HONK
Princeton, New Jersey | Film Short
Drama, Nature
I miss my friends! Especially those that have left this life too soon. Loneliness, depression and suicide rates are at new highs, even with the internet and phones. Honk is the manifestation of an old joyful friendship into existence during a time of upheaval in the current moment of a life.
HONK
Princeton, New Jersey | Film Short
Drama, Nature
1 Campaigns | New Jersey, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,000 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
67 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
I miss my friends! Especially those that have left this life too soon. Loneliness, depression and suicide rates are at new highs, even with the internet and phones. Honk is the manifestation of an old joyful friendship into existence during a time of upheaval in the current moment of a life.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Olivia, at a critical juncture in her life is running in the woods. She finds herself at a bench, and, strangely, her old friend Merc, sits next to her.
They begin a conversation outside of the bounds of time and space- in this peaceful and natural environment while life and death rattle on the edge of their reality.
Writer's Statement
For a long time, I lived a very lucky, even charmed life. In many respects, I still do! But things happened in my 30s and 40s that opened my eyes to things I could not change. There is that clichéd saying: cherish every moment, and tell people you love them. That is not necessarily always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes, just sitting next to someone in a parallel universe and teasing them is enough. Or at least a break from the scariest, and most beautiful parts of life. Things have grown more complex, and more simple as I grow into my middle years. This is a love letter to all that complexity, to friends, to reunions, disagreements, and to survivors.
We've already got a wonderful team set to shoot this film in May (fingers crossed!) We've had some lovely support from Princeton University, and that plus the proposed amount here, the anticipated costs will still be over $10,000. Should we raise over the proposed amount, we can cover more of the cast and crew fees (Director fees, cinematographer fees, sound, wonderful PAs, travel expenses, and more), and throw more into post production. We currently have a terrific team with Fran Zayas directing, Irene Mercadal Albornoz doing cinematography, the fabulous Wayne T Carr as Merc, and Vivia Font as writer and actor playing Olivia.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Camera & Sound Equipment
Costs $3,400
We would like to have a great camera (Red Komodo or Arri Alexa), Lenses, and gear for the 2 day shoot.
Payment for Cast and Crew
Costs $1,500
Movies take a few people! We'd like to pay them a stipend! This is a start.
Catering for our crew
Costs $600
To feed our amazing cast and crew over the 2 to 3 day shoot!
Share this update!
About This Team
Isabella Bustos (Social Media Coordinator) Princeton University Class of 2027 is a Mexican-American Latina from Chicago Illinois. She has worked in the past with teen programming with the Steppenwolf Theater, The Old Town School of Folk Music, and Urban Gateways. Isabella plans to major in Politics and minor in Latino Studies.
Wayne T. Carr ("Merc Baptiste") An actor and teacher based out of Los Angeles. Has performed in theatre productions at; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare, Shakespeare Center Los Angeles, Guthrie, Folger, Hudson Valley Shakes, Indiana Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Yale Rep, among others. In FIlm and TV, he has been in The Tragedy of Macbeth (Joel Coen), Recurring role in Chicago Med, SWAT, Stuck in the Middle, and more. Wayne has helped raise money for AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), and this film is another way to help bring attention and awareness to an epidemic on the rise. Reach out to a friend or loved one. Sometimes a simple hello can brighten a day.
Vivia Font (Writer/ "Olivia") A (mostly) US raised latina with parents from Cuba and Chile, she's been drawn to storytelling and characters from all walks of life since she can remember. She has acted a whole bunch, and is delving into the scary world of producing and filmmaking, discovering a village of amazing people. Theatre credits range from Oregon, San Diego, NYC all the way to London, and many places in between. Film/TV credits include: Law & Order (reboot), FBI: Most Wanted, For Life, "Love, Repeat", "Sarbane's Oxley" and extensive voicework on "Shame on You", Grand Theft Auto IV, and more. She voice acts on audiobooks and teaches at Princeton University, NYU (Playwright's Horizons), and Marymount Manhattan College. This was a piece she was compelled to make.
Amara McNeil (Production Manager)Amara Payton McNeil is a New York-based, Hartford-raised, theatrical lighting designer. She holds a B.A. in Theater from Fordham University and was, most recently, the 2023 Howell Binkley Fellow. As a visual storyteller, she aims to create an immersive experience for the audience, using vibrant colors and dynamic angles to bring texture to the stage. She enjoys work created for and by the black community and projects that blend performance and culture.
Credits include Broadway: Come From Away 2nd Nat Tour (Asst. LD), The Wiz Pre-Broadway Tour (HBB Fellow), Once Upon A One More Time (LD Intern), Parade (LD Intern); Regional/Off-Broadway: Like They Do In The Movies (Assoc. LD at PAC NYC), Teeth (Asst. LD @ Playwrights Horizons), Vegan Chitlins (LD at The Flea ), Hair (Assoc. LD at Two River), The Untitled, Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical (ALD at La Jolla Playhouse).
Irene Mercadal Albornoz (Cinematographer) Irene Mercadal is a filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist from Talca, Chile, currently based in NYC. Irene has written, directed, and photographed over a dozen narrative short films. She’s the recipient of the Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography, awarded by ARRI (2022).
Her work explores gender dynamics, environmentalism and people's actions against social injustice, through a female lens. Irene’s work also delves into video art, projection design and film essay. She has a Film MFA from NYU Tisch.
Fran Zayas is a Puerto Rican independent filmmaker based in New York City. Fran is a recent graduate of the MFA Film program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a focus in Directing and Writing. He’s been awarded the BAFTA BBC Diversity Scholar, Spike Lee Production Film Fund, and Cary Fukunaga Production Fund. Fran's written and directed films focus on the search of purpose, morally conflicted characters, and grief of lost loved ones through the lens of genre.
Zayas has two goals in his career as a filmmaker. First, to build an independent production company alongside like-minded collaborators in order to gain the support to create fresh, bold, and truthful stories. Consequently, Zayas long term goal is to encourage a young generation of filmmakers, especially in Latino communities, to embrace their culture through filmmaking.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Olivia, at a critical juncture in her life is running in the woods. She finds herself at a bench, and, strangely, her old friend Merc, sits next to her.
They begin a conversation outside of the bounds of time and space- in this peaceful and natural environment while life and death rattle on the edge of their reality.
Writer's Statement
For a long time, I lived a very lucky, even charmed life. In many respects, I still do! But things happened in my 30s and 40s that opened my eyes to things I could not change. There is that clichéd saying: cherish every moment, and tell people you love them. That is not necessarily always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes, just sitting next to someone in a parallel universe and teasing them is enough. Or at least a break from the scariest, and most beautiful parts of life. Things have grown more complex, and more simple as I grow into my middle years. This is a love letter to all that complexity, to friends, to reunions, disagreements, and to survivors.
We've already got a wonderful team set to shoot this film in May (fingers crossed!) We've had some lovely support from Princeton University, and that plus the proposed amount here, the anticipated costs will still be over $10,000. Should we raise over the proposed amount, we can cover more of the cast and crew fees (Director fees, cinematographer fees, sound, wonderful PAs, travel expenses, and more), and throw more into post production. We currently have a terrific team with Fran Zayas directing, Irene Mercadal Albornoz doing cinematography, the fabulous Wayne T Carr as Merc, and Vivia Font as writer and actor playing Olivia.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Camera & Sound Equipment
Costs $3,400
We would like to have a great camera (Red Komodo or Arri Alexa), Lenses, and gear for the 2 day shoot.
Payment for Cast and Crew
Costs $1,500
Movies take a few people! We'd like to pay them a stipend! This is a start.
Catering for our crew
Costs $600
To feed our amazing cast and crew over the 2 to 3 day shoot!
Share this update!
About This Team
Isabella Bustos (Social Media Coordinator) Princeton University Class of 2027 is a Mexican-American Latina from Chicago Illinois. She has worked in the past with teen programming with the Steppenwolf Theater, The Old Town School of Folk Music, and Urban Gateways. Isabella plans to major in Politics and minor in Latino Studies.
Wayne T. Carr ("Merc Baptiste") An actor and teacher based out of Los Angeles. Has performed in theatre productions at; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare, Shakespeare Center Los Angeles, Guthrie, Folger, Hudson Valley Shakes, Indiana Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Yale Rep, among others. In FIlm and TV, he has been in The Tragedy of Macbeth (Joel Coen), Recurring role in Chicago Med, SWAT, Stuck in the Middle, and more. Wayne has helped raise money for AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), and this film is another way to help bring attention and awareness to an epidemic on the rise. Reach out to a friend or loved one. Sometimes a simple hello can brighten a day.
Vivia Font (Writer/ "Olivia") A (mostly) US raised latina with parents from Cuba and Chile, she's been drawn to storytelling and characters from all walks of life since she can remember. She has acted a whole bunch, and is delving into the scary world of producing and filmmaking, discovering a village of amazing people. Theatre credits range from Oregon, San Diego, NYC all the way to London, and many places in between. Film/TV credits include: Law & Order (reboot), FBI: Most Wanted, For Life, "Love, Repeat", "Sarbane's Oxley" and extensive voicework on "Shame on You", Grand Theft Auto IV, and more. She voice acts on audiobooks and teaches at Princeton University, NYU (Playwright's Horizons), and Marymount Manhattan College. This was a piece she was compelled to make.
Amara McNeil (Production Manager)Amara Payton McNeil is a New York-based, Hartford-raised, theatrical lighting designer. She holds a B.A. in Theater from Fordham University and was, most recently, the 2023 Howell Binkley Fellow. As a visual storyteller, she aims to create an immersive experience for the audience, using vibrant colors and dynamic angles to bring texture to the stage. She enjoys work created for and by the black community and projects that blend performance and culture.
Credits include Broadway: Come From Away 2nd Nat Tour (Asst. LD), The Wiz Pre-Broadway Tour (HBB Fellow), Once Upon A One More Time (LD Intern), Parade (LD Intern); Regional/Off-Broadway: Like They Do In The Movies (Assoc. LD at PAC NYC), Teeth (Asst. LD @ Playwrights Horizons), Vegan Chitlins (LD at The Flea ), Hair (Assoc. LD at Two River), The Untitled, Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical (ALD at La Jolla Playhouse).
Irene Mercadal Albornoz (Cinematographer) Irene Mercadal is a filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist from Talca, Chile, currently based in NYC. Irene has written, directed, and photographed over a dozen narrative short films. She’s the recipient of the Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography, awarded by ARRI (2022).
Her work explores gender dynamics, environmentalism and people's actions against social injustice, through a female lens. Irene’s work also delves into video art, projection design and film essay. She has a Film MFA from NYU Tisch.
Fran Zayas is a Puerto Rican independent filmmaker based in New York City. Fran is a recent graduate of the MFA Film program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a focus in Directing and Writing. He’s been awarded the BAFTA BBC Diversity Scholar, Spike Lee Production Film Fund, and Cary Fukunaga Production Fund. Fran's written and directed films focus on the search of purpose, morally conflicted characters, and grief of lost loved ones through the lens of genre.
Zayas has two goals in his career as a filmmaker. First, to build an independent production company alongside like-minded collaborators in order to gain the support to create fresh, bold, and truthful stories. Consequently, Zayas long term goal is to encourage a young generation of filmmakers, especially in Latino communities, to embrace their culture through filmmaking.