Borrowed Light
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
Two best friends who share a love for music grow apart when one of them moves away for college and suffers a mental breakdown. Our team wants to make way for more accurately depicted neurodiversity in stories about women and Asian-Americans. Thank you for your consideration and support.
Borrowed Light
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,652 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
137 supporters | followers
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Two best friends who share a love for music grow apart when one of them moves away for college and suffers a mental breakdown. Our team wants to make way for more accurately depicted neurodiversity in stories about women and Asian-Americans. Thank you for your consideration and support.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
*THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING CAMPAIGN!*
The Story
Molly and Desi are headed their separate ways for the first time. Desi finds a friend in fellow classmate and musician Tricia. Molly, on the other hand, feels tethered to the spiraling impulsivity and isolation that stems from her untreated bipolar disorder. The situation comes to a head when Desi receives a distressing call from Molly.
Visual Language
Though the overall style of the film will be rooted in realism, the emotional life of the characters will be reflected through immersive sound, shifting color saturation and carefully calculated camera movement. The audience is given the opportunity to experience the world as the characters do rather than being a passive bystander.
What does anxiety sound like?
How does mania move and feel?
How does loneliness tint your world?
Both Molly and Desi go through complete emotional turmoil as the film progresses. Molly - in a manic state - rapidly and impulsively rotates through sexual partners in an attempt to fill the void. The thrill of mania and the accompanied hypersexuality will saturate the world in vibrant shades of pink, purple and blue. For Desi, the increasing strain on her relationship with Molly leads to a constant sense of anxiety and dread. A combination of suffocating close ups, blurred environments and unsteady camera movements will be used to depict Desi's perspective later in the film. As Molly is dragged into her mental breakdown, her senses are overwhelmed. This gives us a opportunity to use haze and sound, leaning away from realism and joining Molly's inner world.
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Euphoria (2019)
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Writer's Note
"This film is a very personalized illustration of how shame and silence beget one another. It is the most vulnerable stories I have written to date, and draws from my personal coming-of-age experiences struggling with mental health, especially as a first-generation Chinese American. The friendship between characters Desi and Molly is founded on intimate knowledge of each other’s mental struggles, though immaturity, shame, and the need to save face prevent them from connecting when they need it the most. I’ve found that, as a person diagnosed with Bipolar II, I’ve had to do more leg work than medical professionals in paving the way for my health and balance. I’ve felt abandoned by institutions of faith, disappointed by the failings of the healthcare system, and have had to carve out my own plan to wellness by addressing my needs face-on. This film is my attempt to present Bipolar disorder in a humanistic, honest way, and not in the sensationalized caricatures which the media so often portrays. I strongly believe that if we can see the human behind the disorder, if we can safely voice ourselves despite the shame, we can forge a path to recovery and acceptance."
Billie Eilish - "Everything I wanted" (2020)
Covid-19 Protocol
We pushed our shoot days to June in hopes the situation in Los Angeles will improve somewhat. We will abide by all local and statewide Covid protocols, A certified Covid safety officer will be present on set and Covid PPE will be provided. Testing will be required for anyone who is working in-person and pre-production meetings are being held via Zoom. We take the safety of our cast and crew seriously and it will be prioritized over everything else.
Examples of personalized lo-fi beat art (donors $25 and above:)
*Thank you to artist @arideo-art for supporting our campaign with their art. Please go support them!
Sticker Design (donors $50 and above:)
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew
Costs $2,900
This portion of the budget will go towards paying our crew.
Post-Production
Costs $750
Paying for an editor!
Locations
Costs $2,700
Filming in Los Angeles is expensive! This is one of the bigger items on our list.
Insurance & Covid PPE
Costs $2,100
We will be paying for a certified Covid-19 safety officer and will provide PPE to crew.
Production Design
Costs $550
This part of the budget will allow us to better create the world!
Equipment
Costs $1,000
All supplemental camera equipment.
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
*THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING CAMPAIGN!*
The Story
Molly and Desi are headed their separate ways for the first time. Desi finds a friend in fellow classmate and musician Tricia. Molly, on the other hand, feels tethered to the spiraling impulsivity and isolation that stems from her untreated bipolar disorder. The situation comes to a head when Desi receives a distressing call from Molly.
Visual Language
Though the overall style of the film will be rooted in realism, the emotional life of the characters will be reflected through immersive sound, shifting color saturation and carefully calculated camera movement. The audience is given the opportunity to experience the world as the characters do rather than being a passive bystander.
What does anxiety sound like?
How does mania move and feel?
How does loneliness tint your world?
Both Molly and Desi go through complete emotional turmoil as the film progresses. Molly - in a manic state - rapidly and impulsively rotates through sexual partners in an attempt to fill the void. The thrill of mania and the accompanied hypersexuality will saturate the world in vibrant shades of pink, purple and blue. For Desi, the increasing strain on her relationship with Molly leads to a constant sense of anxiety and dread. A combination of suffocating close ups, blurred environments and unsteady camera movements will be used to depict Desi's perspective later in the film. As Molly is dragged into her mental breakdown, her senses are overwhelmed. This gives us a opportunity to use haze and sound, leaning away from realism and joining Molly's inner world.
Euphoria (2019)
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Writer's Note
"This film is a very personalized illustration of how shame and silence beget one another. It is the most vulnerable stories I have written to date, and draws from my personal coming-of-age experiences struggling with mental health, especially as a first-generation Chinese American. The friendship between characters Desi and Molly is founded on intimate knowledge of each other’s mental struggles, though immaturity, shame, and the need to save face prevent them from connecting when they need it the most. I’ve found that, as a person diagnosed with Bipolar II, I’ve had to do more leg work than medical professionals in paving the way for my health and balance. I’ve felt abandoned by institutions of faith, disappointed by the failings of the healthcare system, and have had to carve out my own plan to wellness by addressing my needs face-on. This film is my attempt to present Bipolar disorder in a humanistic, honest way, and not in the sensationalized caricatures which the media so often portrays. I strongly believe that if we can see the human behind the disorder, if we can safely voice ourselves despite the shame, we can forge a path to recovery and acceptance."
Billie Eilish - "Everything I wanted" (2020)
Covid-19 Protocol
We pushed our shoot days to June in hopes the situation in Los Angeles will improve somewhat. We will abide by all local and statewide Covid protocols, A certified Covid safety officer will be present on set and Covid PPE will be provided. Testing will be required for anyone who is working in-person and pre-production meetings are being held via Zoom. We take the safety of our cast and crew seriously and it will be prioritized over everything else.
Examples of personalized lo-fi beat art (donors $25 and above:)
*Thank you to artist @arideo-art for supporting our campaign with their art. Please go support them!
Sticker Design (donors $50 and above:)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew
Costs $2,900
This portion of the budget will go towards paying our crew.
Post-Production
Costs $750
Paying for an editor!
Locations
Costs $2,700
Filming in Los Angeles is expensive! This is one of the bigger items on our list.
Insurance & Covid PPE
Costs $2,100
We will be paying for a certified Covid-19 safety officer and will provide PPE to crew.
Production Design
Costs $550
This part of the budget will allow us to better create the world!
Equipment
Costs $1,000
All supplemental camera equipment.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team