Echoes of the Sea
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Fantasy
Two students stumble upon an oil-stained bird, a dragon in disguise, by the beach, and it lets them on a journey to uncover the myth hidden beneath the ocean and in their hearts.
Echoes of the Sea
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Fantasy
Green Light
This campaign raised $1,500 for production phase 2. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
12 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Two students stumble upon an oil-stained bird, a dragon in disguise, by the beach, and it lets them on a journey to uncover the myth hidden beneath the ocean and in their hearts.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Set against the backdrop of the picturesque but haunting memory of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill, the story follows Leo and Raya, two students who discover an oil-stained bird on the beach. This encounter leads them on a magical journey, blending reality with the mythical as they explore the hidden truths beneath the ocean's surface and within their hearts. The narrative pivots around a magical dragon, symbolizing nature's plea for help and the transformational power of human empathy and action.
The 1969 and 2015 Santa Barbara Oil Spills underscore the environmental risks of oil operations. The 1969 spill, caused by a blowout at Union Oil's platform, released 3 million gallons of oil, devastating marine life and sparking the modern environmental movement. In 2015, a pipeline rupture near Refugio State Beach spilled 142,800 gallons, harming local ecosystems and reigniting safety and regulatory concerns in the oil industry.
Both incidents highlight the critical need for stringent environmental protections in energy production.
"Echoes of the Sea," is a film that ventures into a poignant exploration of environmental themes, using the powerful medium of magical realism. I want to use this film to delve deep into the narrative of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill, not just as a historical event, but as a symbol of the enduring impact of human negligence on nature. My personal connection to this story began when I arrived at UC Santa Barbara for college in 2016. The lingering scent of oil in the air and the visible signs of environmental damage were profound reminders of the 2015 oil spill tragedy. Witnessing the lasting effects on the ocean, the wildlife, and even the community, I was moved to use film as a means to make a difference.
In "Echoes of the Sea," I aim to intertwine reality and myth to ignite a conversation about ecological preservation and social change. The film is my canvas to portray the mystical alongside the real, drawing parallels between the magical elements in our folklore and the profound mysteries of our natural world. Through this narrative, I hope to connect audiences to the urgency of protecting our environment, echoing the lessons learned from past tragedies and my own experiences at Santa Barbara. This film is more than a story; it's a reflection of my journey and a call to action, urging us all to recognize our role in safeguarding the delicate balance of our planet.
DEVELOPMENT: May 2020-August 2023
PRE-PRODUCTION: August - October 2023
PRODUCTION: End of October - November 2023
POST-PRODUCTION: November - December 2023/ January 2024
DISTRIBUTION/ FESTIVALS SUBMISSION: 2024
WITH A PLEDGE
You can choose an incentive, a specific wishlist item, or fit your pledge to your specific budget.
No pledge is too small. Every dollar makes a difference in making our film possible.
Seed & Spark requires that we raise at least 80% of our goal for the project to be funded.
We must reach this goal in 30 days or we won't receive any funds.
THE WORD WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
The only way we will reach our crowdfunding goal is if we reach beyond our networks.
Please share our campaign via your social media, email, word-of-mouth, however you want! We can't do this without you!
Thank you for being part of this campaign and joining us in the making of this film!
To get more updates on our project,
please follow us on our Instagram page: @echoes_of_the_sea
https://www.instagram.com/echoes_of_the_sea_film/
If you'd like to express your support, please don't hesitate to send messages to our team on Instagram or through email at [email protected].
We're dedicated to making this film, and your recognition of our efforts warms our hearts and keeps us motivated. We truly appreciate it!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Festival Submissions
Costs $1,500
Submitting to festivals is expensive but we want to reach a larger audience and raise awareness!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer & Director: Zizheng “Boris” Liu
Zizheng “Boris” Liu is a director-producer pursuing his MFA degree in Film & Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is an international student from Beijing, China, with a passion for telling authentic and touching stories that centered around Asian diasporas.
Boris earned his bachelor’s degree in Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During his undergraduate time, one of his films The Dumpling King (2020) was selected by the Oscar-Qualifying®️ 35th Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the 16th Chinese American Film Festival. The film premiered at the Arlington Theatre, the largest movie theater in downtown Santa Barbara on Jan 19th, 2020.
At USC, Boris worked as a Student Assistant for Professor Dianne Farrington and the former president of Twentieth Century Fox, Tom Jacobson. Meanwhile, he got the Edward Thomas Troutner Student Scholarship and the George Lucas Family Foundation Fund. As he gained more filming experiences and connections, he stepped into the producing side of film production and the short film Venice Drifting (2022) that he produced got the Best US Student Film at Venice Shorts; Boris also produced a USC MFA 546 Capstone film Ebezina (2023) which won the 1st Runners Up in best producing in the SCA Firstlook program and also got into the Oscar®️ & BAFTA-qualifying 27th LA Shorts International Film Festival. His own directing and producing film Stairway(2023) also got into the 27th LA Shorts this year.
Articles about Boris:
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-zizheng-boris-liu/
https://voyagela.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-zizheng-boris-liu/?ref=zizhengliu.com
Producer: Israel ‘Izzy’ Goihman
Izzy is a Latino-Jewish filmmaker from Miami, FL finishing his last semester at USC. He has a guilty pleasure for Pixar films, and more often than not, can’t finish one without crying. Lately, Izzy has been delving deeper into the production side of development in order to bring some of his own scripts to life. Izzy’s inspirations as a producer are Jason Berman and Ben Silverman. As a writer, Izzy’s stylistic inspirations are Noah Baumbach, Barry Jenkins, Mary Harron, Charlie Kaufman, and Judd Apatow. Izzy believes that, as a young filmmaker, it’s important to gain inspiration from work derived from today’s zeitgeist in order to genuinely highlight the symbolism of a character’s struggle in their respective world in relation to our own.
Producer: Lenti Liang
Lenti Liang is one of the Producers of “Echoes of the Sea”. She is a LA-based director and producer, originally from Canton, China. She is pursuing an MFA in Film Production at USC, having previously earned a BA degree in Visual Arts Media from UC San Diego. Her films tackle critical social issues affecting underrepresented communities, particularly Asian, women, and marginalized groups. Her work is marked by a deep respect for the traditions and histories of these communities and a strong commitment to cultural preservation and social justice.
Producer: Adam Bloodgood
Adam Bloodgood is a producer/director and choreographer. Originally from Seattle, he has spent the past twelve years working as a professional ballet dancer, most recently as a principal dancer at Ballet Fantastique. In addition to writing and directing his films, Adam was an associate producer on the Northwest Emmy®️-nominated film American Christmas Carol: A Ballet Movie (2020), a first assistant director for Trenches of Rock (2019), a feature-length documentary that premiered at Atlanta Film Festival, and a producer for The Act of Crying (2023), a USC MFA thesis film. Adam is pursuing a B.F.A. in film and television production at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
Director of Photography: Zhen "Donny" Li
Donny Li, originally from Sichuan, China, has always had a penchant for arts and literature over science. In high school, he took to radio, co-hosting talk shows and covering trending topics. This path shifted when a high school teacher encouraged him to consider television. His passion for storytelling grew, initially aspired to become a film director and scriptwriter. Donny's film studies in China exposed him to influential European cinema. Later, at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he deepened his understanding of film. This blend of theoretical study and hands-on film production experience proved invaluable. He's currently advancing his skills with a Master's in cinematography at Chapman Dodge College, hoping to convey genuine human emotions through his work.
Associate Producer: Jiayang Liu
Jiayang Liu is a director, producer, and cinematographer from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Over the years, he has made over 40 short animations, documentaries, and live-action films, many of which have won awards worldwide. His latest film, The Summer Field, has been screened at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Indy Shorts IFF, was a semi-finalist at the Rhode Island IFF and won best student film at the Lone Star Film Festival. Outside of filmmaking, he pursues his passion for being QB4 for the USC intermediate intramural flag football team.
Production Consultant: Ifeanyi Ezieme
Ifeanyi Ezieme is a Nigerian-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. Telling stories since he was 9, his experience of being a socially estranged nomad has informed the stories he tells. In his search of a home for his identity, he recognized universal truths between groups that appeared seemingly different from each other. Choosing to focus on the elements that bring people together. Ifeanyi took the academic route at Pepperdine University to pursue his career as a visual artist & storyteller. He then became a George Lucas scholar at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he received his MFA in Film & Television Production. As a result, he has made a series of short films that have gained international recognition. He is a writer, director, producer, & editor.
Associate Producer: Tye Liu
Tye Liu (Te Liu) graduated from Emerson College with a Media Art Production major. Now, he is a multimedia producer with 4+ years of practical experience, developing Indie multimedia content such as documentaries, reality shows, commercials, Live Streaming, and event capture services for business clients and influencers. His daily job is to schedule meetings, connect clients, find crew members, contact vendors, scout locations, cast actors, etc. His previous works were officially selected by the Beverly Hills Film Festival, Huston International Film Festivals, Chinese American Film Festivals, LA Shorts, etc.
To get more updates on our project and crew info,
please follow us on our Instagram page!
https://www.instagram.com/echoes_of_the_sea_film/
Our email: [email protected]
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Set against the backdrop of the picturesque but haunting memory of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill, the story follows Leo and Raya, two students who discover an oil-stained bird on the beach. This encounter leads them on a magical journey, blending reality with the mythical as they explore the hidden truths beneath the ocean's surface and within their hearts. The narrative pivots around a magical dragon, symbolizing nature's plea for help and the transformational power of human empathy and action.
The 1969 and 2015 Santa Barbara Oil Spills underscore the environmental risks of oil operations. The 1969 spill, caused by a blowout at Union Oil's platform, released 3 million gallons of oil, devastating marine life and sparking the modern environmental movement. In 2015, a pipeline rupture near Refugio State Beach spilled 142,800 gallons, harming local ecosystems and reigniting safety and regulatory concerns in the oil industry.
Both incidents highlight the critical need for stringent environmental protections in energy production.
"Echoes of the Sea," is a film that ventures into a poignant exploration of environmental themes, using the powerful medium of magical realism. I want to use this film to delve deep into the narrative of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill, not just as a historical event, but as a symbol of the enduring impact of human negligence on nature. My personal connection to this story began when I arrived at UC Santa Barbara for college in 2016. The lingering scent of oil in the air and the visible signs of environmental damage were profound reminders of the 2015 oil spill tragedy. Witnessing the lasting effects on the ocean, the wildlife, and even the community, I was moved to use film as a means to make a difference.
In "Echoes of the Sea," I aim to intertwine reality and myth to ignite a conversation about ecological preservation and social change. The film is my canvas to portray the mystical alongside the real, drawing parallels between the magical elements in our folklore and the profound mysteries of our natural world. Through this narrative, I hope to connect audiences to the urgency of protecting our environment, echoing the lessons learned from past tragedies and my own experiences at Santa Barbara. This film is more than a story; it's a reflection of my journey and a call to action, urging us all to recognize our role in safeguarding the delicate balance of our planet.
DEVELOPMENT: May 2020-August 2023
PRE-PRODUCTION: August - October 2023
PRODUCTION: End of October - November 2023
POST-PRODUCTION: November - December 2023/ January 2024
DISTRIBUTION/ FESTIVALS SUBMISSION: 2024
WITH A PLEDGE
You can choose an incentive, a specific wishlist item, or fit your pledge to your specific budget.
No pledge is too small. Every dollar makes a difference in making our film possible.
Seed & Spark requires that we raise at least 80% of our goal for the project to be funded.
We must reach this goal in 30 days or we won't receive any funds.
THE WORD WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
The only way we will reach our crowdfunding goal is if we reach beyond our networks.
Please share our campaign via your social media, email, word-of-mouth, however you want! We can't do this without you!
Thank you for being part of this campaign and joining us in the making of this film!
To get more updates on our project,
please follow us on our Instagram page: @echoes_of_the_sea
https://www.instagram.com/echoes_of_the_sea_film/
If you'd like to express your support, please don't hesitate to send messages to our team on Instagram or through email at [email protected].
We're dedicated to making this film, and your recognition of our efforts warms our hearts and keeps us motivated. We truly appreciate it!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Festival Submissions
Costs $1,500
Submitting to festivals is expensive but we want to reach a larger audience and raise awareness!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer & Director: Zizheng “Boris” Liu
Zizheng “Boris” Liu is a director-producer pursuing his MFA degree in Film & Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is an international student from Beijing, China, with a passion for telling authentic and touching stories that centered around Asian diasporas.
Boris earned his bachelor’s degree in Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During his undergraduate time, one of his films The Dumpling King (2020) was selected by the Oscar-Qualifying®️ 35th Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the 16th Chinese American Film Festival. The film premiered at the Arlington Theatre, the largest movie theater in downtown Santa Barbara on Jan 19th, 2020.
At USC, Boris worked as a Student Assistant for Professor Dianne Farrington and the former president of Twentieth Century Fox, Tom Jacobson. Meanwhile, he got the Edward Thomas Troutner Student Scholarship and the George Lucas Family Foundation Fund. As he gained more filming experiences and connections, he stepped into the producing side of film production and the short film Venice Drifting (2022) that he produced got the Best US Student Film at Venice Shorts; Boris also produced a USC MFA 546 Capstone film Ebezina (2023) which won the 1st Runners Up in best producing in the SCA Firstlook program and also got into the Oscar®️ & BAFTA-qualifying 27th LA Shorts International Film Festival. His own directing and producing film Stairway(2023) also got into the 27th LA Shorts this year.
Articles about Boris:
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-zizheng-boris-liu/
https://voyagela.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-zizheng-boris-liu/?ref=zizhengliu.com
Producer: Israel ‘Izzy’ Goihman
Izzy is a Latino-Jewish filmmaker from Miami, FL finishing his last semester at USC. He has a guilty pleasure for Pixar films, and more often than not, can’t finish one without crying. Lately, Izzy has been delving deeper into the production side of development in order to bring some of his own scripts to life. Izzy’s inspirations as a producer are Jason Berman and Ben Silverman. As a writer, Izzy’s stylistic inspirations are Noah Baumbach, Barry Jenkins, Mary Harron, Charlie Kaufman, and Judd Apatow. Izzy believes that, as a young filmmaker, it’s important to gain inspiration from work derived from today’s zeitgeist in order to genuinely highlight the symbolism of a character’s struggle in their respective world in relation to our own.
Producer: Lenti Liang
Lenti Liang is one of the Producers of “Echoes of the Sea”. She is a LA-based director and producer, originally from Canton, China. She is pursuing an MFA in Film Production at USC, having previously earned a BA degree in Visual Arts Media from UC San Diego. Her films tackle critical social issues affecting underrepresented communities, particularly Asian, women, and marginalized groups. Her work is marked by a deep respect for the traditions and histories of these communities and a strong commitment to cultural preservation and social justice.
Producer: Adam Bloodgood
Adam Bloodgood is a producer/director and choreographer. Originally from Seattle, he has spent the past twelve years working as a professional ballet dancer, most recently as a principal dancer at Ballet Fantastique. In addition to writing and directing his films, Adam was an associate producer on the Northwest Emmy®️-nominated film American Christmas Carol: A Ballet Movie (2020), a first assistant director for Trenches of Rock (2019), a feature-length documentary that premiered at Atlanta Film Festival, and a producer for The Act of Crying (2023), a USC MFA thesis film. Adam is pursuing a B.F.A. in film and television production at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
Director of Photography: Zhen "Donny" Li
Donny Li, originally from Sichuan, China, has always had a penchant for arts and literature over science. In high school, he took to radio, co-hosting talk shows and covering trending topics. This path shifted when a high school teacher encouraged him to consider television. His passion for storytelling grew, initially aspired to become a film director and scriptwriter. Donny's film studies in China exposed him to influential European cinema. Later, at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he deepened his understanding of film. This blend of theoretical study and hands-on film production experience proved invaluable. He's currently advancing his skills with a Master's in cinematography at Chapman Dodge College, hoping to convey genuine human emotions through his work.
Associate Producer: Jiayang Liu
Jiayang Liu is a director, producer, and cinematographer from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Over the years, he has made over 40 short animations, documentaries, and live-action films, many of which have won awards worldwide. His latest film, The Summer Field, has been screened at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Indy Shorts IFF, was a semi-finalist at the Rhode Island IFF and won best student film at the Lone Star Film Festival. Outside of filmmaking, he pursues his passion for being QB4 for the USC intermediate intramural flag football team.
Production Consultant: Ifeanyi Ezieme
Ifeanyi Ezieme is a Nigerian-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. Telling stories since he was 9, his experience of being a socially estranged nomad has informed the stories he tells. In his search of a home for his identity, he recognized universal truths between groups that appeared seemingly different from each other. Choosing to focus on the elements that bring people together. Ifeanyi took the academic route at Pepperdine University to pursue his career as a visual artist & storyteller. He then became a George Lucas scholar at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he received his MFA in Film & Television Production. As a result, he has made a series of short films that have gained international recognition. He is a writer, director, producer, & editor.
Associate Producer: Tye Liu
Tye Liu (Te Liu) graduated from Emerson College with a Media Art Production major. Now, he is a multimedia producer with 4+ years of practical experience, developing Indie multimedia content such as documentaries, reality shows, commercials, Live Streaming, and event capture services for business clients and influencers. His daily job is to schedule meetings, connect clients, find crew members, contact vendors, scout locations, cast actors, etc. His previous works were officially selected by the Beverly Hills Film Festival, Huston International Film Festivals, Chinese American Film Festivals, LA Shorts, etc.
To get more updates on our project and crew info,
please follow us on our Instagram page!
https://www.instagram.com/echoes_of_the_sea_film/
Our email: [email protected]