Color Theories is a coming of age story that explores how wisdom is born during some of our most challenging and confusing experiences. This story is personal to writer/director Devin Jane Febbroriello. It re-creates aspects of her own coming of age experience. Her mother suffered a stroke and complicated brain surgery the winter before Devin got her first period. Entering early adulthood during a family crisis had a unique impact on the trajectory of her life and work as an artist. 

Color Theories is not an exact re-creation of Devin’s experience. Instead it explores  more universal qualities of life, woven through her highly personal memories.  

Unfortunately, this film production has been on pause for two and a half years due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and a personal medical crisis. It has felt impossible to find the right time to fundraise and finally make this movie.  In summer 2021 Devin was just about to initiate fundraising when her husband suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, resulting in her rerouting her production fundraiser to instead offset their medical costs not covered by their insurance. This was a major setback, and an emotionally challenging time. 

After a lot of consideration we have chosen to finally move forward with fundraising and production. The pandemic has been especially hard on people who work in the arts. Your contribution to this project will help create paid opportunities for our team.

The creative team behind Color Theories is led by a highly skilled team of independent filmmakers from Portland Oregon & New York City. The story requires astute visual design across all production departments. Having a team capable of contributing strong collaborative vision to the film is crucial to producing a most successful final work of art. In addition everyone on the project is devoted to impacting change in the media industry through cultivating equitable, safe, and inclusive work environments.

(Left) Cinematographer Joe Bowden has a subtle natural style that picks up on poetic details within any given moment. (Right) Director DJF is influenced by distinct visuals that have a  story-driven purpose.

Color Theories will fluidly move between naturalistic and heightened visuals through highly composed scene design and camera movement.

CAMERA AND LIGHTING NEEDS: Cinema Camera & Lens, Dolly Track, Underwater Camera Rigging, Wide Range of Light Tools, Projector.

Color Theories utilizes a symbolic thread of color to propel the narrative of the film forward.

The story unfolds within an exploration of the visible light spectrum: ROY G BIV. This serves as a visual aid to emphasize the emotional peaks and valleys of the story.

Each color symbolically explores a different theory of how our environment (light, color, sound, form) influences, supports, and impacts our main characters' experiences.  The colors show up within light design, key props, production design, and wardrobe.  The colors were thread into the narrative based around culturally historical and philosophical interpretations of color frequencies. 

Sound design will play a crucial role in the film. Composer + Interdisciplinary Sound Artist, Chloe Alexandra Thompson (left), will design color-informed soundscapes to emphasize the frequencies of each symbolic theme and Arjan Miranda (right) will contribute additional music to the overall score. 

SOUND DESIGN NEEDS:  Compose an original score, Record the original compositions and soundscapes, Mix the audio, Master and finalize the audio.

PRODUCTION DESIGN AND WARDROBE NEEDS: 1990’s wardrobe, HMU Styling, Set Dressing, Set Decorating, Props, Cars

Did we mention that Color Theories takes place in the early 90’s? 1994 is coming back at you, full stop.  

We believe this is a story worth being told. But we also want to help generate jobs in our local filmmaking community.

Color Theories Film is fiscally sponsored by From the Heart Productions. From the Heart Productions is dedicated to helping independent filmmakers with unique films that make a contribution to society get their films funded. Fiscal sponsorship means donations are tax deductible!

Making a movie like Color Theories requires a lot of elements. We were fortunate to receive $7,000 in grant funding (RACC project grant and an innovation prize). But although $7,000 is a wonderful start, it is not enough funding to equitably produce a narrative film. The primary reason our fundraising target and percentages are what they are is because we recognize the importance of properly compensating our cast & crew. This is so important to us that we will not move into production until we have successfully fundraised enough to adequately pay our team.

We firmly believe that we should collectively support the arts by directly contributing to the economy of artists producing work.  There are many ways to do this- supporting Color Theories is one of them!

We will host a private screening party at Desert Island Studios for our supporters, cast, and crew this fall in Portland.  This will be a celebration for everyone involved, and an opportunity for our community to give their blessings as we send the film out for festival selection.

Color Theories will then be submitted to all of the top tier film festivals.  Rotterdam, SXSW, Sundance, Toronto, Slamdance, PIFF, Tribeca, SF Film, and many more.  Our goal is to secure a festival premiere, as well as multiple additional screenings. After it's festival run, we hope to secure Color Theories an online premiere with a reputable streaming or curated video site - like Nowness, Mubi, or Short of The Week.

Lastly, once Color Theories has had its festival run, we will organize a Portland area screening open to the public with other women made shorts. This will be a fabulous night of short films where we will celebrate and connect with our local community. 

Color Theories will serve as a proof of concept for Devin Jane Febbroriello’s feature film debut.

Devin has been prepping a low budget feature called Kathleen's Sound Bath for the last two years. The success of this Color Theories will directly impact her ability to finally make her feature film debut.  This is something Devin has been working hard toward for 17 years!

Our Seed & Spark goal is 15k. 

If we make our goal, then combined with our grant funds we will have 22k!! This is the least amount of money we need to film this summer.

However, if we can raise another 8k and round our total budget to 30k we will be able to cover all of our post production and festival submission costs. 

Our stretch goal is important to the future of this film beyond principle photography. We will do our best to raise the initial 15k, plus our stretch goal of an additional 8k before production starts in July. 

Follow our campaign on Seed&Spark. 

Every expression in support of this film is monumentally appreciated. We understand that not all are in a place to donate, and we appreciate non-monetary support just as much.

Follows and shares!

By following and sharing across your social platforms, you can help spread awareness and increase the chance of this film's success. The success of Color Theories will help us further amplify the success of our local filmmaking community. We want Portland on the map as incredible place to film where a talented community of filmmakers thrives. Color Theories is just one of many projects that strives to spotlight, employ, and elevate underrepresented filmmakers. We're stronger together! Please consider copying a call to action of your choice below:

Help @color.theories.film break barriers and show the world that PDX filmmakers are ones to watch. Join us at www.seedandspark.com/fund/color-theories

@color.theories.film is a team of Portland, Oregon's Desert Island Studio's members and collaborators. And it's the first production under their Production Branch. You can support this film, the studio, and its mission at www.seedandspark.com/fund/color-theories

What happens when a story's told inside a rainbow of light? Check out www.seedandspark.com/fund/color-theories

Look for updates, announcements, and shareable content on Instagram: @color.theories.film