Inside Water
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Sport, Drama
Through the lens of youth athletics, INSIDE WATER examines the hidden cost of excellence and challenges the belief that young people must sacrifice their voices, bodies, or identities to be worthy of love, opportunity, and success.
Inside Water
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Sport, Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
37 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$13,411
Goal: $19,000 for production phase 2
Through the lens of youth athletics, INSIDE WATER examines the hidden cost of excellence and challenges the belief that young people must sacrifice their voices, bodies, or identities to be worthy of love, opportunity, and success.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
INSIDE WATER is a coming-of-age psychological sports drama about Mary Greer, a seventeen-year-old water polo player who believes a college scholarship is her only way out of Fresno. When a charismatic coach offers mentorship and promises of recruitment, his guidance slowly becomes manipulation, forcing Mary to question the very ambition that once gave her purpose.
While this story is set in the world of water polo, it is ultimately about something much larger. It's about the pressure placed on young people to be exceptional - and what happens when achievement becomes the price of love, belonging, and opportunity. Parents, coaches, schools, and communities celebrate success, but rarely stop to ask what that success demanded in return.
Water polo has never been authentically portrayed on screen. We're collaborating with real athletes, coaches, and underwater filmmakers to capture the beauty, violence, and isolation of the sport in a way audiences have never experienced before.
The water becomes more than a setting, it becomes a visual language for Mary's emotional world.
Your support will help us bring this story to life with the authenticity it deserves. Every contribution helps us secure our pool location, film with real athletes, and create an immersive underwater experience that places viewers inside Mary's perspective.
Together, we can tell a story that asks not just what it takes to become exceptional - but whether anyone should have to lose themselves to get there.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Adeline Jackson
Writer | Director | Producer
Adeline Jackson is an award-winning writer and director. Her play Last Night at the Odyssey played at the Clemente Theatre in New York City and the Santa Monica Play House in Los Angeles. Her western, whodunit script, Cross Bell, has been recognized at 12 film and screenwriting festivals.
She played D1 water polo alongside Olympians at USC. She scored one goal during her tenure.
She is beyond grateful to work alongside these talented artists.
Jonathan Joei
Executive Producer
Jonathan Joei is the Executive Producer of Inside Water and brings over a decade of storytelling experience from water polo documentaries to industrial filmmaking. He’s a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and runs Logistica Pictures, a production company specializing in storytelling from the most challenging environments. Jonathan’s experience playing water polo and filming water polo for USC, the NCAA, and the United States National Team team, together with his in-the-field filmmaking experience, gives him the right foundation for building projects that are both creatively ambitious, safe, and operationally sound.
Phillip Bladh
Sound Mixer & Recordist
Phillipi Bladh is a master at making the impossible possible. He's an Oscar winning Sound Mixer who was born in Whittier, California and obtained his degree in Audio from the Los Angeles Recording School in 2008 and is a Certified Audio Technician. He is known for his innovative work in Production Sound Mixing in films such as "The Invitation" (2015), "Con Man (TV Series)" (2016-17), "The Bad Batch" (2016), "The Lovers" (2017), "The Little Hours" (2017), "Destroyer" (2018), "Charlie Says" (2018), "C'mon, C'mon" (2022) and "Sound of Metal", (2020).
Quinnlan Nordheim
Underwater Camera Operator
Quinnlan Nordheim is an Underwater Camera Operator currently working in commercial, documentary, and narrative film including projects from environmental conservation documentaries to narrative features about free diving. As a life-long water polo player as well, Quinnlan contributes production and underwater camera expertise that builds on his interest in the sport and underwater storytelling.
Benjamin Fischer
Director of Photography
Benjamin Fischer is a Los Angeles based Cinematographer and Documentary Filmmaker. Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, he has a deep love and appreciation for nature and the beauty of the outdoors, which is reflected in his filmmaking. Benjamin recently graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts with a degree in Film and Television Production.
Teá Poljak
Stunt Coordinator & Safety Supervisor
Téa Poljak is an NCAA National Champion (USC, 2021), former USA Youth National Team member, and gold medalist at the 2017 UANA Youth Pan American Championships. She was named to 2019 All-CIF First Team and all-league first team at Laguna Beach High. Her father played water polo at Pepperdine and was inducted into the Pepperdine Hall of Fame in 2010.
Caroline Buddendorf
Actress
Caroline Buddendorf is from Lancaster Pennsylvania. She started acting and dancing from a very young age and studied theater at the Thomas Dale Specialty Center for Visual and Performing Arts, then moved on to major in theater at James Madison University. Fresh out of college, she moved to New York, and studied with JJ Perez. At the end of 2022 she moved to LA and gained representation from Brady, Brannon, and Rich Theatrically, and Sovereign Talent Group commercially.
Raz Fritz
Actor
Raz Fritz is an American and French actor based in Los Angeles, California. At an early age, he became fascinated by cinema and the art of acting. He strives to embody characters with unique and compelling stories to tell, his goal is for them to transcend the screen and leave the viewer with a lasting impression.
Amelia Jackson
Actress
Amelia is a rising senior at Pitzer College. She's an actress, writer, and artist.
Janelle-Paige Bustamante
Costume Design
Janelle-Paige Bustamante is a University of Southern California Health Science and Fashion graduate. Based in Los Angeles, her experience stems from her internship at Lovett, and being wardrobe or costume designer for films and music videos. She loves making a character come to life through their attire and can hand-make or source items to see that vision through!
Tara DeBrabander
Producer
Tara is a writer, director, and producer based out of LA. She played D1 water polo at Loyola Marymount University while attending their film school, and is excited to work on a project that highlights the intersections of her life!
Gabriel Botello Faz
Special Consultant
Gabriel Botello Faz is a filmmaker based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Abby Lutes
First AD
Abby Lutes is a director, assistant director, and producer who enjoys telling stories that center the complexities of memory and human connection. Since graduating from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 2025, she’s built a portfolio of narrative shorts, pilots, sketches, and social media ads. Abby seeks out artistic collaboration, and is thrilled to be joining the amazing team of creatives building the world of Inside Water!
Kalina Kirkbride
Production Design
Kalina Kirkbride is an LA-based set decorator, wardrobe costumer, and production designer.
Peter Schiavelli
Actor
Peter Schiavelli is a writer, director, and actor. Peter believes that a story lies behind every project and a narrative lies behind every need.
Jimin Hong
1st AC
Jimin Hong is a multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. With a passion for filmmaking and photography, she enjoys exploring themes of human connection through collaboration. Jimin is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California, with a Bachelor’s degree from the School of Cinematic Arts & the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.
Danilo Jerome Gabreski
Hair & Makeup
Danilo Jerome Gabreski is a Los Angeles Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist who graduated from Make-Up Designory in 2024. He is trained in both SFX and beauty makeup, with a particular passion for prosthetics, painting and practical effects.
Camille Knab
Costume
Camille Knab is a Los Angeles-based stylist and costume designer's assistant. Through her work at Alice + Olivia, Markarian, and Clyde Staffing, she has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to be part of a dynamic creative space. She most recently worked on Nancy Meyers' "Paris Paramount" alongside her team at Jamie Mizrahi Studios.
Aidan Wattson
Production Design
Aidan Wattson is a Production Designer hailing for Palos Verdes. As a USC Business of Cinematic Arts and Water Polo alumni he looks forward to bringing his unique background to Inside Water
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
INSIDE WATER is a coming-of-age psychological sports drama about Mary Greer, a seventeen-year-old water polo player who believes a college scholarship is her only way out of Fresno. When a charismatic coach offers mentorship and promises of recruitment, his guidance slowly becomes manipulation, forcing Mary to question the very ambition that once gave her purpose.
While this story is set in the world of water polo, it is ultimately about something much larger. It's about the pressure placed on young people to be exceptional - and what happens when achievement becomes the price of love, belonging, and opportunity. Parents, coaches, schools, and communities celebrate success, but rarely stop to ask what that success demanded in return.
Water polo has never been authentically portrayed on screen. We're collaborating with real athletes, coaches, and underwater filmmakers to capture the beauty, violence, and isolation of the sport in a way audiences have never experienced before.
The water becomes more than a setting, it becomes a visual language for Mary's emotional world.
Your support will help us bring this story to life with the authenticity it deserves. Every contribution helps us secure our pool location, film with real athletes, and create an immersive underwater experience that places viewers inside Mary's perspective.
Together, we can tell a story that asks not just what it takes to become exceptional - but whether anyone should have to lose themselves to get there.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Adeline Jackson
Writer | Director | Producer
Adeline Jackson is an award-winning writer and director. Her play Last Night at the Odyssey played at the Clemente Theatre in New York City and the Santa Monica Play House in Los Angeles. Her western, whodunit script, Cross Bell, has been recognized at 12 film and screenwriting festivals.
She played D1 water polo alongside Olympians at USC. She scored one goal during her tenure.
She is beyond grateful to work alongside these talented artists.
Jonathan Joei
Executive Producer
Jonathan Joei is the Executive Producer of Inside Water and brings over a decade of storytelling experience from water polo documentaries to industrial filmmaking. He’s a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and runs Logistica Pictures, a production company specializing in storytelling from the most challenging environments. Jonathan’s experience playing water polo and filming water polo for USC, the NCAA, and the United States National Team team, together with his in-the-field filmmaking experience, gives him the right foundation for building projects that are both creatively ambitious, safe, and operationally sound.
Phillip Bladh
Sound Mixer & Recordist
Phillipi Bladh is a master at making the impossible possible. He's an Oscar winning Sound Mixer who was born in Whittier, California and obtained his degree in Audio from the Los Angeles Recording School in 2008 and is a Certified Audio Technician. He is known for his innovative work in Production Sound Mixing in films such as "The Invitation" (2015), "Con Man (TV Series)" (2016-17), "The Bad Batch" (2016), "The Lovers" (2017), "The Little Hours" (2017), "Destroyer" (2018), "Charlie Says" (2018), "C'mon, C'mon" (2022) and "Sound of Metal", (2020).
Quinnlan Nordheim
Underwater Camera Operator
Quinnlan Nordheim is an Underwater Camera Operator currently working in commercial, documentary, and narrative film including projects from environmental conservation documentaries to narrative features about free diving. As a life-long water polo player as well, Quinnlan contributes production and underwater camera expertise that builds on his interest in the sport and underwater storytelling.
Benjamin Fischer
Director of Photography
Benjamin Fischer is a Los Angeles based Cinematographer and Documentary Filmmaker. Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, he has a deep love and appreciation for nature and the beauty of the outdoors, which is reflected in his filmmaking. Benjamin recently graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts with a degree in Film and Television Production.
Teá Poljak
Stunt Coordinator & Safety Supervisor
Téa Poljak is an NCAA National Champion (USC, 2021), former USA Youth National Team member, and gold medalist at the 2017 UANA Youth Pan American Championships. She was named to 2019 All-CIF First Team and all-league first team at Laguna Beach High. Her father played water polo at Pepperdine and was inducted into the Pepperdine Hall of Fame in 2010.
Caroline Buddendorf
Actress
Caroline Buddendorf is from Lancaster Pennsylvania. She started acting and dancing from a very young age and studied theater at the Thomas Dale Specialty Center for Visual and Performing Arts, then moved on to major in theater at James Madison University. Fresh out of college, she moved to New York, and studied with JJ Perez. At the end of 2022 she moved to LA and gained representation from Brady, Brannon, and Rich Theatrically, and Sovereign Talent Group commercially.
Raz Fritz
Actor
Raz Fritz is an American and French actor based in Los Angeles, California. At an early age, he became fascinated by cinema and the art of acting. He strives to embody characters with unique and compelling stories to tell, his goal is for them to transcend the screen and leave the viewer with a lasting impression.
Amelia Jackson
Actress
Amelia is a rising senior at Pitzer College. She's an actress, writer, and artist.
Janelle-Paige Bustamante
Costume Design
Janelle-Paige Bustamante is a University of Southern California Health Science and Fashion graduate. Based in Los Angeles, her experience stems from her internship at Lovett, and being wardrobe or costume designer for films and music videos. She loves making a character come to life through their attire and can hand-make or source items to see that vision through!
Tara DeBrabander
Producer
Tara is a writer, director, and producer based out of LA. She played D1 water polo at Loyola Marymount University while attending their film school, and is excited to work on a project that highlights the intersections of her life!
Gabriel Botello Faz
Special Consultant
Gabriel Botello Faz is a filmmaker based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Abby Lutes
First AD
Abby Lutes is a director, assistant director, and producer who enjoys telling stories that center the complexities of memory and human connection. Since graduating from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 2025, she’s built a portfolio of narrative shorts, pilots, sketches, and social media ads. Abby seeks out artistic collaboration, and is thrilled to be joining the amazing team of creatives building the world of Inside Water!
Kalina Kirkbride
Production Design
Kalina Kirkbride is an LA-based set decorator, wardrobe costumer, and production designer.
Peter Schiavelli
Actor
Peter Schiavelli is a writer, director, and actor. Peter believes that a story lies behind every project and a narrative lies behind every need.
Jimin Hong
1st AC
Jimin Hong is a multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. With a passion for filmmaking and photography, she enjoys exploring themes of human connection through collaboration. Jimin is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California, with a Bachelor’s degree from the School of Cinematic Arts & the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.
Danilo Jerome Gabreski
Hair & Makeup
Danilo Jerome Gabreski is a Los Angeles Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist who graduated from Make-Up Designory in 2024. He is trained in both SFX and beauty makeup, with a particular passion for prosthetics, painting and practical effects.
Camille Knab
Costume
Camille Knab is a Los Angeles-based stylist and costume designer's assistant. Through her work at Alice + Olivia, Markarian, and Clyde Staffing, she has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to be part of a dynamic creative space. She most recently worked on Nancy Meyers' "Paris Paramount" alongside her team at Jamie Mizrahi Studios.
Aidan Wattson
Production Design
Aidan Wattson is a Production Designer hailing for Palos Verdes. As a USC Business of Cinematic Arts and Water Polo alumni he looks forward to bringing his unique background to Inside Water