Gardenia
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Experimental, Thriller
At the turn of the century, a would-be criminal aims to hold up a convenience store, but his plans fail when he encounters the unusual clerk.
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This campaign raised $930 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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At the turn of the century, a would-be criminal aims to hold up a convenience store, but his plans fail when he encounters the unusual clerk.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A Young Man enters a convenience store with the intent to rob it. After scoping the place, and building up his nerve, he encounters something he did not expect. The cashier, an old, decrepit, blind man, sees right through the Young Man’s facade of confidence. The Young Man must now decide whether to go through with his plan — becoming the criminal he never thought he was — or turn back.
Gardenia is a very important film to me as it attempts to engage with the injustices of the world that surrounds me. Having grown up the son of a Latino American, I have witnessed first-hand the infantilization that comes with being a non-native speaker in this country. My father came to the U.S., learned English when he arrived, and experienced the setbacks that come with that — often perceived and treated as though he could not speak at all.
With this film, I hope to explore these infantilizing instincts within our society — using film history as a lens through which to trace the origins of social injustices such as these.
I cannot wait to see this ambitious project come to fruition, and I could not ask for a better or more talented group of producers to help take on this endeavor. My gratitude to each and every person that supports this film is beyond measure, and I can’t wait to see this story become a reality.
Jonathan Kirkpatrick
Writer/Director, Gardenia
Tone: Our cinematic focus is on pacing and tension-building, slowly building the stakes until our climactic final act.
Approach: Our approach, proven successful over several productions, remains consistent. Our central focus is on careful planning and minimizing variables. By keeping our crew and cast constantly informed, we aim to provide a safe environment of professionalism and collaboration.
CHARACTER BIOS
The Young Man is a frightened, would-be criminal who's financial situation has forced him to hold up a convenience store for the cash he needs to survive. He does not want to go through with his plan, but has no other options. At every step, he is hoping for something to get in his way, but he also knows that he has nowhere else to go.
The Old Man is the embodiment of the Young Man's greatest fears, seeing right through the Young Man’s carefully constructed facade of confidence. He is blind, hard of hearing, and he cannot speak English, and yet, he seems to move through space with an unexplainable ease as though he had some other sense unavailable to the mortal man. His job as a convenience store clerk masks a greater knowledge that cannot be understood by the Young Man.
Our minimum goal of $850 funds essential components of the production. We’re excited for the wide-ranging talents and backgrounds of our team to tell this story together.
Principal photography is scheduled for April 10 - 13th, 2025. Shooting will take place in Winchester, MA and the greater Boston area.
WAYS TO STAY UP TO DATE
We’ll be providing updates through the entire production process, so make sure to FOLLOW the project on Seed & Spark, and stay tuned on our Instagram, @film_gardenia. Sharing your support on social media can be just as helpful as a donation. All proceeds from this fundraiser go DIRECTLY into this project.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design
Costs $300
To pay for production design, including props, wardrobe, and set dressing.
Craft Services
Costs $150
Craft services are required to feed the cast and crew of Gardenia!
Transportation
Costs $300
For helping the cast and crew of Gardenia arrive on set.
Permits
Costs $100
To pay for permits to allow production at our locations.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jonathan Kirkpatrick (Writer/Director) is a filmmaker with a passion for storytelling through the lens. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for pushing boundaries, he continues to challenge himself with each project he takes on. Jonathan is honored to act as the writer and director of Gardenia. This film has been a labor of love for Jonathan, and he cannot wait to see it come to fruition!
Beckett Hobbs (Producer) is an award-winning Jewish Writer-Director, now studying film at Emerson College in Boston. Having lived in a small suburb of Illinois, the big city of London, and the cozy mountains of Washington, Beckett values new perspectives to contribute and push his own. He is a filmmaking Swiss army knife, working across all production departments, with his love being simple, great storytelling. Beckett aims to create art that promotes deep reflection upon ourselves and our communities. He values collaborators who embrace diverse perspectives and aims to make films that encourage artistic contributions from all production members.
Luca Giuseppe Bevilacqua (Producer) is a sophomore visual media arts student at Emerson College. He is interested in pursuing producing. Luca has collaborated with Jonathan Kirkpatrick as a producer more than two times and is excited to make it a third. Luca typically tries to pursue films of great ambition and scope. Gardenia drew him in for those two very reasons. Luca is very excited to be working again with Jonathan Kirkpatrick and the rest of the Gardenia team to make this ambitious project come to life.
Claire English is a sophomore Visual Media Arts major at Emerson College with a Minor in Art History. A passionate creative and collegiate athlete, she is a hardworking and dedicated young filmmaker. Having worked mainly in positions such as Producer, Co-Producer, Production Designer, and Art Team Hand, English enjoys the process of bringing films to life. She firmly believes that film and media shape modern-day culture and hopes her films work to instill ideologies of acceptance, kindness, and self-actualization. She is beyond excited to collaborate with the talented Gardenia team. She looks forward to creating an intentional story that utilizes surrealism and allegory to critique modern-day society.
Victoria Capitano (Director of Photography) is a filmmaker currently based in Boston, MA, studying film at Emerson College. She is originally from Philadelphia and now lives in San Diego. She aspires to pursue filmmaking professionally, with a focus in writing, directing, and cinematography. She is always looking for projects that tell unique stories in new ways. Gardenia is an exciting challenge for her, and she's excited to employ surrealist techniques in her cinematography.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A Young Man enters a convenience store with the intent to rob it. After scoping the place, and building up his nerve, he encounters something he did not expect. The cashier, an old, decrepit, blind man, sees right through the Young Man’s facade of confidence. The Young Man must now decide whether to go through with his plan — becoming the criminal he never thought he was — or turn back.
Gardenia is a very important film to me as it attempts to engage with the injustices of the world that surrounds me. Having grown up the son of a Latino American, I have witnessed first-hand the infantilization that comes with being a non-native speaker in this country. My father came to the U.S., learned English when he arrived, and experienced the setbacks that come with that — often perceived and treated as though he could not speak at all.
With this film, I hope to explore these infantilizing instincts within our society — using film history as a lens through which to trace the origins of social injustices such as these.
I cannot wait to see this ambitious project come to fruition, and I could not ask for a better or more talented group of producers to help take on this endeavor. My gratitude to each and every person that supports this film is beyond measure, and I can’t wait to see this story become a reality.
Jonathan Kirkpatrick
Writer/Director, Gardenia
Tone: Our cinematic focus is on pacing and tension-building, slowly building the stakes until our climactic final act.
Approach: Our approach, proven successful over several productions, remains consistent. Our central focus is on careful planning and minimizing variables. By keeping our crew and cast constantly informed, we aim to provide a safe environment of professionalism and collaboration.
CHARACTER BIOS
The Young Man is a frightened, would-be criminal who's financial situation has forced him to hold up a convenience store for the cash he needs to survive. He does not want to go through with his plan, but has no other options. At every step, he is hoping for something to get in his way, but he also knows that he has nowhere else to go.
The Old Man is the embodiment of the Young Man's greatest fears, seeing right through the Young Man’s carefully constructed facade of confidence. He is blind, hard of hearing, and he cannot speak English, and yet, he seems to move through space with an unexplainable ease as though he had some other sense unavailable to the mortal man. His job as a convenience store clerk masks a greater knowledge that cannot be understood by the Young Man.
Our minimum goal of $850 funds essential components of the production. We’re excited for the wide-ranging talents and backgrounds of our team to tell this story together.
Principal photography is scheduled for April 10 - 13th, 2025. Shooting will take place in Winchester, MA and the greater Boston area.
WAYS TO STAY UP TO DATE
We’ll be providing updates through the entire production process, so make sure to FOLLOW the project on Seed & Spark, and stay tuned on our Instagram, @film_gardenia. Sharing your support on social media can be just as helpful as a donation. All proceeds from this fundraiser go DIRECTLY into this project.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design
Costs $300
To pay for production design, including props, wardrobe, and set dressing.
Craft Services
Costs $150
Craft services are required to feed the cast and crew of Gardenia!
Transportation
Costs $300
For helping the cast and crew of Gardenia arrive on set.
Permits
Costs $100
To pay for permits to allow production at our locations.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jonathan Kirkpatrick (Writer/Director) is a filmmaker with a passion for storytelling through the lens. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for pushing boundaries, he continues to challenge himself with each project he takes on. Jonathan is honored to act as the writer and director of Gardenia. This film has been a labor of love for Jonathan, and he cannot wait to see it come to fruition!
Beckett Hobbs (Producer) is an award-winning Jewish Writer-Director, now studying film at Emerson College in Boston. Having lived in a small suburb of Illinois, the big city of London, and the cozy mountains of Washington, Beckett values new perspectives to contribute and push his own. He is a filmmaking Swiss army knife, working across all production departments, with his love being simple, great storytelling. Beckett aims to create art that promotes deep reflection upon ourselves and our communities. He values collaborators who embrace diverse perspectives and aims to make films that encourage artistic contributions from all production members.
Luca Giuseppe Bevilacqua (Producer) is a sophomore visual media arts student at Emerson College. He is interested in pursuing producing. Luca has collaborated with Jonathan Kirkpatrick as a producer more than two times and is excited to make it a third. Luca typically tries to pursue films of great ambition and scope. Gardenia drew him in for those two very reasons. Luca is very excited to be working again with Jonathan Kirkpatrick and the rest of the Gardenia team to make this ambitious project come to life.
Claire English is a sophomore Visual Media Arts major at Emerson College with a Minor in Art History. A passionate creative and collegiate athlete, she is a hardworking and dedicated young filmmaker. Having worked mainly in positions such as Producer, Co-Producer, Production Designer, and Art Team Hand, English enjoys the process of bringing films to life. She firmly believes that film and media shape modern-day culture and hopes her films work to instill ideologies of acceptance, kindness, and self-actualization. She is beyond excited to collaborate with the talented Gardenia team. She looks forward to creating an intentional story that utilizes surrealism and allegory to critique modern-day society.
Victoria Capitano (Director of Photography) is a filmmaker currently based in Boston, MA, studying film at Emerson College. She is originally from Philadelphia and now lives in San Diego. She aspires to pursue filmmaking professionally, with a focus in writing, directing, and cinematography. She is always looking for projects that tell unique stories in new ways. Gardenia is an exciting challenge for her, and she's excited to employ surrealist techniques in her cinematography.