FADED: A Story of Love & Control
Charleston, South Carolina | Series
Drama, Thriller
FADED is a vertical microdrama about a jaded hairstylist fighting to reclaim her child from a controlling ex-husband while uncovering her mother's secret formula. This microdrama gives voice to motherhood, resilience, and identity through bold, unapologetic storytelling.
FADED: A Story of Love & Control
Charleston, South Carolina | Series
Drama, Thriller
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FADED is a vertical microdrama about a jaded hairstylist fighting to reclaim her child from a controlling ex-husband while uncovering her mother's secret formula. This microdrama gives voice to motherhood, resilience, and identity through bold, unapologetic storytelling.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
We're Making FADED
FADED is a Southern-based vertical microdrama about a woman who has given everything — to her craft, to her love, to her family — and is now fighting to get the most important piece back. At its heart, FADED asks a question too many women know personally: What do you do when the person who was supposed to love you becomes the very thing standing between you and your child? D isn't just fighting a custody battle. She is fighting to remember who she was before she faded.
A Woman. A Secret. A Fight She Never Expected to Have.
D had a plan. A thriving career as a hairstylist. A life she built with her own hands. But when her controlling ex-husband takes the one thing she loves most — her child — everything unravels. The only thing left standing between D and the truth is her mother's secret formula and the woman she has been too afraid to become. FADED is a story about what happens when a woman stops shrinking. It is about generational wounds, the cost of loving wrong, and the radical act of choosing yourself — even when the stakes have never been higher. This is the story. This is D. This is FADED.
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Lead actress in a white lab coat and teal latex gloves stares intensely into the camera, posed in a red-lit room on set.
Why This Vertical Microdrama Matters
We are living in a new era of storytelling. Audiences are on their phones, in their lives, moving fast — and they deserve content that meets them there without sacrificing depth, beauty, or intention. FADED is designed for that moment. Every episode is crafted with cinematic precision, bold performances, and a visual language built for the vertical screen. We are not cutting corners to fit a format. We are using the format to tell a bigger story.
Women deserve to see themselves centered — not as a subplot, not as a supporting role, but as the full, complex, powerful protagonists they are. FADED is that story, told in a format that reaches the audiences who need it most, where they already are. This is not just content. This is culture.
What Your Support Makes Possible
We have completed principal photography. The story is captured. Now we need to make it extraordinary. Every dollar raised goes directly toward bringing FADED to life in post-production, including:
🎬 Editing: Every cut, every scene, every moment shaped into the gripping emotional experience FADED is meant to be.
🎨 Color Grading: Every frame made cinematic, intentional, and emotionally alive — because the visual tone is everything.
🎙️ Sound Design & Mixing: Every voice, every silence, every sound crafted to pull you completely into D's world.
🎵 Music Licensing & Original Score: A sound that is intentional and powerful, the right music transforms everything.
📣 Marketing & Promotion: Getting FADED in front of the audiences through social campaigns, press, and platforms.
The FADED director addresses the cast and crew seated in a circle during a production meeting inside a small, warmly lit room.
Join Us
FADED is arriving in July, and we want you there from the very beginning.
If you believe women's stories deserve to be told beautifully, boldly, and without compromise — this is your moment. Your donation, no matter the size, is a direct investment in D's story and in the future of independent vertical storytelling.
History is being made. The window to be part of it is closing. Own that forever.
And if giving isn't possible right now, there is still a place for you in this journey.
Join our mailing list to stay connected, be the first to know when FADED launches, get behind-the-scenes access, and walk with us every step of the way. Because D's story deserves an audience. And that audience starts with you.
Donate. Share. Stay Connected. Be Part of FADED.
Cast members who play Ciara and Kelly capture a fun behind-the-scenes moment on set.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
SanDisk PRO Portable SSD 2TB @$400 x 2
Costs $800
Our film must travel seamlessly from editor → color → sound → music supervisor → final master → screen
Color Correction & Grading
Costs $400
Professional color grading gives FADED its cinematic identity — the visual emotion for every frame. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Sound Mixing & Music Licensing
Costs $400
Every voice, every score cue — professionally mixed and legally cleared for distribution across all platforms. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Marketing & Promotion
Costs $1,200
Targeted marketing & promotion to bring FADED to every screen possible. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Film Festival Submissions
Costs $200
Submitting FADED to curated film festivals to build increased exposure. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
About the Team
FADED was born from connection, community, and a shared belief that bold stories deserve to be told boldly.
The four of us came together through Nicki Michaux's Elevate Creative Community — a powerhouse space that empowers and inspires creatives to take their careers to the next level through real-world independent filmmaking, acting techniques, and career consultation.
After making connections at the American Film Market Conference in Los Angeles last fall, we knew we wanted to create together. As conversations turned to the burgeoning world of vertical microdramas, Director Gary brought an idea to the table — and FADED was born.
What makes this team extraordinary is what each of us brings to it. Talented writing. Seasoned videography. Creative vision. Deep music knowledge. Every skill is intentional. Every voice essential. Together, we are not just making a film — we are building something that could only exist because the four of us found each other.
We are a dedicated team of artists committed to the quality, integrity, and cultural impact of everything we create. FADED is our proof.
Dr. Gary Mason II
Dr. Gary Mason II is an accomplished cameraman and producer with experience spanning major television networks, government agencies, and the 1996 U.S. Olympic Committee. Before founding Media1st Creations, he spent six years crafting cinematic, story‑driven content rooted in authenticity and purpose. A U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gary later worked as a public affairs officer, producing media projects worldwide and championing the stories of service members with integrity and impact. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Howard University, a master’s degree in Practical Theology and Film, Television, and Video Producing from Regent University and American University, and a Doctor of Ministry in Military Ministry from Regent University (2022).
Jonathan Sims
Jonathan Cardell Sims, Sr. is a screenwriter based in Charleston, SC who specializes in drama, thriller, and comedy. His portfolio also includes episodic melodrama content. His work reflects a disciplined approach to structure, character, and narrative, developed through hands-on experience across feature, episodic, short-form, and vertical formats. Jonathan operates at the intersection of creative excellence and market awareness, bringing strategic thinking and storytelling precision to every project he develops.
Chantel Johnson
Chantel Johnson is a California-based writer whose work centers on emotionally grounded drama with strong social and psychological themes. Drawing from lived experience, her storytelling explores identity, resilience, power, and survival through both character-driven and high-concept narratives. Chantel approaches every project with a blend of creative instinct, strategic thinking, and deep understanding of human behavior and systems.
Sonya Fox
Sonya Fox is a California-based writer and creative producer building at the intersection of culture, care, and story. She develops television, newscast, and short film projects through a distinctly Black queer Southern lens — often drawing on archival footage, cinema, and sound as both creative medium and cultural evidence. Rooted in over 15 years of working at the center of human behavior and organizational life, she understands what people need, what they carry, and what they rarely say out loud. That fluency in the human condition is the quiet engine behind everything she creates — and the reason her stories don't just resonate but also reveal.
The four-person FADED creative team poses together outdoors on set, smiling, as the Director holds a camera rig high in the air.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
We're Making FADED
FADED is a Southern-based vertical microdrama about a woman who has given everything — to her craft, to her love, to her family — and is now fighting to get the most important piece back. At its heart, FADED asks a question too many women know personally: What do you do when the person who was supposed to love you becomes the very thing standing between you and your child? D isn't just fighting a custody battle. She is fighting to remember who she was before she faded.
A Woman. A Secret. A Fight She Never Expected to Have.
D had a plan. A thriving career as a hairstylist. A life she built with her own hands. But when her controlling ex-husband takes the one thing she loves most — her child — everything unravels. The only thing left standing between D and the truth is her mother's secret formula and the woman she has been too afraid to become. FADED is a story about what happens when a woman stops shrinking. It is about generational wounds, the cost of loving wrong, and the radical act of choosing yourself — even when the stakes have never been higher. This is the story. This is D. This is FADED.
Lead actress in a white lab coat and teal latex gloves stares intensely into the camera, posed in a red-lit room on set.
Why This Vertical Microdrama Matters
We are living in a new era of storytelling. Audiences are on their phones, in their lives, moving fast — and they deserve content that meets them there without sacrificing depth, beauty, or intention. FADED is designed for that moment. Every episode is crafted with cinematic precision, bold performances, and a visual language built for the vertical screen. We are not cutting corners to fit a format. We are using the format to tell a bigger story.
Women deserve to see themselves centered — not as a subplot, not as a supporting role, but as the full, complex, powerful protagonists they are. FADED is that story, told in a format that reaches the audiences who need it most, where they already are. This is not just content. This is culture.
What Your Support Makes Possible
We have completed principal photography. The story is captured. Now we need to make it extraordinary. Every dollar raised goes directly toward bringing FADED to life in post-production, including:
🎬 Editing: Every cut, every scene, every moment shaped into the gripping emotional experience FADED is meant to be.
🎨 Color Grading: Every frame made cinematic, intentional, and emotionally alive — because the visual tone is everything.
🎙️ Sound Design & Mixing: Every voice, every silence, every sound crafted to pull you completely into D's world.
🎵 Music Licensing & Original Score: A sound that is intentional and powerful, the right music transforms everything.
📣 Marketing & Promotion: Getting FADED in front of the audiences through social campaigns, press, and platforms.
The FADED director addresses the cast and crew seated in a circle during a production meeting inside a small, warmly lit room.
Join Us
FADED is arriving in July, and we want you there from the very beginning.
If you believe women's stories deserve to be told beautifully, boldly, and without compromise — this is your moment. Your donation, no matter the size, is a direct investment in D's story and in the future of independent vertical storytelling.
History is being made. The window to be part of it is closing. Own that forever.
And if giving isn't possible right now, there is still a place for you in this journey.
Join our mailing list to stay connected, be the first to know when FADED launches, get behind-the-scenes access, and walk with us every step of the way. Because D's story deserves an audience. And that audience starts with you.
Donate. Share. Stay Connected. Be Part of FADED.
Cast members who play Ciara and Kelly capture a fun behind-the-scenes moment on set.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
SanDisk PRO Portable SSD 2TB @$400 x 2
Costs $800
Our film must travel seamlessly from editor → color → sound → music supervisor → final master → screen
Color Correction & Grading
Costs $400
Professional color grading gives FADED its cinematic identity — the visual emotion for every frame. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Sound Mixing & Music Licensing
Costs $400
Every voice, every score cue — professionally mixed and legally cleared for distribution across all platforms. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Marketing & Promotion
Costs $1,200
Targeted marketing & promotion to bring FADED to every screen possible. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Film Festival Submissions
Costs $200
Submitting FADED to curated film festivals to build increased exposure. *Content created w/ Gen-AI
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
About the Team
FADED was born from connection, community, and a shared belief that bold stories deserve to be told boldly.
The four of us came together through Nicki Michaux's Elevate Creative Community — a powerhouse space that empowers and inspires creatives to take their careers to the next level through real-world independent filmmaking, acting techniques, and career consultation.
After making connections at the American Film Market Conference in Los Angeles last fall, we knew we wanted to create together. As conversations turned to the burgeoning world of vertical microdramas, Director Gary brought an idea to the table — and FADED was born.
What makes this team extraordinary is what each of us brings to it. Talented writing. Seasoned videography. Creative vision. Deep music knowledge. Every skill is intentional. Every voice essential. Together, we are not just making a film — we are building something that could only exist because the four of us found each other.
We are a dedicated team of artists committed to the quality, integrity, and cultural impact of everything we create. FADED is our proof.
Dr. Gary Mason II
Dr. Gary Mason II is an accomplished cameraman and producer with experience spanning major television networks, government agencies, and the 1996 U.S. Olympic Committee. Before founding Media1st Creations, he spent six years crafting cinematic, story‑driven content rooted in authenticity and purpose. A U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gary later worked as a public affairs officer, producing media projects worldwide and championing the stories of service members with integrity and impact. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Howard University, a master’s degree in Practical Theology and Film, Television, and Video Producing from Regent University and American University, and a Doctor of Ministry in Military Ministry from Regent University (2022).
Jonathan Sims
Jonathan Cardell Sims, Sr. is a screenwriter based in Charleston, SC who specializes in drama, thriller, and comedy. His portfolio also includes episodic melodrama content. His work reflects a disciplined approach to structure, character, and narrative, developed through hands-on experience across feature, episodic, short-form, and vertical formats. Jonathan operates at the intersection of creative excellence and market awareness, bringing strategic thinking and storytelling precision to every project he develops.
Chantel Johnson
Chantel Johnson is a California-based writer whose work centers on emotionally grounded drama with strong social and psychological themes. Drawing from lived experience, her storytelling explores identity, resilience, power, and survival through both character-driven and high-concept narratives. Chantel approaches every project with a blend of creative instinct, strategic thinking, and deep understanding of human behavior and systems.
Sonya Fox
Sonya Fox is a California-based writer and creative producer building at the intersection of culture, care, and story. She develops television, newscast, and short film projects through a distinctly Black queer Southern lens — often drawing on archival footage, cinema, and sound as both creative medium and cultural evidence. Rooted in over 15 years of working at the center of human behavior and organizational life, she understands what people need, what they carry, and what they rarely say out loud. That fluency in the human condition is the quiet engine behind everything she creates — and the reason her stories don't just resonate but also reveal.