Mission Statement

Help a group of emerging Black filmmakers from The illustrious Howard University, complete their MFA Thesis Film and continue to legacy of amazing creatives coming from The Mecca!

Chile... What's a Hag?

Cool. Why do we need a movie though?

Hag, a queer Southern Gothic, is a piece our director/writer, Jay Najeeah has been working on since she was 17 and just starting undergrad. Now, 24, and nearing the end of their MFA Program at the illustrious Howard University, we feel that we must get this story out there.

Hag tells the story of a woman, Reesa, raised in the Lowcountry of South Carolina by her grandmother, Myra, after the death of her mother. Reesa, now an adult, is married to a loving partner, Khari, and is pregnant with her first child. The Gullah Geechee Urban legend of a boo hag plagues this pregnancy. This creature feeds on the stress and grief of families and at a time like this in Reesa's life, of course, it has latched on tight.

This story is near and dear to our director's heart, as someone who grew up in the Deep South, who was raised in a matriarchal household, and who has always had a deep fear of hospitals and pregnancy. Jay has been diligent in giving this story the space it deserves. This story is all about women, and how they connect to one another in times of distress, and we feel that Jay needs to be the artist to share this story

Okay, I'm rocking with it. Who worked on it? 

We had an amazing crew for principal photography, who are still rooting for the competition of this film. Let's Start with the Big 3.

Director: Jay Najeeah (she/they)

Jay Najeeah, Writer/Director (she/they) is a freelance filmmaker, writer, dramaturg, and artist-activist hailing from Columbia, SC. Based in DC, their work is grounded in both Theatre of the Oppressed pedagogy and the principles of Black Feminism. A thesis candidate in Howard University’s MFA Film Program, Jay is committed to storytelling and uplifting the perspective of queer, southern, Black folk. Having a concentration in writing & directing, Jay’s grasp on cinematic language has allowed them the ability to play in the realm of dramatic, experimental, & magical realism. As the writer/director of “Hag.,” Jay is extremely grateful to bring her story to life. As a born and raised Southerner, this story has been brewing since they were 17, and the “Hag.” team is ready to put it on screen.

Producer: Cameron Logan (He/Him)

Cameron Logan, Producer(He/Him) is a driven filmmaker from Arlington, Virginia, with a passion for producing compelling stories on screen. A current thesis candidate in Howard University's Masters of Fine Arts in Film, he has developed a wide range of skills in all aspects of the film production process. Cameron began his film journey at a film production company in New Delhi, during his undergraduate education at the University of Virginia. After graduating with a Drama degree, he worked at several local DMV video production companies, from corporate marketing to lifestyle and pop culture. Once he began graduate school he transitioned into the film industry, working as a Production Assistant for Netflix, Apple TV, and HBO on various film projects. As the producer of Hag., the upcoming thesis film written by his classmate, Cameron is determined and excited to bring the director's creative vision to life. He is committed to creating meaningful stories that entertain and inspire audiences while making a positive impact on the world.

Director of Photography: Meagan Simms (she/her)

Meagan Simms, Director of Photography (she/her)- Based in Washington, DC, Meagan Sims is a Chicago native who has attained her master’s degree in film at Howard University. With an emphasis in Cinematography, Meagan’s methodology highlights both naturalistic and dream-like visuals that calls attention to the variety of subjects that fill her frame, while also paying heed to the usage of light and shadow to showcase the breadth of experiences of being BIPOC. Along with her artistic work, Meagan is committed to creating a collaborative workspace where fellow creatives can share their vision and contribute. Looking to break away from the usual clichés, Meagan is building on creating feelings of relatability, satire, and self-reflection through the use of the camera and camera movements. In addition, she augments her cinematography with well-rounded lighting practice. From meaningful contrast to vibrant colors that catch the audience’s eye, to soft and hazy lighting, she makes subjects pop in front of the lens.

But Let's not forget the amazing below-the-line crew!

See some (but not all) of the amazing people we had on set!

Nice, but who's on Camera? 

Bringing this story to life is an amazing team of actresses from all over the country. We were so blessed to have them all on set. 

Alright, I see the vision. What do y'all need help with?

So glad you asked! Though our principal photography is complete, we have a few more things to do. With your support, we'll be able to pay for some much-needed things on the post-production end. We have a goal of 3000 dollars. 

That goal will go towards paying our amazing composer, Brooks Leibie for scoring our film, our colorist, our festival submissions and possible travel to promote the film, payment for post-production ADR, and any fees left in the wake of the battle we call independent filmmaking. 

Help a Queer Black Film make it to the screen! 

Our Director and Producer, Jay & Cam have worked tirelessly on this passion project (which also happens to be their Howard University MFA Thesis film) and need your help to bring it to the finish line. <3

MORE WAYS TO HELP 

1. FOLLOW US ON ALL OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

Be sure to follow us here on Seed&Spark, but also on Instagram. And encourage your friends to follow us too! We also have a website!

2. SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT #HagFilm

Tell your girls, gays, and they's about "Hag". Please share our posts, campaign page, and our backer updates!

3. KEEP FOLLOWING OUR CAMPAIGN!

Regular visits to our Seed&Spark page keep you in the know AND increase our chances of being featured on the site!

Share our campaign video and this page with your friends, and family, and network across social media or by word of mouth! It will help us in reaching more people.