Monsters
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Fantasy, Romance
When a literal monster manifests from her insecurities, Mia—a guarded visual artist in a new romance—must learn to embrace the parts of herself she’s been hiding to open herself to the possibility of love.
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This campaign raised $16,530 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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When a literal monster manifests from her insecurities, Mia—a guarded visual artist in a new romance—must learn to embrace the parts of herself she’s been hiding to open herself to the possibility of love.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
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MONSTERS came to me after a breakup.
In that "post mortem" stage where you are left with nothing but questions.
Every relationship starts with HOPE. Excitement. Possibility.
Until that VOICE creeps in.
The one that tells you to be small.
That says we can only be lovable if we are palatable.
So we HIDE. We hide the mess.
Our grief, our insecurities, our quirks.
Every part of ourselves we have ever been told was inconvenient.
I found myself asking…
What would happen if the parts of ourselves we hide
- our insecurities, body memories, shames, and private indulgences -
took on a life of their own?
What would they look like? How would we treat them?
MONSTERS was born of these questions.
We are now deep in the pre-production process.
Our Director, Raechel, and I have been fine tuning the script and developing a visual language...
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Next we have to BUILD A TEAM!!
I am already blown away by the support I am receiving from some incredibly talented people...
But the work is just beginning. To make this work we need to build a MONSTER from scratch!
.png)
Our plan is to use magical realism to explore something very real:
learning to love yourself as a whole, not as you think you should be.
.png)
.png)
And there is so much left to do.
People to hire. Sets to build. Gear to rent.
AND WE ARE READY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!
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.png)
MONSTERS is a story about love, creativity, and the courage it takes to be seen by others. I cannot wait to share this film with all of you! I hope it reminds us all that acceptance and love start within.
xoxo, Cristiana
"Be careful when you cast out your demons that you don't throw away the best part of yourself"
-Nietzsche
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Camera Department
Costs $3,000
Camera team: DP, 1st AC, and 2nd AC Plus full camera package
G & E
Costs $2,000
G & E Team: Gaffer and Key Grip w/ Swing Plus full equipment truck rental
Art Department, Costumes, HMU
Costs $3,000
Art: Production Designer and Art Director Costume Designer HMU Artist
Production Team
Costs $1,500
Director, Producers, and Assistant Directors
Post Production
Costs $3,000
Editor, Colorist, Sound Mixer, Sound Designer, and Score Composition
Actors
Costs $750
Casting for Mia, Samir and The Monster
Monster Design
Costs $750
Building a practical monster
Production Supplies and Crew Resources
Costs $1,000
Craft Services, Crew Meals, and basic Production Supplies
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
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Cristiana Barbatelli is a Los Angeles–based actor with a background in Chicago’s theater community before transitioning to on-screen work. Her credits include Chicago Med and the Lifetime feature Get Rich or Die Trying.
She is especially passionate about stories that explore vulnerability and self-acceptance—stories that invite people to feel seen. This project is a reflection of that passion, and an opportunity to bring a deeply personal idea to life.
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Raechel Zarzynski is an LA director, known for her quirky, genre-blending storytelling and her commitment to female-led crews and work in sci-fi comedy. Her Outfest- premiering short “Sinked Up” highlights her focus on character-driven humor and women-centered creative spaces. She has directed numerous music videos, including the viral Low Hum Nebraska (3.7M+ views), crafting bold, visually driven interpretations of musicians’ work.
Beyond directing, Raechel produces for fellow indie filmmakers and has worked in crew positions – from 1st AD on “Mermaids” to costumes on Amazon’s “Transparent”. Her cross-department experience informs her practical, holistic approach to filmmaking.
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Josh Greiveldinger has been an essential member of the production team for over a dozen short films, many of which went on to win awards at festivals worldwide. In addition to his work behind the camera he performs stand up at lauded venues such as Hollywood Improv, Flappers, and UCB.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
MONSTERS came to me after a breakup.
In that "post mortem" stage where you are left with nothing but questions.
Every relationship starts with HOPE. Excitement. Possibility.
Until that VOICE creeps in.
The one that tells you to be small.
That says we can only be lovable if we are palatable.
So we HIDE. We hide the mess.
Our grief, our insecurities, our quirks.
Every part of ourselves we have ever been told was inconvenient.
I found myself asking…
What would happen if the parts of ourselves we hide
- our insecurities, body memories, shames, and private indulgences -
took on a life of their own?
What would they look like? How would we treat them?
MONSTERS was born of these questions.
We are now deep in the pre-production process.
Our Director, Raechel, and I have been fine tuning the script and developing a visual language...
Next we have to BUILD A TEAM!!
I am already blown away by the support I am receiving from some incredibly talented people...
But the work is just beginning. To make this work we need to build a MONSTER from scratch!
Our plan is to use magical realism to explore something very real:
learning to love yourself as a whole, not as you think you should be.
And there is so much left to do.
People to hire. Sets to build. Gear to rent.
AND WE ARE READY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!
MONSTERS is a story about love, creativity, and the courage it takes to be seen by others. I cannot wait to share this film with all of you! I hope it reminds us all that acceptance and love start within.
xoxo, Cristiana
"Be careful when you cast out your demons that you don't throw away the best part of yourself"
-Nietzsche
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Camera Department
Costs $3,000
Camera team: DP, 1st AC, and 2nd AC Plus full camera package
G & E
Costs $2,000
G & E Team: Gaffer and Key Grip w/ Swing Plus full equipment truck rental
Art Department, Costumes, HMU
Costs $3,000
Art: Production Designer and Art Director Costume Designer HMU Artist
Production Team
Costs $1,500
Director, Producers, and Assistant Directors
Post Production
Costs $3,000
Editor, Colorist, Sound Mixer, Sound Designer, and Score Composition
Actors
Costs $750
Casting for Mia, Samir and The Monster
Monster Design
Costs $750
Building a practical monster
Production Supplies and Crew Resources
Costs $1,000
Craft Services, Crew Meals, and basic Production Supplies
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Cristiana Barbatelli is a Los Angeles–based actor with a background in Chicago’s theater community before transitioning to on-screen work. Her credits include Chicago Med and the Lifetime feature Get Rich or Die Trying.
She is especially passionate about stories that explore vulnerability and self-acceptance—stories that invite people to feel seen. This project is a reflection of that passion, and an opportunity to bring a deeply personal idea to life.
Raechel Zarzynski is an LA director, known for her quirky, genre-blending storytelling and her commitment to female-led crews and work in sci-fi comedy. Her Outfest- premiering short “Sinked Up” highlights her focus on character-driven humor and women-centered creative spaces. She has directed numerous music videos, including the viral Low Hum Nebraska (3.7M+ views), crafting bold, visually driven interpretations of musicians’ work.
Beyond directing, Raechel produces for fellow indie filmmakers and has worked in crew positions – from 1st AD on “Mermaids” to costumes on Amazon’s “Transparent”. Her cross-department experience informs her practical, holistic approach to filmmaking.
Josh Greiveldinger has been an essential member of the production team for over a dozen short films, many of which went on to win awards at festivals worldwide. In addition to his work behind the camera he performs stand up at lauded venues such as Hollywood Improv, Flappers, and UCB.