Happy Place
New York City, New York | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, LGBTQ
After realizing she may (maybe not???) like girls (women???), Anna goes to her roommate's cousin's lesbian engagement party in the hopes of finding answers. After all, perhaps these answers will solve all her problems! We all know the gays don't have problems!
Happy Place
New York City, New York | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,680 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
57 supporters | followers
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After realizing she may (maybe not???) like girls (women???), Anna goes to her roommate's cousin's lesbian engagement party in the hopes of finding answers. After all, perhaps these answers will solve all her problems! We all know the gays don't have problems!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Imagine...
you're *lightly* questioning your sexuality. Sure, you'd love to date a Jonas Brother (Not Kevin)(Not Joe)(Maybe Nick?), but something's nagging at you. Maybe it's always been nagging at you, making you feel uncomfortable in every space you've ever been in.
Where do you go to find answers?
Happy Place, Sara Monge's directorial debut, explores one anxious woman's quest to insert herself into her roommate's cousin's lesbian engagement party and finally figure out some answers.
Should be easy, right?
CHARACTERS
ANNA
(An-Li Bogan)
Anna has never been settled in her own skin, which is why she uses comedy to distract herself from looking inward. While she's spent the last ten years dating men she hates, jumping into this new world of potentially dating women has made her more insecure than she usually is.
KACEY
(Marta Piekarz)
Anna meets Kacey on the roof of Happy Place where she discovers someone who's her total opposite: cool, confident, and comfortable in her sexuality. Or at least, that's what Kacey looks like on the surface. In reality, she's just as uncomfortable in her skin as Anna is, but for completely different reasons.
VERONICA
(Charlie Sarah Traisman)
Anna immediately meets Veronica, her roommate's cousin & one of the brides-to-be! Veronica is very Bushwick, very gay, and not super welcoming. She's got some strong opinions on men, the patriarchy, and politics -- if you don't agree, then you can go fuck off into oncoming traffic.
WHY THIS STORY
While coming out may be exciting and liberating, it's also very awkward and very anxiety-provoking. It's almost like you're back in middle school, stumbling through a transition into this whole new you. If there were more queer stories like this, perhaps we all would have avoided the hard stuff.
But maybe not! Maybe it's supposed to be heartbreaking and fucking hilarious at the same time. A beautiful dichotomy (though if you asked Anna, she would not call it that right now).
Ultimately, Happy Place is a film about connection. About finding someone who sees you. About (finally) seeing yourself.
Even if it's just for one moment.
AESTHETIC & TONE
Happy Place will pair the stylized comedy of Booksmart and Mean Girls with the quieter, more honest moments of Lady Bird. The funny with the heartfelt. The awkward with the charming. The hopeful with the bittersweet.
Comedy & chemistry are key to unlocking these character's happy place.
SETTING & VISUAL WORLD
We'll be using Happy Place Hair Salon in Bushwick to show Anna & Kacey's feelings of suffocation. By using tight shots and slightly harsh lighting inside, the freedom of the Happy Place rooftop is where things are going to breathe a bit more. Wider angles and softer lighting will give this space a more relaxed, romantic vibe.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We're currently in pre-production with the plan to film over the course of two days in the new year. With your help, we'll be able to pay for the following:
BUT, if you're feeling extra charitable, we also have a S-T-R-E-T-C-H goal that will cover:
- Post productions costs like color correction, sound mixing, & the editor's fee
- Festival submission costs! We're hoping to spread this queer story as far and wide as possible
- Fees to pay extras, flights, etc.
However, if you don't have the funds to help us monetarily but love gay shit, there are other ways you can help!
- Tell a friend who might be interested in this story via email, text, word-of-mouth—anything! We want to reach the widest audience possible during our short campaign window.
- Share our Instagram posts with your community with the message:
- “Help @sarammonge and a group of independent filmmakers by supporting their gay rom-com "Happy Place" on @seedandspark! Join them here: www.seedandspark.com/fund/happy-place-1"
Thanks Queers!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew
Costs $7,000
This will pay for the brilliant cast & crew!
Camera & Lighting Gear
Costs $2,000
This will pay for all the camera, lenses, & lighting gear!
Production
Costs $1,000
This will pay for gear insurance, crafty, etc.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
In Front of the Camera
Anna
An-Li Bogan
An-Li Bogan grew up in Norman, Oklahoma and began performing in plays in high school. She attended the NYU Tisch Acting Program for undergrad. She made her television debut in the Hulu horror series The Unsettling and has made appearances on Bull (CBS), Elementary (CBS), and Love Life (MAX). She has worked on various short films throughout the years and appeared in Koganada’s After Yang (A24).
Kacey
Marta Piekarz
Marta is an award-winning actress, writer, model, and singer, most recently known for her roles in the Hulu film, It's a Wonderful Binge and the TV show, Queer as Folk. With a dynamic range of talents, she has garnered millions of streams on Spotify and has had multiple bits of written material optioned.
Veronica
Charlie Sarah Traisman
Charlie (They/Them) is an actor, writer, and producer splitting their time between NYC and L.A. They are a graduate of A.C.T.’s MFA in Acting Program. They have understudied and performed opposite Bryan Cranston in “Power of Sail” at The Geffen Playhouse and can be seen in independent feature “Love is a Map” now streaming on Amazon Prime. Over the summer, they launched their production company Madhouse Productions under which they produced and acted in their first co-written short film “See This”, starring Rachel Hilson and directed by Tricia Lee. The cast also includes Alex MacNicoll, b Norwood, Katherine Romans, Emma Van Lare, and Matt Monaco. Coming up they can be seen in 3HAMS, a co-written “clownmatic” play exploring themes of body dysmorphia & co-dependency.
Behind The Camera
Writer & Director
Sara Monge
Sara Monge is a Los Angeles-native and Brooklyn-based screenwriter who specializes in grounded comedies. Her feature gay rom com, A Magical Place Called Glendale, made in onto the 2019 Blacklist and is currently in development with Pacific Electric Picture Company. On top of that, Sara's been busy writing a movie for Mattel Films and living up the newlywed life with her wonderful wife, Lizzy.
Supervising Producer
Katie Sue Escher
Katie Sue Escher has been producing Film, Television, Music Videos, Sketch Comedy, and Commercials for close to a decade. She just finished producing her first feature film Sisters and is looking forward to making Happy Place a reality! Some of her most notable projects include Bravo's Project Runway, music videos for Justin Beiber, Skrillex, and The Weekend, shows for both Netflix and AppleTV+, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve. She loves calling Brooklyn home and makes boozy ice cream in her spare time!
Cinematographer
Elizabeth Vrkljan
Elizabeth is a Cinematographer based in New York City. She honed her craft at New York University, where she returned in 2021 as one of their youngest adjunct professors of cinematography. While at NYU, she worked extensively as a gaffer and Local 52 permitted electrician. This allowed her to develop a deep understanding of lighting. Her work has earned her the Bahoric Meisel Award for Women Cinematographers and a spot as the finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award. Her work has been featured on MUBI, PBS, and Apple Music. Elizabeth’s visuals carry an atmospheric intensity that probes the depths of light and shadow, mirroring the intricacies of the human psyche. She is drawn to stories that contemplate how the lasting imprints of trauma shape our visual reality.
Associate Producer & 1st AD
Scot Wolverton
Scot is a Stand Up, comedy Writer, Director, and Producer here in NYC. Before moving across the country, he spent several years hosting the Camero Comedy Show out in LA and is set to Direct his first music video, "Wound Collector" for musical artist boice this fall. Similar to Director Sara Monge, Scot is also a creative Taurus, but unlike Director Sara Monge, he lives to defeat the big bad bosses of all your favorite video games.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Imagine...
you're *lightly* questioning your sexuality. Sure, you'd love to date a Jonas Brother (Not Kevin)(Not Joe)(Maybe Nick?), but something's nagging at you. Maybe it's always been nagging at you, making you feel uncomfortable in every space you've ever been in.
Where do you go to find answers?
Happy Place, Sara Monge's directorial debut, explores one anxious woman's quest to insert herself into her roommate's cousin's lesbian engagement party and finally figure out some answers.
Should be easy, right?
CHARACTERS
ANNA
(An-Li Bogan)
Anna has never been settled in her own skin, which is why she uses comedy to distract herself from looking inward. While she's spent the last ten years dating men she hates, jumping into this new world of potentially dating women has made her more insecure than she usually is.
KACEY
(Marta Piekarz)
Anna meets Kacey on the roof of Happy Place where she discovers someone who's her total opposite: cool, confident, and comfortable in her sexuality. Or at least, that's what Kacey looks like on the surface. In reality, she's just as uncomfortable in her skin as Anna is, but for completely different reasons.
VERONICA
(Charlie Sarah Traisman)
Anna immediately meets Veronica, her roommate's cousin & one of the brides-to-be! Veronica is very Bushwick, very gay, and not super welcoming. She's got some strong opinions on men, the patriarchy, and politics -- if you don't agree, then you can go fuck off into oncoming traffic.
WHY THIS STORY
While coming out may be exciting and liberating, it's also very awkward and very anxiety-provoking. It's almost like you're back in middle school, stumbling through a transition into this whole new you. If there were more queer stories like this, perhaps we all would have avoided the hard stuff.
But maybe not! Maybe it's supposed to be heartbreaking and fucking hilarious at the same time. A beautiful dichotomy (though if you asked Anna, she would not call it that right now).
Ultimately, Happy Place is a film about connection. About finding someone who sees you. About (finally) seeing yourself.
Even if it's just for one moment.
AESTHETIC & TONE
Happy Place will pair the stylized comedy of Booksmart and Mean Girls with the quieter, more honest moments of Lady Bird. The funny with the heartfelt. The awkward with the charming. The hopeful with the bittersweet.
Comedy & chemistry are key to unlocking these character's happy place.
SETTING & VISUAL WORLD
We'll be using Happy Place Hair Salon in Bushwick to show Anna & Kacey's feelings of suffocation. By using tight shots and slightly harsh lighting inside, the freedom of the Happy Place rooftop is where things are going to breathe a bit more. Wider angles and softer lighting will give this space a more relaxed, romantic vibe.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We're currently in pre-production with the plan to film over the course of two days in the new year. With your help, we'll be able to pay for the following:
BUT, if you're feeling extra charitable, we also have a S-T-R-E-T-C-H goal that will cover:
- Post productions costs like color correction, sound mixing, & the editor's fee
- Festival submission costs! We're hoping to spread this queer story as far and wide as possible
- Fees to pay extras, flights, etc.
However, if you don't have the funds to help us monetarily but love gay shit, there are other ways you can help!
- Tell a friend who might be interested in this story via email, text, word-of-mouth—anything! We want to reach the widest audience possible during our short campaign window.
- Share our Instagram posts with your community with the message:
- “Help @sarammonge and a group of independent filmmakers by supporting their gay rom-com "Happy Place" on @seedandspark! Join them here: www.seedandspark.com/fund/happy-place-1"
Thanks Queers!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew
Costs $7,000
This will pay for the brilliant cast & crew!
Camera & Lighting Gear
Costs $2,000
This will pay for all the camera, lenses, & lighting gear!
Production
Costs $1,000
This will pay for gear insurance, crafty, etc.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
In Front of the Camera
Anna
An-Li Bogan
An-Li Bogan grew up in Norman, Oklahoma and began performing in plays in high school. She attended the NYU Tisch Acting Program for undergrad. She made her television debut in the Hulu horror series The Unsettling and has made appearances on Bull (CBS), Elementary (CBS), and Love Life (MAX). She has worked on various short films throughout the years and appeared in Koganada’s After Yang (A24).
Kacey
Marta Piekarz
Marta is an award-winning actress, writer, model, and singer, most recently known for her roles in the Hulu film, It's a Wonderful Binge and the TV show, Queer as Folk. With a dynamic range of talents, she has garnered millions of streams on Spotify and has had multiple bits of written material optioned.
Veronica
Charlie Sarah Traisman
Charlie (They/Them) is an actor, writer, and producer splitting their time between NYC and L.A. They are a graduate of A.C.T.’s MFA in Acting Program. They have understudied and performed opposite Bryan Cranston in “Power of Sail” at The Geffen Playhouse and can be seen in independent feature “Love is a Map” now streaming on Amazon Prime. Over the summer, they launched their production company Madhouse Productions under which they produced and acted in their first co-written short film “See This”, starring Rachel Hilson and directed by Tricia Lee. The cast also includes Alex MacNicoll, b Norwood, Katherine Romans, Emma Van Lare, and Matt Monaco. Coming up they can be seen in 3HAMS, a co-written “clownmatic” play exploring themes of body dysmorphia & co-dependency.
Behind The Camera
Writer & Director
Sara Monge
Sara Monge is a Los Angeles-native and Brooklyn-based screenwriter who specializes in grounded comedies. Her feature gay rom com, A Magical Place Called Glendale, made in onto the 2019 Blacklist and is currently in development with Pacific Electric Picture Company. On top of that, Sara's been busy writing a movie for Mattel Films and living up the newlywed life with her wonderful wife, Lizzy.
Supervising Producer
Katie Sue Escher
Katie Sue Escher has been producing Film, Television, Music Videos, Sketch Comedy, and Commercials for close to a decade. She just finished producing her first feature film Sisters and is looking forward to making Happy Place a reality! Some of her most notable projects include Bravo's Project Runway, music videos for Justin Beiber, Skrillex, and The Weekend, shows for both Netflix and AppleTV+, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve. She loves calling Brooklyn home and makes boozy ice cream in her spare time!
Cinematographer
Elizabeth Vrkljan
Elizabeth is a Cinematographer based in New York City. She honed her craft at New York University, where she returned in 2021 as one of their youngest adjunct professors of cinematography. While at NYU, she worked extensively as a gaffer and Local 52 permitted electrician. This allowed her to develop a deep understanding of lighting. Her work has earned her the Bahoric Meisel Award for Women Cinematographers and a spot as the finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award. Her work has been featured on MUBI, PBS, and Apple Music. Elizabeth’s visuals carry an atmospheric intensity that probes the depths of light and shadow, mirroring the intricacies of the human psyche. She is drawn to stories that contemplate how the lasting imprints of trauma shape our visual reality.
Associate Producer & 1st AD
Scot Wolverton
Scot is a Stand Up, comedy Writer, Director, and Producer here in NYC. Before moving across the country, he spent several years hosting the Camero Comedy Show out in LA and is set to Direct his first music video, "Wound Collector" for musical artist boice this fall. Similar to Director Sara Monge, Scot is also a creative Taurus, but unlike Director Sara Monge, he lives to defeat the big bad bosses of all your favorite video games.