Fall of the Phoenix
Austin, Texas | Film Feature
Documentary, Experimental
Brain injury affects millions, yet too many survivors remain unseen, misdiagnosed, or alone. Fall of the Phoenix is a one-of-a-kind mythic documentary transforming an invisible crisis into a genre-breaking story of truth, healing, and hope.
Fall of the Phoenix
Austin, Texas | Film Feature
Documentary, Experimental
1 Campaigns | Texas, United States
24 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$5,250
Goal: $20,000 for production
Brain injury affects millions, yet too many survivors remain unseen, misdiagnosed, or alone. Fall of the Phoenix is a one-of-a-kind mythic documentary transforming an invisible crisis into a genre-breaking story of truth, healing, and hope.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A Brain injury is not just a medical event. It changes the way you think, feel, remember, relate, create, move through the world, and understand yourself. It fractures your identity. It makes the life you were living suddenly feel unfamiliar.
Fall of the Phoenix is a feature length magical realism documentary about what happens after the mind shatters, and what it takes to rise again.
For nearly six years, I’ve been crossing the country following brain injury survivors whose lives reveal the hidden scope of this epidemic: from sports concussions and misdiagnosis, to incarceration, domestic violence, veteran care, rural access, and the nonlinear path of healing.
This is not a clinical film about what is broken, it’s a mythological film about what becomes possible when the brain heals.
Through real human stories, animation, visual poetry, movement and magical realism, Fall of the Phoenix transforms one of the most disorienting human experiences into a universal story of descent, discovery, and rebirth.
Because sometimes, you have to lose yourself to find yourself.
In 2020, what began as a search to understand my sister’s sports-related concussions turned into something much deeper: a reckoning with my own misdiagnosed brain injuries and an awakening to a hidden epidemic affecting millions of people and families.
MY EXPERIENCE
Over the course of my career, I’ve produced dozens of documentaries and four docuseries about important people and movements which are changing the world. My films have screened at more than 80 festivals worldwide and have been seen by tens of millions online. A recent documentary series I produced just received an impact award at the Tribeca Film Festival.
I'm bringing all my experience as a filmmaker, producer, and brain injury survivor into Fall of the Phoenix.
OUR APPROACH
Brain injuries alter our memory, perception, imagination, and how we move through the world. Standard documentaries can't capture this. So we built a visual language that can.
Fall of the Phoenix uses magical realism to translate the invisible world of brain injury into something audiences can see, feel, and understand. Through dance, animation, mythological imagery, and cinematic portals, this is a documentary that is grounded in real lives but told with the wonder and nuance this experience deserves.
WHY NOW
We are now at a critical moment. The character stories are reaching pivotal turning points, and several of our remaining shoots are tied to real-time, seasonal windows that cannot be moved.
Once these shoots are complete, the core character stories of the film will be complete. If we miss this window the opportunity to film the survivors in their transformative chapters will close.
That is why the time is now.
WHAT YOUR SUPPORT MAKES POSSIBLE
Our primary goal is $20,000.
Hitting this goal allows us to complete our immediate and immovable production needs:
- Travel and production costs to film Dr. Ruiz’s healing gardens in Connecticut
- Travel and production costs to capture stories on the Alaska Brain Bus with Dr. Grove
- Travel and production costs for the magical realism Yup’ik dance sequence with Alex
- Crew flights, lodging, meals, reduced crew rates, and essential specialty equipment rentals
My crew and I believe in this project so much that the crew is working at reduced rates and I am not taking any payment.
Every. Single. Penny. Is going towards getting this film made and made with care.
Your support directly helps us get these shoots complete.
IF WE RISE BEYOND OUR GOAL
Additional funds will allow us to move into the creative work that makes Fall of the Phoenix unlike any other brain injury documentary:
- Animation
- Visual effects
- Editing
- Sound design
- Magical and mythological transitions
- Trailer completion
- Post-production begins
This is where the film’s inner world comes alive: the phoenix, the portals, the descent, the rise.
I have worn almost every hat on this film: director, producer, shooter, fundraiser, strategist, advocate, field producer, creative lead, and on screen seeker.
And while I am proud of that, I am ready to bring this across the finish line with the right team around me. No more burnout!
THE TEAM IS READY
We have assembled an extraordinary group of collaborators who are ready to move the moment we hit our fundraising goal: cinematographers, editors, composers, animation partners, consulting producers, and artists who understand both the cinematic ambition and the responsibility of this story.
- MJ Johnston has spent the last two years developing the visual world of Fall of the Phoenix — our Alice in Wonderland-inspired look and feel — and comes equipped with a full suite of production equipment. They are the reason this film looks the way it does.
- Joseph Lindley is my fiancé and our expedition camera operator. He has followed this story into some of the most remote locations, including Alaska this summer. An expedition filmmaker and mythology expert, he brings a rare combination of technical skill and intellectual depth to the project.
- Jon Sandoval is a camera operator who has been with us in the field, including our shoot in Denver, Colorado. He is a treasure to have on the team!
- Cameron Lee Sung is a talented composer and editor who will be bringing his extraordinary talents to our trailer edit.
- Greg Gheorghiu is our editor. He's edited series for HBO and feature films that went to Sundance.
- Samantha Bradley is a film and visual media composer based in New York City.
- Studio Showoff is our top pick animation partner, bringing the magical realism sequences to life.
- And behind all of it, three consulting producers, Simone Pero, Jill Demby-Guest, Carole Joyce, who have played a pivotal role in getting us to this point.
We are ready. We just need the green light!
THE IMPACT
The impact of Fall of the Phoenix will not end when the credits roll.
We are building this film as a tool for conversation, education, and change in hospitals, universities, shelters, carceral systems, healthcare environments, classrooms, community screenings, and beyond.
Our goal is to help people understand brain injury not only as a medical issue, but as a human story. A family story. A justice story. A healing story. We want survivors to feel seen. We want families to feel less alone. We want clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and communities to have a new way into this conversation. And we want audiences everywhere to understand that losing yourself is not always the end of the story. Sometimes, it is the beginning of becoming something new.
PERKS AND INCENTIVES
This is an exciting time to get involved and we want to make sure you feel that!
Every contribution unlocks something tangible: your name in the credits, early access to the trailer, invitations to screenings and events, limited-edition merchandise, and handcrafted pieces designed to help you wear the film, share the message, and start conversations about brain injury wherever you go.
For our highest-level donors, we are offering one-of-a-kind Phoenix-inspired commissioned artwork created in partnership with artists connected to the brain injury community.
These pieces are part of the world we are building together.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are so close.
After nearly six years of filming, searching, listening, and building, Fall of the Phoenix is ready to rise.
Your contribution helps us capture these final, urgent production windows and carry this film into its next chapter.
Every pledge matters. Every share matters. Every person who sees this campaign helps us bring this hidden epidemic into the light.
Please consider the following:
- Sharing the message directly with friends and family
- Sharing on social media!
- Follow this campaign on seed and spark
- Follow our social media account @fallofthephoenixfilm
- Liking, sharing and repost our social media content
- Call a news outlet
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in this story. Together, we rise.
With gratitude,
Lauren
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Costs to film on the Brain Bus
Costs $1,200
Two RT tickets to Anchorage help us collect veteran stories at Delta Junction on the Brain Bus this Fall. This is the only window!
Equipment Rental
Costs $800
Some of our shoots require some specialty equipment. Help us get the lenses we need to capture this beautifully.
Crew Lodging
Costs $1,000
When we travel we’ll need places to lodge the crew. Help us get a good nights sleep so we can show up to set well rested
"Craft Services"- Crew Food
Costs $500
We need to feed our crew during the long hours on set, and while traveling. Help us get the nutrition & caffeine we need for these 10 hour d
Flights to Connecticut
Costs $1,500
Me, MJ (our DP), and our second Camera Op/Audio will be flying to Connecticut in August. Help cover our travel expenses there!
Crew Flights To Alaska
Costs $2,500
Later in the fall three of us will need to go back to Alaska to film the magical realism moments and capture the remaining footage to comple
Yupik Dance Magical Realism Scene
Costs $8,000
A two day shoot with dancers and snowcapped mountains to emote a mother’s strength. Crew costs, choreography, native consultant, wardrobe
Assistant Editor
Costs $500
Once we have this footage, we’ll need someone to organize the footage and make sure we have everything safely backed up!
Healing Gardens Production
Costs $4,000
Dr. Ivette Ruiz’s healing gardens go into bloom this summer, and they serve TBI clients. If we miss this window we’ll have to wait a year!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Lauren Lindberg – Director / Producer
Lauren Lindberg is a filmmaker specializing in mythic nonfiction, blending documentary with psychological and mythological frameworks to explore identity, trauma, and systemic impact. Her work has screened at over 80 festivals and reached more than 20 million viewers. With experience producing global campaigns, documentaries, and television pilots, Fall of the Phoenix marks her first feature as director and most personal work to date.
MJ Johnston – Director of Photography
MJ Johnston is a cinematographer with over 15 years of experience across independent film, branded content, and documentary for HBO, Netflix and Hulu. MJ has a suite of incredible equipment, an eye for pushing the boundaries. MJ has worked closely with Lauren to develop a striking cinematic language for Fall of the Phoenix.
Jon Sandoval – Camera Operator
Jon has worked for major companies like FOX, HBO, Showtime, P&G, and CanonUSA. He is excellent at helping people take ideas from concepts to tangible deliverables and excels at magical realism and creative production.
Joseph Lindley - Camera Operator and Mythic Story Consultant
Joseph Lindley is a seasoned expedition documentary filmmaker. His works are a combination of the most essential questions of human life and the impact of the four natural elements. He operates drone, and goes with me on shoots that require a low footprint and an effective budget!
Greg Gheorghiu - Editor
Greg Gheorghiu is a documentary editor whose work has premiered at Sundance, SXSW, and festivals worldwide. His credits include HBO's Emmy-winning series We're Here, Believer (HBO/Live Nation), and the Russo Brothers' hybrid docuseries Slugfest. With over a decade of experience cutting features, series, and branded content for clients ranging from Apple to The Guardian, Greg brings both the craft and the instinct to help Fall of the Phoenix find its most powerful form.
Creative Production Partners
Earth Based Media – Indigenous-led production partner supporting Native dance and cultural storytelling sequences
Composer and Trailer Editor
Cameron Lee-Sung
Custom Score
Samantha Bradley
Art Director and Production Design Team
Katy Gurly and Kat Westmoreland
Production Assistants
Kenny Hopkins and Cade Young
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A Brain injury is not just a medical event. It changes the way you think, feel, remember, relate, create, move through the world, and understand yourself. It fractures your identity. It makes the life you were living suddenly feel unfamiliar.
Fall of the Phoenix is a feature length magical realism documentary about what happens after the mind shatters, and what it takes to rise again.
For nearly six years, I’ve been crossing the country following brain injury survivors whose lives reveal the hidden scope of this epidemic: from sports concussions and misdiagnosis, to incarceration, domestic violence, veteran care, rural access, and the nonlinear path of healing.
This is not a clinical film about what is broken, it’s a mythological film about what becomes possible when the brain heals.
Through real human stories, animation, visual poetry, movement and magical realism, Fall of the Phoenix transforms one of the most disorienting human experiences into a universal story of descent, discovery, and rebirth.
Because sometimes, you have to lose yourself to find yourself.
In 2020, what began as a search to understand my sister’s sports-related concussions turned into something much deeper: a reckoning with my own misdiagnosed brain injuries and an awakening to a hidden epidemic affecting millions of people and families.
MY EXPERIENCE
Over the course of my career, I’ve produced dozens of documentaries and four docuseries about important people and movements which are changing the world. My films have screened at more than 80 festivals worldwide and have been seen by tens of millions online. A recent documentary series I produced just received an impact award at the Tribeca Film Festival.
I'm bringing all my experience as a filmmaker, producer, and brain injury survivor into Fall of the Phoenix.
OUR APPROACH
Brain injuries alter our memory, perception, imagination, and how we move through the world. Standard documentaries can't capture this. So we built a visual language that can.
Fall of the Phoenix uses magical realism to translate the invisible world of brain injury into something audiences can see, feel, and understand. Through dance, animation, mythological imagery, and cinematic portals, this is a documentary that is grounded in real lives but told with the wonder and nuance this experience deserves.
WHY NOW
We are now at a critical moment. The character stories are reaching pivotal turning points, and several of our remaining shoots are tied to real-time, seasonal windows that cannot be moved.
Once these shoots are complete, the core character stories of the film will be complete. If we miss this window the opportunity to film the survivors in their transformative chapters will close.
That is why the time is now.
WHAT YOUR SUPPORT MAKES POSSIBLE
Our primary goal is $20,000.
Hitting this goal allows us to complete our immediate and immovable production needs:
- Travel and production costs to film Dr. Ruiz’s healing gardens in Connecticut
- Travel and production costs to capture stories on the Alaska Brain Bus with Dr. Grove
- Travel and production costs for the magical realism Yup’ik dance sequence with Alex
- Crew flights, lodging, meals, reduced crew rates, and essential specialty equipment rentals
My crew and I believe in this project so much that the crew is working at reduced rates and I am not taking any payment.
Every. Single. Penny. Is going towards getting this film made and made with care.
Your support directly helps us get these shoots complete.
IF WE RISE BEYOND OUR GOAL
Additional funds will allow us to move into the creative work that makes Fall of the Phoenix unlike any other brain injury documentary:
- Animation
- Visual effects
- Editing
- Sound design
- Magical and mythological transitions
- Trailer completion
- Post-production begins
This is where the film’s inner world comes alive: the phoenix, the portals, the descent, the rise.
I have worn almost every hat on this film: director, producer, shooter, fundraiser, strategist, advocate, field producer, creative lead, and on screen seeker.
And while I am proud of that, I am ready to bring this across the finish line with the right team around me. No more burnout!
THE TEAM IS READY
We have assembled an extraordinary group of collaborators who are ready to move the moment we hit our fundraising goal: cinematographers, editors, composers, animation partners, consulting producers, and artists who understand both the cinematic ambition and the responsibility of this story.
- MJ Johnston has spent the last two years developing the visual world of Fall of the Phoenix — our Alice in Wonderland-inspired look and feel — and comes equipped with a full suite of production equipment. They are the reason this film looks the way it does.
- Joseph Lindley is my fiancé and our expedition camera operator. He has followed this story into some of the most remote locations, including Alaska this summer. An expedition filmmaker and mythology expert, he brings a rare combination of technical skill and intellectual depth to the project.
- Jon Sandoval is a camera operator who has been with us in the field, including our shoot in Denver, Colorado. He is a treasure to have on the team!
- Cameron Lee Sung is a talented composer and editor who will be bringing his extraordinary talents to our trailer edit.
- Greg Gheorghiu is our editor. He's edited series for HBO and feature films that went to Sundance.
- Samantha Bradley is a film and visual media composer based in New York City.
- Studio Showoff is our top pick animation partner, bringing the magical realism sequences to life.
- And behind all of it, three consulting producers, Simone Pero, Jill Demby-Guest, Carole Joyce, who have played a pivotal role in getting us to this point.
We are ready. We just need the green light!
THE IMPACT
The impact of Fall of the Phoenix will not end when the credits roll.
We are building this film as a tool for conversation, education, and change in hospitals, universities, shelters, carceral systems, healthcare environments, classrooms, community screenings, and beyond.
Our goal is to help people understand brain injury not only as a medical issue, but as a human story. A family story. A justice story. A healing story. We want survivors to feel seen. We want families to feel less alone. We want clinicians, caregivers, advocates, and communities to have a new way into this conversation. And we want audiences everywhere to understand that losing yourself is not always the end of the story. Sometimes, it is the beginning of becoming something new.
PERKS AND INCENTIVES
This is an exciting time to get involved and we want to make sure you feel that!
Every contribution unlocks something tangible: your name in the credits, early access to the trailer, invitations to screenings and events, limited-edition merchandise, and handcrafted pieces designed to help you wear the film, share the message, and start conversations about brain injury wherever you go.
For our highest-level donors, we are offering one-of-a-kind Phoenix-inspired commissioned artwork created in partnership with artists connected to the brain injury community.
These pieces are part of the world we are building together.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are so close.
After nearly six years of filming, searching, listening, and building, Fall of the Phoenix is ready to rise.
Your contribution helps us capture these final, urgent production windows and carry this film into its next chapter.
Every pledge matters. Every share matters. Every person who sees this campaign helps us bring this hidden epidemic into the light.
Please consider the following:
- Sharing the message directly with friends and family
- Sharing on social media!
- Follow this campaign on seed and spark
- Follow our social media account @fallofthephoenixfilm
- Liking, sharing and repost our social media content
- Call a news outlet
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in this story. Together, we rise.
With gratitude,
Lauren
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Costs to film on the Brain Bus
Costs $1,200
Two RT tickets to Anchorage help us collect veteran stories at Delta Junction on the Brain Bus this Fall. This is the only window!
Equipment Rental
Costs $800
Some of our shoots require some specialty equipment. Help us get the lenses we need to capture this beautifully.
Crew Lodging
Costs $1,000
When we travel we’ll need places to lodge the crew. Help us get a good nights sleep so we can show up to set well rested
"Craft Services"- Crew Food
Costs $500
We need to feed our crew during the long hours on set, and while traveling. Help us get the nutrition & caffeine we need for these 10 hour d
Flights to Connecticut
Costs $1,500
Me, MJ (our DP), and our second Camera Op/Audio will be flying to Connecticut in August. Help cover our travel expenses there!
Crew Flights To Alaska
Costs $2,500
Later in the fall three of us will need to go back to Alaska to film the magical realism moments and capture the remaining footage to comple
Yupik Dance Magical Realism Scene
Costs $8,000
A two day shoot with dancers and snowcapped mountains to emote a mother’s strength. Crew costs, choreography, native consultant, wardrobe
Assistant Editor
Costs $500
Once we have this footage, we’ll need someone to organize the footage and make sure we have everything safely backed up!
Healing Gardens Production
Costs $4,000
Dr. Ivette Ruiz’s healing gardens go into bloom this summer, and they serve TBI clients. If we miss this window we’ll have to wait a year!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Lauren Lindberg – Director / Producer
Lauren Lindberg is a filmmaker specializing in mythic nonfiction, blending documentary with psychological and mythological frameworks to explore identity, trauma, and systemic impact. Her work has screened at over 80 festivals and reached more than 20 million viewers. With experience producing global campaigns, documentaries, and television pilots, Fall of the Phoenix marks her first feature as director and most personal work to date.
MJ Johnston – Director of Photography
MJ Johnston is a cinematographer with over 15 years of experience across independent film, branded content, and documentary for HBO, Netflix and Hulu. MJ has a suite of incredible equipment, an eye for pushing the boundaries. MJ has worked closely with Lauren to develop a striking cinematic language for Fall of the Phoenix.
Jon Sandoval – Camera Operator
Jon has worked for major companies like FOX, HBO, Showtime, P&G, and CanonUSA. He is excellent at helping people take ideas from concepts to tangible deliverables and excels at magical realism and creative production.
Joseph Lindley - Camera Operator and Mythic Story Consultant
Joseph Lindley is a seasoned expedition documentary filmmaker. His works are a combination of the most essential questions of human life and the impact of the four natural elements. He operates drone, and goes with me on shoots that require a low footprint and an effective budget!
Greg Gheorghiu - Editor
Greg Gheorghiu is a documentary editor whose work has premiered at Sundance, SXSW, and festivals worldwide. His credits include HBO's Emmy-winning series We're Here, Believer (HBO/Live Nation), and the Russo Brothers' hybrid docuseries Slugfest. With over a decade of experience cutting features, series, and branded content for clients ranging from Apple to The Guardian, Greg brings both the craft and the instinct to help Fall of the Phoenix find its most powerful form.
Creative Production Partners
Earth Based Media – Indigenous-led production partner supporting Native dance and cultural storytelling sequences
Composer and Trailer Editor
Cameron Lee-Sung
Custom Score
Samantha Bradley
Art Director and Production Design Team
Katy Gurly and Kat Westmoreland
Production Assistants
Kenny Hopkins and Cade Young