Crossroads
Santa Cruz, California | Film Short
Drama, Romance
June and Daniel spend their last day together in sorrow as June prepares to leave Santa Cruz for a program far away. In a desperate attempt to relive their best moments, they cannot help but notice that their time together is coming to an unavoidable end.
Crossroads
Santa Cruz, California | Film Short
Drama, Romance
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $3,235 for production phase 2. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
25 supporters | followers
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June and Daniel spend their last day together in sorrow as June prepares to leave Santa Cruz for a program far away. In a desperate attempt to relive their best moments, they cannot help but notice that their time together is coming to an unavoidable end.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
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June and Daniel's final day together is embedded in sorrow as June prepares to leave Santa Cruz for a program far away. The two wander and explore Santa Cruz in a last-ditch effort to relieve their best moments, all while temporarily ignoring the reality of their situation. They debate each other on whether or not they should stay together, and whether or not their relationship was even worth it to begin with. Both of them reach a bittersweet understanding however, as they soon decide to cherish each other's time together for as long as they can.
Inspiration for Crossroads
Crossroads is a personal retrospective on what it feels like to leave someone and someplace special to you. I wanted to make something rather contained and personal for my next film, something that could bring me back to the roots of filmmaking. Originally I wanted to simply document the city of Santa Cruz as a way to pay tribute to the place that I had spent the last five years of my life. I thought about shooting it by way of an experimental-documentary through my personal camera, accompanied by a poem I had been writing for some time. But after doing some more thinking, I knew I wanted to add some form of a narrative to what I was making. I knew I could write story beats and add narrative depth to the complex thoughts and feelings I had towards moving away.
What's the Motive?
I spent my first year of post grad in Santa Cruz working in education and applying to graduate programs in film production. At first I felt dismayed to be staying in my college town as I noticed friends and peers moving away to new and different places. I thought I also needed to get out. This way of thinking coupled with the general transition phase from college to the real world put a strain on not only my life, but also my closest relationships. I became more distant from the people closest to me, which in turn lead me to look for some comfort in the place I was living. I took a deeper attention to the beautiful landscapes and nature that Santa Cruz has always offered, and decided to explore every corner of the city. I noticed over time just how much I had grown over my years of living there, and it didn't take very long for me to realize that I had everything I needed to make a worthy and meaningful film.
Assembling the Team
It didn't surprise me at all that other artists I knew also wanted to make a film centering around Santa Cruz. I spoke early on to Matthew Kim, our Director of Photography, which was one of our first steps to realizing the film's potential. I met Matt through the film department at UCSC and I soon took a liking to his short films. Matt and I both wanted to make an artistic imprint ever since graduating from UCSC, so naturally we began to brainstorm ideas for a film we could make together. I reached out to now Producer of the project, Amelia York very soon afterwards. I knew Amelia as another writer-director in the film department at UCSC, as we each took turns acting in each others' short films. Amelia was instrumental in giving me strict deadlines, reading over every single draft of my script, organizing locations and crew meetings, and finally introducing me to soon to be co-star of the film, Vanessa Wang. After a month or so, and dozens of auditions, Matt introduced me to co-star Emilio. Vanessa and Emilio were the perfect fit for the film as they not only brought a strong sense of momentum to the project, but a raw talent that truly elevated our film to the next level.
Shooting on Film
Deciding to shoot Crossroads on 16mm film was one of the first creative choices I had decided to make for this project. Since graduating, I was lucky enough to be involved in two other productions also shot on 16mm, where I learned the intricate ins and outs of the process. I studied different films also shot on this format, and agreed with Matt on the best camera and stocks for us to use given our scope and story. My goal was to allow our film to feel like a time capsule for the film's characters, and to allow us, the audience, to remember another deeply special time in our lives.
What's the Goal?
Although I definitely do consider Crossroads to be a passion project, I see it more as an opportunity for our cast and crew to gain experience and move forward in their career goals. Each and every person involved in this project possesses and demonstrated such a glaring passion and love for filmmaking, and the results truly showed on our set. Amelia and I are crossing our fingers, hoping that the film will have a life in the festival circuit as well as be considered for certain filmmaking fellowships, however our main priority is to produce a great film and to reach audiences emotionally. With your support, we will be more than confident in our abilities to do just that.
Previous Work
Curious about my directorial work before Crossroads? Watch my UC Santa Cruz senior exit film, The Art of Moving People and prior film, The Grass is Green
Still from The Art of Moving People (2023)
Still from The Grass is Green (2022)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
16mm Film Stock
Costs $735
This amount covers the 16mm film stock we shot the film on!
16mm Film Development & Scanning
Costs $615
This amount will cover the cost it will take to clean, develop, and scan the film at the lab!
Equipment & Gear Rentals
Costs $150
This amount covers the cost to rent equipment. Most of the equipment on set was borrowed from friends and crew!
Meals & Crafty
Costs $450
This amount will cover the cost to feed our cast and crew!
Color Correction & Grade
Costs $300
This amount will cover the cost of professional color correction and grading!
Sound Design & Original Score
Costs $300
This amount will cover the cost of professional sound design and an original score for the film!
Festival Distribution
Costs $250
This amount will cover the cost of the film's festival distribution!
Gas & Travel
Costs $200
This will cover the cost it will take to reimburse crew members for their travel to set.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Christopher Lawrence (Writer/Director)
Christopher Lawrence is a filmmaker and educator based in San Francisco, California. He is a UC Santa Cruz alum who focuses on narratives with inclusive themes and strong emotional catharses. His senior thesis film, which is currently on its festival run, examined intricate Asian-American family themes while exploring the aftermath of his parents' divorce. The film has gone on to become a Finalist at the Student Los Angeles Film Awards and an Award Winner at the Best Shorts Competition. Christopher has worked as a film production instructor with SFFILM and The Latino Film Institute, while screening films for the San Francisco International Film Festival. He plans to pursue graduate studies in film production to not only continue advancing as a filmmaker, but to also continue in his path of film education.
Amelia York (Producer)
Amelia York is a Sacramento-based filmmaker who has spent the past decade writing, directing, filming, editing, and acting in her projects and others’. She has assisted in filming and editing educational videos for online UCSC courses during her four years at the school but produces fictional work in her freetime. Her interests in feminism, gender, and sexuality manifest in experimental and body performance-based art, such as her Student Cable Television Film Festival Fan-Favorite Independent Submission winning film Barnyard Tango or her Sacramento Midnight Film Festival Local Short selected film C/H/R/Y/S/A/L/I/S. Amelia’s involvement in Crossroads stemmed from her admiration for Santa Cruz, melancholy movies, and Chris Lawrence as a filmmaker and as a friend.
Matthew Kim (Director of Photography)
Matthew Kim is a Korean American interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, California. He works in print media and filmmaking, focusing on working-class Asian American stories. During his time at UC Santa Cruz, Matthew was an Irwin Scholar and an ICPC graduate, showcasing his work internationally at the Kyoto University of the Arts. His senior thesis film, Conventional Green, explored his experience working as a contractor alongside his brother, and is currently on its festival run.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
June and Daniel's final day together is embedded in sorrow as June prepares to leave Santa Cruz for a program far away. The two wander and explore Santa Cruz in a last-ditch effort to relieve their best moments, all while temporarily ignoring the reality of their situation. They debate each other on whether or not they should stay together, and whether or not their relationship was even worth it to begin with. Both of them reach a bittersweet understanding however, as they soon decide to cherish each other's time together for as long as they can.
Inspiration for Crossroads
Crossroads is a personal retrospective on what it feels like to leave someone and someplace special to you. I wanted to make something rather contained and personal for my next film, something that could bring me back to the roots of filmmaking. Originally I wanted to simply document the city of Santa Cruz as a way to pay tribute to the place that I had spent the last five years of my life. I thought about shooting it by way of an experimental-documentary through my personal camera, accompanied by a poem I had been writing for some time. But after doing some more thinking, I knew I wanted to add some form of a narrative to what I was making. I knew I could write story beats and add narrative depth to the complex thoughts and feelings I had towards moving away.
What's the Motive?
I spent my first year of post grad in Santa Cruz working in education and applying to graduate programs in film production. At first I felt dismayed to be staying in my college town as I noticed friends and peers moving away to new and different places. I thought I also needed to get out. This way of thinking coupled with the general transition phase from college to the real world put a strain on not only my life, but also my closest relationships. I became more distant from the people closest to me, which in turn lead me to look for some comfort in the place I was living. I took a deeper attention to the beautiful landscapes and nature that Santa Cruz has always offered, and decided to explore every corner of the city. I noticed over time just how much I had grown over my years of living there, and it didn't take very long for me to realize that I had everything I needed to make a worthy and meaningful film.
Assembling the Team
It didn't surprise me at all that other artists I knew also wanted to make a film centering around Santa Cruz. I spoke early on to Matthew Kim, our Director of Photography, which was one of our first steps to realizing the film's potential. I met Matt through the film department at UCSC and I soon took a liking to his short films. Matt and I both wanted to make an artistic imprint ever since graduating from UCSC, so naturally we began to brainstorm ideas for a film we could make together. I reached out to now Producer of the project, Amelia York very soon afterwards. I knew Amelia as another writer-director in the film department at UCSC, as we each took turns acting in each others' short films. Amelia was instrumental in giving me strict deadlines, reading over every single draft of my script, organizing locations and crew meetings, and finally introducing me to soon to be co-star of the film, Vanessa Wang. After a month or so, and dozens of auditions, Matt introduced me to co-star Emilio. Vanessa and Emilio were the perfect fit for the film as they not only brought a strong sense of momentum to the project, but a raw talent that truly elevated our film to the next level.
Shooting on Film
Deciding to shoot Crossroads on 16mm film was one of the first creative choices I had decided to make for this project. Since graduating, I was lucky enough to be involved in two other productions also shot on 16mm, where I learned the intricate ins and outs of the process. I studied different films also shot on this format, and agreed with Matt on the best camera and stocks for us to use given our scope and story. My goal was to allow our film to feel like a time capsule for the film's characters, and to allow us, the audience, to remember another deeply special time in our lives.
What's the Goal?
Although I definitely do consider Crossroads to be a passion project, I see it more as an opportunity for our cast and crew to gain experience and move forward in their career goals. Each and every person involved in this project possesses and demonstrated such a glaring passion and love for filmmaking, and the results truly showed on our set. Amelia and I are crossing our fingers, hoping that the film will have a life in the festival circuit as well as be considered for certain filmmaking fellowships, however our main priority is to produce a great film and to reach audiences emotionally. With your support, we will be more than confident in our abilities to do just that.
Previous Work
Curious about my directorial work before Crossroads? Watch my UC Santa Cruz senior exit film, The Art of Moving People and prior film, The Grass is Green
Still from The Art of Moving People (2023)
Still from The Grass is Green (2022)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
16mm Film Stock
Costs $735
This amount covers the 16mm film stock we shot the film on!
16mm Film Development & Scanning
Costs $615
This amount will cover the cost it will take to clean, develop, and scan the film at the lab!
Equipment & Gear Rentals
Costs $150
This amount covers the cost to rent equipment. Most of the equipment on set was borrowed from friends and crew!
Meals & Crafty
Costs $450
This amount will cover the cost to feed our cast and crew!
Color Correction & Grade
Costs $300
This amount will cover the cost of professional color correction and grading!
Sound Design & Original Score
Costs $300
This amount will cover the cost of professional sound design and an original score for the film!
Festival Distribution
Costs $250
This amount will cover the cost of the film's festival distribution!
Gas & Travel
Costs $200
This will cover the cost it will take to reimburse crew members for their travel to set.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Christopher Lawrence (Writer/Director)
Christopher Lawrence is a filmmaker and educator based in San Francisco, California. He is a UC Santa Cruz alum who focuses on narratives with inclusive themes and strong emotional catharses. His senior thesis film, which is currently on its festival run, examined intricate Asian-American family themes while exploring the aftermath of his parents' divorce. The film has gone on to become a Finalist at the Student Los Angeles Film Awards and an Award Winner at the Best Shorts Competition. Christopher has worked as a film production instructor with SFFILM and The Latino Film Institute, while screening films for the San Francisco International Film Festival. He plans to pursue graduate studies in film production to not only continue advancing as a filmmaker, but to also continue in his path of film education.
Amelia York (Producer)
Amelia York is a Sacramento-based filmmaker who has spent the past decade writing, directing, filming, editing, and acting in her projects and others’. She has assisted in filming and editing educational videos for online UCSC courses during her four years at the school but produces fictional work in her freetime. Her interests in feminism, gender, and sexuality manifest in experimental and body performance-based art, such as her Student Cable Television Film Festival Fan-Favorite Independent Submission winning film Barnyard Tango or her Sacramento Midnight Film Festival Local Short selected film C/H/R/Y/S/A/L/I/S. Amelia’s involvement in Crossroads stemmed from her admiration for Santa Cruz, melancholy movies, and Chris Lawrence as a filmmaker and as a friend.
Matthew Kim (Director of Photography)
Matthew Kim is a Korean American interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, California. He works in print media and filmmaking, focusing on working-class Asian American stories. During his time at UC Santa Cruz, Matthew was an Irwin Scholar and an ICPC graduate, showcasing his work internationally at the Kyoto University of the Arts. His senior thesis film, Conventional Green, explored his experience working as a contractor alongside his brother, and is currently on its festival run.