Roseann is a former musician working two jobs, whose love for music has been lost in the daily struggle of work and making ends meet. Frustrated and exhausted, she has a mysterious encounter that has the potential to radically alter her worldview and show her that her dream is still alive.
Roseann is a former musician working two jobs, whose love for music has been lost in the daily struggle of work and making ends meet. Frustrated and exhausted, she has a mysterious encounter that has the potential to radically alter her worldview and show her that her dream is still alive.
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Story
Mission Statement
In my life, and in the lives of many of the people I love, there is a struggle between the things we need to do in order to make ends meet, and things that nourish our souls and give life deeper meaning. This film is for anyone who has ever searched for purpose and fulfillment in the everyday.About The Project
ROSEANN is a high school art teacher working two jobs and caring for elderly mother, Rita. She has a deep passion for music, but she's exhausted, trying to find time and space for her art in the grind of everyday life.
Roseann teaches art to bored students, her mother questions all of her life choices, and Roseann tries in vain to keep her creative spark alive, and like there's no purpose to the way she's living her life.
After another day in which Roseann feels particularly exhausted and frustrated, she realizes she's going to have to work her second job driving a rideshare in order to pay for expenses.
Dejected and questioning whether this is all her life will amount to, Roseann has an encounter with a mysterious passenger that has the potential to radically alter her worldview and show her that perhaps her dreams are still alive.
A photograph I made of Paige Susan Anderson, who plays the mysterious passenger, The Well-Dressed Woman.
If you've known me long enough, you've probably heard me talk about all the jobs I've cycled through in my time on this planet. Systems analyst, house painter, sales person, data entry specialist, restaurant server, editorial assistant, the list goes on.
Me on set!
Our cinematographer Donato Rossi on the set of his film The Day I Began to Love Myself
This story is important, because it's something I feel a lot of people can relate to. There are so many talented people out there who have dreams. Many people feel exhausted and frustrated because so much of their time is spent alienated from the things they love .And in a time where people are working more jobs and more hours for less money, this story is more important and more relevant than ever.
This is a story about me, and maybe, it's a story about you.
This search for purpose has been a consistent theme in all the work I've done. My work spans film but also photography, video, set design, audio design, and installation art. I like to think that this gives me a really multi-dimensional perspective in terms of how to approach cinema from an audio, visual, and production design standpoint.
Here are some stills from my last big project, When the Company Calls
A still from Night Call.
Decayed, But Still Standing
'Emerald Lounge' is set in a nonspecific post-industrial city, a once-thriving place that was full of people working towards a prosperous future. Now, this landscape is decayed, rusted, desolate, but the remnants of these hopes and dreams are still here.
A still from a previous short film I made, The Rehearsal.
This film draws inspiration from Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard, David Lynch's Mulholland Drive & Eraserhead, Persona by Ingrid Bergman, The Shining by Stanley Kubrick, and Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock, among other works.
Without giving too much away, I'm drawn to the blending of fantasy and reality in these films, the mood and atmosphere they are able to create, and how the landscape and the psychology of the characters are so tied together.
Most importantly, this film is inspired by the love of the medium and the power of creative expression.
From top to Bottom, left to right: Eraserhead, Mulholland Dr., Persona, Sunset Boulevard, Vertigo
There is an incredibly talented group of actors, artists, and filmmakers already working to bring this project to life - it is a true labor of love.
We have most of our production costs covered - I am looking to raise a portion of the budget from this campaign to help with remaining production costs and to see it through postproduction and festival submissions.
I've set a modest goal of $4000 - if you partner with me on this film, your contribution will go towards much needed gear rental costs for production as well as editing, color-correction, and sound design costs. This will be crucial to getting the project over the finish line.
This is to polish the film and make it look and sound as good as it possibly can after production wraps. Remaining costs will go towards festival submissions to help the film get in front of as many eyes as possible.
There is a lot of work that has been done on this film already! We have a script, a storyboard, an amazing cast & crew, locations, equipment, and money already set aside for production. Most importantly, we have our first set of shooting dates for February! That is coming up super fast!
Our amazing main cast during the first (remote) table read! Clockwise from top left: Paige Susan Anderson, Arlene Arnone, Lisa Kay King
STRETCH GOALS
If we surpass our goal of $4000 that would be incredible! Every dollar above that would go toward increasing production value - more for equipment rental, crew, production design, props, and postproduction.
CAN'T CONTRIBUTE?
That's okay! You can still follow our page & share on social media, help get the word out, and follow along for updates on the project as it moves through production!
Incentives
$10
I See You!
Oh hello there! Thank you so much for your contribution!
You will receive:
- A digital copy of the screenplay (when the film is released)
- A 'thank you' on social media (I believe the kids today are calling them 'shout outs'). We appreciate your support!
$25
4K Digital Download + Digital Postcard
You stumble upon a 1920's era ballroom, which is strangely empty except for a mysterious bartender named Lloyd. You belly up to the bar. "I'd do anything for a glass of beer," you say, and plunk down $25. In exchange, he gives you a link to a 4K digital download of the completed 'Emerald Lounge' film before it is released, as well as a digital postcard! Wow! How's my credit in this joint, anyway?
You will receive:
- A link to a 4K digital download of the film before it is released
- Digital Postcard
- All previous rewards
$50
Original 'Emerald Lounge' Soundtrack
You sit down at the pipe organ to play some chamber music for the parish, but what comes out has seemingly sprung from the fingers of the devil himself!
With your $50 contribution, you will receive:
- A digital copy of the all original and beautifully-rendered 'Emerald Lounge' Soundtrack
- All previous rewards!
$100
Your name in the credits! + BTS
Who wants to sit through the credits? You do! Because at this level, you will receive
- Your name under 'Special Thanks' in the credits
- A 'Thank You' video from us to you!
- Special Behind-The-Scenes photos from set
- All previous rewards
Don't worry, it's only a short, how long could the credits be?
$250
Analog Special: Limited Edition 4K Blu-Ray + Cassette Soundtrack Combo
You receive a mysterious package in the mail, which appears to be a DVD of a strange film called 'Emerald Lounge'. Curious, you dust off your old DVD player and pop the disc in. "Who even makes DVDs anymore?," you think to yourself. Slowly but irrevocably, you are driven to madness. You have become the victim of mind control. Whoops! Long live the new flesh!
For your $250 contribution, you will receive:
- A limited-edition 4K Blu-Ray of the completed film
- A cassette of the beautifully-rendered all original soundtrack!
- All previous rewards
Claimed: 5 of 6
$500
Associate Producer
Wow look at you, you lovely so and so! You are big time, baby!
- You will be named in the credits and on IMDB as Associate Producer.
- You will get all previous rewards
Claimed: 2 of 5
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
I See You!
Oh hello there! Thank you so much for your contribution!
You will receive:
- A digital copy of the screenplay (when the film is released)
- A 'thank you' on social media (I believe the kids today are calling them 'shout outs'). We appreciate your support!
$25
4K Digital Download + Digital Postcard
You stumble upon a 1920's era ballroom, which is strangely empty except for a mysterious bartender named Lloyd. You belly up to the bar. "I'd do anything for a glass of beer," you say, and plunk down $25. In exchange, he gives you a link to a 4K digital download of the completed 'Emerald Lounge' film before it is released, as well as a digital postcard! Wow! How's my credit in this joint, anyway?
You will receive:
- A link to a 4K digital download of the film before it is released
- Digital Postcard
- All previous rewards
$50
Original 'Emerald Lounge' Soundtrack
You sit down at the pipe organ to play some chamber music for the parish, but what comes out has seemingly sprung from the fingers of the devil himself!
With your $50 contribution, you will receive:
- A digital copy of the all original and beautifully-rendered 'Emerald Lounge' Soundtrack
- All previous rewards!
$100
Your name in the credits! + BTS
Who wants to sit through the credits? You do! Because at this level, you will receive
- Your name under 'Special Thanks' in the credits
- A 'Thank You' video from us to you!
- Special Behind-The-Scenes photos from set
- All previous rewards
Don't worry, it's only a short, how long could the credits be?
$250
Analog Special: Limited Edition 4K Blu-Ray + Cassette Soundtrack Combo
You receive a mysterious package in the mail, which appears to be a DVD of a strange film called 'Emerald Lounge'. Curious, you dust off your old DVD player and pop the disc in. "Who even makes DVDs anymore?," you think to yourself. Slowly but irrevocably, you are driven to madness. You have become the victim of mind control. Whoops! Long live the new flesh!
For your $250 contribution, you will receive:
- A limited-edition 4K Blu-Ray of the completed film
- A cassette of the beautifully-rendered all original soundtrack!
- All previous rewards
Claimed: 5 of 6
$500
Associate Producer
Wow look at you, you lovely so and so! You are big time, baby!
- You will be named in the credits and on IMDB as Associate Producer.
- You will get all previous rewards
Claimed: 2 of 5
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Michael W. Hicks
Michael is a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker based in Syracuse, NY. He received his MFA from Syracuse University in 2018. Previous works and short films include When the Company Calls (2019) Haunted Theatre (2019) Night Call (2019), and The Rehearsal (2018). His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently at The Munson Williams Proctor Arts Museum in Utica, NY and The Holland Project Gallery in Reno, NV. His work is in several collections including at Syracuse University, the High Museum, and the Guggenheim Museum Library. He is also currently also working on a photography monograph called When The Company Calls.
Donato Rossi
Donao is a southern Italian independent filmmaker, born and raised in Puglia. He spent 15 years in Tuscany (Sienna) to work and study Arts, Cinema and Theater at the University of Sienna.
His projects have been selected and screened in Milan, Florence, Reggio Emilia, Siena, Sicily, Bilbao, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Michigan, Los Angeles, New York, India, and other places. After several years in broadcasting in Europe, he decided in 2014 he would start a new adventure in the US, attending an MFA program in film, at the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University (Syracuse, New York), where he currrently works and tetaches. His films include House Unbound, The Day I Began to Love Myself, and the award-winning Fog At Sea, which won BEST SHORT EXPERIMENTAL at the Medusa Film Festival. -
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