Tell Me What's Real When You Dream About Me
San Diego, California | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, Drama
Two neurologically loveless teenagers impossibly catch feelings for each other. Help support up and coming young actors & filmmakers share a fresh and bold new perspective on the reality of love.
Tell Me What's Real When You Dream About Me
San Diego, California | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
19 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$816
Goal: $5,000 for production
Two neurologically loveless teenagers impossibly catch feelings for each other. Help support up and coming young actors & filmmakers share a fresh and bold new perspective on the reality of love.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"Two people, incapable of love, falling in love."
Two peculiar teenagers, one severely avoidant-attached and the other neurologically emotionless, wrestle with their own impossibilities in this relationship paradox that explores questions of trust, fear, understanding, and compatibility.
In this absurd romantic comedy that explores modern labels of self-diagnosis, attachment issues, fear of intimacy and identity, Tell Me What's Real When You Dream About Me is a fresh perspective that satirizes the emotional aspects of "modern dating hell" and humanizes romantic imperfection.
Set against the beautiful suburbs of San Diego and featuring an all-Asian cast, the film features dream-like imagery and absurd visuals (psst... my costume designer is cooking up a giant _____ ____ right now...)
Want a Taste of the Vibes?
Picture this:
Take your ex-boyfriend's commitment issues and turn it up 100%.
Take your current insecure attachment type and turn it up 200%.
Take the absurdity in Why Can't We Just Be Ghosts? and turn it up 300%.
Take all the meaningful commentary about modern romance in nothing, except everything ... oh wait, you can't multiply zero.
Anyways, the film is wicked, funny, violent (hmm?), and has a touch of heart that may rise up to your eyes at the end.
The absurdity in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) meets the comedy and dialogue in Submarine (2010) meets the themes and visuals in The Worst Person In the World (2021).
Who's In It?
Not convinced yet?
Picture this, too:
The main character from the classic indie hit Dídi (2024) stumbles through the senselessness of life as he wrestles with a deadly love interest he can never feel love for.
You don't have to picture it anymore.
Izaac Wang (Dìdi, 2024) will be starring in the film. Expect a hilarious deadpan performance while reminding us that we, too, share similarities in our doubts and discomforts when thinking about ourselves and our loved ones.
Where does the crowdfund go?
While this crowdfund campaign isn't meant to cover for the entirety of production costs, it is covering the most important aspects.
60% of the crowdfund goal is going to paying cast and crew — primarily our SAG-AFTRA lead Izaac (for 5 days), as well as our crew members Director of Photography Oscar Martinez (for 4 days) and Production Sound Mixer Griffin Moss (for 3 days).
16% of the crowdfund goal will feed all 10-12 crew members on set for four days. Have you ever had tacos from San Diego? They're quite killer. Nothing as good in the world as a taco-themed lunch break on a hard-working set day.
12% of the crowdfund goal is funneled into art department — the most important element of this project's creative absurdity and beauty. We are currently working on a centerpiece costume design, and the funds will support a handful of props and makeup support that is needed to bring the artistic flair of the story to life.
12% of the crowdfund goal is going into housing Oscar and Griffin, who are driving down from LA. The producers had a clever idea to double crew's housing as a motel location that is necessary for the script.
What's Next?
Pre-Production (April 2026 - August 2026)
The team has been knee-deep in pre-production since April. The refreshing script is under final construction, the cast and crew lineup is complete, the Producer and Assistant Director are chipping away at budgets and logistics, and the Costume Designer is working tirelessly at delivering a surprise practical piece.
Production (August 6th - August 10th)
Just a couple dreams away. Commencing with August 6th rehearsal, screen test, and voice-over recordings, August 7th will mark the first day of shooting, concluding after a four-day shoot on August 10th.
Post-Production (October 2026 - Early 2027)
Editing will commence in October once the editor (psst.. me!) settles down in his second year of college. The exact final date is unclear, but it will take the rest of 2026 to finish first passes of edit. Expect a early access screener as post-production winds down.
Film Festival Distribution (Early 2027 - Mid 2027)
You can catch the film at various film festivals close to you, all around the country, throughout the first two quarters of 2027 after the film is complete. This film was written and will be shot for an immersive, dream-like theatrical experience. Festival distribution costs money, so any support above our original crowdfund goal would go towards our festival circuit fees.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $3,000
The biggest and most important piece. Help put food on the table for Izaac Wang, DP, and Sound Mixer — working full time artists.
Art Department
Costs $600
Costume, props, makeup, set dec — help us make this dream appear real!
Crafties & Lunch
Costs $800
We need energy to fuel our four-day filmmaking process! Help feed 12+ hungry people on set :)
Housing & Location
Costs $600
We need to house two crew members coming in from LA for 3 nights! This doubles as a motel location for production.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
MEET THE TEAM!
Patrick Jang: Writer / Director
Patrick is a Korean American filmmaker from San Diego and a sophomore at Stanford University. He's written, directed, edited, and animated documentaries, experimentals, and narratives for the past four years, with the primary theme of his films surrounding teen mental health. Previous films from Patrick have premiered at SFMOMA, chosen as a distinctive finalist at YoungArts where he was medalled Gold, screened in 400+ classrooms across Greece, received Best Comedy last year at All American, and won at Academy Award qualifying festivals such as LAShorts and Indy Shorts.
Izaac Wang: Lead Actor
Izaac is an Asian-American actor most known for many projects, most notably Dìdi (2024). With a talent for bringing grounded performances and turning characters into people, Izaac continues to establish himself as one of the most promising young actors of his generation.
Cynthia Yeh: Lead Actress
Cynthia is a Taiwanese-American actress, dancer, and filmmaker attending NYU. Raised between Taipei and San Diego and fluent in English and Mandarin, she has spent the past three years directing and acting in short films screened at festivals including AAHSFF and iVIE. These experiences, alongside her lifelong background in ballet and contemporary dance, have shaped her into an artist who uses her performance to create immersing, emotional experiences for her audience.
Oscar Martinez: Director of Photography
Oscar is an LA-based cinematographer who uses the medium as a means to ground himself in the human experience. Over the past ten years, he has shot and lit a myriad of film genres from comedy to horror, always finding that the characters and locations are varied expressions of relatability. His early career focused on lighting, allowing for an efficient and creatively organic workflow that has proved to keep up with demanding schedules. His experience with documentaries allow him to respond quickly to a scene, finding the beautiful in the mundane. Because collaboration is key to his workflow, he is excited and grateful to work with Patrick to bring his bold and refreshing story telling to life.
Jamuelle B. Zumel: Assistant Director
Jamuelle is a Director, Producer, and Actor from the Bay Area, currently in San Diego, California.
Jamuelle has worked in various departments both in front of and behind the camera to understand all aspects of filmmaking & cinematography. His most recent work was in the theater play ‘How We Love’ as Jacob Reyes and Uncle Mark.
Mayane Dahan: Co-Producer
Mayane is a filmmaker and Creative Producing major at Dodge College in Chapman University.
Hanson Loh: Co-Producer
Hanson is a filmmaker from San Diego, CA. He is studying Film & TV at NYU Tisch.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"Two people, incapable of love, falling in love."
Two peculiar teenagers, one severely avoidant-attached and the other neurologically emotionless, wrestle with their own impossibilities in this relationship paradox that explores questions of trust, fear, understanding, and compatibility.
In this absurd romantic comedy that explores modern labels of self-diagnosis, attachment issues, fear of intimacy and identity, Tell Me What's Real When You Dream About Me is a fresh perspective that satirizes the emotional aspects of "modern dating hell" and humanizes romantic imperfection.
Set against the beautiful suburbs of San Diego and featuring an all-Asian cast, the film features dream-like imagery and absurd visuals (psst... my costume designer is cooking up a giant _____ ____ right now...)
Want a Taste of the Vibes?
Picture this:
Take your ex-boyfriend's commitment issues and turn it up 100%.
Take your current insecure attachment type and turn it up 200%.
Take the absurdity in Why Can't We Just Be Ghosts? and turn it up 300%.
Take all the meaningful commentary about modern romance in nothing, except everything ... oh wait, you can't multiply zero.
Anyways, the film is wicked, funny, violent (hmm?), and has a touch of heart that may rise up to your eyes at the end.
The absurdity in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) meets the comedy and dialogue in Submarine (2010) meets the themes and visuals in The Worst Person In the World (2021).
Who's In It?
Not convinced yet?
Picture this, too:
The main character from the classic indie hit Dídi (2024) stumbles through the senselessness of life as he wrestles with a deadly love interest he can never feel love for.
You don't have to picture it anymore.
Izaac Wang (Dìdi, 2024) will be starring in the film. Expect a hilarious deadpan performance while reminding us that we, too, share similarities in our doubts and discomforts when thinking about ourselves and our loved ones.
Where does the crowdfund go?
While this crowdfund campaign isn't meant to cover for the entirety of production costs, it is covering the most important aspects.
60% of the crowdfund goal is going to paying cast and crew — primarily our SAG-AFTRA lead Izaac (for 5 days), as well as our crew members Director of Photography Oscar Martinez (for 4 days) and Production Sound Mixer Griffin Moss (for 3 days).
16% of the crowdfund goal will feed all 10-12 crew members on set for four days. Have you ever had tacos from San Diego? They're quite killer. Nothing as good in the world as a taco-themed lunch break on a hard-working set day.
12% of the crowdfund goal is funneled into art department — the most important element of this project's creative absurdity and beauty. We are currently working on a centerpiece costume design, and the funds will support a handful of props and makeup support that is needed to bring the artistic flair of the story to life.
12% of the crowdfund goal is going into housing Oscar and Griffin, who are driving down from LA. The producers had a clever idea to double crew's housing as a motel location that is necessary for the script.
What's Next?
Pre-Production (April 2026 - August 2026)
The team has been knee-deep in pre-production since April. The refreshing script is under final construction, the cast and crew lineup is complete, the Producer and Assistant Director are chipping away at budgets and logistics, and the Costume Designer is working tirelessly at delivering a surprise practical piece.
Production (August 6th - August 10th)
Just a couple dreams away. Commencing with August 6th rehearsal, screen test, and voice-over recordings, August 7th will mark the first day of shooting, concluding after a four-day shoot on August 10th.
Post-Production (October 2026 - Early 2027)
Editing will commence in October once the editor (psst.. me!) settles down in his second year of college. The exact final date is unclear, but it will take the rest of 2026 to finish first passes of edit. Expect a early access screener as post-production winds down.
Film Festival Distribution (Early 2027 - Mid 2027)
You can catch the film at various film festivals close to you, all around the country, throughout the first two quarters of 2027 after the film is complete. This film was written and will be shot for an immersive, dream-like theatrical experience. Festival distribution costs money, so any support above our original crowdfund goal would go towards our festival circuit fees.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $3,000
The biggest and most important piece. Help put food on the table for Izaac Wang, DP, and Sound Mixer — working full time artists.
Art Department
Costs $600
Costume, props, makeup, set dec — help us make this dream appear real!
Crafties & Lunch
Costs $800
We need energy to fuel our four-day filmmaking process! Help feed 12+ hungry people on set :)
Housing & Location
Costs $600
We need to house two crew members coming in from LA for 3 nights! This doubles as a motel location for production.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
MEET THE TEAM!
Patrick Jang: Writer / Director
Patrick is a Korean American filmmaker from San Diego and a sophomore at Stanford University. He's written, directed, edited, and animated documentaries, experimentals, and narratives for the past four years, with the primary theme of his films surrounding teen mental health. Previous films from Patrick have premiered at SFMOMA, chosen as a distinctive finalist at YoungArts where he was medalled Gold, screened in 400+ classrooms across Greece, received Best Comedy last year at All American, and won at Academy Award qualifying festivals such as LAShorts and Indy Shorts.
Izaac Wang: Lead Actor
Izaac is an Asian-American actor most known for many projects, most notably Dìdi (2024). With a talent for bringing grounded performances and turning characters into people, Izaac continues to establish himself as one of the most promising young actors of his generation.
Cynthia Yeh: Lead Actress
Cynthia is a Taiwanese-American actress, dancer, and filmmaker attending NYU. Raised between Taipei and San Diego and fluent in English and Mandarin, she has spent the past three years directing and acting in short films screened at festivals including AAHSFF and iVIE. These experiences, alongside her lifelong background in ballet and contemporary dance, have shaped her into an artist who uses her performance to create immersing, emotional experiences for her audience.
Oscar Martinez: Director of Photography
Oscar is an LA-based cinematographer who uses the medium as a means to ground himself in the human experience. Over the past ten years, he has shot and lit a myriad of film genres from comedy to horror, always finding that the characters and locations are varied expressions of relatability. His early career focused on lighting, allowing for an efficient and creatively organic workflow that has proved to keep up with demanding schedules. His experience with documentaries allow him to respond quickly to a scene, finding the beautiful in the mundane. Because collaboration is key to his workflow, he is excited and grateful to work with Patrick to bring his bold and refreshing story telling to life.
Jamuelle B. Zumel: Assistant Director
Jamuelle is a Director, Producer, and Actor from the Bay Area, currently in San Diego, California.
Jamuelle has worked in various departments both in front of and behind the camera to understand all aspects of filmmaking & cinematography. His most recent work was in the theater play ‘How We Love’ as Jacob Reyes and Uncle Mark.
Mayane Dahan: Co-Producer
Mayane is a filmmaker and Creative Producing major at Dodge College in Chapman University.
Hanson Loh: Co-Producer
Hanson is a filmmaker from San Diego, CA. He is studying Film & TV at NYU Tisch.