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Austin, Texas | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
Love is the deepest connection possible. And loss? Loss is the deepest pain. GIVE explores the transformative power of music in the difficult transition between these emotions.
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This campaign raised $18,074 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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Love is the deepest connection possible. And loss? Loss is the deepest pain. GIVE explores the transformative power of music in the difficult transition between these emotions.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
GIVE is a multi-layered tale of the passionate romance between Adam, a contemporary composer-pianist, and Patrick, a classical singer. The two have a special gift... music. It's what brought them to each other. Adam finds comfort with each stroke of the piano. And when Patrick sings, everyone listens. When they play together, their connection is palpable. Each passing day brings ordinary and extraordinary moments to them. They live a night at a diner with the same intensity as a dreamy day at the beach. But once their love crescendos, Adam is forced to process the loss and betrayal the only way he knows how.
In this queer narrative short film, a lyrical and contemplative score and snippets of poetic voiceover support Adam and Patrick's dreamlike memories. With minimal dialogue, the film foregrounds the heartbeat of the story: the music. This essential component of the film, composed by our director Kenya Gillespie, will be recorded by a small chamber orchestra at world-class recording studio Wire Road Studios in Houston, TX.
This project is a thesis film for the MFA program in film & media production at The University of Texas at Austin. This highly selective program brings together talented storytellers from all over the world.
Characters
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Mood Boards
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A Note From The Director
GIVE is a highly personal project. Eight years ago I created a multimedia piece for live orchestra and video as a music composition master's student at Rice University. Though I did not immediately realize it, the writing and performance of the piece became a vehicle for me to deal with my emotions, specifically those that I had been feeling around an emotional breakup. I see GIVE as my love letter to music and film, a nexus of my personal experiences as a composer, my memories of my past relationships, and my evolution as a filmmaker. My hope is that in telling this story, I am able to emphasize the compelling connections between film and music and the ways in which they both serve as powerful tools for empathy and personal transformation.
Financial Needs
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Your contribution is essential to produce the rhythm and beauty each frame requires. The funds raised from this campaign will contribute to expenses related to securing locations, casting, music recording and wardrobe. Since the music is integral to the film narrative, we want it to have a full, textural quality that can only be achieved by recording live musicians in the studio. Without these elements, our film will lack heart and authenticity. Join us on this journey to make a unique, queer, cinematic experience!
COVID-19 Protocol
The health and safety of our cast and crew is our top priority. The production will adhere to the following four safety practices: COVID-19 testing, social distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and disinfecting on set. We consider these new guidelines absolutely necessary, not only to maintain the safety and health of our community, but also to maintain a high level of production.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Location Expenses
Costs $4,000
This is where the story happens. Securing locations to create authenticity.
Music Recording
Costs $3,300
The heartbeat of the film. Hiring a small chamber orchestra to record the original music.
Casting
Costs $1,700
People create connection. Collaborating with Casting Director to hire the characters for our story.
Wardrobe
Costs $1,000
A wardrobe fitting of our character stories.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kenya Gillespie is a Japanese American filmmaker living in Austin, TX. His short film “Jeremiah” received its international premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival (Cinéfondation) where it was nominated for the short film Queer Palm. It was selected for numerous other festivals including Fantastic Fest, Outfest LA, Champs Élysées Film Festival, and Toronto Inside Out LGBT Film Festival. His documentary short “The Crystal City” and narrative short “Pray for Dottie” were selected for the 2018 and 2019 Denius Student Showcase at SXSW. He received a BA in music from Yale University and an MM in music composition from Rice University. He is currently an MFA graduate student in Film & Media Production at the University of Texas at Austin.
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Maggie M. Bailey is an award-winning producer and documentary filmmaker interested in making work that pushes form and structure while exploring unheard voices and niche communities. In 2018, she was a nominee for the Princess Grace Foundation Award and the Kodak Excellence in Filmmaking Award. She was nominated for the Princess Grace Foundation Award again in 2019. The work she has directed and produced has screened in festivals including SXSW, Frameline, DOCNYC, Atlanta Film Festival, BAMcinemaFest, CineKink, Sidewalk Film Festival and more. Her last films Sweet Sweet Kink: A Collection of BDSM Stories and Things That Happen in the Bathroom are currently screening in festivals nationally and internationally. She is working towards completing her MFA in Film & Media Production from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Arturo R. Jiménez is a Mexican filmmaker and journalist. He has directed, produced and photographed films in Mexico, the United States, the Czech Republic, Cuba and Nicaragua. His writing is centered on music and artistic expression, having previously written for over a dozen newspapers, websites and other publications. He has worked with internationally renowned filmmakers including Peter Greenaway, Matt Dillon, Rigoberto Perezcano and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Arturo’s interests lie in the exploration of human behavior in both narrative and documentary films.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
GIVE is a multi-layered tale of the passionate romance between Adam, a contemporary composer-pianist, and Patrick, a classical singer. The two have a special gift... music. It's what brought them to each other. Adam finds comfort with each stroke of the piano. And when Patrick sings, everyone listens. When they play together, their connection is palpable. Each passing day brings ordinary and extraordinary moments to them. They live a night at a diner with the same intensity as a dreamy day at the beach. But once their love crescendos, Adam is forced to process the loss and betrayal the only way he knows how.
In this queer narrative short film, a lyrical and contemplative score and snippets of poetic voiceover support Adam and Patrick's dreamlike memories. With minimal dialogue, the film foregrounds the heartbeat of the story: the music. This essential component of the film, composed by our director Kenya Gillespie, will be recorded by a small chamber orchestra at world-class recording studio Wire Road Studios in Houston, TX.
This project is a thesis film for the MFA program in film & media production at The University of Texas at Austin. This highly selective program brings together talented storytellers from all over the world.
Characters
Mood Boards
A Note From The Director
GIVE is a highly personal project. Eight years ago I created a multimedia piece for live orchestra and video as a music composition master's student at Rice University. Though I did not immediately realize it, the writing and performance of the piece became a vehicle for me to deal with my emotions, specifically those that I had been feeling around an emotional breakup. I see GIVE as my love letter to music and film, a nexus of my personal experiences as a composer, my memories of my past relationships, and my evolution as a filmmaker. My hope is that in telling this story, I am able to emphasize the compelling connections between film and music and the ways in which they both serve as powerful tools for empathy and personal transformation.
Financial Needs
Your contribution is essential to produce the rhythm and beauty each frame requires. The funds raised from this campaign will contribute to expenses related to securing locations, casting, music recording and wardrobe. Since the music is integral to the film narrative, we want it to have a full, textural quality that can only be achieved by recording live musicians in the studio. Without these elements, our film will lack heart and authenticity. Join us on this journey to make a unique, queer, cinematic experience!
COVID-19 Protocol
The health and safety of our cast and crew is our top priority. The production will adhere to the following four safety practices: COVID-19 testing, social distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and disinfecting on set. We consider these new guidelines absolutely necessary, not only to maintain the safety and health of our community, but also to maintain a high level of production.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Location Expenses
Costs $4,000
This is where the story happens. Securing locations to create authenticity.
Music Recording
Costs $3,300
The heartbeat of the film. Hiring a small chamber orchestra to record the original music.
Casting
Costs $1,700
People create connection. Collaborating with Casting Director to hire the characters for our story.
Wardrobe
Costs $1,000
A wardrobe fitting of our character stories.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kenya Gillespie is a Japanese American filmmaker living in Austin, TX. His short film “Jeremiah” received its international premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival (Cinéfondation) where it was nominated for the short film Queer Palm. It was selected for numerous other festivals including Fantastic Fest, Outfest LA, Champs Élysées Film Festival, and Toronto Inside Out LGBT Film Festival. His documentary short “The Crystal City” and narrative short “Pray for Dottie” were selected for the 2018 and 2019 Denius Student Showcase at SXSW. He received a BA in music from Yale University and an MM in music composition from Rice University. He is currently an MFA graduate student in Film & Media Production at the University of Texas at Austin.
Maggie M. Bailey is an award-winning producer and documentary filmmaker interested in making work that pushes form and structure while exploring unheard voices and niche communities. In 2018, she was a nominee for the Princess Grace Foundation Award and the Kodak Excellence in Filmmaking Award. She was nominated for the Princess Grace Foundation Award again in 2019. The work she has directed and produced has screened in festivals including SXSW, Frameline, DOCNYC, Atlanta Film Festival, BAMcinemaFest, CineKink, Sidewalk Film Festival and more. Her last films Sweet Sweet Kink: A Collection of BDSM Stories and Things That Happen in the Bathroom are currently screening in festivals nationally and internationally. She is working towards completing her MFA in Film & Media Production from the University of Texas at Austin.
Arturo R. Jiménez is a Mexican filmmaker and journalist. He has directed, produced and photographed films in Mexico, the United States, the Czech Republic, Cuba and Nicaragua. His writing is centered on music and artistic expression, having previously written for over a dozen newspapers, websites and other publications. He has worked with internationally renowned filmmakers including Peter Greenaway, Matt Dillon, Rigoberto Perezcano and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Arturo’s interests lie in the exploration of human behavior in both narrative and documentary films.