BLACK BUTTERFLIES
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Drama, Horror
When a woman becomes haunted by her sister's ailing health, she enters a real-life nightmare & must fight to be heard as her condition deteriorates. This timely story tackles the horrifying maternal mortality disparity amongst WOC, while showcasing the vulnerability, love & duality of Black women.
BLACK BUTTERFLIES
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Drama, Horror
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $23,023 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
271 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
When a woman becomes haunted by her sister's ailing health, she enters a real-life nightmare & must fight to be heard as her condition deteriorates. This timely story tackles the horrifying maternal mortality disparity amongst WOC, while showcasing the vulnerability, love & duality of Black women.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
This is not your typical horror (nor drama) film. Alongside inspiring our audience, we want to simultaneously jolt people out of their seats to help create change. Through the lens of a sister’s love, our plans are to utilize the horror genre to transform the fear and anxiety of an expectant mother onto the audience, while utilizing drama to generate empathy, tension, and the soul of the story. Our story follows protagonist, Sienna James, who, following a haunting nightmare, learns that her 10-months-apart sister, Toya James, has not only gone into labor, but has already given birth.
The happy and anxious worlds of a new baby collide when Sienna learns of her sister's deteriorating condition. Tensions quickly rise between Sienna, Toya’s partner, Ray, and the medical workers in the hospital who have not been prioritizing their voiced concerns. At the same time, we see the nuanced and delicate nature of Black women depicted through the relationship of the sister’s and how the perception of possessing "strength" and perpetuating the warped belief of what it means to be “strong” can lead to detrimental consequences. It is an inward and outward look at both ourselves and society’s view and treatment of Black women.
Being silenced is scary. This film examines a “day-in-the-life” of what that feels like, and depicts the internal and external struggles that come with speaking up as a marginalized member of society.
This story moves, inspires, terrifies, and reflects real life for so many in our community.
.png)
I am a voice for my sisters.
Two years ago, when I first crafted “Black Butterflies,” it was originally told through the lens of a romantic relationship. But then I thought, “we always see this!” And I remember how shocked, inspired, and moved I was when I first watched Disney’s “Frozen.” (yes, Frozen) How it was Anna’s true love for her sister, Elsa, that saved her. And how society has always held the love of a significant other on a pedestal. Similarly to "Frozen," I wanted to tell this story differently, and I wanted the love between my two main characters to feel much-more universal. With that, the horror-drama version of “Black Butterflies” was born.
It was at that time, too, when I first learned that Black women in the United States were two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. I was watching a widowed African American father dance in a living room with his newborn. It was a beautiful image tainted by a haunting truth: the mother of the newborn had passed shortly after childbirth. Upon delving deeper, I realized that this terrifying disparity was something not addressed enough. I want to change that with this story.
With there still being a gap in the horror genre in capturing the real-life horrors of those in my community - but especially Black women, I birthed “Black Butterflies” to humanize, reflect real life, and to further close that gap. With your support, I want to also help fill the still present void of voices from Black women storytellers and create a career-defining opportunity not only for myself, but for other WOC in this industry.
I sincerely thank you for your support and participation in making this film possible. Every follow, pledge, share, and contribution makes a difference in bringing this story to life. I hope you join us on our journey of simultaneously creating art, change, and space for those who look like me.
.png)
Artistically, "Black Butterflies" draws inspiration from the directorial style of "The Silence of the Lambs'' (d: Jonathan Demme), the fanciful world of "Frozen” (d: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck), and the eerieness of "Get Out" (d: Jordan Peele). Merging the horror and drama genres, my aim is to transfer the fear and anxiety of an expectant mother onto the audience, while utilizing tension, drama, and the love of two sisters to generate empathy and the "soul" of the story.
By way of creative angles and intimate close-ups, my goal is to both start with fear (the nightmare/hospital) and end in fear to show that the real-life danger is still present. I plan to depict the dichotomy between the panic-stricken family and hospital workers, creating an environment that is tense, unnerving, and yet calm-- at the same time. Additionally, I aim to create a dream-like flashback sequence of the sisters, giving their love a romance-like feel.
My overall goal is to create an atmosphere that is both inviting and off-putting. Beautiful and scary. Because unfortunately, as a woman in this country, pregnancy and childbirth can be just that: a beautiful nightmare.
.png)
.png)
Writer/Director
Tamara S. Hall is an LA-based actress, screenwriter, poet, and award-winning filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. A graduate of The William Esper Studio, Tamara completed her studies in acting, movement, and voice & speech. She’s written, produced, and starred in short films tackling both fun and controversial topics that center Black women. Her first two shorts, “Appetizer” and “A Night at the Table," premiered at prestigious festivals such as Screamfest, BronzeLens, Pan African FF, Ax Wound, and more. ANATT received a 3-year distribution deal with REVOLT TV. Before becoming a filmmaker, Tamara worked in the TV business at renowned networks such as NBCUniversal, BET, and HBO.
Producers
Kiah Clingman is a passionate content creator that has carved the perfect path to merge her corporate skills with her creative talents. She produced a webseries, Outlandish, that has over 450,000 views on YouTube and was considered by Issa Rae Productions for Season 2 distribution/production. She is a 2020 Southern Producers Lab fellow. Her award-winning SAG short film that she produced, wrote, directed, and starred in, Eavesdropping on the Elders, recently received official selections from 15 film festivals and won "Best Film" in the Seattle Black Film Festival.
Kayla Magginson has a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Producing from New York Film Academy. Kayla had the opportunity to study individuals with established careers in the entertainment industry such as Jim Coane, Anne McCaffrey, Steven Peros, Eric Bross, Denise Carlson, and more. Kayla worked at Voltage Pictures, Nicolis Chartier’s sales, financing, and marketing company, located in Beverly Hills, California. Tasks included script coverage with feedback. Kayla has produced over thirty short films, handling responsibilities as both a line and creative producer.
Christl Stringer is a filmmaker and artist from NJ who has taken on the role of Associate Producer for Black Butterflies. She creates to highlight the female experience and redefine what it means to be American. Her work has screened at Another Hole In The Head Film Festival and NFFTY.
.png)
Alison Law has been cast as Sienna's sister, "Toya" in Black Butterflies.
Alison Law is a Cum Laude Honors Alumni of Howard University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Alison is an actress, producer, writer, and classically trained violinist, based in Los Angeles. In 2017, Alison received her first film appearance on PureFlix "Beyond The Shield" alongside Omar Gooding and Patrick Kilpatrick. Alison starred in two seasons of a web series known as "My Best Friend Best Friend" which received over 1 million views on Youtube. Alison's dedication and commitment landed her a role in HBO's "Insecure" (season 3) alongside actor Jay Ellis, "Compton's Finest" starring Cisco Reyes and Malik Whitfield, and NBC's Will & Grace (revival Season 3). Most recently, Alison received a supporting role starring opposite Aaron Paul on Netflix's El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Stephen Barrington has been cast as Toya's partner, "Ray" in Black Butterflies.
Stephen Barrington was born in New York City to Jamaican Immigrants, Lurline Archer and Lloyd Collins, and he was raised in Jamaica. He returned to the United States at the age of 5 where he began school in North Carolina. He attended the Historic Hillside High school in Durham NC, and then went on to N.C. Central University where he received a Theater Performance degree. After over 10 years of theater, he now lives in Los Angeles pursuing a Film and Television Career. His notable titles are Array's "Jezebel" directed by Numa Perrier and "All Day and A Night" directed by Joe Robert Cole both released on Netflix in 2020.
More casting coming soon!
.png)
WE NEED YOU!
- FOLLOW our campaign. It’s 100% free. Seed&Spark rewards us for building our audience. The more followers we get, the more we unlock products, services, and festival fee waivers courtesy of Seed&Spark!
- PLEDGE & CONTRIBUTE by selecting an amazing Incentive or by clicking the "Make a Pledge" button at the top of the page! You can also support by donating toward our Wish List in the tab above.
- SPREAD THE WORD by sharing our campaign via social media, e-mail, word-of-mouth, or however you'd like! We can only reach our goal if we reach beyond our own networks and YOU can make a difference in our success.
- PRAY OR MEDITATE to help bring our films to the finish line by making our funding goal! We need as much support as we can get!
- Please SHARE this link by using the Seed&Spark tools on the top right of this page. They make it easy to share our campaign with your friends and family!
THANK YOU!!
DEDICATED TO ALL OF THE BLACK MOTHERS WHOSE LIVES WERE LOST, VOICES SILENCED, AND CRIES UNHEARD.
.jpeg)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $1,200
We are filming on real location.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Crew
Costs $9,000
We want to hire local crew members and pay them decent day rates.
Cast
Costs $3,000
We can't make a film without our amazingly talented cast!
COVID-19 PPE
Costs $300
We will provide safety and sanitization supplies: gloves, masks, thermometers, and hand sanitizer.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $2,000
We can't make a film without the equipment. We aim to rent high quality camera and sound equipment.
Catering & Crafties
Costs $1,100
Along with meals, we like to keep our cast and crew well fed and hydrated throughout the shoot day.
Marketing
Costs $2,300
With your help, we can reach our target audience by submitting to several film festivals!
Travel & Transportation
Costs $2,200
Director and Producer air fare, local cast and crew gas mileage, car and U-Haul rentals.
Wardrobe
Costs $300
85% of our cast wardrobe is uniformed and we would like to provide them with fashionable outfits.
Art Department
Costs $600
Production design and prop rentals/purchases!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Tamara S. Hall is an LA-based actress, screenwriter, poet, and award-winning filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. A graduate of The William Esper Studio, Tamara completed her studies in acting, movement, and voice & speech. She’s written, produced, and starred in short films tackling both fun and controversial topics that center Black women. Her first two shorts, “Appetizer” and “A Night at the Table," premiered at prestigious festivals such as Screamfest, BronzeLens, Pan African FF, Ax Wound, and more. ANATT received a 3-year distribution deal with REVOLT TV. Before becoming a filmmaker, Tamara worked in the TV business at renowned networks such as NBCUniversal, BET, and HBO.
Kiah Clingman is a passionate content creator that has carved the perfect path to merge her corporate skills with her creative talents. She produced a webseries, Outlandish, that has over 450,000 views on YouTube and was considered by Issa Rae Productions for Season 2 distribution/production. She is a 2020 Southern Producers Lab fellow. Her award-winning SAG short film that she produced, wrote, directed, and starred in, Eavesdropping on the Elders, recently received official selections from 15 film festivals and won "Best Film" in the Seattle Black Film Festival.
Kayla Magginson has a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Producing from New York Film Academy. Kayla had the opportunity to study individuals with established careers in the entertainment industry such as Jim Coane, Anne McCaffrey, Steven Peros, Eric Bross, Denise Carlson, and more. Kayla worked at Voltage Pictures, Nicolis Chartier’s sales, financing, and marketing company, located in Beverly Hills, California. Tasks included script coverage with feedback. Kayla has produced over thirty short films, handling responsibilities as both a line and creative producer.
Christl Stringer is a filmmaker and artist from NJ who has taken on the role of Associate Producer for Black Butterflies. She creates to highlight the female experience and redefine what it means to be American. Her work has screened at Another Hole In The Head Film Festival and NFFTY.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
This is not your typical horror (nor drama) film. Alongside inspiring our audience, we want to simultaneously jolt people out of their seats to help create change. Through the lens of a sister’s love, our plans are to utilize the horror genre to transform the fear and anxiety of an expectant mother onto the audience, while utilizing drama to generate empathy, tension, and the soul of the story. Our story follows protagonist, Sienna James, who, following a haunting nightmare, learns that her 10-months-apart sister, Toya James, has not only gone into labor, but has already given birth.
The happy and anxious worlds of a new baby collide when Sienna learns of her sister's deteriorating condition. Tensions quickly rise between Sienna, Toya’s partner, Ray, and the medical workers in the hospital who have not been prioritizing their voiced concerns. At the same time, we see the nuanced and delicate nature of Black women depicted through the relationship of the sister’s and how the perception of possessing "strength" and perpetuating the warped belief of what it means to be “strong” can lead to detrimental consequences. It is an inward and outward look at both ourselves and society’s view and treatment of Black women.
Being silenced is scary. This film examines a “day-in-the-life” of what that feels like, and depicts the internal and external struggles that come with speaking up as a marginalized member of society.
This story moves, inspires, terrifies, and reflects real life for so many in our community.
I am a voice for my sisters.
Two years ago, when I first crafted “Black Butterflies,” it was originally told through the lens of a romantic relationship. But then I thought, “we always see this!” And I remember how shocked, inspired, and moved I was when I first watched Disney’s “Frozen.” (yes, Frozen) How it was Anna’s true love for her sister, Elsa, that saved her. And how society has always held the love of a significant other on a pedestal. Similarly to "Frozen," I wanted to tell this story differently, and I wanted the love between my two main characters to feel much-more universal. With that, the horror-drama version of “Black Butterflies” was born.
It was at that time, too, when I first learned that Black women in the United States were two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. I was watching a widowed African American father dance in a living room with his newborn. It was a beautiful image tainted by a haunting truth: the mother of the newborn had passed shortly after childbirth. Upon delving deeper, I realized that this terrifying disparity was something not addressed enough. I want to change that with this story.
With there still being a gap in the horror genre in capturing the real-life horrors of those in my community - but especially Black women, I birthed “Black Butterflies” to humanize, reflect real life, and to further close that gap. With your support, I want to also help fill the still present void of voices from Black women storytellers and create a career-defining opportunity not only for myself, but for other WOC in this industry.
I sincerely thank you for your support and participation in making this film possible. Every follow, pledge, share, and contribution makes a difference in bringing this story to life. I hope you join us on our journey of simultaneously creating art, change, and space for those who look like me.
Artistically, "Black Butterflies" draws inspiration from the directorial style of "The Silence of the Lambs'' (d: Jonathan Demme), the fanciful world of "Frozen” (d: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck), and the eerieness of "Get Out" (d: Jordan Peele). Merging the horror and drama genres, my aim is to transfer the fear and anxiety of an expectant mother onto the audience, while utilizing tension, drama, and the love of two sisters to generate empathy and the "soul" of the story.
By way of creative angles and intimate close-ups, my goal is to both start with fear (the nightmare/hospital) and end in fear to show that the real-life danger is still present. I plan to depict the dichotomy between the panic-stricken family and hospital workers, creating an environment that is tense, unnerving, and yet calm-- at the same time. Additionally, I aim to create a dream-like flashback sequence of the sisters, giving their love a romance-like feel.
My overall goal is to create an atmosphere that is both inviting and off-putting. Beautiful and scary. Because unfortunately, as a woman in this country, pregnancy and childbirth can be just that: a beautiful nightmare.
Writer/Director
Tamara S. Hall is an LA-based actress, screenwriter, poet, and award-winning filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. A graduate of The William Esper Studio, Tamara completed her studies in acting, movement, and voice & speech. She’s written, produced, and starred in short films tackling both fun and controversial topics that center Black women. Her first two shorts, “Appetizer” and “A Night at the Table," premiered at prestigious festivals such as Screamfest, BronzeLens, Pan African FF, Ax Wound, and more. ANATT received a 3-year distribution deal with REVOLT TV. Before becoming a filmmaker, Tamara worked in the TV business at renowned networks such as NBCUniversal, BET, and HBO.
Producers
Kiah Clingman is a passionate content creator that has carved the perfect path to merge her corporate skills with her creative talents. She produced a webseries, Outlandish, that has over 450,000 views on YouTube and was considered by Issa Rae Productions for Season 2 distribution/production. She is a 2020 Southern Producers Lab fellow. Her award-winning SAG short film that she produced, wrote, directed, and starred in, Eavesdropping on the Elders, recently received official selections from 15 film festivals and won "Best Film" in the Seattle Black Film Festival.
Kayla Magginson has a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Producing from New York Film Academy. Kayla had the opportunity to study individuals with established careers in the entertainment industry such as Jim Coane, Anne McCaffrey, Steven Peros, Eric Bross, Denise Carlson, and more. Kayla worked at Voltage Pictures, Nicolis Chartier’s sales, financing, and marketing company, located in Beverly Hills, California. Tasks included script coverage with feedback. Kayla has produced over thirty short films, handling responsibilities as both a line and creative producer.
Christl Stringer is a filmmaker and artist from NJ who has taken on the role of Associate Producer for Black Butterflies. She creates to highlight the female experience and redefine what it means to be American. Her work has screened at Another Hole In The Head Film Festival and NFFTY.
Alison Law has been cast as Sienna's sister, "Toya" in Black Butterflies.
Alison Law is a Cum Laude Honors Alumni of Howard University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Alison is an actress, producer, writer, and classically trained violinist, based in Los Angeles. In 2017, Alison received her first film appearance on PureFlix "Beyond The Shield" alongside Omar Gooding and Patrick Kilpatrick. Alison starred in two seasons of a web series known as "My Best Friend Best Friend" which received over 1 million views on Youtube. Alison's dedication and commitment landed her a role in HBO's "Insecure" (season 3) alongside actor Jay Ellis, "Compton's Finest" starring Cisco Reyes and Malik Whitfield, and NBC's Will & Grace (revival Season 3). Most recently, Alison received a supporting role starring opposite Aaron Paul on Netflix's El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Stephen Barrington has been cast as Toya's partner, "Ray" in Black Butterflies.
Stephen Barrington was born in New York City to Jamaican Immigrants, Lurline Archer and Lloyd Collins, and he was raised in Jamaica. He returned to the United States at the age of 5 where he began school in North Carolina. He attended the Historic Hillside High school in Durham NC, and then went on to N.C. Central University where he received a Theater Performance degree. After over 10 years of theater, he now lives in Los Angeles pursuing a Film and Television Career. His notable titles are Array's "Jezebel" directed by Numa Perrier and "All Day and A Night" directed by Joe Robert Cole both released on Netflix in 2020.
More casting coming soon!
WE NEED YOU!
- FOLLOW our campaign. It’s 100% free. Seed&Spark rewards us for building our audience. The more followers we get, the more we unlock products, services, and festival fee waivers courtesy of Seed&Spark!
- PLEDGE & CONTRIBUTE by selecting an amazing Incentive or by clicking the "Make a Pledge" button at the top of the page! You can also support by donating toward our Wish List in the tab above.
- SPREAD THE WORD by sharing our campaign via social media, e-mail, word-of-mouth, or however you'd like! We can only reach our goal if we reach beyond our own networks and YOU can make a difference in our success.
- PRAY OR MEDITATE to help bring our films to the finish line by making our funding goal! We need as much support as we can get!
- Please SHARE this link by using the Seed&Spark tools on the top right of this page. They make it easy to share our campaign with your friends and family!
THANK YOU!!
DEDICATED TO ALL OF THE BLACK MOTHERS WHOSE LIVES WERE LOST, VOICES SILENCED, AND CRIES UNHEARD.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $1,200
We are filming on real location.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Crew
Costs $9,000
We want to hire local crew members and pay them decent day rates.
Cast
Costs $3,000
We can't make a film without our amazingly talented cast!
COVID-19 PPE
Costs $300
We will provide safety and sanitization supplies: gloves, masks, thermometers, and hand sanitizer.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $2,000
We can't make a film without the equipment. We aim to rent high quality camera and sound equipment.
Catering & Crafties
Costs $1,100
Along with meals, we like to keep our cast and crew well fed and hydrated throughout the shoot day.
Marketing
Costs $2,300
With your help, we can reach our target audience by submitting to several film festivals!
Travel & Transportation
Costs $2,200
Director and Producer air fare, local cast and crew gas mileage, car and U-Haul rentals.
Wardrobe
Costs $300
85% of our cast wardrobe is uniformed and we would like to provide them with fashionable outfits.
Art Department
Costs $600
Production design and prop rentals/purchases!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Tamara S. Hall is an LA-based actress, screenwriter, poet, and award-winning filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. A graduate of The William Esper Studio, Tamara completed her studies in acting, movement, and voice & speech. She’s written, produced, and starred in short films tackling both fun and controversial topics that center Black women. Her first two shorts, “Appetizer” and “A Night at the Table," premiered at prestigious festivals such as Screamfest, BronzeLens, Pan African FF, Ax Wound, and more. ANATT received a 3-year distribution deal with REVOLT TV. Before becoming a filmmaker, Tamara worked in the TV business at renowned networks such as NBCUniversal, BET, and HBO.
Kiah Clingman is a passionate content creator that has carved the perfect path to merge her corporate skills with her creative talents. She produced a webseries, Outlandish, that has over 450,000 views on YouTube and was considered by Issa Rae Productions for Season 2 distribution/production. She is a 2020 Southern Producers Lab fellow. Her award-winning SAG short film that she produced, wrote, directed, and starred in, Eavesdropping on the Elders, recently received official selections from 15 film festivals and won "Best Film" in the Seattle Black Film Festival.
Kayla Magginson has a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Producing from New York Film Academy. Kayla had the opportunity to study individuals with established careers in the entertainment industry such as Jim Coane, Anne McCaffrey, Steven Peros, Eric Bross, Denise Carlson, and more. Kayla worked at Voltage Pictures, Nicolis Chartier’s sales, financing, and marketing company, located in Beverly Hills, California. Tasks included script coverage with feedback. Kayla has produced over thirty short films, handling responsibilities as both a line and creative producer.
Christl Stringer is a filmmaker and artist from NJ who has taken on the role of Associate Producer for Black Butterflies. She creates to highlight the female experience and redefine what it means to be American. Her work has screened at Another Hole In The Head Film Festival and NFFTY.