Emerald Bay
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
EMERALD BAY is a poignant, drama short film that explores the complex relationship between people, power imbalances, and healing from hurt — both mentally and physically. How long can you hold onto compassion for someone who hurt you? How long until you snap?
Emerald Bay
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,540 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
82 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
EMERALD BAY is a poignant, drama short film that explores the complex relationship between people, power imbalances, and healing from hurt — both mentally and physically. How long can you hold onto compassion for someone who hurt you? How long until you snap?
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
During the off-season at an island summer camp, Chingwe plays a recovering staff member (grounded, stubborn) who has just experienced a life-altering injury but refuses to believe they can’t return to their old life. Tanner plays another staff member (light, flighty) who wants to connect with the only other person on the island and has difficulty with Chingwe’s rejection. While working together to remove some invasive fennel, Chingwe pushes themself too hard and Tanner is there to help. The pair begin to bond after Chingwe accepts their new normal until Tanner makes a shocking confession. Chingwe is forced to reckon with compassion and anger wrapped up in one towards their new friend. Can something real be salvaged between two very different people when so much bad blood exists between them? Against the idyllic and remote backdrop of the undeveloped West End of Catalina Island and with the nostalgic mood of analog film, EMERALD BAY cuts to the core of some very human experiences: how we connect, how we alienate, and how the quiet mirror of nature strips us down to our most base selves.
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Hello, my name is Hera. Thank you for being here! We’ve worked incredibly hard to create something special and it means the world that you’ve taken the time to read through the details of this project.
My brother works at a stunning seaside camp on Pimu (aka Catalina Island) and when I got to visit for the first time in 2023, I was absolutely blown away by how a place so close to Los Angeles could look and feel so different — quiet and isolated hills against some of the clearest water I’ve seen in my life. When I asked to film at the camp, they graciously allowed it and I knew I was being given a unique opportunity to make something beautiful.
SETTING MOODBOARD FOR EMERALD BAY
After wrangling a couple of the most talented actors I know and a producer I trust, we worked out a story together — something that would not only play to their strengths but challenge them. The story went through several iterations as we discussed several things from the idea of land ownership to grief and uneven power dynamics.
We’ve crafted something that honors the island and the camp and reflects the complex history behind it. The camp itself sits on Tongva land that was seized for many different purposes over the years but now exists as a protected conservation site to educate the next generation.
As someone whose ethnic background stems from two nations that have a traumatic history of divided land and separated people, I am always interested in the relationships between people and the land — how it leads to the frustration of feeling powerless in your own life, the warmth of community, and the power in making choices to assert your own agency. I am equally interested in the dynamics between people: Empathy and passion, how you can hurt someone you care about, and if forgiveness is a balm or an arrow in the back.
From a young age, I’ve loved all forms of storytelling from books to theatre to film. What I love most about creating is collaborating with others. It is very rare to get the opportunity to make something so personal and with such a vibrant group of folks with a diverse breadth of experience to draw from. EMERALD BAY is a cultivation of all that I love - analog film, collaboration, and a nuanced story told by and for the traditionally under- and misrepresented in media.
With your support, myself and the talented, diverse group of creatives I’m lucky to call friends & colleagues will be able to tell a vulnerable story that is true to ourselves, so we can create something that makes us — and our communities — proud.
.png)
The look of Emerald Bay is heavily inspired by paintings, photographers, and filmmakers alike. In particular, I focused on strong references from artists who utilized a lot of natural light — whether it was scenic landscapes or street photography — and were particularly adept at creating a sense of isolation or tension within a breadth of space. I was particularly drawn to the works of Carrie Mae Weems, Andrew Wyeth, and Han Yongsu.
When it came to films, I looked for a similar sense of isolation and tension within the performances — particularly between characters who connected but could not cohere whether that was because of circumstance or their personality. Coupled with films that made their landscape a character of itself, I found a lot of inspiration in Beau Travail (dir. Claire Denis), Certain Women (dir. Kelly Reichardt), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Celine Sciamma), and La Chimera (dir. Alice Rohrwacher).
We will be shooting on 16mm film to capture the inherent nostalgia and warmth that analog provides. I want the film to feel as timeless as possible. The isolation of the island and cyclical nature of a daily routine should bleed together. It will suspend the characters in a world of their own, but will also serve as a reminder that this nostalgia can be dangerous. Does someone have to accept their circumstances with grace just because it's "fine" now?
TONE MOODBOARD FOR EMERALD BAY
In November 2023, I created a tone poem / proof of concept on Super 8mm film and shot many different portraits and landscape shots on 35mm to fully convey and encapsulate this suspension, tension, and nostalgia that I'm aiming for in Emerald Bay. Stay tuned and up-to-date with our project on Seed & Spark and on our Instagram (@emeraldbayfilm) or Facebook (/emeraldbayfilm) to see it for yourself!
.png)
In order to bring this story to life, we need to at least raise 80% of our goal in order to receive the funds from Seed & Spark. We have 30 days to make that happen, and we know it's no small feat — and that's where you come in!
Your contribution will bring this film to life in many ways. Primarily, you'll be helping us provide for our intrepid and talented cast and crew with meals, travel/transportation, and other accommodations along with the equipment necessary to capture this story. We are committed to creating a safe, generative environment where everyone will be comfortable in telling a nuanced and challenging story.
.png)
Our current fundraising goal of $12,663 will provide us with the proper amount of resources to greenlight the project, while the following stretch goals will help us elevate our film in the following ways:
- $18,000: Secure and completely cover the proper day rates for the entire cast and crew.
- $25,000: Upgrade our equipment to elevate the look and tone of the film.
- $30,000: Elevate our score and post-production, along with helping cover film festival submissions.
Following along with the project and sharing with anyone who could support us goes a long way, too! If you believe in meaningful stories told by passionate storytellers, we urge you to stay in touch and spread the word.
.png)
DEVELOPMENT, August – December 2023
After visiting Camp Emerald Bay, I assembled a small team to develop this project. After bringing on our producer and the talent, together we workshopped various drafts of the script until we landed on characters and a story that felt true to us all. We shot the proof of concept in November on Super 8mm film and also shot many 35mm pictures to capture the tone of the project. That experience helped us better understand not only each other but how to successfully expand the project, so then we embarked on our narrative script.
PRE-PRODUCTION + CROWDFUNDING, January - October 2024
As I refined the script and workshopped it with trusted colleagues and writing groups, my producer and I began expanding our crew! We brought on an incredibly knowledgeable social media manager to help with outreach and creating this campaign. Our DP, who shares my love of film photography, joined and has helped us fill out the remainder of the crew. Together, we are all working daily to ensure a successful and fruitful production.
PRODUCTION, November 2024
In mid-November, we will be shooting at Emerald Bay, located on Pimu (AKA Catalina Island). At that time, the camp will have just entered their off-season so we will have the location to ourselves. The beauty of the fall season paired with the quiet of an empty camp will give our story the perfect backdrop.
POST-PRODUCTION, November 2024 – January 2025
Immediately after wrapping production, we will be working with The Negative Space to process and scan our film. As soon as we receive our footage editing will begin, including coloring and sound mixing. Nothing rounds out a film quite like music and we will be working with a composer to create an original score for the film.
DISTRIBUTION, 2025
Over the new year, we will submit Emerald Bay to a collection of film festivals. We aim to focus on festivals that promote female and POC filmmakers and projects shot on film. Since a majority of the team is based in Los Angeles, we will submit to local festivals in hopes of attending screenings and engaging with audiences.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Equipment
Costs $5,000
In order to film anything, you need to capture the actors performance with cameras, lighting, and sound. This provides the tools for that!
Film Stock + Development & Scanning
Costs $4,000
To capture the intended nostalgic visuals of this film, we are shooting on 16mm film with a crew passionate about analog film!
Transportation
Costs $1,000
Getting our entire crew to Catalina requires reliable transportation! It's not easy getting to a remote destination.
Post-Production
Costs $1,500
This will cover our baseline post-production needs to put all our hard work together and present you with a beautiful film.
Share this update!
About This Team
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Hera Hong (Writer, Director) is a biracial Korean and American filmmaker and poet whose work focuses on the nuances of gender, the impacts of trauma, and the inherent tension in conflicting inner & outer worlds. She has been working with 35mm photography since high school and telling stories ever since she could remember.
Maryam Fassihi (Producer) (she/her) is a Los Angeles-based producer with 4 years of experience. She has produced a variety of projects including web series, short films, and is currently releasing her first narrative podcast. She has a passion for independent filmmaking, collaboration, and championing stories by underrepresented voices.
Kaitlin Griffin (Director of Photography) (she/her) is a freelance DP with 2+ years of experience as a camera technician at a boutique rental house in east LA. For Emerald Bay, her technical abilities and adaptive nature will help this independent project shine.
Chingwe Padraig Sullivan (Cast) (he/they/she/nákum) is a New England-based two-spirit Indigenous actor (Shinnecock and Montaukett nations) exploring how to bring Indigenous storytelling into Western theatrical spaces. After studying for three years at the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Acting Program, she left in order to pursue work more tied to Indigeneity, leading to playing Levi in the world premiere of Cashed Out at San Francisco Playhouse. Other notable work includes Iago in Othello at the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival and Felix Turner in The Normal Heart. As an artist, Chingwe is drawn to work that raises questions of belonging, both in a spiritual and material sense. This project hits particularly close to home as a member of an Indigenous island nation, who cannot legally live on their own land.
Tanner Hayes (Cast) (he/him) is a queer actor and writer from rural New Jersey. He is excited by the challenge of portraying the grief of losing a relationship that could have been, inspired by his own experience with loss. Most recently, Tanner wrote and starred in the short film Good Boy (dir. Tyler Bradberry, post-production). He received his BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is repped by BAM Management.
Joshua Lawrence Hong (Location Manager) is an actor/model currently working as management for Camp Emerald Bay, and has worked on many projects both film and stage as both talent and crew. Likes include the great outdoors, working on creative projects of all kinds, and helping others whenever possible.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
During the off-season at an island summer camp, Chingwe plays a recovering staff member (grounded, stubborn) who has just experienced a life-altering injury but refuses to believe they can’t return to their old life. Tanner plays another staff member (light, flighty) who wants to connect with the only other person on the island and has difficulty with Chingwe’s rejection. While working together to remove some invasive fennel, Chingwe pushes themself too hard and Tanner is there to help. The pair begin to bond after Chingwe accepts their new normal until Tanner makes a shocking confession. Chingwe is forced to reckon with compassion and anger wrapped up in one towards their new friend. Can something real be salvaged between two very different people when so much bad blood exists between them? Against the idyllic and remote backdrop of the undeveloped West End of Catalina Island and with the nostalgic mood of analog film, EMERALD BAY cuts to the core of some very human experiences: how we connect, how we alienate, and how the quiet mirror of nature strips us down to our most base selves.
Hello, my name is Hera. Thank you for being here! We’ve worked incredibly hard to create something special and it means the world that you’ve taken the time to read through the details of this project.
My brother works at a stunning seaside camp on Pimu (aka Catalina Island) and when I got to visit for the first time in 2023, I was absolutely blown away by how a place so close to Los Angeles could look and feel so different — quiet and isolated hills against some of the clearest water I’ve seen in my life. When I asked to film at the camp, they graciously allowed it and I knew I was being given a unique opportunity to make something beautiful.
SETTING MOODBOARD FOR EMERALD BAY
After wrangling a couple of the most talented actors I know and a producer I trust, we worked out a story together — something that would not only play to their strengths but challenge them. The story went through several iterations as we discussed several things from the idea of land ownership to grief and uneven power dynamics.
We’ve crafted something that honors the island and the camp and reflects the complex history behind it. The camp itself sits on Tongva land that was seized for many different purposes over the years but now exists as a protected conservation site to educate the next generation.
As someone whose ethnic background stems from two nations that have a traumatic history of divided land and separated people, I am always interested in the relationships between people and the land — how it leads to the frustration of feeling powerless in your own life, the warmth of community, and the power in making choices to assert your own agency. I am equally interested in the dynamics between people: Empathy and passion, how you can hurt someone you care about, and if forgiveness is a balm or an arrow in the back.
From a young age, I’ve loved all forms of storytelling from books to theatre to film. What I love most about creating is collaborating with others. It is very rare to get the opportunity to make something so personal and with such a vibrant group of folks with a diverse breadth of experience to draw from. EMERALD BAY is a cultivation of all that I love - analog film, collaboration, and a nuanced story told by and for the traditionally under- and misrepresented in media.
With your support, myself and the talented, diverse group of creatives I’m lucky to call friends & colleagues will be able to tell a vulnerable story that is true to ourselves, so we can create something that makes us — and our communities — proud.
The look of Emerald Bay is heavily inspired by paintings, photographers, and filmmakers alike. In particular, I focused on strong references from artists who utilized a lot of natural light — whether it was scenic landscapes or street photography — and were particularly adept at creating a sense of isolation or tension within a breadth of space. I was particularly drawn to the works of Carrie Mae Weems, Andrew Wyeth, and Han Yongsu.
When it came to films, I looked for a similar sense of isolation and tension within the performances — particularly between characters who connected but could not cohere whether that was because of circumstance or their personality. Coupled with films that made their landscape a character of itself, I found a lot of inspiration in Beau Travail (dir. Claire Denis), Certain Women (dir. Kelly Reichardt), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Celine Sciamma), and La Chimera (dir. Alice Rohrwacher).
We will be shooting on 16mm film to capture the inherent nostalgia and warmth that analog provides. I want the film to feel as timeless as possible. The isolation of the island and cyclical nature of a daily routine should bleed together. It will suspend the characters in a world of their own, but will also serve as a reminder that this nostalgia can be dangerous. Does someone have to accept their circumstances with grace just because it's "fine" now?
TONE MOODBOARD FOR EMERALD BAY
In November 2023, I created a tone poem / proof of concept on Super 8mm film and shot many different portraits and landscape shots on 35mm to fully convey and encapsulate this suspension, tension, and nostalgia that I'm aiming for in Emerald Bay. Stay tuned and up-to-date with our project on Seed & Spark and on our Instagram (@emeraldbayfilm) or Facebook (/emeraldbayfilm) to see it for yourself!
In order to bring this story to life, we need to at least raise 80% of our goal in order to receive the funds from Seed & Spark. We have 30 days to make that happen, and we know it's no small feat — and that's where you come in!
Your contribution will bring this film to life in many ways. Primarily, you'll be helping us provide for our intrepid and talented cast and crew with meals, travel/transportation, and other accommodations along with the equipment necessary to capture this story. We are committed to creating a safe, generative environment where everyone will be comfortable in telling a nuanced and challenging story.
Our current fundraising goal of $12,663 will provide us with the proper amount of resources to greenlight the project, while the following stretch goals will help us elevate our film in the following ways:
- $18,000: Secure and completely cover the proper day rates for the entire cast and crew.
- $25,000: Upgrade our equipment to elevate the look and tone of the film.
- $30,000: Elevate our score and post-production, along with helping cover film festival submissions.
Following along with the project and sharing with anyone who could support us goes a long way, too! If you believe in meaningful stories told by passionate storytellers, we urge you to stay in touch and spread the word.
DEVELOPMENT, August – December 2023
After visiting Camp Emerald Bay, I assembled a small team to develop this project. After bringing on our producer and the talent, together we workshopped various drafts of the script until we landed on characters and a story that felt true to us all. We shot the proof of concept in November on Super 8mm film and also shot many 35mm pictures to capture the tone of the project. That experience helped us better understand not only each other but how to successfully expand the project, so then we embarked on our narrative script.
PRE-PRODUCTION + CROWDFUNDING, January - October 2024
As I refined the script and workshopped it with trusted colleagues and writing groups, my producer and I began expanding our crew! We brought on an incredibly knowledgeable social media manager to help with outreach and creating this campaign. Our DP, who shares my love of film photography, joined and has helped us fill out the remainder of the crew. Together, we are all working daily to ensure a successful and fruitful production.
PRODUCTION, November 2024
In mid-November, we will be shooting at Emerald Bay, located on Pimu (AKA Catalina Island). At that time, the camp will have just entered their off-season so we will have the location to ourselves. The beauty of the fall season paired with the quiet of an empty camp will give our story the perfect backdrop.
POST-PRODUCTION, November 2024 – January 2025
Immediately after wrapping production, we will be working with The Negative Space to process and scan our film. As soon as we receive our footage editing will begin, including coloring and sound mixing. Nothing rounds out a film quite like music and we will be working with a composer to create an original score for the film.
DISTRIBUTION, 2025
Over the new year, we will submit Emerald Bay to a collection of film festivals. We aim to focus on festivals that promote female and POC filmmakers and projects shot on film. Since a majority of the team is based in Los Angeles, we will submit to local festivals in hopes of attending screenings and engaging with audiences.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Equipment
Costs $5,000
In order to film anything, you need to capture the actors performance with cameras, lighting, and sound. This provides the tools for that!
Film Stock + Development & Scanning
Costs $4,000
To capture the intended nostalgic visuals of this film, we are shooting on 16mm film with a crew passionate about analog film!
Transportation
Costs $1,000
Getting our entire crew to Catalina requires reliable transportation! It's not easy getting to a remote destination.
Post-Production
Costs $1,500
This will cover our baseline post-production needs to put all our hard work together and present you with a beautiful film.
Share this update!
About This Team
Hera Hong (Writer, Director) is a biracial Korean and American filmmaker and poet whose work focuses on the nuances of gender, the impacts of trauma, and the inherent tension in conflicting inner & outer worlds. She has been working with 35mm photography since high school and telling stories ever since she could remember.
Maryam Fassihi (Producer) (she/her) is a Los Angeles-based producer with 4 years of experience. She has produced a variety of projects including web series, short films, and is currently releasing her first narrative podcast. She has a passion for independent filmmaking, collaboration, and championing stories by underrepresented voices.
Kaitlin Griffin (Director of Photography) (she/her) is a freelance DP with 2+ years of experience as a camera technician at a boutique rental house in east LA. For Emerald Bay, her technical abilities and adaptive nature will help this independent project shine.
Chingwe Padraig Sullivan (Cast) (he/they/she/nákum) is a New England-based two-spirit Indigenous actor (Shinnecock and Montaukett nations) exploring how to bring Indigenous storytelling into Western theatrical spaces. After studying for three years at the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Acting Program, she left in order to pursue work more tied to Indigeneity, leading to playing Levi in the world premiere of Cashed Out at San Francisco Playhouse. Other notable work includes Iago in Othello at the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival and Felix Turner in The Normal Heart. As an artist, Chingwe is drawn to work that raises questions of belonging, both in a spiritual and material sense. This project hits particularly close to home as a member of an Indigenous island nation, who cannot legally live on their own land.
Tanner Hayes (Cast) (he/him) is a queer actor and writer from rural New Jersey. He is excited by the challenge of portraying the grief of losing a relationship that could have been, inspired by his own experience with loss. Most recently, Tanner wrote and starred in the short film Good Boy (dir. Tyler Bradberry, post-production). He received his BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is repped by BAM Management.
Joshua Lawrence Hong (Location Manager) is an actor/model currently working as management for Camp Emerald Bay, and has worked on many projects both film and stage as both talent and crew. Likes include the great outdoors, working on creative projects of all kinds, and helping others whenever possible.