Girl Talk
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
Girl Talk is about the in between. Mia’s story begins well after her coming out. She isn’t involved in a taboo partnership. She’s navigating her relationship to sex and intimacy within the urban queer culture that exists. This is a story about queer people just living.
Girl Talk
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
Green Light
This campaign raised $20,810 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
225 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Girl Talk is about the in between. Mia’s story begins well after her coming out. She isn’t involved in a taboo partnership. She’s navigating her relationship to sex and intimacy within the urban queer culture that exists. This is a story about queer people just living.
In Partnership With
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Girl Talk is fiscally sponsored by The Film Collaborative, a 501(c)3 organization. ALL donations are tax deductible.
Synopsis:
Girl Talk follows 20-something, queer Mia. She does not know how to be close to people, especially the people she cares about the most. Mia finds herself immersed within the confines of sex and intimacy; a false dichotomy that she struggles to navigate through. Mia feels she has to challenge herself sexually in order to feel desirable and in control. In Girl Talk, we see Mia become the object of desire for one intriguing lesbian couple. As she takes this couple to bed, she soon realizes that her quest for sexual autonomy complicates her already crippled relationship to intimacy and emotional vulnerability with others.
Visuals & Tone:
OVERALL TONE:
Mia’s world is heightened, and her environment reflects her emotional peaks and valleys. Each scene will feel painted; as if her surroundings embody her inner thoughts and desires.
COMPOSITION / CAMERA MOVEMENT:
Heavy steadicam use and long takes throughout the movie will make for a dreamlike presence. This will highlight Mia’s loss of control as the narrative progresses.
LIGHTING / COLOR:
Each location will be saturated with color to mimic Mia’s intensity; from burning crimsons to melancholic blues, culminating into a magnetic purple hue.
Director's Statement:
Girl Talk is a personal film, one that I’ve been working on for years. It’s the first film I’ve ever written & directed that deals with my own journey within the queer community.
In our culture, we are inundated with the sexuality of women. We see this through a context of their sex appeal, rather than their own thoughts and desires. We don’t see what women fantasize about; what they want in sex, what they don’t want, how they experience pleasure. It’s not a straightforward discourse, but it’s unfortunately nearly invisible in America’s broad cinema and media consumption. I’ve always been fascinated by female sexuality and have centered my filmmaking and writing around this. In the beginning of my filmmaking career, I used to think that if I was going to make films about women, I needed all of my characters to be strong. As I continued creating and writing, I realized that I’m not the kind of director who makes films about strong female characters. Strength, as a concept, is boring to me. My characters are heavily flawed, but they have agency and complexity. They are multilayered and raw. They are not always honest with their partners or themselves, but as a director, I always strive to tell their story with candor.
In my work, I don’t necessarily want answers, but I continuously question the heteronormative, white, patriarchal definitions of relationships that we’re conditioned to accept. These contrived expectations also feed into how we internalize gay identities in media. Gay stories are diminished to center on two central issues: the coming out story or an intoxicating, doomed relationship. Where are the stories in between? I know I’m hungry for that and I strongly believe my audience is too. What it means to be gay and queer in America is constantly evolving and there’s no better way to show this than through art and storytelling.
Intended Audience:
Our intended audience includes, but is not limited to:
LGBTQIA and gender nonconforming individuals
They will be drawn to the film due to the nature of the sexual identities and politics of all the main characters. The sex will be told with sincere conviction, rather than overzealous eroticism. This is a deviation from the male gaze. This is a movie about queer women made by queer women. Girl Talk displays a range of gender presentation and features a genderqueer character. The Brooklyn queer community is evolving to be inclusive of numerous types of gender identities.
Women
Every character in the film is either female or gender nonconforming. We’re showcasing the ranges in feminine presentation. The women are flawed, complex, and have complete arcs.
Urban millennials
Girl Talk has a strong diversity initiative and commits to casting 50% of the speaking roles with people of color. The movie takes place in the evolving, fast paced world of Brooklyn, NY.
We ultimately hope everyone can connect to the universality of sexual desire, intimacy, and love that the film showcases.
Project Timeline:
September 2017
Launch Seed & Spark Fundraising Campaign
Begin scouting locations & finalizing design boards
October - November 2017
Finalize casting & rehearse
Finalize and scout locations
Shot list
Logistics for production
Hard prep begins:
December 2017
Production of Girl Talk: December 8th, 9th, 10th
January - February 2018
Offline picture edit
March - April 2018
Lock picture
Color correction, sound design, music, and graphics
May 2018
Begin festival submissions
Donating to Girl Talk:
Girl Talk is fiscally sponsored by The Filmmakers Collaborative.
All Donations are tax deductible.
As per The Filmmakers Collaborative's policy, tax receipts are emailed for all donations of $250 and more. The IRS does not require a tax receipts for donations under $250, however, The Filmmakers Collabortive can provide upon request.
For more information please visit: http://www.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
We don't believe in free labor
Costs $7,000
This is to pay our dedicated crew members for both pre-production and production services.
I'm ready for my close up
Costs $3,000
This is to pay our cast along with SAG fringes and pension & health.
You're a virgin who can't drive
Costs $1,000
This is to pay for our equipment vehicles and crew/cast transportation
Location, Location, Location!
Costs $1,550
This includes Mia's Apartment, the Party Loft, the Stoop and the Night Exteriors.
mise en scène
Costs $1,090
This includes set dressing, props, costume, and hair & make up expenses.
We make it work too
Costs $1,000
This includes our production, insurance, and food expenses.
Share this update!
About This Team
Sour Peach Films is headed by Chelsea Moore & Erica Rose. Taking pride in being queer and femme, Sour Peach focuses on stories about female sexuality, portraits of individuals who are often forgotten or overlooked in mainstream media, and exploring identity within new contexts.
Our mission is to not only be diverse in front of the camera, but to actively employ racial, gender and sexual orientation diversity behind the camera. Sour Peach Films and Girl Talk are both proudly committed to this.
For more information please visit: www.sourpeachfilms.com
Erica Rose (Director / Writer):
Erica Rose is a Brooklyn based writer, director, and producer working in narrative, commercial, documentary, and music video mediums. She was the associate producer on the Netflix original documentary Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold. She has produced films for the CFDA + Weinstein Co, featuring prominent American designers such as Michael Kors, Vera Wang, and Diane Von Furstenburg. She has worked as an associate producer with Beyonce Knowles’ Parkwood Entertainment for a narrative & documentary series centered on female empowerment. She has directed and/or produced commercials for Earth Angel, celebrity trainer Terri Walsh, Local Maven, UN HE for SHE Campaign, Vevo, and MasterCard. She directed a commercial for the TCS New York City Marathon App, which received a national broadcast. She has worked alongside producer Amy Kaufman for televisions shows including NBC’s American Odyssey, CBS’ For Justice, and Showtime’s Billions. Her music videos that she has directed and produced have been featured in various publications including The Huffington Post, Northern Transmissions, Broadway World, M Pire Magazine, and The Big Takeover. Her short film, Absolute Threshold, took home honors at The New York Film Festival of New Cinema and The Brooklyn Shorts Film Festival. www.ericarosefilms.com
Chelsea Moore (Producer):
Chelsea Moore is a Brooklyn-based producer. As a producer she works in documentary, commercial & narrative formats both in the US, Turkey & Germany. She also works as a Local USA 829 Art Coordinator for Film & TV. Chelsea works to build long term relationships with directors & writers, supporting them & creating environments for their work to make the most impact.
Hannah Hodson (Mia):
She got her start in a Nike Air Jordan commercial directed by Spike Lee at just 12 years old. She then landed a leading role in Lee's short film Jesus Children of America, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2005. She starred in the TNT film special "The Ron Clark Story" as Shameika Wallace, for which she received a Young Artist's Award in 2007. For three years, she traveled between Los Angeles, New York City and Amherst, Massachusetts while playing the part of Camille in TNT's "HawthoRNe," and achieving her BA in Theatre and Black Studies at Hampshire College, where she graduated in the Spring of 2013. She achieved a certificate of completion from the William Esper Studio in New York City in 2015, where she studied the Meisner Technique under teacher Bruce McCarty. Other film and television credits include her recurring role as Lorna on Showtime's Happyish, alongside Steve Coogan. You can see her most recently as recurring guest star, Angel, on SyFy's Happy!"
https://www.hannahrosehodson.com/
Madeline Wall (Production Designer):
Madeline Wall is a Seattle-born, New York City based costumer and designer. She received her BFA in Film from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Since moving to New York, she has worked for ABC, NBC, Showtime, Parkwood Entertainment, and 11th St. Workshop. Her work as a designer has been featured on international ad campaigns, as well as in festivals around the world. She recently won three Craft Awards at The First Run Film Festival for her work as a designer and editor. The short film, Girl in the Chair, which she designed and produced, was a Student Academy Award nominee. http://www.madelinefwall.com/
Marc Katz (Cinematographer):
Marc Katz is a director of photography with experience ranging from narratives, commercials and, music videos to documentaries. His work has screened on HBO and at many festivals including Toronto International Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Camerimage, Raindance, Cannes Lions YDA, New York Shorts fest, and LA shorts fest. He was raised in sunny southern California and graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he majored in Film Production with a concentration in cinematography. http://www.marckatzdp.com/
Matthew Glasner (Casting Director):
Matthew Glasner is a freelance Casting Director/Associate residing in NYC. He has been a part of the casting teams for various shows and films, including Spotlight (Academy Award Winner for Best Film), Girl on the Train (Dreamworks), Sisters (Universal), Bleed for This (Open Road Films), Good Girls Revolt (Amazon Series) and Jessica Jones Season 1 (Netflix). Over the past year Matthew has cast for various projects including, Falling Water (USA Series), Chicago Justice (NBC Series) and the film Alex Strangelove (Netflix) and recently just finished casting his first full-length Independent Feature, Braid.
Wednesday Sue Derrico (Outreach Coordinator / Background Casting Director)
Most often directing, producing and event managing, Wednesday dedicates her practice to creating and supporting personal, political work. She explores many facets of live performance as the Co-Founding Artistic Director of Experimental Bitch Presents. She is currently directing the international tour of In Her Own Words: The Diana Tapes by James Clements, which will premier in Toronto this fall. Most recently, Wednesday co-directe
Celina Vicioso (Associate Producder / PR Coordinator):
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Celina Vicioso is passionate about all things related to the intersection of politics, social justice and film. Most recently Celina served as Content Producer at Forbes Media. She has produced music videos for indie artist Rebecca Tello in addition to producing the feature length webseries, Sidetrack. A queer woman of color herself, Celina strives to create and support inclusive, representative media.
Maggie Callis (1st Assistant Director):
Maggie Callis is an Assistant Director working in Film and TV. Originally from Kentucky, she moved to San Francisco to complete her Masters in Film, ultimately settling in New York City. Her 1st AD TV credits include HULU Original Series DEADBEAT and the NETFLIX Original Series AMERICAN VANDAL. She has 1st AD’ed the NY VFX Unit feature 2:22. Short films include GRACE, INVINCIBLE, PROTECT US, WATER DOGS, and PLATFORM FEVER. She has AD’ed commercial work for GOOGLE, VICE, and STELLA ARTOIS. She has AD’ed on various films from BATMAN v SUPERMAN to period TV series such as Z: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING.
Catie Stickels (Post Production Producer / Editor):
Caitie has edited over 15 short films & multiple feature films as well as documentaries, web series & pilots. They have also edited advertisements for MasterCard & Miss Universe. A recent project, Unicornland, written & produced by Lucy Gillespie, screened at Los Angeles CineFest, Toronto WebFest, & Raindance Film Festival. Their short film, Two Birds, recently won awards at the NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival & the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival. The film has also screened at NewFest: New York LGBT Film Festival, TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival, & the Gallatin Comedy Fest. Catie currently lives in Brooklyn & owns a cat.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Girl Talk is fiscally sponsored by The Film Collaborative, a 501(c)3 organization. ALL donations are tax deductible.
Synopsis:
Girl Talk follows 20-something, queer Mia. She does not know how to be close to people, especially the people she cares about the most. Mia finds herself immersed within the confines of sex and intimacy; a false dichotomy that she struggles to navigate through. Mia feels she has to challenge herself sexually in order to feel desirable and in control. In Girl Talk, we see Mia become the object of desire for one intriguing lesbian couple. As she takes this couple to bed, she soon realizes that her quest for sexual autonomy complicates her already crippled relationship to intimacy and emotional vulnerability with others.
Visuals & Tone:
OVERALL TONE:
Mia’s world is heightened, and her environment reflects her emotional peaks and valleys. Each scene will feel painted; as if her surroundings embody her inner thoughts and desires.
COMPOSITION / CAMERA MOVEMENT:
Heavy steadicam use and long takes throughout the movie will make for a dreamlike presence. This will highlight Mia’s loss of control as the narrative progresses.
LIGHTING / COLOR:
Each location will be saturated with color to mimic Mia’s intensity; from burning crimsons to melancholic blues, culminating into a magnetic purple hue.
Director's Statement:
Girl Talk is a personal film, one that I’ve been working on for years. It’s the first film I’ve ever written & directed that deals with my own journey within the queer community.
In our culture, we are inundated with the sexuality of women. We see this through a context of their sex appeal, rather than their own thoughts and desires. We don’t see what women fantasize about; what they want in sex, what they don’t want, how they experience pleasure. It’s not a straightforward discourse, but it’s unfortunately nearly invisible in America’s broad cinema and media consumption. I’ve always been fascinated by female sexuality and have centered my filmmaking and writing around this. In the beginning of my filmmaking career, I used to think that if I was going to make films about women, I needed all of my characters to be strong. As I continued creating and writing, I realized that I’m not the kind of director who makes films about strong female characters. Strength, as a concept, is boring to me. My characters are heavily flawed, but they have agency and complexity. They are multilayered and raw. They are not always honest with their partners or themselves, but as a director, I always strive to tell their story with candor.
In my work, I don’t necessarily want answers, but I continuously question the heteronormative, white, patriarchal definitions of relationships that we’re conditioned to accept. These contrived expectations also feed into how we internalize gay identities in media. Gay stories are diminished to center on two central issues: the coming out story or an intoxicating, doomed relationship. Where are the stories in between? I know I’m hungry for that and I strongly believe my audience is too. What it means to be gay and queer in America is constantly evolving and there’s no better way to show this than through art and storytelling.
Intended Audience:
Our intended audience includes, but is not limited to:
LGBTQIA and gender nonconforming individuals
They will be drawn to the film due to the nature of the sexual identities and politics of all the main characters. The sex will be told with sincere conviction, rather than overzealous eroticism. This is a deviation from the male gaze. This is a movie about queer women made by queer women. Girl Talk displays a range of gender presentation and features a genderqueer character. The Brooklyn queer community is evolving to be inclusive of numerous types of gender identities.
Women
Every character in the film is either female or gender nonconforming. We’re showcasing the ranges in feminine presentation. The women are flawed, complex, and have complete arcs.
Urban millennials
Girl Talk has a strong diversity initiative and commits to casting 50% of the speaking roles with people of color. The movie takes place in the evolving, fast paced world of Brooklyn, NY.
We ultimately hope everyone can connect to the universality of sexual desire, intimacy, and love that the film showcases.
Project Timeline:
September 2017
Launch Seed & Spark Fundraising Campaign
Begin scouting locations & finalizing design boards
October - November 2017
Finalize casting & rehearse
Finalize and scout locations
Shot list
Logistics for production
Hard prep begins:
December 2017
Production of Girl Talk: December 8th, 9th, 10th
January - February 2018
Offline picture edit
March - April 2018
Lock picture
Color correction, sound design, music, and graphics
May 2018
Begin festival submissions
Donating to Girl Talk:
Girl Talk is fiscally sponsored by The Filmmakers Collaborative.
All Donations are tax deductible.
As per The Filmmakers Collaborative's policy, tax receipts are emailed for all donations of $250 and more. The IRS does not require a tax receipts for donations under $250, however, The Filmmakers Collabortive can provide upon request.
For more information please visit: http://www.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
We don't believe in free labor
Costs $7,000
This is to pay our dedicated crew members for both pre-production and production services.
I'm ready for my close up
Costs $3,000
This is to pay our cast along with SAG fringes and pension & health.
You're a virgin who can't drive
Costs $1,000
This is to pay for our equipment vehicles and crew/cast transportation
Location, Location, Location!
Costs $1,550
This includes Mia's Apartment, the Party Loft, the Stoop and the Night Exteriors.
mise en scène
Costs $1,090
This includes set dressing, props, costume, and hair & make up expenses.
We make it work too
Costs $1,000
This includes our production, insurance, and food expenses.
Share this update!
About This Team
Sour Peach Films is headed by Chelsea Moore & Erica Rose. Taking pride in being queer and femme, Sour Peach focuses on stories about female sexuality, portraits of individuals who are often forgotten or overlooked in mainstream media, and exploring identity within new contexts.
Our mission is to not only be diverse in front of the camera, but to actively employ racial, gender and sexual orientation diversity behind the camera. Sour Peach Films and Girl Talk are both proudly committed to this.
For more information please visit: www.sourpeachfilms.com
Erica Rose (Director / Writer):
Erica Rose is a Brooklyn based writer, director, and producer working in narrative, commercial, documentary, and music video mediums. She was the associate producer on the Netflix original documentary Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold. She has produced films for the CFDA + Weinstein Co, featuring prominent American designers such as Michael Kors, Vera Wang, and Diane Von Furstenburg. She has worked as an associate producer with Beyonce Knowles’ Parkwood Entertainment for a narrative & documentary series centered on female empowerment. She has directed and/or produced commercials for Earth Angel, celebrity trainer Terri Walsh, Local Maven, UN HE for SHE Campaign, Vevo, and MasterCard. She directed a commercial for the TCS New York City Marathon App, which received a national broadcast. She has worked alongside producer Amy Kaufman for televisions shows including NBC’s American Odyssey, CBS’ For Justice, and Showtime’s Billions. Her music videos that she has directed and produced have been featured in various publications including The Huffington Post, Northern Transmissions, Broadway World, M Pire Magazine, and The Big Takeover. Her short film, Absolute Threshold, took home honors at The New York Film Festival of New Cinema and The Brooklyn Shorts Film Festival. www.ericarosefilms.com
Chelsea Moore (Producer):
Chelsea Moore is a Brooklyn-based producer. As a producer she works in documentary, commercial & narrative formats both in the US, Turkey & Germany. She also works as a Local USA 829 Art Coordinator for Film & TV. Chelsea works to build long term relationships with directors & writers, supporting them & creating environments for their work to make the most impact.
Hannah Hodson (Mia):
She got her start in a Nike Air Jordan commercial directed by Spike Lee at just 12 years old. She then landed a leading role in Lee's short film Jesus Children of America, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2005. She starred in the TNT film special "The Ron Clark Story" as Shameika Wallace, for which she received a Young Artist's Award in 2007. For three years, she traveled between Los Angeles, New York City and Amherst, Massachusetts while playing the part of Camille in TNT's "HawthoRNe," and achieving her BA in Theatre and Black Studies at Hampshire College, where she graduated in the Spring of 2013. She achieved a certificate of completion from the William Esper Studio in New York City in 2015, where she studied the Meisner Technique under teacher Bruce McCarty. Other film and television credits include her recurring role as Lorna on Showtime's Happyish, alongside Steve Coogan. You can see her most recently as recurring guest star, Angel, on SyFy's Happy!"
https://www.hannahrosehodson.com/
Madeline Wall (Production Designer):
Madeline Wall is a Seattle-born, New York City based costumer and designer. She received her BFA in Film from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Since moving to New York, she has worked for ABC, NBC, Showtime, Parkwood Entertainment, and 11th St. Workshop. Her work as a designer has been featured on international ad campaigns, as well as in festivals around the world. She recently won three Craft Awards at The First Run Film Festival for her work as a designer and editor. The short film, Girl in the Chair, which she designed and produced, was a Student Academy Award nominee. http://www.madelinefwall.com/
Marc Katz (Cinematographer):
Marc Katz is a director of photography with experience ranging from narratives, commercials and, music videos to documentaries. His work has screened on HBO and at many festivals including Toronto International Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Camerimage, Raindance, Cannes Lions YDA, New York Shorts fest, and LA shorts fest. He was raised in sunny southern California and graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he majored in Film Production with a concentration in cinematography. http://www.marckatzdp.com/
Matthew Glasner (Casting Director):
Matthew Glasner is a freelance Casting Director/Associate residing in NYC. He has been a part of the casting teams for various shows and films, including Spotlight (Academy Award Winner for Best Film), Girl on the Train (Dreamworks), Sisters (Universal), Bleed for This (Open Road Films), Good Girls Revolt (Amazon Series) and Jessica Jones Season 1 (Netflix). Over the past year Matthew has cast for various projects including, Falling Water (USA Series), Chicago Justice (NBC Series) and the film Alex Strangelove (Netflix) and recently just finished casting his first full-length Independent Feature, Braid.
Wednesday Sue Derrico (Outreach Coordinator / Background Casting Director)
Most often directing, producing and event managing, Wednesday dedicates her practice to creating and supporting personal, political work. She explores many facets of live performance as the Co-Founding Artistic Director of Experimental Bitch Presents. She is currently directing the international tour of In Her Own Words: The Diana Tapes by James Clements, which will premier in Toronto this fall. Most recently, Wednesday co-directe
Celina Vicioso (Associate Producder / PR Coordinator):
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Celina Vicioso is passionate about all things related to the intersection of politics, social justice and film. Most recently Celina served as Content Producer at Forbes Media. She has produced music videos for indie artist Rebecca Tello in addition to producing the feature length webseries, Sidetrack. A queer woman of color herself, Celina strives to create and support inclusive, representative media.
Maggie Callis (1st Assistant Director):
Maggie Callis is an Assistant Director working in Film and TV. Originally from Kentucky, she moved to San Francisco to complete her Masters in Film, ultimately settling in New York City. Her 1st AD TV credits include HULU Original Series DEADBEAT and the NETFLIX Original Series AMERICAN VANDAL. She has 1st AD’ed the NY VFX Unit feature 2:22. Short films include GRACE, INVINCIBLE, PROTECT US, WATER DOGS, and PLATFORM FEVER. She has AD’ed commercial work for GOOGLE, VICE, and STELLA ARTOIS. She has AD’ed on various films from BATMAN v SUPERMAN to period TV series such as Z: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING.
Catie Stickels (Post Production Producer / Editor):
Caitie has edited over 15 short films & multiple feature films as well as documentaries, web series & pilots. They have also edited advertisements for MasterCard & Miss Universe. A recent project, Unicornland, written & produced by Lucy Gillespie, screened at Los Angeles CineFest, Toronto WebFest, & Raindance Film Festival. Their short film, Two Birds, recently won awards at the NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival & the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival. The film has also screened at NewFest: New York LGBT Film Festival, TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival, & the Gallatin Comedy Fest. Catie currently lives in Brooklyn & owns a cat.