As a crew of intersectional filmmakers, we create for the people who need to not just be heard but experienced to be understood, to validate the experiences of our communities, and provide people opportunities to understand an experience they couldn't otherwise understand if it wasn't for film.

Late to the Party is a short about a Trans-man, Jaime, whose past collides with his present during his birthday party.

As someone who is finally comfortable with themselves and surrounded by friends who know him as he is now, having Carrie, his best friend of 15 years who knew him before his transition, who disappeared without a trace after he confessed what he thought was mutual feelings, who stands across from him as the girlfriend of his friend; the girl who his mind drifts to involuntarily, often accompanied by guilt and shame. The girl who's looking at him as if he's the penultimate piece of a 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle...

Yeah, this is definitely not the kind of gift he was looking for.

 

Supporting projects like this- that explore the innocence still in us while navigating life as a young "adult", lets major platforms know that there is an audience for stories like this and allows for other stories that have yet to be told to have a platform.

Seeking closure is a universal tenet of the human experience- whether from a romantic breakup or a friendship breakup. Thematically, the film examines the innately human desire for closure, a release from past baggage, and the start of a new chapter in one's life.

This film is a love letter to the late bloomers in life and the unlucky who weren't granted closure. Late to the Party exposes the raw, empty reminder of a broken heart still beating. The film explores the delicate, nostalgic nature of a lost love finding its way back. 

Dope(2015) Dir. Rick Famuyiwa

This short also depicts black and brown 20-somethings in a comedy of errors like an environment. In the same vain as Booksmart, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Half of It, and But I'm a Cheerleader, Late to the Party is a comedy with a mixture of angst accompanying it. In addition, it highlights the nuances of sexuality and gender as we continue to get to know ourselves.

I wrote this story to challenge the idea that coming of age stops after grade school. It doesn't stop necessarily, it pivots. As black and brown people grapple with the hardships of their 20s in this modern time, it's important to highlight interpersonal relationships as well.

It would be a privilege and an honor to have your help in telling these untold stories of black and brown 20-somethings.

Dear White People(2017-2022)

The Late to the Party team works part-time in the film industry and/or as professors for collegiate film students. While we are all invested in this film, it is your valuable contributions that will get us across the finish line! As our current goal is $18,000, we hope to raise $26,000 for extra support.

The costs of making a film quickly add up: locations, actors and crew rates, production design, and more. With COVID being an important factor, we need to make sure we keep our cast and crew comfortable and safe on set. Additionally, miscellaneous expenses pop up all the time, often due to unforeseen circumstances. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so we've included that into our budget.

 

Late to the Party has quickly come a long way since its inception in November. We received our first grant in January thanks to the Wavelength Productions and we hope, with your help, that we can make this film the best it can be!

Late to the Party is a proof-of-concept short film for a television series centering black and brown queer 20-30 somethings coming of age using the same characters but in a different setting. Think Living Single, Sex Education, and Dear White People meets The L Word, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Hello! My Twenties. Our mission is to get it to major festivals and pitch our pilot episode using this short as our foundation.  

Not the best time to monetarily contribute? No problem! You can always share our Seed & Spark page via the social media platform of your choosing. You can also spread the word via email or even text! Here are some copy and paste-able messages you can share along with the link to this very page:

Have you heard of Late to the Party? It’s a short dramedy that follows a Trans man running into someone important from his past that doesn't recognize him post-transition. You can contribute to the project on @seedandspark: https://seedandspark.com/fund/late-to-the-party

I just came across Late to the Party, a short dramedy centering LGHBTQ+ in their 20s about healing and friendship. You can learn more about the project on @seedandspark: https://seedandspark.com/fund/late-to-the-party

I can’t wait to watch Late to the Party, a short film about LGBTQ+ black and brown 20 somethings coming of age. This is an original story written and directed by Hannah Patterson. You can support the project on @seedandspark:https://seedandspark.com/fund/late-to-the-party