Bashful
New York City, New York | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
By supporting this pilot, you’re helping a Black and Hispanic storytelling team bring visibility to the power dynamics, grooming, and commodification that real artists face, all while uplifting emerging filmmakers committed to telling uncomfortable truths with nuance, style, and intention.
Bashful
New York City, New York | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $17,193 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
45 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
By supporting this pilot, you’re helping a Black and Hispanic storytelling team bring visibility to the power dynamics, grooming, and commodification that real artists face, all while uplifting emerging filmmakers committed to telling uncomfortable truths with nuance, style, and intention.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY
In the glittering chaos of New York's fashion world, three students learn that "networking" can mean selling more than just your ideas. Bashful turns the fantasy of fame inside out, exposing the predators, the dreamers, and the price of staying desirable.
SYNOPSIS
NACHO and LIONEL are two students at NYUDA, the premiere fashion school of the world. The show begins with Lionel and Nacho being taken on a dinner, which is later revealed to be a sugar baby DATE.
On the first day of school, Nacho bumps into his ex-girlfriend and Lionel’s friend, JASMINE, where it’s revealed that all three are in the same class. Their teacher, MARGARET GREENFIELD, invites them to a “networking” party after class. Nacho decides to go to the party despite promising his friends not to, when he discovers that he’s stumbled on something much bigger than a simple career OPPORTUNITY.
CHARACTERS
INSPIRATION AND LOOK
Bashful draws visual inspiration from Euphoria, The Idol, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace. The tone merges comedy with drama; think Succession meets Call Me by Your Name in the world of The Devil Wears Prada. The look of the show contrasts the dazzling aesthetic of high fashion with the muted realism of its characters' inner lives.
WHY US? WHY NOW?
Bashful aims to bring to light the power dynamics and exploitation that occurs for young and vulnerable people entering the artistic sphere, while also touching on how some use their celebrity status and positions of power to exploit and abuse others. With a Black and Hispanic co-writing duo whose witnessed and experienced fetishization and grooming, our team felt that a story designed as a comedy-turned-drama would be an effective way to show how we often disregard stories of abuse out of shock value — or out of BASHFULNESS.
OUR MISSION
We hope to challenge the glamorization of power and expose the manipulative culture behind mentorship, fame and opportunity. Bashful sheds light on what people trade for visibility and validation. By balancing biting satire with emotional depth, we want to start conversations that make viewers laugh, cringe and ultimately reflect on the cost of ambition in a world built on exploitation
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
This campaign seeks to raise $20,000 to bring Bashful to life. So far, our team has raised $7,500. Our budget breakdown is as follows:
Locations: 38.6%, Food & Set Supplies: 14.1%, Art Department: 11.4%, Contingency: 9.1%, Production Insurance: 6.2%, Transportation: 5.6%, Post-Production: 3.7%, Media Stock & Lab: 3.7%, Camera: 3.5%, Stunts, SFX, Intimacy: 1.6%
As part of the Advanced Production Workshop at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Bashful is a student-led production created by an emerging team of diverse filmmakers passionate about telling stories that challenge the status quo.
All donations are tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsorship with From the Heart Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping independent filmmakers with unique and socially relevant stories. 
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Donate: Every contribution, big or small, brings Bashful closer to the screen.
Follow: Stay up to date on our journey by following our campaign here, and on Instagram at @bashful.media.
Share: Spread the word with family, friends, classmates, and anyone who believes in supporting student filmmakers with something to say.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $6,000
Our story lives in the fashion world. Proper locations elevate visual storytelling and ensure legal clearance for filming
Food & Set Supplies
Costs $3,000
Long days on set require feeding our cast and crew to keep morale high and energy stable. A well-fed crew works better, faster, and safer!
Art Department
Costs $2,000
Art department costs cover set dressing, props, decor, wardrobe, and the defining aesthetics of NYUDA and the fashion world
Contingency
Costs $2,000
Unexpected costs are inevitable in production: last-minute location needs, equipment replacements, weather issues, or emergency purchases
Production Insurance
Costs $1,000
Insurance protects our team, our equipment, and our locations, and ensures responsible filmmaking and safety compliance throughout the shoot
Transportation
Costs $1,200
Covers transport of cast, crew, and equipment across New York City. This includes vans, trucks for equipment, and gas/tolls.
Camera
Costs $2,000
Camera costs support rentals, accessories, media cards, and essential gear needed to achieve our shoot.
Media Stock & Lab
Costs $500
This covers the recording media, storage, data management, and laboratory work needed to safely store and process footage.
Post-Production
Costs $1,500
Post-production includes editing, color grading, sound work, score licensing, and final mastering.
Stunts, SFX, and Intimacy Coordination
Costs $800
These funds ensure proper stunt planning, supervision, and certified intimacy coordination. Safety and consent are top priorities.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY
In the glittering chaos of New York's fashion world, three students learn that "networking" can mean selling more than just your ideas. Bashful turns the fantasy of fame inside out, exposing the predators, the dreamers, and the price of staying desirable.
SYNOPSIS
NACHO and LIONEL are two students at NYUDA, the premiere fashion school of the world. The show begins with Lionel and Nacho being taken on a dinner, which is later revealed to be a sugar baby DATE.
On the first day of school, Nacho bumps into his ex-girlfriend and Lionel’s friend, JASMINE, where it’s revealed that all three are in the same class. Their teacher, MARGARET GREENFIELD, invites them to a “networking” party after class. Nacho decides to go to the party despite promising his friends not to, when he discovers that he’s stumbled on something much bigger than a simple career OPPORTUNITY.
CHARACTERS
INSPIRATION AND LOOK
Bashful draws visual inspiration from Euphoria, The Idol, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace. The tone merges comedy with drama; think Succession meets Call Me by Your Name in the world of The Devil Wears Prada. The look of the show contrasts the dazzling aesthetic of high fashion with the muted realism of its characters' inner lives.
WHY US? WHY NOW?
Bashful aims to bring to light the power dynamics and exploitation that occurs for young and vulnerable people entering the artistic sphere, while also touching on how some use their celebrity status and positions of power to exploit and abuse others. With a Black and Hispanic co-writing duo whose witnessed and experienced fetishization and grooming, our team felt that a story designed as a comedy-turned-drama would be an effective way to show how we often disregard stories of abuse out of shock value — or out of BASHFULNESS.
OUR MISSION
We hope to challenge the glamorization of power and expose the manipulative culture behind mentorship, fame and opportunity. Bashful sheds light on what people trade for visibility and validation. By balancing biting satire with emotional depth, we want to start conversations that make viewers laugh, cringe and ultimately reflect on the cost of ambition in a world built on exploitation
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
This campaign seeks to raise $20,000 to bring Bashful to life. So far, our team has raised $7,500. Our budget breakdown is as follows:
Locations: 38.6%, Food & Set Supplies: 14.1%, Art Department: 11.4%, Contingency: 9.1%, Production Insurance: 6.2%, Transportation: 5.6%, Post-Production: 3.7%, Media Stock & Lab: 3.7%, Camera: 3.5%, Stunts, SFX, Intimacy: 1.6%
As part of the Advanced Production Workshop at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Bashful is a student-led production created by an emerging team of diverse filmmakers passionate about telling stories that challenge the status quo.
All donations are tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsorship with From the Heart Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping independent filmmakers with unique and socially relevant stories.
Donate: Every contribution, big or small, brings Bashful closer to the screen.
Follow: Stay up to date on our journey by following our campaign here, and on Instagram at @bashful.media.
Share: Spread the word with family, friends, classmates, and anyone who believes in supporting student filmmakers with something to say.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $6,000
Our story lives in the fashion world. Proper locations elevate visual storytelling and ensure legal clearance for filming
Food & Set Supplies
Costs $3,000
Long days on set require feeding our cast and crew to keep morale high and energy stable. A well-fed crew works better, faster, and safer!
Art Department
Costs $2,000
Art department costs cover set dressing, props, decor, wardrobe, and the defining aesthetics of NYUDA and the fashion world
Contingency
Costs $2,000
Unexpected costs are inevitable in production: last-minute location needs, equipment replacements, weather issues, or emergency purchases
Production Insurance
Costs $1,000
Insurance protects our team, our equipment, and our locations, and ensures responsible filmmaking and safety compliance throughout the shoot
Transportation
Costs $1,200
Covers transport of cast, crew, and equipment across New York City. This includes vans, trucks for equipment, and gas/tolls.
Camera
Costs $2,000
Camera costs support rentals, accessories, media cards, and essential gear needed to achieve our shoot.
Media Stock & Lab
Costs $500
This covers the recording media, storage, data management, and laboratory work needed to safely store and process footage.
Post-Production
Costs $1,500
Post-production includes editing, color grading, sound work, score licensing, and final mastering.
Stunts, SFX, and Intimacy Coordination
Costs $800
These funds ensure proper stunt planning, supervision, and certified intimacy coordination. Safety and consent are top priorities.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
.