easybake
Vancouver, Canada | Film Short
Horror, Teen
An insecure teen consumes a clay sculpture and attains the power to sculpt her own body - leading to an obsessive pursuit of "perfection" - easybake is a film for everyone who's blissfully eaten a perfect, warm and gooey chocolate chip cookie... and then immediately hated themselves for it.
easybake
Vancouver, Canada | Film Short
Horror, Teen
2 Campaigns | British Columbia, Canada
Green Light
This campaign raised C$14,000 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
109 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
An insecure teen consumes a clay sculpture and attains the power to sculpt her own body - leading to an obsessive pursuit of "perfection" - easybake is a film for everyone who's blissfully eaten a perfect, warm and gooey chocolate chip cookie... and then immediately hated themselves for it.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Sixteen-year-old KAMI wants the “perfect” body - slender and sculpted - more than anything in the world. She is hyper-aware of her full-figured physique, and how it weighs against the smaller bodies of her classmates, including her best friend MAX, both her closest confidante and harshest critic.
After a day filled with comparisons to other girls, TikTok toxicity, subtle jabs from both Max and her mother, and a mortifying encounter with her crush, Kami’s frustration with her body reaches a tipping point: she impulsively devours the “ideal” clay bust-form she has been sculpting for art class. When she wakes the following morning she is at first horrified, and then elated, to find she is made of clay, with the power to reshape her own body at will.
Kami delights in the dream physique she is able to create, and she and Max have fun experimenting with her newfound “abilities”, giving her silly features they can quickly undo, and even sharing a secret “friendship tattoo” Max sculpts into Kami’s shoulder. But, as Kami’s fixation with perfection intensifies, and she comes to understand that the malleability of clay means that even the slightest touch can alter a feature, or the position of a joint, Kami’s sculpting becomes obsessive.
When her crush BENTLEY accidentally splashes her face with water and her features melt grotesquely, Kami confronts the harsh reality that her alterations will never be permanent, and makes the decision to bake herself.
The first time I was teased about my weight, I was six. The Spice Girls were at the height of their game, and all the girls in gym class were knotting their gym t-shirts up into crop tops, mimicking the pop super-stars. I did the same, and I remember two girls pointing and giggling at my belly, which protruded over my waistband. I immediately untied my top.
That was the 90s. Before Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Before #thinspo and body transformations and intermittent fasting and “what I eat in a day”. Girls of today are more likely to develop eating disorders and to commit suicide than ever before, and there has never been so much noise focused on what a woman’s body should look like - both positive and negative. Imagine what could be accomplished if all the energy and space women and girls give to their bodies’ perceptions were focused elsewhere. Like, anywhere else.
When I was about eleven years old, I started to wish I was made of clay. I wanted so badly to have the body I wanted; the one I thought I should have. Years of wishes were lost in the pursuit of this dream; birthday candles and 11:11s and eyelashes were wasted so that I might be able to pull away pieces of myself. So that I could be less than what I was.
The hunger to be smaller, to be in constant flux between disordered eating and recovery, is something I understand intimately. The trauma of possessing a feminine body is not the only one I’ve experienced in my life, but it is the one I live most presently with every day. As do most female-presenting folks. This film is for them. This film is for every little girl that finds comfort in a cookie, and hates herself for it.
Echoing both Kami’s creativity and the grotesque elation of being able to sculpt her own body, this film will be tactile. Practical SFX will allow us to show her pulling away handfuls of her belly, shaping cheekbones, and pulling thighs apart to create the coveted “thigh gap”. Showing the fervour and perfection with which Kami sculpts herself is crucial to conveying her deteriorating mental state as her disordered thinking takes full control.
The film’s palette will be cool and crisp, with a focus on high-realism, except in rare moments where Kami is joyfully creating - her baking, and when she and Max “play” with her clay form. These moments of bliss will be styled in dreaminess with soft, nostalgic lighting and tactile compliments in the production design. We’ll take inspiration from modern horrors like Hereditary, It Follows, and Promising Young Woman and coming-of-age stories like Palo Alto and Sex Education.
Widee shots and exteriors will be used sparingly; this film is about Kami, and what’s going on in her heart and mind, and we’ll stay close to her for much of the film. Mirrors and the use of two-shot framing will help convey not only the comparative way in which Kami - and many girls and women - sees the world, and the dynamics of the central relationship between Max and Kami. The love teenage girls have for their best friends is ferocious; they could tear each other apart in the name of it, and at at the same time would do anything for each other.
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT...
The horror of our film relies on a substantial amount of prosthetics to allow us to create the various pieces of herself Kami sculpts - from pronounced cheekbones to over-filled lips to a false arm and even a skin corset that allows the actor to literally sculpt themselves! We'll also use actual clay materials to create a "body double" for the actor for our more complex scenes. Creating these elements takes a whole team and a lot of time - as well as raw materials that we can't rely on in-kind support for.
VFX will be used to enhance the particularly horrific moments of the film - like when Kami's face melts after being splashed with water - and touch up the practical special effects makeup used throughout our film.
We're so grateful for the support of the MPPIA Award we received which will compensate our cast and crew for the 3 days we'll be filming, pay for locations and rentals, and feed our hardworking team - but we need a little more to fully realize this film.
We'll be splitting funds raised between the practical effects needed to get us into production and the post-team responsible for creating the finishing magic of the film.
HITTING OUR GOAL OF $10K WILL ALLOW US TO...
- PAY OUR SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP TEAM to bring all the horror that makes this film so captivating to life, as well as compensate our actor for the many hours they'll spend sitting for moulds to be made to create convincing pieces.
- PURCHASE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP including actual clay (many of our team are sculptors in their spare time!) and the specialized silicone needed for the prosthetics.
- COMPENSATE OUR POST-TEAM which includes VFX artists, colourists, audio-engineers, and our editor and composer as well as facility rentals needed for all these specialists to create the movie magic that finalizes a film and gives it life.
- And, finally... SUBMIT TO FILM FESTIVALS so this story and the artistry of this award-winning team can be shared with the world!
We totally understand that in *this economy* not everyone has the financial resources to donate to the campaign. If you can't contribute financially, SHARING the campaign with your networks still makes a HUGE impact for us!
Please consider sharing this page with anyone who may be interested in supporting this project! Follow and share our official Instagram page @easybake.film. Sharing is caring and getting the word out means the WORLD to #TeamEasybake!
Lead Producer Eloise-Cameron Smith and Writer/Director Sasha Duncan moments after winning the 2023 MPPIA Short Film Award at Whistler Film Festival.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
special effects makeup materials
Costs C$2,000
From clay to silicone - we need materials to create prosthetics and body-doubles to bring the horror to life!
editing & colour
Costs C$2,500
Cutting together a film - even a short one - takes a lot of hours and labour... and so does colouring the film to make sure the tone shines.
post-production sound
Costs C$2,500
Ever heard the saying that sound is 50% of the film? We have, and we know it's true! Design, mixing, score, and music are so important!
film festivals
Costs C$3,000
Festivals cost $30-$100 to submit to with a 5-25% acceptance rate depending on genre and strategy.
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
easybake features a team of award-winning BC-based talent behind and in front of the camera, including...
writer / director - Sasha Duncan
A lifelong storyteller, Sasha writes in many mediums; film is her favourite. She has written, produced, and directed short works which have screened all over the world, including Cannes’ Indie Shorts Corner, and was a popular Medium essayist for several years, blending life-lessons and popular culture into irreverent prose. She is the co-director of the Run N Gun Film Festival, and Director of Development at Kickstart Entertainment, two roles which demonstrate her passion for uplifting artistic voices and helping other creatives to share their gifts.
Sasha is grateful to live on the land stewarded by the Coast Salish peoples, and takes measures in her life to both acknowledge and support Land Back. She holds a diploma in Writing for Film & Television, and a Bachelor of Arts.
producer - Eloise Cameron-Smith
Eloise (Ellie, she/her), an emerging producer who began her career in visual effects production, contributing to hit films like “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and “Black Adam.” Ellie is now dedicated to feminist filmmaking, championing women and non-binary directors. She recently produced the satirical horror short “Hellmark” (2023), selected from 150 submissions for the Crazy8s Film Competition. She’s also behind music videos like “Damn Right” by Snotty Nose Rez Kids and “Feral Canadian Scaredy Cat” by Young Friend, as well as several commercials.
Collaborating with various directors, Ellie under the banner of Overhead Projector, assists in strategy and financing for a range of film and TV projects at different stages. She’s a fearless producer who turns challenges into opportunities for extraordinary storytelling. Ellie earned the prestigious 2023 Prism Grand Prize (a division of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television) for her work on “Damn Right” by Snotty Nose Res Kids, directed by Sterling Larose. With her impressive portfolio, Ellie establishes herself as a producer who excels in complex, creative, and technical projects.
producer - Dalila Jovanovic
co-producer - Rosie Choo-Piddock
cinematographer - Kate Smith
Kate is a cinematographer specializing in narrative and documentary work. Her work has screened at Whistler Film Festival, Chilliwack Independent Film Festival, Reel Asian International Film Festival, Portland International Film Festival, Vancouver Short Film Festival, and more.
In her work, Kate strives to collaborate on stories that give voice to complex female characters and the perspectives of underrepresented individuals. Kate's mission is to create films that can change people's understandings of the world. With her rich background studying literature, she delves into the heart of the story for visual inspiration in creating the film's look. She is an Associate Member CSC and her collected credits can be viewed on IMDB.
special effects make-up - Andy Le
Andy is a certified makeup artist currently based in Vancouver where he is pursuing his artistry in both the fashion and film industry. His passion for art began at a very young age with drawing and painting all throughout his childhood and high school years. With the fundamentals of traditional art, he is able to apply that knowledge onto the human canvas, working with everything from beauty to body painting to prosthetics. Andy’s most recent projects include Zip the Film, Raksha Proof of Concept, Six Afraid of Seven, and Mixed Baggage. His love for his craft has further lead him to win two awards at ABA Canada, work for Miss World Canada, and to teach alongside his mentors at various schools in Ontario. Andy is a graduate from Vancouver Film School and is now working as a makeup artist within the film and tv world.
production designer - Isobel (Diz) Baker
editor - Cody Nelson
1st AD & original songs - Heather Perluzzo
composer - Ethan Lawrence
production manager - Mikhaela Torio
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Sixteen-year-old KAMI wants the “perfect” body - slender and sculpted - more than anything in the world. She is hyper-aware of her full-figured physique, and how it weighs against the smaller bodies of her classmates, including her best friend MAX, both her closest confidante and harshest critic.
After a day filled with comparisons to other girls, TikTok toxicity, subtle jabs from both Max and her mother, and a mortifying encounter with her crush, Kami’s frustration with her body reaches a tipping point: she impulsively devours the “ideal” clay bust-form she has been sculpting for art class. When she wakes the following morning she is at first horrified, and then elated, to find she is made of clay, with the power to reshape her own body at will.
Kami delights in the dream physique she is able to create, and she and Max have fun experimenting with her newfound “abilities”, giving her silly features they can quickly undo, and even sharing a secret “friendship tattoo” Max sculpts into Kami’s shoulder. But, as Kami’s fixation with perfection intensifies, and she comes to understand that the malleability of clay means that even the slightest touch can alter a feature, or the position of a joint, Kami’s sculpting becomes obsessive.
When her crush BENTLEY accidentally splashes her face with water and her features melt grotesquely, Kami confronts the harsh reality that her alterations will never be permanent, and makes the decision to bake herself.
The first time I was teased about my weight, I was six. The Spice Girls were at the height of their game, and all the girls in gym class were knotting their gym t-shirts up into crop tops, mimicking the pop super-stars. I did the same, and I remember two girls pointing and giggling at my belly, which protruded over my waistband. I immediately untied my top.
That was the 90s. Before Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Before #thinspo and body transformations and intermittent fasting and “what I eat in a day”. Girls of today are more likely to develop eating disorders and to commit suicide than ever before, and there has never been so much noise focused on what a woman’s body should look like - both positive and negative. Imagine what could be accomplished if all the energy and space women and girls give to their bodies’ perceptions were focused elsewhere. Like, anywhere else.
When I was about eleven years old, I started to wish I was made of clay. I wanted so badly to have the body I wanted; the one I thought I should have. Years of wishes were lost in the pursuit of this dream; birthday candles and 11:11s and eyelashes were wasted so that I might be able to pull away pieces of myself. So that I could be less than what I was.
The hunger to be smaller, to be in constant flux between disordered eating and recovery, is something I understand intimately. The trauma of possessing a feminine body is not the only one I’ve experienced in my life, but it is the one I live most presently with every day. As do most female-presenting folks. This film is for them. This film is for every little girl that finds comfort in a cookie, and hates herself for it.
Echoing both Kami’s creativity and the grotesque elation of being able to sculpt her own body, this film will be tactile. Practical SFX will allow us to show her pulling away handfuls of her belly, shaping cheekbones, and pulling thighs apart to create the coveted “thigh gap”. Showing the fervour and perfection with which Kami sculpts herself is crucial to conveying her deteriorating mental state as her disordered thinking takes full control.
The film’s palette will be cool and crisp, with a focus on high-realism, except in rare moments where Kami is joyfully creating - her baking, and when she and Max “play” with her clay form. These moments of bliss will be styled in dreaminess with soft, nostalgic lighting and tactile compliments in the production design. We’ll take inspiration from modern horrors like Hereditary, It Follows, and Promising Young Woman and coming-of-age stories like Palo Alto and Sex Education.
Widee shots and exteriors will be used sparingly; this film is about Kami, and what’s going on in her heart and mind, and we’ll stay close to her for much of the film. Mirrors and the use of two-shot framing will help convey not only the comparative way in which Kami - and many girls and women - sees the world, and the dynamics of the central relationship between Max and Kami. The love teenage girls have for their best friends is ferocious; they could tear each other apart in the name of it, and at at the same time would do anything for each other.
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT...
The horror of our film relies on a substantial amount of prosthetics to allow us to create the various pieces of herself Kami sculpts - from pronounced cheekbones to over-filled lips to a false arm and even a skin corset that allows the actor to literally sculpt themselves! We'll also use actual clay materials to create a "body double" for the actor for our more complex scenes. Creating these elements takes a whole team and a lot of time - as well as raw materials that we can't rely on in-kind support for.
VFX will be used to enhance the particularly horrific moments of the film - like when Kami's face melts after being splashed with water - and touch up the practical special effects makeup used throughout our film.
We're so grateful for the support of the MPPIA Award we received which will compensate our cast and crew for the 3 days we'll be filming, pay for locations and rentals, and feed our hardworking team - but we need a little more to fully realize this film.
We'll be splitting funds raised between the practical effects needed to get us into production and the post-team responsible for creating the finishing magic of the film.
HITTING OUR GOAL OF $10K WILL ALLOW US TO...
- PAY OUR SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP TEAM to bring all the horror that makes this film so captivating to life, as well as compensate our actor for the many hours they'll spend sitting for moulds to be made to create convincing pieces.
- PURCHASE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP including actual clay (many of our team are sculptors in their spare time!) and the specialized silicone needed for the prosthetics.
- COMPENSATE OUR POST-TEAM which includes VFX artists, colourists, audio-engineers, and our editor and composer as well as facility rentals needed for all these specialists to create the movie magic that finalizes a film and gives it life.
- And, finally... SUBMIT TO FILM FESTIVALS so this story and the artistry of this award-winning team can be shared with the world!
We totally understand that in *this economy* not everyone has the financial resources to donate to the campaign. If you can't contribute financially, SHARING the campaign with your networks still makes a HUGE impact for us!
Please consider sharing this page with anyone who may be interested in supporting this project! Follow and share our official Instagram page @easybake.film. Sharing is caring and getting the word out means the WORLD to #TeamEasybake!
Lead Producer Eloise-Cameron Smith and Writer/Director Sasha Duncan moments after winning the 2023 MPPIA Short Film Award at Whistler Film Festival.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
special effects makeup materials
Costs C$2,000
From clay to silicone - we need materials to create prosthetics and body-doubles to bring the horror to life!
editing & colour
Costs C$2,500
Cutting together a film - even a short one - takes a lot of hours and labour... and so does colouring the film to make sure the tone shines.
post-production sound
Costs C$2,500
Ever heard the saying that sound is 50% of the film? We have, and we know it's true! Design, mixing, score, and music are so important!
film festivals
Costs C$3,000
Festivals cost $30-$100 to submit to with a 5-25% acceptance rate depending on genre and strategy.
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
easybake features a team of award-winning BC-based talent behind and in front of the camera, including...
writer / director - Sasha Duncan
A lifelong storyteller, Sasha writes in many mediums; film is her favourite. She has written, produced, and directed short works which have screened all over the world, including Cannes’ Indie Shorts Corner, and was a popular Medium essayist for several years, blending life-lessons and popular culture into irreverent prose. She is the co-director of the Run N Gun Film Festival, and Director of Development at Kickstart Entertainment, two roles which demonstrate her passion for uplifting artistic voices and helping other creatives to share their gifts.
Sasha is grateful to live on the land stewarded by the Coast Salish peoples, and takes measures in her life to both acknowledge and support Land Back. She holds a diploma in Writing for Film & Television, and a Bachelor of Arts.
producer - Eloise Cameron-Smith
Eloise (Ellie, she/her), an emerging producer who began her career in visual effects production, contributing to hit films like “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and “Black Adam.” Ellie is now dedicated to feminist filmmaking, championing women and non-binary directors. She recently produced the satirical horror short “Hellmark” (2023), selected from 150 submissions for the Crazy8s Film Competition. She’s also behind music videos like “Damn Right” by Snotty Nose Rez Kids and “Feral Canadian Scaredy Cat” by Young Friend, as well as several commercials.
Collaborating with various directors, Ellie under the banner of Overhead Projector, assists in strategy and financing for a range of film and TV projects at different stages. She’s a fearless producer who turns challenges into opportunities for extraordinary storytelling. Ellie earned the prestigious 2023 Prism Grand Prize (a division of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television) for her work on “Damn Right” by Snotty Nose Res Kids, directed by Sterling Larose. With her impressive portfolio, Ellie establishes herself as a producer who excels in complex, creative, and technical projects.
producer - Dalila Jovanovic
co-producer - Rosie Choo-Piddock
cinematographer - Kate Smith
Kate is a cinematographer specializing in narrative and documentary work. Her work has screened at Whistler Film Festival, Chilliwack Independent Film Festival, Reel Asian International Film Festival, Portland International Film Festival, Vancouver Short Film Festival, and more.
In her work, Kate strives to collaborate on stories that give voice to complex female characters and the perspectives of underrepresented individuals. Kate's mission is to create films that can change people's understandings of the world. With her rich background studying literature, she delves into the heart of the story for visual inspiration in creating the film's look. She is an Associate Member CSC and her collected credits can be viewed on IMDB.
special effects make-up - Andy Le
Andy is a certified makeup artist currently based in Vancouver where he is pursuing his artistry in both the fashion and film industry. His passion for art began at a very young age with drawing and painting all throughout his childhood and high school years. With the fundamentals of traditional art, he is able to apply that knowledge onto the human canvas, working with everything from beauty to body painting to prosthetics. Andy’s most recent projects include Zip the Film, Raksha Proof of Concept, Six Afraid of Seven, and Mixed Baggage. His love for his craft has further lead him to win two awards at ABA Canada, work for Miss World Canada, and to teach alongside his mentors at various schools in Ontario. Andy is a graduate from Vancouver Film School and is now working as a makeup artist within the film and tv world.
production designer - Isobel (Diz) Baker
editor - Cody Nelson
1st AD & original songs - Heather Perluzzo
composer - Ethan Lawrence
production manager - Mikhaela Torio