Spending the final weeks of his summer in shoretown Wildwood, New Jersey, Owen, a 13 year old boy inept at making friends, must confront his spiraling feelings of identity and his parent’s strained marriage when he meets 16 year old Danielle and her group of disorderly friends. Through new teenage experiences and unexpected romantic feelings, Owen must decide what type of person he wants to become as he wrestles with the illusive idea of maturity. 

Our Themes

This story centers around powerful themes of dealing with one’s internal pain as well as the tumultuous and perpetual nature of adolescence. It is often stated that when you are a child you want to be an adult but when you actually become an adult you immediately want to be a child again. Our film revels in and ultimately celebrates this premise, finding both joy and tragedy in the non-stop, cyclical act of growing up. One does not simply stop growing into themselves after they reach a certain age . Rather, to truly live life is to welcome change no matter how challenging, to confront sadness no matter how daunting, and to accept love and happiness no matter how frightening. That, in a nutshell, is what our movie is about: coming to terms with what it actually means to be alive, even if living itself is at times the hardest thing to do. Put simply, the sheer experience of human connection and eternal love are worth the turmoil that comes with it. 

Our Characters

An introspective, sensitive soul caught between childhood and adolescence. Owen is uncomfortable in his own skin, often isolated, and filled with a quiet longing to belong. A budding artist, he expresses what he can’t say with words. His deep need to fit in and be seen sometimes leads him down the wrong path, making choices that conflict with who he really is. A deeply internal role — searching eyes, vulnerable energy, and a sense of not quite fitting in.

A volatile and impulsive seventeen year old girl who is struggling to come to terms with her own deeper emotional trauma. Having grown up in an unstable household, Danielle prefers to numb her pain with alcohol and meaningless sexual encounters. She’s crude, crass, loud, and acts before she thinks, all of which is incredibly alluring and hypnotizing to Owen. Subconsciously, Danielle is in a desperate search for real connection and unconditional love in any way she can find it. 

Our Timeline

We are currently deep into pre-production, doing everything from casting actors, shot listing, and locking down locations. Due to our completely independent status, we have decided to divide our production period into three separate shooting blocks throughout the course of 2026, with filming periods scheduled for January, May, and July. Once we wrap at the end of July, we will spend the remainder of 2026 as well most of 2027 in post-production, doing everything from editing to color to crafting an original musical composition. The film will be completed at the beginning of 2028 in time for a full festival run.

Our Budget

Our budget for January is $5000, which is a fraction of our entire production budget of $50,000. Money raised will go towards properly paying our cast and crew, insurance, production design, location, and any necessary gear costs.

ITEMIZED BREAKDOWN

Actors: $1200

Crew: $333

Travel: $1000

Contingency: $500

Production Design: $400

Costume: $200

Craft Services: $200

Location: $250

Insurance: $1500

Why Us? - A Director's Statement

Everyone holds something close to their heart. It could be a piece of memorabilia, a time in the past, or a loved one. I hold Wildwood, New Jersey close to my heart. I’ve spent every one of my summers in Wildwood and have explored every inch of that island. I’ve had some of my best moments there as well as some of my worst. Wildwood is, for better or worse, a home. And with Atlantic Avenue, I have the opportunity to tell a story that has been with me my entire life. 

I find myself growing with every movie I direct, not necessarily as an artist, although I’d like to think so as well, but as a human being. With each project I take on, I learn a little more about life and exactly how I fit into this messy and complicated tapestry of life. I already feel that path of discovery formulating in the making of this film. The writing process alone started with a series of difficult conversations between Nathan and I, breaking down and cutting open our adolescence and as such uncovering thinly veiled wounds that ultimately became the substance of our script. And the rest of this process has been turning those wounds into something beautiful and cathartic. I always figured it would be difficult to tell a story as personal as this. But it’s not. It’s easy. This movie is already living and breathing inside of me. Now, I just have the beautiful privilege of putting it to screen. So, thank you so much for your support, and I hope you enjoy the ride.

Why Now?

As we enter our early twenties and thus the beginning of our adult life, now is truly the only time we will be able to look back on our childhood and adolescence with this level of clarity and reverence. As artists and people, we are currently in the process of grieving our youth, a period of life that will never return despite our loudest wishes. And it is our belief and understanding that we are not alone in this strife. In a climate where home ownership and job security are increasingly fleeting concepts, a generational yearning for the simplicity of childhood has never been more prevalent. We intend for this film to speak directly to the contemporary issues and immediate stresses of the newest generation of adults, as well as create a nostalgic landscape for all age groups to revel in and reminisce upon. Now more than ever we need to embrace and protect our collective inner child. We hope that our film will help bridge the gap for those struggling to reconnect with the beautiful if devastatingly fleeting concept of adolescence.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you are not able to donate at this time, please consider sharing our page around as well as following us @atlanticavenuemovie on all social media platforms. Filmmaking is a collaborative process and as such we would not be able to make this film without your generosity and kindness. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Our Concept Trailer

Here's a taste of what to expect in Atlantic Avenue!