Gentle Giants
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Feature
Comedy, Romantic Comedy
Gentle Giants is a rom-com about Taylor and Jake, two big and tall characters, who struggle with society's (and their own) expectations of what they "should" be. This film shows how big people deal with body image, working, and dating while trying to stay true to themselves.
Gentle Giants
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Feature
Comedy, Romantic Comedy
Green Light
This campaign raised $14,770 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
123 supporters | followers
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Gentle Giants is a rom-com about Taylor and Jake, two big and tall characters, who struggle with society's (and their own) expectations of what they "should" be. This film shows how big people deal with body image, working, and dating while trying to stay true to themselves.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hello!
I'm JJ Austen, and I am a six foot tall actress and writer. After a six year long relationship ended, I quickly realized as a new single woman that many people expect me to be this tall, intimidating, baddie dominatrix. Don't get me wrong, I have a BIG personality, but that ain't me. I've learned a lot about myself as Shupe and I have written Gentle Giants, and Taylor (my character) is a direct reflection of how I personally have dealt with being single again.
I’m Christian Shupe, but most people just call me Shupe. I’m a former college football player turned full-time actor and filmmaker. I’ve been one of the biggest guys in the room my whole life, and as a “muscle head” or “himbo” (so I’ve been called), I've seen that people tend to see a body and no brains just because I have biceps and a big butt. As an athlete, my size was rewarded, but after college, I got thrown into the real world and had to come to terms with what life looks like as the big guy.
Synopsis:
Taylor is loud, assertive, and jumps straight to intimacy in an attempt to force connections with the men she dates. Somehow these tactics don't bring about genuine connections. Shocking, right? Only after meeting Jake does she realize that she doesn't have to change who she is or jump straight to giving men what they want. The right person will love her for her.
Jake is a hometown hero and amateur wrestler that works at a burger restaurant to help pay the bills. He’s idolized in the ring, but he soon realizes it’s not the life he chose. He questions what he wants, who he is, and if he can ever break this mold. Taylor gives Jake a new perspective on life. One where he can be himself.
When Taylor first meets Jake, she hates his fake showboating. They keep running into each other, and eventually become friends. After Taylor tries to take their friendship to the next level too early, the two battle their self image and society's expectations of how they should act as their feelings grow for each other.
Why Us?
JJ and Shupe are both giants. Both of us have our own unique experiences and stories that we can bring to the table. This story is incredibly personal to both of us as we show you some of the more intimate details of our lives. It's pretty scary showing the good, bad and ugly sides of us, and we hope that you can relate to our story!
Romantic Comedy stats**
$$$
Here's what your donations will go towards!
Paying Cast and Crew
-They deserve to get paid for all of their hard work!
Feeding Cast and Crew
-We will have long days of production, and we want to make sure our team gets fed well.
Equipment Rentals
-We have a lot of our own equipment, but we will need to rent some things to make this movie the best it can be.
Housing
-The majority of our production will be filmed in Athens, Georgia. With a cast and crew primarily based in the Atlanta area, we need money to house our team so they aren't traveling for 3+ hours everyday during production.
Post Production
-The movie doesn't stop when we stop filming! We need to budget for an excellent editor, so we can deliver a high quality film.
Festival Submissions
-As independent filmmaking goes, it's unlikely that someone will buy our movie the second we finish it. We need to gain traction with a strong following, and that means paying to submit to film festivals.
This story has universal themes of love, self-image, and belonging, so we believe a lot of people will be able to relate to it (even it you fall below 6 feet tall). We are so excited to move to this next phase of production and greatly appreciate any support given! We would not be able to make this movie without you, so thank you for taking the time to read through our page. We hope to update you as much as possible!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering
Costs $2,000
We need to feed our cast and crew during production
Crew Housing
Costs $500
Depending on location and shoot schedule, we may need to offer housing during production if we film father out of the city for multiple days
Paying Crew
Costs $8,000
Our amazing crew will be working very hard before, during, and after production and deserve to be paid what they're worth!
Paying Cast
Costs $6,000
Our incredibly talented cast needs to be adequately compensated for the work that they do to bring this story to life!
Post Production & Festival Submissions
Costs $1,500
We need to make this movie the best it can be so we can submit to festivals, where we will reach the majority of our audience
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
JJ Austen and Christian Shupe met in an acting class a few years ago and decided in 2023 to write a feature film together about the joys (and pains) of existing as big/tall people. Both 6 feet tall (or taller), they have a lot of experience to pull from.
JJ met Tom von Dohlen in 2023 working on a short film. She enjoyed working with him so much that she asked him to be the director for Gentle Giants. Tom has recently wrapped production on his own feature film, Gander Man.
All three of us are based in the greater Atlanta area and are proud to have a cast and crew that is based here! Many months of preparation and planning have led us to this point, and we are beyond excited to finally share our story with you.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hello!
I'm JJ Austen, and I am a six foot tall actress and writer. After a six year long relationship ended, I quickly realized as a new single woman that many people expect me to be this tall, intimidating, baddie dominatrix. Don't get me wrong, I have a BIG personality, but that ain't me. I've learned a lot about myself as Shupe and I have written Gentle Giants, and Taylor (my character) is a direct reflection of how I personally have dealt with being single again.
I’m Christian Shupe, but most people just call me Shupe. I’m a former college football player turned full-time actor and filmmaker. I’ve been one of the biggest guys in the room my whole life, and as a “muscle head” or “himbo” (so I’ve been called), I've seen that people tend to see a body and no brains just because I have biceps and a big butt. As an athlete, my size was rewarded, but after college, I got thrown into the real world and had to come to terms with what life looks like as the big guy.
Synopsis:
Taylor is loud, assertive, and jumps straight to intimacy in an attempt to force connections with the men she dates. Somehow these tactics don't bring about genuine connections. Shocking, right? Only after meeting Jake does she realize that she doesn't have to change who she is or jump straight to giving men what they want. The right person will love her for her.
Jake is a hometown hero and amateur wrestler that works at a burger restaurant to help pay the bills. He’s idolized in the ring, but he soon realizes it’s not the life he chose. He questions what he wants, who he is, and if he can ever break this mold. Taylor gives Jake a new perspective on life. One where he can be himself.
When Taylor first meets Jake, she hates his fake showboating. They keep running into each other, and eventually become friends. After Taylor tries to take their friendship to the next level too early, the two battle their self image and society's expectations of how they should act as their feelings grow for each other.
Why Us?
JJ and Shupe are both giants. Both of us have our own unique experiences and stories that we can bring to the table. This story is incredibly personal to both of us as we show you some of the more intimate details of our lives. It's pretty scary showing the good, bad and ugly sides of us, and we hope that you can relate to our story!
Romantic Comedy stats**
$$$
Here's what your donations will go towards!
Paying Cast and Crew
-They deserve to get paid for all of their hard work!
Feeding Cast and Crew
-We will have long days of production, and we want to make sure our team gets fed well.
Equipment Rentals
-We have a lot of our own equipment, but we will need to rent some things to make this movie the best it can be.
Housing
-The majority of our production will be filmed in Athens, Georgia. With a cast and crew primarily based in the Atlanta area, we need money to house our team so they aren't traveling for 3+ hours everyday during production.
Post Production
-The movie doesn't stop when we stop filming! We need to budget for an excellent editor, so we can deliver a high quality film.
Festival Submissions
-As independent filmmaking goes, it's unlikely that someone will buy our movie the second we finish it. We need to gain traction with a strong following, and that means paying to submit to film festivals.
This story has universal themes of love, self-image, and belonging, so we believe a lot of people will be able to relate to it (even it you fall below 6 feet tall). We are so excited to move to this next phase of production and greatly appreciate any support given! We would not be able to make this movie without you, so thank you for taking the time to read through our page. We hope to update you as much as possible!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering
Costs $2,000
We need to feed our cast and crew during production
Crew Housing
Costs $500
Depending on location and shoot schedule, we may need to offer housing during production if we film father out of the city for multiple days
Paying Crew
Costs $8,000
Our amazing crew will be working very hard before, during, and after production and deserve to be paid what they're worth!
Paying Cast
Costs $6,000
Our incredibly talented cast needs to be adequately compensated for the work that they do to bring this story to life!
Post Production & Festival Submissions
Costs $1,500
We need to make this movie the best it can be so we can submit to festivals, where we will reach the majority of our audience
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
JJ Austen and Christian Shupe met in an acting class a few years ago and decided in 2023 to write a feature film together about the joys (and pains) of existing as big/tall people. Both 6 feet tall (or taller), they have a lot of experience to pull from.
JJ met Tom von Dohlen in 2023 working on a short film. She enjoyed working with him so much that she asked him to be the director for Gentle Giants. Tom has recently wrapped production on his own feature film, Gander Man.
All three of us are based in the greater Atlanta area and are proud to have a cast and crew that is based here! Many months of preparation and planning have led us to this point, and we are beyond excited to finally share our story with you.