As a multi-racial, non-binary, neurodivergent filmmaker, I am passionate about creating stories centering around delicate, taboo topics. My production company, DITI Pictures, is dedicated to authentically creating a more Diverse, Inclusive industry through a Transformative and Innovative fashion.

OUR CAMPAIGN IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED! WE DID IT!! 

To continue to support us monetarily, please venmo @kaylamariecoates or email [email protected] for more info.

Thanks to all your support and contributions, we raised an estimated total (waiting to see what the total credit card charges came down to) of about $9,900 between the Seed & Spark platform and private contributions, which brings us so close to our full budget including post production & some distribution!

You all are un-BEE-lievble! <3

 

EVERY LITTLE BEE-T HELPS:

• If you can only give a few bucks, BEE-utiful! No amount is too small and is greatly appreciated. It all adds up!
• Even if you can't contribute monetary support, we kindly ask that you continue to share the campaign and our important project with your friends, family, peers and social media networks. Request that they 'like’, sign up and 'follow'. We need as many supporters and eyes on this film as possible!
• With 500 supporters/followers or more, our project could unlock $9k+ of products, services, rewards & festival waivers from @seedandspark and their incredible partners.
• We'll be accepting pledges until November 3rd. We'll make your support proud! 
• https://seedandspark.com/fund/ill-bee-there#story

The budget goals above only cover the production costs (not post or distribution, though!), so even when we end up hitting those goals, we still have a lot more costs we'll need to raise money for, so please continue to spread the word and help us get the word out about this project!

Being accepted into the Blackmagic Collective Filmmaker Advancement Initiative earlier this year, I chose to focus on directing my first project and thus decided to create my production company in the process. I've always been passionate about discussing and destigmatizing taboo topics, especially as I've found my most authentic, unapologetic self over the years as a queer, non-binary, neurodiverse, polyamorous individual. Since delving more behind the camera and researching statistics in the industry regarding diversity, I had this fire ignite inside of me to create work centering around delicate subjects, with the determination to cast up, crew up and make characters for people of underrepresented and marginalized communities. I am dedicated to authentically creating a more Diverse, Inclusive industry through a Transformative and Innovative fashion, hence the name of my production company, DITI Pictures. 

For my directorial debut, I wanted to create a project that was really personal to me, and the timing of this story felt fitting as the aftermath of what this is based on has most recently been coming to a close.

As I've also been finding my passions behind the camera in the past couple years, the actual events this story is based on have helped influence how much of a priority safety on and off set is to me, and keeping everyone as safe and as comfortable as possible. Any production I am ever brought on to produce, I want to make a point that everyone has been taken care of and all safety measure are met, or rather, exceed expectations.

I want to start off strong in that department with the first film that is truly mine, but in order to do that, I'll need money cuz filmmaking ain't cheap.

I chose to create a project about the worst event that happened in my entire life... In 2020, a group of friends and I were on a tiny, non-union indie film set; we broke for lunch, some of us piled into my car to go get food, and not even 5 minutes after leaving the location, we were t-boned. In that major car accident, one of my friends in my car passed away.

Over the past two years, I've had to continuously juggle grief, survivors guilt, PTSD, anxiety, a flawed justice system, shame, isolation, and so much more. 

I want to turn the most tragic circumstances into something beautiful, meaningful and powerful that I can remember my friend by - something to dedicate to him. 

I want to bring comfort to those who have been in my position - something to say, I see you, I know how you feel, I know it's screwed up, but it's not your fault - that our "justice" system is flawed in so many ways, and you don't deserve this.

I want to shed light on the internal and external effects this devastating circumstance has on someone. I want to emotionally move the audience through this film; pull back the curtain to reveal a snippet of some of the things I've been going through - tell part of my story. To open up this conversation and not run away from it anymore.

I want to bring some justice to what happened to my friend, to me, to this story, in the best way I know how - to make art. And I think my friend, who was also a filmmaker, would have wanted me to as well.

The audience will be following the main character through the roller coaster of emotions and inner turmoil that bleeds out into her exterior environment, feeling that raw pain, discomfort, isolation, etc., through the camera direction (mostly handheld), production design, lighting, sound, of course, the acting, and much more. It should also be noted that every single person on set is absolutely, 100% essential to this film being brought to life, as well as cherished and appreciated. Without every single one of the hardworking humans I will bring onto this cast and crew, this film would not be getting made.

The various films and television shows (with their specific episodes - everything pictures above) that I have used as tonal references, while they might not precisely or exactly emit such a tone throughout their entirety in which I'm drawing upon, but they each, in their own ways and specific points, have beautiful, heavy, impactful moments that are extremely relevant to the tone of my film.

Thalia, the main character of this film, has a very colorful, rather rambunctious, and vivid room and personality that, through her recent experiences of this traumatic event and criminal case, she starts to lose which is shown through the contrast of the muted colors and plain patterns of the clothes she wears in the film. While she's grieving her best friend, in a way, she's also grieving part of herself. 

Kayla Marie Coates (Writer, Director, Producer, Lead)
A non-binary, multi-racial, neurodiverse actor, filmmaker and activist who is passionate about creating stories centering around delicate, taboo topics so that they will be discussed and destigmatized. They have worked with companies like SXSW, Blackmagic Design, Universal Studios, Raindance, Blackmagic Collective and more. More about Kayla: KaylaMarieCoates.com

Julian Alexander Engin (Associate Producer) 
A queer Turkish-American actor who studied at LACC Theatre Academy for three years performing in various stage productions such as PRIDE & PREJUDICE and THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, but currently pursues both stage and screen acting. While Julian's passion is acting, at his core, he is a storyteller and pursues that craft in all forms. More about Julian: Instagram

Stephanie "Fi" Dieter (Producer) 
A white Mexican immigrant and multi-award-winning film producer, screenwriter, and director, best known for the modern high school fairytale ‘Cinder Pumpkin.’ As a freelance producer and production coordinator, she has completed over 50 indie short films, music videos, and nationally-aired commercials. More about Fi: TapeHaus.com

OCTOBER 2022: CROWDFUNDING / PRE-PRODUCTION
Casting & crewing up, working on script final touches, zoom rehearsals, storyboarding, shot-listing, production design, scheduling, contracts, insurance, test shoots, and of course, raising money!

NOVEMBER 2022: PRODUCTION
2 day shoot to be scheduled for mid-November depending on cast & crew availability.
**Production will follow all SAG-AFTRA protocols for Covid safety, as well as supply all necessary tests and PPE.**

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2022: POST-PRODUCTION
Editing the film, tweaks, picture lock, a SFX element, color correction, sound design, adding original music, and voila - we have a finished film! 

JANUARY 2023: PRIVATE LA SCREENING / INCENTIVE REWARDS
Private LA Screening for cast, crew and eligible donors (date TBD) with champagne, sparkling water, tears and hugs (so long as we're all Covid-cleared), and sending out all incentive rewards by the beginning of 2023.

JANUARY 2023-2024: FESTIVALS & PROMOTION
Throughout the year, we’ll be submitting to major festivals, promoting the film through blogs, interviews, press and social media, and actively focusing on distribution and a feature or series development.

With the permission of my friend's family, I am dedicating this film to Freddie Garcia. Thank you, Garcia Family, for all your continuous support through this whole journey. I plan to do you all and Freddie right by my film. I love you all and work hard every day for myself and for him. Not a day goes back that I don't think about him. 

Get to know a little bit of the captivating, beyond talented, and illuminating soul that Freddie was. He was also a music artist known as Alfredo Sky (formerly Primary Reezin). Listen to his music on Spotify and Apple Music. Find his vlogs and music videos on Youtube. Visit Freddie's IG and TW. 

A few weeks before he passed, he started a podcast with his friend called "It Doesn't Even Matter" (available on Spotify and other platforms). They released 3 episodes. 

Keep up with the project and our team through this Seed and Spark Campaign, and also through the creator's social media accounts: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook 

Please continue to like, follow, and share this project with your friends, family, and peers. It's an important one that we know is going to impact a lot of people, and we want to be able to share it with as many people as possible through this journey and once it's finished. So invite your peeps to join our peeps, and then we'll all be peeps!

We cannot wait to bring this project to life through all of your individual and collective support.

Thank you for anything and everything you are giving to this campaign - monetary, love, support, and everything in between. We couldn't do it without you. <3