journey to get here, an even crazier journey ahead. That said, I've never been happier. I've never felt more purposeful and dedicated to something in my life. It really does feel like now is the time for this story to be told.
Something that's given me hope is the shift we're seeing in indie films right now. This year, 2 genre films made by first-time directors have made box-office history: Backrooms and Obsession. I think audiences are welcoming new voices and itching for stories that break out of the box in exciting ways. Audiences are more open-minded than ever. Being in Gen Z, I believe humor in darkness is our superpower. I've described this film is the strange baby of It's A Wonderful Life and Heathers, and I think now is the perfect time for Gen-Z's cult-classic dark comedy.
Why we need your help:
To pay these name actors a SAG rate, to pay our crew at least a minimum wage, and to cover costs of production and equipment, we need to raise 70k. This will make our total budget 170k (That's a lot of money. But surprisingly, in the movie world, that's still super low for a feature film. But, we're scrappy and passionate artists ready to make this happen no matter what!) It would mean the world for you to help us reach our goal and get our page some momentum:
Well, if you're feeling like Mother Teresa...we have some options for you...
-If you give 1,000, you will get “Backer” credit at the end of the film, and I will send you a personal thank you along with a custom “Angel Wanted” pencil and sticker, a little token of my gratitude (that will never be enough!)
-If you give 5,000, I will send you the personal thank you and custom “Angel Wanted” pencil, but you will also get a “Film Sponsor” credit at the end of the film, along with an invite to any festival premiere/screening down the line! I will make sure of it! You will also get a signed printed copy of the shooting script.
-If you give 10,000, along with my eternal gratitude, you will get a “Presented with care and support from” credit at the end of the film. You will also be invited to visit us on set, receive a signed poster when it’s finalized, and receive everything above (Signed printed script…pencils…my love forever…)
This platform requires us to hit 80% of the budget in order to keep what we raise, making us need to raise at least 56,000. Below that, we will not be able to keep anything we raise. They also say that campaigns that hit at least 30% of their budget (21,000 for us) in the first week are more likely to reach their goal. So that said, if you are willing to help us make this happen, contributing earlier than later would be incredibly helpful. I am so proud of our team so far, and so confident that we are prepared, ready, and passionate beyond belief. This is my dream, and it’s a dream that takes a village. Your generosity will mean that you are part of the fabric of this movie, a story I believe in so deeply.
Thank you thank you, times a million. (and then some.)
Ava
(music in video by Hayden Waggener)
Psssst here is me at our location, post crying with joy:)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
CAST
Costs $30,000
Mannequins work for free but they're terrible at crying on cue. Help us pay our actors a real rate.
LOCATION
Costs $5,000
Turns out you can't just show up somewhere and start filming. Help us rent the spaces this story actually needs (see home page for details!)
CATERING
Costs $7,000
Nobody has ever done their best work hungry. Help us keep the crew fed, caffeinated, and speaking to each other.
GRIP DEPARTMENT
Costs $15,000
Grips are the reason the camera can move, float, and not fall over. Help us pay those who make every shot possible, and rent their gear.
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Costs $13,000
Every classroom looks like a classroom until someone makes it look like the depressed classroom of our dreams. Help us make it happen.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director
Ava Hase is an actor/writer/director based in Los Angeles, CA and Brooklyn NY. She received her BFA in Acting from CalArts. Her short films Kitty Kitty, Cowards, Thank You, Tabby Tobias One Meatball and web series A Person Named Universal Love have been featured in online-indie-film spheres such as MUBI, Vimeo, NoBudge, and Directors Notes. Cowards also screened at The IFC Center in New York.
Producer
Rebecca Lafon (Undertone Films) is a bilingual and bicultural French producer in Los Angeles. She is co-owner and CEO of Undertone Films. She holds an MFA in Film Production from the American Film Institute Conservatory (class of 2023). She’s since produced shorts, music videos, and co-produced her first feature.
Producer
Jamie Sanger (178 Blank Productions) is a producer and actor based in Los Angeles. He is a cofounder of 178 Blank Productions, working with brands like Google and Liquid Death, and currently pitching to network the sitcom pilot Residential - which he produced and stars in. A USC Alum, Jamie works throughout Production as a Producer and 1st AD. Recent Projects include the Comicon-premiered feature Unexpected Treasures, and producing the indie dramedy Crohnie, starring Emmy nominated Margaret Cho (30 Rock, Will Trent), and Chris Parnell (SNL, Rick and Morty).
Producer
Andrew Nibbi (178 Blank Productions) is a cinematographer, producer, and musician, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and based in Los Angeles. From the first time he picked up his mom’s camera as a tween, he’s been captivated by the power of art to control time and truth. As a cinematographer, he is enamored with the textures and geometries of the natural world, and strives to draw audiences’ eyes toward more unnoticed beauty. As a producer and partner at 178 Blank Productions, he works to lower the technical and societal barriers to creativity in order to push the film industry toward a more equitable and sustainable future. His work can be seen across commercials and narrative shorts, and most recently in theaters as the DIT of Obsession.