First Kill
Columbia, Missouri | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
After seeing her brother gain their father’s favor by completing his First Kill, a family hunting tradition, 13-year old Dakota sets out to prove she’s just as capable.
First Kill
Columbia, Missouri | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
2 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $9,915 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
32 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
After seeing her brother gain their father’s favor by completing his First Kill, a family hunting tradition, 13-year old Dakota sets out to prove she’s just as capable.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
First Kill is a 15-minute-long short film that follows thirteen-year-old Dakota and her desire to belong within her family of all men. Coming from generations of male hunters, each boy in the family must complete his First Kill to earn his place on the family tree mural and be initiated into manhood.
When her older brother Connor completes his First Kill, she becomes envious of the bond forming between her brothers and father. Dakota is determined to get on the mural as well, but must conceal her motives. In the early hours of the morning, Dakota convinces Conner to set out into the woods with their father’s shotgun. What starts as playful sibling games takes a dark turn.
Nestled in the remote woods of the Ozark Mountains, Dakota’s family lives off the grid in a modest cabin. They are surrounded by trees, soybean fields, and wildlife.
Growing up, I was surrounded by men bonded through tradition and legacy. Hunting trips, fraternities, rites of passage, and apprenticeships passed down through generations. In that world, masculinity was the price of entry. I was on the outside, craving to be accepted, to be valuable enough to be let inside.
First Kill is a story rooted in the ache for approval and belonging, and the cost of chasing it. The ritual in the film is fictional, but the emotional truth is not. It’s for my nine-year-old self, who was told to eat rocks by boys just to join their game. For my college self, harmed by the violence woven into fraternity culture. And for every woman trying to break the cycles of inherited pain while surviving the systems that perpetuate it.
I'm making this project now because in an age where gender norms are questioned, the most dangerous parts are still the ones that hide as tradition. This film challenges toxic masculinity by exposing how enticing it can be, even for those it harms, and in turn, how harmful it can be, even for those it empowers. At its core, it's about loneliness, legacy, and the quiet desperation to be chosen.
Why Me:
As a kid in Missouri, I spent a lot of my childhood in nature and on our family’s farm. I remember desperately wanting to go deer hunting, an activity many men in my life had a passion for and bonded over. When I finally went hunting, an immense sadness washed over me when I saw it lying on the ground. It’s a graphic memory, ingrained in me, that helped shape who I am today.
As a Midwest filmmaker, it is important to me to continue making stories within these communities. I am committed to hiring local artists and crew to join the production and gain on-set experience. My goal is to provide opportunities in areas that don’t often see film projects, giving cast and crew educational and practical skills that inspire them to create their own work and continue pursuing artistic expression.
I remember being a college student, hungry for these experiences, and am thankful for the people who mentored me. Filmmaking is a collaborative, community-driven experience, and with your support, you’ll become part of that team too!
AUGUST: Crowdfunding campaign launches!
SEPTEMBER: Key Pre-production
- Rehearsals begin
- Key props sourced and equipment rentals placed
- Flights and accommodations booked
LATE OCTOBER: Production filming!!!
NOVEMBER: Assembly Cut
DECEMBER: Full Post Team Brought on (Composer, Sound Designer, and Colorist)
JANUARY: Rough Cut
FEBRUARY: Picture Lock
- Graphics, the poster, and marketing materials
MARCH: Packaging
- Sound Sessions (Music, mixing, ADR, Foley)
- Fine cut
- Festival packet
APRIL: Submitting to Festivals!
Our crowdfunding goal is $12,000, which allows us to pay initial production costs. We have to hit at least $9,600 by our campaign deadline, if not we lose all funds raised, meaning every dollar goes back. Your support truly makes a difference and no contribution is too small!
GOAL: $12,000
Crew Travel / Accommodations: $3,000
This includes round-trip airfare for our LA crew to Missouri, excess baggage fees for our camera gear, and a rental car. Crew lodging will be provided at no cost through family and friends.
Grip Truck and Gear: $1,500
We’ve found an amazing local team to source our grip truck and grip/electric gear. This amount covers that cost plus fuel.
Cast and Crew Food: $3,000
This covers meals for all cast and crew during our six shooting days, along with craft services.
Production Design: $2,500
This includes the rate of our Production Designer as well as materials for props and set dressing.
Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe: $1,000
This allows us to bring in a professional makeup artist and purchase required wardrobe pieces.
Locations: $1,000
Most of our filming locations have been generously donated, but this amount lets us offer a stipend for key locations like the cabin and the animal farm.
STRETCH GOAL: $15,000
If we make our stretch goal of $15,000, we can cover all cast rates and our Casting Director’s fee.
STRETCH GOAL: $20,000
If we make our stretch goal of $20,000, we’ll be able to pay our amazing camera team, including, Director of Photography, 1st Assistant Camera, Gaffer, and additional camera rentals!
If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing our campaign on social media and by word of mouth is immensely helpful.
Every Share & Follow Counts!
@Seedandspark: seedandspark.com/fund/first-kill-1
Follow and tag us on Instagram: @Firstkill_film
#FirstKillFilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew Travel and Accommodations
Costs $3,000
Several key members of the crew will be traveling from LA to Missouri including airfare, baggage, food and accommodations.
Catering
Costs $3,000
We expect to spend around $3,000 to cover crew and cast meals and craft services during our 6 days of shooting.
Grip Truck and Gear
Costs $1,500
We’ve found an amazing local team to source our grip truck and grip/electric gear. This amount covers that cost plus fuel.
Production Design
Costs $3,500
This includes the rate of our wonderful production designer, as well as construction of the family tree mural, and props
Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe
Costs $1,000
This allows us to bring in a professional makeup artist and purchase required wardrobe pieces.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
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Faith Fleming: Writer/Director
Faith Fleming is a writer and director from Columbia, Missouri, currently pursuing her M.F.A. at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. With a focus on female-driven stories, her work aims to bring awareness to themes of identity, trauma, and resilience through an empathetic lens. In 2025, she received the Social Impact Grant from LMU for her commitment to telling impactful stories and her filmmaking process. First Kill will be her 6th short film, and her most recent project, Swear to God, premiered at Kansas City FilmFest International and is currently in the festival circuit.
Fenton Queens: Co-writer
Fenton E. Queens is a trans nonbinary writer escaping from the red, theocratic state of Utah. An amateur Beatles historian and child of multiple divorces, they love the messiness of life and use their stories to pull apart complex relationship dynamics. Finding comfort in discomfort, Fenton’s films tackle socially taboo topics, including internalized homophobia in the LGBTQ community, sexual assault, trans-identity, and abortion. Fenton has received several accolades, including 1st place, Best Unproduced Screenplay of the Festival from Raindance 2025.
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Phoebe Gadsden: Producer
Phoebe Gadsden is a director and producer based in Columbia, Missouri. She currently serves as the Tech and Operations Manager at Ragtag Film Society and works as a projectionist for the True/False Film Festival’s tech team. Her creative practice centers on collaboration with female directors, most recently contributing to Faith Fleming’s 2024 short film Swear to God. Deeply committed to analog film, Gadsden focuses on working with celluloid—whether projecting 35mm for Ragtag or shooting 16mm alongside Fleming and other artists. She has a particular passion for archival film preservation and restoration. Currently, she works with 35mm collections at the State Historical Society of Missouri, a path she plans to expand through graduate studies beginning in fall 2026.
-3.png)
Ellyn Shuang Chen: Producer
Ellyn Shuang Chen is a third-year graduate student at Loyola Marymount University, following her undergraduate degree in Film Studies from UBC. With a strong passion for producing and editing, she brought multiple short films into life and enjoys filmmaking as a collaborative process. She specializes in crafting compelling stories that resonate with audiences, constructing social justice, and ensuring high-quality production from concept to final cut.
-2.png)
Donald Nam: Cinematographer
Donald Nam is a Korean-Japanese-American cinematographer specializing in narrative features, documentaries, and music videos. His work is grounded in a deep commitment to visual storytelling that uplifts voices and experiences from his diverse cultural background. Donald’s eye for atmosphere, character, and emotional nuance has shaped a wide range of projects, from intimate documentaries to stylized narrative films.
In 2023, his film The Ktown Killer was an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival, marking a milestone in his mission to bring more culturally rooted stories to the screen. In 2025, another film he shot entitled Cocoon will also be premiering in Tribeca’s official selection.
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Crys Lee: Production Designer
Crys Lee is a Los Angeles-based artist, writer, and filmmaker.
Born in Germany, but raised in the Midwest, their creative work draws from reflections on identity, growing up in a working-class household, a decade-long career as a photographer, and questions of our precarious future. They are a non-profit youth arts educator and a recipient of the Graduate Opportunity Program Fellowship at UCLA, where they are currently pursuing an MFA in film production.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
First Kill is a 15-minute-long short film that follows thirteen-year-old Dakota and her desire to belong within her family of all men. Coming from generations of male hunters, each boy in the family must complete his First Kill to earn his place on the family tree mural and be initiated into manhood.
When her older brother Connor completes his First Kill, she becomes envious of the bond forming between her brothers and father. Dakota is determined to get on the mural as well, but must conceal her motives. In the early hours of the morning, Dakota convinces Conner to set out into the woods with their father’s shotgun. What starts as playful sibling games takes a dark turn.
Nestled in the remote woods of the Ozark Mountains, Dakota’s family lives off the grid in a modest cabin. They are surrounded by trees, soybean fields, and wildlife.
Growing up, I was surrounded by men bonded through tradition and legacy. Hunting trips, fraternities, rites of passage, and apprenticeships passed down through generations. In that world, masculinity was the price of entry. I was on the outside, craving to be accepted, to be valuable enough to be let inside.
First Kill is a story rooted in the ache for approval and belonging, and the cost of chasing it. The ritual in the film is fictional, but the emotional truth is not. It’s for my nine-year-old self, who was told to eat rocks by boys just to join their game. For my college self, harmed by the violence woven into fraternity culture. And for every woman trying to break the cycles of inherited pain while surviving the systems that perpetuate it.
I'm making this project now because in an age where gender norms are questioned, the most dangerous parts are still the ones that hide as tradition. This film challenges toxic masculinity by exposing how enticing it can be, even for those it harms, and in turn, how harmful it can be, even for those it empowers. At its core, it's about loneliness, legacy, and the quiet desperation to be chosen.
Why Me:
As a kid in Missouri, I spent a lot of my childhood in nature and on our family’s farm. I remember desperately wanting to go deer hunting, an activity many men in my life had a passion for and bonded over. When I finally went hunting, an immense sadness washed over me when I saw it lying on the ground. It’s a graphic memory, ingrained in me, that helped shape who I am today.
As a Midwest filmmaker, it is important to me to continue making stories within these communities. I am committed to hiring local artists and crew to join the production and gain on-set experience. My goal is to provide opportunities in areas that don’t often see film projects, giving cast and crew educational and practical skills that inspire them to create their own work and continue pursuing artistic expression.
I remember being a college student, hungry for these experiences, and am thankful for the people who mentored me. Filmmaking is a collaborative, community-driven experience, and with your support, you’ll become part of that team too!
AUGUST: Crowdfunding campaign launches!
SEPTEMBER: Key Pre-production
- Rehearsals begin
- Key props sourced and equipment rentals placed
- Flights and accommodations booked
LATE OCTOBER: Production filming!!!
NOVEMBER: Assembly Cut
DECEMBER: Full Post Team Brought on (Composer, Sound Designer, and Colorist)
JANUARY: Rough Cut
FEBRUARY: Picture Lock
- Graphics, the poster, and marketing materials
MARCH: Packaging
- Sound Sessions (Music, mixing, ADR, Foley)
- Fine cut
- Festival packet
APRIL: Submitting to Festivals!
Our crowdfunding goal is $12,000, which allows us to pay initial production costs. We have to hit at least $9,600 by our campaign deadline, if not we lose all funds raised, meaning every dollar goes back. Your support truly makes a difference and no contribution is too small!
GOAL: $12,000
Crew Travel / Accommodations: $3,000
This includes round-trip airfare for our LA crew to Missouri, excess baggage fees for our camera gear, and a rental car. Crew lodging will be provided at no cost through family and friends.
Grip Truck and Gear: $1,500
We’ve found an amazing local team to source our grip truck and grip/electric gear. This amount covers that cost plus fuel.
Cast and Crew Food: $3,000
This covers meals for all cast and crew during our six shooting days, along with craft services.
Production Design: $2,500
This includes the rate of our Production Designer as well as materials for props and set dressing.
Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe: $1,000
This allows us to bring in a professional makeup artist and purchase required wardrobe pieces.
Locations: $1,000
Most of our filming locations have been generously donated, but this amount lets us offer a stipend for key locations like the cabin and the animal farm.
STRETCH GOAL: $15,000
If we make our stretch goal of $15,000, we can cover all cast rates and our Casting Director’s fee.
STRETCH GOAL: $20,000
If we make our stretch goal of $20,000, we’ll be able to pay our amazing camera team, including, Director of Photography, 1st Assistant Camera, Gaffer, and additional camera rentals!
If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing our campaign on social media and by word of mouth is immensely helpful.
Every Share & Follow Counts!
@Seedandspark: seedandspark.com/fund/first-kill-1
Follow and tag us on Instagram: @Firstkill_film
#FirstKillFilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew Travel and Accommodations
Costs $3,000
Several key members of the crew will be traveling from LA to Missouri including airfare, baggage, food and accommodations.
Catering
Costs $3,000
We expect to spend around $3,000 to cover crew and cast meals and craft services during our 6 days of shooting.
Grip Truck and Gear
Costs $1,500
We’ve found an amazing local team to source our grip truck and grip/electric gear. This amount covers that cost plus fuel.
Production Design
Costs $3,500
This includes the rate of our wonderful production designer, as well as construction of the family tree mural, and props
Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe
Costs $1,000
This allows us to bring in a professional makeup artist and purchase required wardrobe pieces.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Faith Fleming: Writer/Director
Faith Fleming is a writer and director from Columbia, Missouri, currently pursuing her M.F.A. at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. With a focus on female-driven stories, her work aims to bring awareness to themes of identity, trauma, and resilience through an empathetic lens. In 2025, she received the Social Impact Grant from LMU for her commitment to telling impactful stories and her filmmaking process. First Kill will be her 6th short film, and her most recent project, Swear to God, premiered at Kansas City FilmFest International and is currently in the festival circuit.
Fenton Queens: Co-writer
Fenton E. Queens is a trans nonbinary writer escaping from the red, theocratic state of Utah. An amateur Beatles historian and child of multiple divorces, they love the messiness of life and use their stories to pull apart complex relationship dynamics. Finding comfort in discomfort, Fenton’s films tackle socially taboo topics, including internalized homophobia in the LGBTQ community, sexual assault, trans-identity, and abortion. Fenton has received several accolades, including 1st place, Best Unproduced Screenplay of the Festival from Raindance 2025.
Phoebe Gadsden: Producer
Phoebe Gadsden is a director and producer based in Columbia, Missouri. She currently serves as the Tech and Operations Manager at Ragtag Film Society and works as a projectionist for the True/False Film Festival’s tech team. Her creative practice centers on collaboration with female directors, most recently contributing to Faith Fleming’s 2024 short film Swear to God. Deeply committed to analog film, Gadsden focuses on working with celluloid—whether projecting 35mm for Ragtag or shooting 16mm alongside Fleming and other artists. She has a particular passion for archival film preservation and restoration. Currently, she works with 35mm collections at the State Historical Society of Missouri, a path she plans to expand through graduate studies beginning in fall 2026.
Ellyn Shuang Chen: Producer
Ellyn Shuang Chen is a third-year graduate student at Loyola Marymount University, following her undergraduate degree in Film Studies from UBC. With a strong passion for producing and editing, she brought multiple short films into life and enjoys filmmaking as a collaborative process. She specializes in crafting compelling stories that resonate with audiences, constructing social justice, and ensuring high-quality production from concept to final cut.
Donald Nam: Cinematographer
Donald Nam is a Korean-Japanese-American cinematographer specializing in narrative features, documentaries, and music videos. His work is grounded in a deep commitment to visual storytelling that uplifts voices and experiences from his diverse cultural background. Donald’s eye for atmosphere, character, and emotional nuance has shaped a wide range of projects, from intimate documentaries to stylized narrative films.
In 2023, his film The Ktown Killer was an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival, marking a milestone in his mission to bring more culturally rooted stories to the screen. In 2025, another film he shot entitled Cocoon will also be premiering in Tribeca’s official selection.
Crys Lee: Production Designer
Crys Lee is a Los Angeles-based artist, writer, and filmmaker.
Born in Germany, but raised in the Midwest, their creative work draws from reflections on identity, growing up in a working-class household, a decade-long career as a photographer, and questions of our precarious future. They are a non-profit youth arts educator and a recipient of the Graduate Opportunity Program Fellowship at UCLA, where they are currently pursuing an MFA in film production.