Held Under
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
Leila grapples with a nuanced relationship with her mother who is fresh out of rehab. HELD UNDER is an authentic glimpse into the life of a troubled surfing prodigy. The film explores the resilience of the human spirit through the personal journeys of our main characters.
Held Under
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $9,950 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
54 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Leila grapples with a nuanced relationship with her mother who is fresh out of rehab. HELD UNDER is an authentic glimpse into the life of a troubled surfing prodigy. The film explores the resilience of the human spirit through the personal journeys of our main characters.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HELD UNDER is a dramatic series about a troubled surf prodigy, a rags to riches story about the pursuit of the American Dream in the face of generational dysfunction. This 10-minute short film will serve as a proof of concept for the show.
THE SHORT
In the short funded by this campaign, we introduce the nuanced relationship between Leila and her mother Tami. Tami’s drug addiction is the predominant obstacle in Leila’s life, their tightly enmeshed, codependent sisterly relationship a close second. (CPS concurs with this assessment.). Tami shows up unannounced at Leila's surf contest which causes tension with the foster parent and muddies Leila's focus.
THE SERIES
The series we will independently produce after this production tracks Leila’s quest for a pro surfing career. It’s a Hail Mary even without Tami’s battles with sobriety and crippling mental health issues. But Leila is purebred Border Collie. She presses on, determined to make the Championship Tour (“the CT”). She and Tami attempt to stay connected as Leila’s success pulls her out of Tami’s orbit. When Leila’s coach takes her in, the foundation of a stable family is confirmed as the missing link. Sort of. Even as Leila begins to wean from dysfunction and a path to the CT takes shape, deep protruding roots of familial trauma threaten to upend her dreams.
THE ENGINE OF THE SHOW
They call the CT the “Dream Tour” for a reason. It’s a lucrative joy ride to beautiful, exotic locations sampling the world’s best waves and culture. But there are only a handful of spots on the CT and thousands of hungry pros battle for them on the far less glamorous qualifying tours. Leila has the talent to rise to the top but all of the cards are stacked against her.
THE APPROACH
HELD UNDER will be rooted in reality, featuring true to life conflicts and a rarely seen authentic depiction of surfing (including actual destinations, events, and personalities from this rich subculture). The series will incorporate some docu-style production, ala Chloé Zhao's THE RIDER. The short will lean into this ethos and shoot exclusively in live locations to stress-test the challenges and merit of this approach.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew pay
Costs $2,750
We will have a slim, dedicated, kickass crew who have agreed to work far below their day rate to bring this project to fruition.
Talent
Costs $800
Much like our crew, our incredible cast has agreed to work for peanuts to bring this movie to the screen.
Equipment rentals
Costs $1,600
This includes our camera, lenses, and gear. Although this is an ultra low budget affair, we are committed to the highest production quality.
Post production
Costs $2,500
This line item will cover finishing the movie: Picture editing and color, sound editing and mixing, music rights, etc.
Location expenses
Costs $1,000
This will cover food, gas, and parking costs for shooting on location.
Misc
Costs $1,300
Production insurance (mandatory for equipment rentals), props & wardrobe, and a 5% contingency to cover unexpected expenses.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Benjamin Morgan, Writer/Director/Producer
Morgan's debut feature AGAINST THE WALL was inspired by his involvement with the graffiti subculture growing up on the streets of San Francisco. The film premiered at the Berlinale where it won a Jury Award; it went on to play festivals around the world, winning more awards along the way. AGAINST THE WALL was released theatrically in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other major markets. The film received home video and television distribution via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and streamed on Netflix and Showtime.
Based on his experience making this "raw slice of street culture" (LA Times), Morgan wrote PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER, a book about his unique approach to DIY filmmaking. Morgan is a co-founder of the EASTERN OREGON FILM FESTIVAL which was voted as “One of the 25 Coolest Festivals in the World” by Moviemaker magazine. He is also the co-founder of FILMFORT, the film component of Boise’s burgeoning TREEFORT MUSIC FESTIVAL.
Devyn Bisson, Producer
Bisson is an award-winning Director and Producer. Her directorial debut, the documentary feature THE WAVE I RIDE played film festivals around the world and was featured exclusively on RedBullTV. Bisson’s work has been distributed by The Orchard, Gunpowder & Sky, and FilmBuff, and has been featured in Outside Magazine, The Guardian, The Inertia. and New York Times. Bisson is a lifelong surfer and Huntington Beach native.
Benjamin Wiessner, Executive Producer
Wiessner is a producer and VP of Sales & Distribution at Vanishing Angle. He was named to Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Indie Film in 2012 as part of Ornana films, where he began producing and distributing shorts and features with partners across the world. He has produced short films in both hand-drawn animation and live action, with awards at festivals including SXSW and Sundance. He has also worked on numerous features with premieres at Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, Cannes, and Tribeca, including producing and self-distributing THUNDER ROAD (SXSW 2018 Grand Jury Prize). Raised by educators, he frequently speaks about filmmaking, distribution, and film marketing at film schools, festivals, and conferences from Cannes to Kazakhstan. In 2018, he co-founded the Short-to-Feature Filmmaking Lab and in 2020 he helped launch the Vanishing Angle Post Grant for short filmmakers.
Jack Fatheree, Producer
Jack Fatheree is a Producer, Writer, and Director based in Los Angeles, CA. He studied film at the University of California, San Diego. His films have screened at SXSW, Aspen Shortsfest, and Festival Filosofia, among others.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HELD UNDER is a dramatic series about a troubled surf prodigy, a rags to riches story about the pursuit of the American Dream in the face of generational dysfunction. This 10-minute short film will serve as a proof of concept for the show.
THE SHORT
In the short funded by this campaign, we introduce the nuanced relationship between Leila and her mother Tami. Tami’s drug addiction is the predominant obstacle in Leila’s life, their tightly enmeshed, codependent sisterly relationship a close second. (CPS concurs with this assessment.). Tami shows up unannounced at Leila's surf contest which causes tension with the foster parent and muddies Leila's focus.
THE SERIES
The series we will independently produce after this production tracks Leila’s quest for a pro surfing career. It’s a Hail Mary even without Tami’s battles with sobriety and crippling mental health issues. But Leila is purebred Border Collie. She presses on, determined to make the Championship Tour (“the CT”). She and Tami attempt to stay connected as Leila’s success pulls her out of Tami’s orbit. When Leila’s coach takes her in, the foundation of a stable family is confirmed as the missing link. Sort of. Even as Leila begins to wean from dysfunction and a path to the CT takes shape, deep protruding roots of familial trauma threaten to upend her dreams.
THE ENGINE OF THE SHOW
They call the CT the “Dream Tour” for a reason. It’s a lucrative joy ride to beautiful, exotic locations sampling the world’s best waves and culture. But there are only a handful of spots on the CT and thousands of hungry pros battle for them on the far less glamorous qualifying tours. Leila has the talent to rise to the top but all of the cards are stacked against her.
THE APPROACH
HELD UNDER will be rooted in reality, featuring true to life conflicts and a rarely seen authentic depiction of surfing (including actual destinations, events, and personalities from this rich subculture). The series will incorporate some docu-style production, ala Chloé Zhao's THE RIDER. The short will lean into this ethos and shoot exclusively in live locations to stress-test the challenges and merit of this approach.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew pay
Costs $2,750
We will have a slim, dedicated, kickass crew who have agreed to work far below their day rate to bring this project to fruition.
Talent
Costs $800
Much like our crew, our incredible cast has agreed to work for peanuts to bring this movie to the screen.
Equipment rentals
Costs $1,600
This includes our camera, lenses, and gear. Although this is an ultra low budget affair, we are committed to the highest production quality.
Post production
Costs $2,500
This line item will cover finishing the movie: Picture editing and color, sound editing and mixing, music rights, etc.
Location expenses
Costs $1,000
This will cover food, gas, and parking costs for shooting on location.
Misc
Costs $1,300
Production insurance (mandatory for equipment rentals), props & wardrobe, and a 5% contingency to cover unexpected expenses.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Benjamin Morgan, Writer/Director/Producer
Morgan's debut feature AGAINST THE WALL was inspired by his involvement with the graffiti subculture growing up on the streets of San Francisco. The film premiered at the Berlinale where it won a Jury Award; it went on to play festivals around the world, winning more awards along the way. AGAINST THE WALL was released theatrically in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other major markets. The film received home video and television distribution via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and streamed on Netflix and Showtime.
Based on his experience making this "raw slice of street culture" (LA Times), Morgan wrote PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER, a book about his unique approach to DIY filmmaking. Morgan is a co-founder of the EASTERN OREGON FILM FESTIVAL which was voted as “One of the 25 Coolest Festivals in the World” by Moviemaker magazine. He is also the co-founder of FILMFORT, the film component of Boise’s burgeoning TREEFORT MUSIC FESTIVAL.
Devyn Bisson, Producer
Bisson is an award-winning Director and Producer. Her directorial debut, the documentary feature THE WAVE I RIDE played film festivals around the world and was featured exclusively on RedBullTV. Bisson’s work has been distributed by The Orchard, Gunpowder & Sky, and FilmBuff, and has been featured in Outside Magazine, The Guardian, The Inertia. and New York Times. Bisson is a lifelong surfer and Huntington Beach native.
Benjamin Wiessner, Executive Producer
Wiessner is a producer and VP of Sales & Distribution at Vanishing Angle. He was named to Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Indie Film in 2012 as part of Ornana films, where he began producing and distributing shorts and features with partners across the world. He has produced short films in both hand-drawn animation and live action, with awards at festivals including SXSW and Sundance. He has also worked on numerous features with premieres at Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, Cannes, and Tribeca, including producing and self-distributing THUNDER ROAD (SXSW 2018 Grand Jury Prize). Raised by educators, he frequently speaks about filmmaking, distribution, and film marketing at film schools, festivals, and conferences from Cannes to Kazakhstan. In 2018, he co-founded the Short-to-Feature Filmmaking Lab and in 2020 he helped launch the Vanishing Angle Post Grant for short filmmakers.
Jack Fatheree, Producer
Jack Fatheree is a Producer, Writer, and Director based in Los Angeles, CA. He studied film at the University of California, San Diego. His films have screened at SXSW, Aspen Shortsfest, and Festival Filosofia, among others.