Down by the Harbor
New York City, New York | Film Short
Experimental, Drama
In this surrealist noir, a struggling young writer in 1940s New York is drawn into the orbit of a captivating jazz club singer. Down by the Harbor shows us that a young woman’s loneliness can be so grand that it tears the fabric of reality, all because she so desperately wants to escape who she is.
Down by the Harbor
New York City, New York | Film Short
Experimental, Drama
1 Campaigns | Massachusetts, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,500 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
44 supporters | followers
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In this surrealist noir, a struggling young writer in 1940s New York is drawn into the orbit of a captivating jazz club singer. Down by the Harbor shows us that a young woman’s loneliness can be so grand that it tears the fabric of reality, all because she so desperately wants to escape who she is.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The story begins in fragments: a disoriented woman in a cluttered apartment, surrounded by signs of addiction. Suddenly, the scene shifts to 1940s New York, shot in stark black and white. PAUL, a failing writer, gets a call from his musician friend TAYLOR, who invites him to Nang’s Bar & Jazz Club. Reluctantly, Paul agrees.
At Nang’s, a lively jazz scene unfolds: music, laughter, smoke, and conversation. Paul is captivated by VALERIE, an intriguing and self-assured performer. Across the room, THOMAS NANGWOOD, the club’s owner, observes with quiet authority. As Paul tries to get closer to Valerie, he encounters MARGARET, Nang’s observant hostess, and an anxious young woman - THE UNNAMED ACTRESS - who lurks in his periphery, terrified and out of place. After performing, Valerie invites Paul for a walk. Their chemistry intensifies, yet she remains evasive, protecting secrets she refuses to expose.
Back inside Nang’s, Paul is confronted by Nangwood himself, who warns him that Valerie belongs to a privileged world that he does not understand. Simultaneously, danger erupts around them. The Unnamed Actress is seized by men in the shadows, while Valerie bolts after her in panic. Paul follows and chases Valerie to the harbor, where he discovers her standing over the girl’s mutilated body. Their reality fractures, revealing a darker truth beneath the fantasy.
Suddenly, we are taken out of the scene and dropped into a present day world -- the very same world as the opening scene. Here, Valerie exists as HOLLY, a struggling student whose desperate attempt to survive collides with a devastating spiral of addiction and exploitation, echoing the tragedy at the harbor. As both worlds bleed into one another, the glamorous dream persists at Nang’s. Valerie basks in applause, the picture of triumph and belonging, while Holly comes undone in her apartment all alone.
I first started conceptualizing Down by the Harbor during my freshman year of college when I was struggling with a bad case of writer’s block. I had decided to write out a list of everything I’ve ever wanted to do in a film – a certain scene, theme, character, shot, plotline, or what have you – and after sitting on it for a while, born from this was a tragic story about love in the presentation of an avant-garde, musical-styled, vintage dream and nightmare all rolled into one. Down by the Harbor is the materialization of everything I have ever felt passionate about in film and every creative spark I’ve ever had up until now. It is the ultimate passion project.
This story is about love and how we often have a warped perception of it, and many times we accept less than we deserve. Though the film follows Paul in the beginning, this is sneakily Valerie’s story. In the two worlds juxtaposed in the film, we see what seems like a cold, dark reality while the other seems to be an uneasy, detached Old Hollywood fantasy that is tailored to Valerie’s cosmic counterpart’s desires. It seems that her fantasy – her dream – is fabricated by someone so lonely that she accepts love as simply being an idea to be admired, and therein lies the tragedy. She would rather be this elusive fantasy to everyone around her, rather than let anyone get close enough to form any sort of real connection with her. In the end, she lets it become her undoing, and we see the manifestation of a young woman’s loneliness and heartbreak being so grand and searing that this fabric in space and time is torn. This film is dedicated to all the girls out there who would consider it a dream to be someone like Valerie.
Down by the Harbor is about human nature and the kinds of roles and personalities we assume because there’s a certain social construct that says that we must. But most of all, it’s about a woman undone.
October 2025: Shooting promotional videos, department meetings, final casting
November 2025: Finalizing logistical details: booking flights and trains, locking down catering, finishing shot list.
December 2025: First demos of soundtrack complete. Scheduling and callsheets.
January 2026: 8 days of principal photography in New York City.
February 2026: ADR & Reshoots, if necessary. Assembly cut begins.
March 2026: Rough cut begins. Composition continues.
April 2026: Sound design, color grading, mastering.
May 2026: Film is complete, distribution begins.
We’re currently in pre-production with a passionate, diverse cast and crew – preparing to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible once we get to set. Every dollar contributed to this campaign will help us take Down By the Harbor from script to screen. With the funds we hope to raise, we’ll be able to rent out an authentic jazz club, transport and house our cast and crew while on set, provide catering, and make sure everyone is taken care of as they take time out of their busy schedules to make this story come to life. Additionally, funds will aid submissions to a multitude of independent, experimental, and student-based film festivals around the country, and around the world. Distributing this film after it's finished, and making it accessible to a wide range of people, is incredibly important to us.
If you are unable to provide a monetary contribution, no worries! We'd love for you to simply come along with us on our journey by following our Instagram (@downbytheharbormovie) or our TikTok (@downbytheharborfilm). There, you'll find cast reveals, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and more exciting promotional content!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Craft Services
Costs $1,200
We'll need to feed our cast and crew over the long shooting days, especially since we'll be shooting far away from people's houses.
Transportation
Costs $3,000
We need funding to cover transportation in and out of the New York City area for non-local cast and crew members.
Location Rental
Costs $2,500
We would love to shoot in an authentic New York City jazz bar that reflects the same history we plan to honor in our film.
Van Rental
Costs $1,000
We'll be bringing our equipment from Boston to New York City for the shoot, and it's important to us that we do that safely!
Production Design
Costs $500
We'll want to bring in a multitude of props and set dressing pieces to further bring our jazz bar location to life.
Hair, Makeup, and Practical Effects
Costs $300
It's important to us that we use period accurate makeup and hair style choices as well as believable SFX blood and bruises.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
KEY CREW
Katie Pak, WRITER-DIRECTOR-PRODUCER
Katie Pak is a student writer, director, and producer from Essex Fells, New Jersey. In her time at Emerson College, she has worked various field crew roles on student productions such as Director of Photography, Assistant Director, Executive Producer, Assistant Camera, and more. She devoted her sophomore year to branching out into local and remote industry work by interning for Another Age Productions, the Massachusetts Film Office, 3Pas Studios, and even attending South by Southwest’s 2025 Film and Television Festival with the American Pavilion. Now, she has directed her focus into developing and producing her BFA thesis film, Down by the Harbor, and trying to break into the indie film scene with this project. She has lived in the New York area her whole life and is finally getting to make a film that is a culmination of everything she has ever been passionate about.
Zoe McKay, PRODUCER
Zoe McKay is a student writer and producer from Maplewood, New Jersey. She started her filmmaking career at Emerson gaining various field and studio experiences, eventually creating and producing an original late night comedy program, The Marci Show. She currently serves as the Head of Unscripted Content for Emerson Independent Video, managing all studio productions in the organization while also executive producing the organization’s live 50th anniversary special, EIV50. Outside of Emerson, she has held internships at Spark Casting in Los Angeles, the Massachusetts Film Office, and Seacrest Studios at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Bel Attenberg, PRODUCER
Bel Attenberg is a student producer and filmmaker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since arriving at Emerson in 2023, she has immersed themself in the student film production scene, with Down By The Harbor being her seventh producing credit. This semester, she’ll also be producing Love Bugged, a short romcom film through Emerson Independent Video, and Grit, a thesis film from the school’s BA program. Beyond producing student projects, Bel has assistant directed several student projects, directed and edited a number of personal projects, and serves as the Events Coordinator on the board of Emerson Fashion Society’s INDEX magazine. Outside of Emerson, she has held development, post-production, and distribution internships at Process Media in New York City, All Ages Productions in Philadelphia, and Strand Releasing in Los Angeles.
Will Robins, PRODUCER
Will Robins is a student from South Orange, New Jersey, pursuing an Advertising degree at Montclair State University. With a passion for distribution, marketing, and publicity, he immerses himself in the full scope of bringing films to audiences. His experience spans internships in acquisitions, operations, business development, OTT partnerships, and production, as well as hands-on involvement at festivals including SXSW, Tribeca, NYFF, and the Montclair Film Festival. Will thrives on collaborating with peers and values the learning that comes from each new project and its unique challenges.
Lia Klug, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER & ART DIRECTOR
Lia Klug is a student writer, producer, and journalist from Annapolis, Maryland. She started her career at Emerson with many on and off-camera experiences, eventually creating, producing, and hosting three seasons of an original late-night comedy program, The Marci Show. She is currently working with Emerson Independent Video as Director of Development for Emerson Independent Video, Executive Producer for The Marci Show, correspondent for the EIV 50th anniversary special, and as a writer and talent for the network’s new unscripted comedy cooking show, Baked.
Zubin Stillings, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Zubin Stillings is a photographer, cinematographer, director, and writer from Santa Fe, New Mexico, now working between Los Angeles and Santa Fe. Growing up in a family of documentary and commercial photographers, Zubin picked up a camera at a young age. Over the years, that early spark turned into a deep love for storytelling through images, whether it's photography, directing, screenwriting, or working as a DP. He has shot for brands like YSL, Boggi Milano, and Polo Ralph Lauren; captured stage and dance productions; assisted mentors like George Nobechi and Mark Leibowitz; and worked on productions for YouTube, People Magazine, Radley Studios, and Emerson College. His work has earned recognition from the International Photography Awards, LensCulture, and the Santa Fe Reporter, and he has been nominated for an EVVY Award twice. However, what matters most is the chance to keep growing alongside people who inspire him. Zubin is excited to keep growing alongside people who inspire him and push boundaries in editorial photography and narrative film and TV, especially in roles where teamwork and big ideas thrive.
KEY CAST
Josie Dring - VALERIE
Josie Dring (she/her) is a NY born-and-raised performer who is currently a senior Acting major at Emerson College, graduating May 2026. She recently made her off-broadway debut this past summer in an original musical Wilderness! at the Classic Stage Company in NYC. At Emerson, Josie is the music director of the Emerson Acappellics, and a company member of Emerson Urban Dance Theatre. In her free time, you might find her tap dancing, chatting in ASL, or playing the harmonica. She is incredibly grateful to be working with such a talented team of people!
Andrew Bova - PAUL
Andrew (he/him) is an NYC based actor, singer, and content creator with over 90k followers on TikTok and Instagram, born and raised in New York! He recently made his professional debut this summer with a major supporting role in his first feature film, Still Life. Some of his recent stage credits include roles in High Priest as Gerard Malanga, and Bat Boy (where he got to work with Laurence O’Keefe on an updated version). He’s also had the pleasure of performing in various shows at 54 Below and The Green Room 42 in New York City, including his solo show Taking Notes! Andrew is a proud alumni of the Musical Theatre Conservatory at Barrington Stage Company and has recently graduated from Emerson College with his BFA in Musical Theatre.
Chris Jaymes - NANGWOOD
Most recently, Chris was featured in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with Jeremy Allen White, a recurring role on Law & Order: Organized Crime, as well as starring as Dr Richard Feynman in the NYC world premiere of the play One in 25. He has appeared in numerous other films and TV shows, including the hit show LOST, the Apple+ show For All Mankind, and John Wells FOX show Rescue HI Surf. As a film maker, his debut feature film, In Memory of My Father, starring Judy Greer went on to win 12 international film festivals, including multiple Best Picture and Best Director awards, and he has since directed over a dozen films and television shows for Netflix, Lifetime, the CBC, Sundance, the Travel Channel and others. His recent book Sons of Chaos, published by Penguin Random House was a best seller in Greece, where he was awarded the ‘Medall of Freedom’ from the Parnassus Literary Society, the oldest literary society in Greece, for “keeping the Greek spirit of Freedom alive” through his writings and projects.
Jason Korn - TAYLOR
Jason Korn is an accomplished actor and singer originally from Auburn, California, and currently based in New York City. A recent graduate of Emerson College, Jason has gained experience through various film and theatre projects. He is currently making his professional debut in Purple Rain, where he will be playing The Kid Alternate. He is so excited to working on Down by the Harbor and bring this captivating story to life and thanks Katie for slowing him to be apart of this project.
Monica Elena - MARGARET
Monica Elena (she/her) is a Los Angeles based actor, singer, model, and recent graduate of Emerson College's Musical Theatre BFA program. During her time at Emerson, Monica enjoyed acting on film sets while continuing her passion for performing on stage. Recent credits include leading roles in the films Into the Pines and Don’t You Remember, a TRIFEST Main Screen Selected Short. A first-generation American with Romanian roots, Monica was born and raised in Seattle. In addition to her work as an actor and singer in her Musical Theatre program, Monica pursued a second major in Communication Disorders. Currently, she is pursuing her MA in Speech-Language Pathology at Cal State Los Angeles. All love to her parents, Stefan, and Griffin!
Emma Chenard - THE UNNAMED ACTRESS
Emma Chenard is an Emerson College graduate from New York City that has been acting for over a decade. At Emerson, she participated in productions of musicals like Bare: A Pop Opera and HAIR. In her film experience, she acted in a number of student-written and produced pieces that spanned genres and introduced her to some awesome people. She is incredibly excited to get to work with such a widely talented cast and crew on this project.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The story begins in fragments: a disoriented woman in a cluttered apartment, surrounded by signs of addiction. Suddenly, the scene shifts to 1940s New York, shot in stark black and white. PAUL, a failing writer, gets a call from his musician friend TAYLOR, who invites him to Nang’s Bar & Jazz Club. Reluctantly, Paul agrees.
At Nang’s, a lively jazz scene unfolds: music, laughter, smoke, and conversation. Paul is captivated by VALERIE, an intriguing and self-assured performer. Across the room, THOMAS NANGWOOD, the club’s owner, observes with quiet authority. As Paul tries to get closer to Valerie, he encounters MARGARET, Nang’s observant hostess, and an anxious young woman - THE UNNAMED ACTRESS - who lurks in his periphery, terrified and out of place. After performing, Valerie invites Paul for a walk. Their chemistry intensifies, yet she remains evasive, protecting secrets she refuses to expose.
Back inside Nang’s, Paul is confronted by Nangwood himself, who warns him that Valerie belongs to a privileged world that he does not understand. Simultaneously, danger erupts around them. The Unnamed Actress is seized by men in the shadows, while Valerie bolts after her in panic. Paul follows and chases Valerie to the harbor, where he discovers her standing over the girl’s mutilated body. Their reality fractures, revealing a darker truth beneath the fantasy.
Suddenly, we are taken out of the scene and dropped into a present day world -- the very same world as the opening scene. Here, Valerie exists as HOLLY, a struggling student whose desperate attempt to survive collides with a devastating spiral of addiction and exploitation, echoing the tragedy at the harbor. As both worlds bleed into one another, the glamorous dream persists at Nang’s. Valerie basks in applause, the picture of triumph and belonging, while Holly comes undone in her apartment all alone.
I first started conceptualizing Down by the Harbor during my freshman year of college when I was struggling with a bad case of writer’s block. I had decided to write out a list of everything I’ve ever wanted to do in a film – a certain scene, theme, character, shot, plotline, or what have you – and after sitting on it for a while, born from this was a tragic story about love in the presentation of an avant-garde, musical-styled, vintage dream and nightmare all rolled into one. Down by the Harbor is the materialization of everything I have ever felt passionate about in film and every creative spark I’ve ever had up until now. It is the ultimate passion project.
This story is about love and how we often have a warped perception of it, and many times we accept less than we deserve. Though the film follows Paul in the beginning, this is sneakily Valerie’s story. In the two worlds juxtaposed in the film, we see what seems like a cold, dark reality while the other seems to be an uneasy, detached Old Hollywood fantasy that is tailored to Valerie’s cosmic counterpart’s desires. It seems that her fantasy – her dream – is fabricated by someone so lonely that she accepts love as simply being an idea to be admired, and therein lies the tragedy. She would rather be this elusive fantasy to everyone around her, rather than let anyone get close enough to form any sort of real connection with her. In the end, she lets it become her undoing, and we see the manifestation of a young woman’s loneliness and heartbreak being so grand and searing that this fabric in space and time is torn. This film is dedicated to all the girls out there who would consider it a dream to be someone like Valerie.
Down by the Harbor is about human nature and the kinds of roles and personalities we assume because there’s a certain social construct that says that we must. But most of all, it’s about a woman undone.
October 2025: Shooting promotional videos, department meetings, final casting
November 2025: Finalizing logistical details: booking flights and trains, locking down catering, finishing shot list.
December 2025: First demos of soundtrack complete. Scheduling and callsheets.
January 2026: 8 days of principal photography in New York City.
February 2026: ADR & Reshoots, if necessary. Assembly cut begins.
March 2026: Rough cut begins. Composition continues.
April 2026: Sound design, color grading, mastering.
May 2026: Film is complete, distribution begins.
We’re currently in pre-production with a passionate, diverse cast and crew – preparing to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible once we get to set. Every dollar contributed to this campaign will help us take Down By the Harbor from script to screen. With the funds we hope to raise, we’ll be able to rent out an authentic jazz club, transport and house our cast and crew while on set, provide catering, and make sure everyone is taken care of as they take time out of their busy schedules to make this story come to life. Additionally, funds will aid submissions to a multitude of independent, experimental, and student-based film festivals around the country, and around the world. Distributing this film after it's finished, and making it accessible to a wide range of people, is incredibly important to us.
If you are unable to provide a monetary contribution, no worries! We'd love for you to simply come along with us on our journey by following our Instagram (@downbytheharbormovie) or our TikTok (@downbytheharborfilm). There, you'll find cast reveals, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and more exciting promotional content!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Craft Services
Costs $1,200
We'll need to feed our cast and crew over the long shooting days, especially since we'll be shooting far away from people's houses.
Transportation
Costs $3,000
We need funding to cover transportation in and out of the New York City area for non-local cast and crew members.
Location Rental
Costs $2,500
We would love to shoot in an authentic New York City jazz bar that reflects the same history we plan to honor in our film.
Van Rental
Costs $1,000
We'll be bringing our equipment from Boston to New York City for the shoot, and it's important to us that we do that safely!
Production Design
Costs $500
We'll want to bring in a multitude of props and set dressing pieces to further bring our jazz bar location to life.
Hair, Makeup, and Practical Effects
Costs $300
It's important to us that we use period accurate makeup and hair style choices as well as believable SFX blood and bruises.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
KEY CREW
Katie Pak, WRITER-DIRECTOR-PRODUCER
Katie Pak is a student writer, director, and producer from Essex Fells, New Jersey. In her time at Emerson College, she has worked various field crew roles on student productions such as Director of Photography, Assistant Director, Executive Producer, Assistant Camera, and more. She devoted her sophomore year to branching out into local and remote industry work by interning for Another Age Productions, the Massachusetts Film Office, 3Pas Studios, and even attending South by Southwest’s 2025 Film and Television Festival with the American Pavilion. Now, she has directed her focus into developing and producing her BFA thesis film, Down by the Harbor, and trying to break into the indie film scene with this project. She has lived in the New York area her whole life and is finally getting to make a film that is a culmination of everything she has ever been passionate about.
Zoe McKay, PRODUCER
Zoe McKay is a student writer and producer from Maplewood, New Jersey. She started her filmmaking career at Emerson gaining various field and studio experiences, eventually creating and producing an original late night comedy program, The Marci Show. She currently serves as the Head of Unscripted Content for Emerson Independent Video, managing all studio productions in the organization while also executive producing the organization’s live 50th anniversary special, EIV50. Outside of Emerson, she has held internships at Spark Casting in Los Angeles, the Massachusetts Film Office, and Seacrest Studios at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Bel Attenberg, PRODUCER
Bel Attenberg is a student producer and filmmaker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since arriving at Emerson in 2023, she has immersed themself in the student film production scene, with Down By The Harbor being her seventh producing credit. This semester, she’ll also be producing Love Bugged, a short romcom film through Emerson Independent Video, and Grit, a thesis film from the school’s BA program. Beyond producing student projects, Bel has assistant directed several student projects, directed and edited a number of personal projects, and serves as the Events Coordinator on the board of Emerson Fashion Society’s INDEX magazine. Outside of Emerson, she has held development, post-production, and distribution internships at Process Media in New York City, All Ages Productions in Philadelphia, and Strand Releasing in Los Angeles.
Will Robins, PRODUCER
Will Robins is a student from South Orange, New Jersey, pursuing an Advertising degree at Montclair State University. With a passion for distribution, marketing, and publicity, he immerses himself in the full scope of bringing films to audiences. His experience spans internships in acquisitions, operations, business development, OTT partnerships, and production, as well as hands-on involvement at festivals including SXSW, Tribeca, NYFF, and the Montclair Film Festival. Will thrives on collaborating with peers and values the learning that comes from each new project and its unique challenges.
Lia Klug, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER & ART DIRECTOR
Lia Klug is a student writer, producer, and journalist from Annapolis, Maryland. She started her career at Emerson with many on and off-camera experiences, eventually creating, producing, and hosting three seasons of an original late-night comedy program, The Marci Show. She is currently working with Emerson Independent Video as Director of Development for Emerson Independent Video, Executive Producer for The Marci Show, correspondent for the EIV 50th anniversary special, and as a writer and talent for the network’s new unscripted comedy cooking show, Baked.
Zubin Stillings, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Zubin Stillings is a photographer, cinematographer, director, and writer from Santa Fe, New Mexico, now working between Los Angeles and Santa Fe. Growing up in a family of documentary and commercial photographers, Zubin picked up a camera at a young age. Over the years, that early spark turned into a deep love for storytelling through images, whether it's photography, directing, screenwriting, or working as a DP. He has shot for brands like YSL, Boggi Milano, and Polo Ralph Lauren; captured stage and dance productions; assisted mentors like George Nobechi and Mark Leibowitz; and worked on productions for YouTube, People Magazine, Radley Studios, and Emerson College. His work has earned recognition from the International Photography Awards, LensCulture, and the Santa Fe Reporter, and he has been nominated for an EVVY Award twice. However, what matters most is the chance to keep growing alongside people who inspire him. Zubin is excited to keep growing alongside people who inspire him and push boundaries in editorial photography and narrative film and TV, especially in roles where teamwork and big ideas thrive.
KEY CAST
Josie Dring - VALERIE
Josie Dring (she/her) is a NY born-and-raised performer who is currently a senior Acting major at Emerson College, graduating May 2026. She recently made her off-broadway debut this past summer in an original musical Wilderness! at the Classic Stage Company in NYC. At Emerson, Josie is the music director of the Emerson Acappellics, and a company member of Emerson Urban Dance Theatre. In her free time, you might find her tap dancing, chatting in ASL, or playing the harmonica. She is incredibly grateful to be working with such a talented team of people!
Andrew Bova - PAUL
Andrew (he/him) is an NYC based actor, singer, and content creator with over 90k followers on TikTok and Instagram, born and raised in New York! He recently made his professional debut this summer with a major supporting role in his first feature film, Still Life. Some of his recent stage credits include roles in High Priest as Gerard Malanga, and Bat Boy (where he got to work with Laurence O’Keefe on an updated version). He’s also had the pleasure of performing in various shows at 54 Below and The Green Room 42 in New York City, including his solo show Taking Notes! Andrew is a proud alumni of the Musical Theatre Conservatory at Barrington Stage Company and has recently graduated from Emerson College with his BFA in Musical Theatre.
Chris Jaymes - NANGWOOD
Most recently, Chris was featured in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with Jeremy Allen White, a recurring role on Law & Order: Organized Crime, as well as starring as Dr Richard Feynman in the NYC world premiere of the play One in 25. He has appeared in numerous other films and TV shows, including the hit show LOST, the Apple+ show For All Mankind, and John Wells FOX show Rescue HI Surf. As a film maker, his debut feature film, In Memory of My Father, starring Judy Greer went on to win 12 international film festivals, including multiple Best Picture and Best Director awards, and he has since directed over a dozen films and television shows for Netflix, Lifetime, the CBC, Sundance, the Travel Channel and others. His recent book Sons of Chaos, published by Penguin Random House was a best seller in Greece, where he was awarded the ‘Medall of Freedom’ from the Parnassus Literary Society, the oldest literary society in Greece, for “keeping the Greek spirit of Freedom alive” through his writings and projects.
Jason Korn - TAYLOR
Jason Korn is an accomplished actor and singer originally from Auburn, California, and currently based in New York City. A recent graduate of Emerson College, Jason has gained experience through various film and theatre projects. He is currently making his professional debut in Purple Rain, where he will be playing The Kid Alternate. He is so excited to working on Down by the Harbor and bring this captivating story to life and thanks Katie for slowing him to be apart of this project.
Monica Elena - MARGARET
Monica Elena (she/her) is a Los Angeles based actor, singer, model, and recent graduate of Emerson College's Musical Theatre BFA program. During her time at Emerson, Monica enjoyed acting on film sets while continuing her passion for performing on stage. Recent credits include leading roles in the films Into the Pines and Don’t You Remember, a TRIFEST Main Screen Selected Short. A first-generation American with Romanian roots, Monica was born and raised in Seattle. In addition to her work as an actor and singer in her Musical Theatre program, Monica pursued a second major in Communication Disorders. Currently, she is pursuing her MA in Speech-Language Pathology at Cal State Los Angeles. All love to her parents, Stefan, and Griffin!
Emma Chenard - THE UNNAMED ACTRESS
Emma Chenard is an Emerson College graduate from New York City that has been acting for over a decade. At Emerson, she participated in productions of musicals like Bare: A Pop Opera and HAIR. In her film experience, she acted in a number of student-written and produced pieces that spanned genres and introduced her to some awesome people. She is incredibly excited to get to work with such a widely talented cast and crew on this project.