MER
Brooklyn, New York | Film Short
Experimental, LGBTQ
In an experimental retelling of The Little Mermaid, a young woman struggles with the inability to express her true inner self. One fated night, a mystical infomercial from the legendary House of Lah Dee Dah dares to shift her existence - for a price.
Green Light
This campaign raised $7,116 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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In an experimental retelling of The Little Mermaid, a young woman struggles with the inability to express her true inner self. One fated night, a mystical infomercial from the legendary House of Lah Dee Dah dares to shift her existence - for a price.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
The Story
Bending the narrative of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, LIL’ MER repurposes elements from The Little Mermaid to explore the topics of gender identity and self-actualization. Tapping into the vibrant drag scene in New York City, as well as featuring the legendary Mermaid Parade on Coney Island, LIL’ MER presents a unique approach to narrative storytelling, grounded in documentary and experimental video.
Director Megyn Cawley brings her visual style, anchored in a 90s pop aesthetic, to LIL’ MER. Her exploration of gender and self is visible in her 2012 short film, GIRL, and she continues to explore these topics in depth in LIL’ MER.
LIL’ MER is the first in a series of short films, produced and curated by Alex Herboche. The films aim to document underrepresented and misrepresented communities in the United States through the lens of classic fairy tales. By reusing and subverting these beloved narratives, the series, lead by LIL’ MER, aims to offer a radical and collaborative re-appropriation of these well-known tales. The films hope to raise awareness of the communities and different forms of womanhood, allowing them equal representation within our shared, collective storytelling, while offering the opportunity for each to express their individualities and complexities with the support of diverse filmmakers and crews.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Actor
Costs $900
mira, ursulah & the prince come to life
G-Technology® Hard Drive ($500)
Costs $25
G-Technology® is the gold standard for storage solutions specifically designed for content creators. We’ll get a storage grant from them when we get the Green Light!
Lighting Package
Costs $150
let there be light!
Compact HD - Canon EOS C300
Costs $1,000
to capture the magic
Backup Hard Drive
Costs $260
backup hard drives - just in case!
Sound Designer
Costs $500
music to your ears
Festival Fees
Costs $300
we'll submit the finished film to festivals so more people can enjoy it
Hard Drive
Costs $380
our main hard drive - for editing
Location fees
Costs $250
location, location, location
Prop Package
Costs $1,100
what's a girl without her accessories, or a witch without her potions?
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Make Up Artist
Costs $200
mira needs to get ready for her close up
Production Assistants
Costs $150
a helping hand
Wardrobe Stylist
Costs $150
you are what you wear
Production Sound Mixer
Costs $240
featuring daniel hui on boom
Set Designer
Costs $150
for the divine tate a.k. o.
Cinematographer
Costs $400
for our brilliant dp, jessica bennett!
Catering
Costs $270
feed the people!
Flights
Costs $600
help megyn get to nyc!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Megyn Cawley (writer, director) is a multimedia artist and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. By channeling nostalgia and camp ethos through the juxtaposition of analog and digital media formats, her work explores the expression of ego, self and gender identity. Megyn holds an MFA in Film & Video from the California Institute of the Arts, and has exhibited her films and multi-channel installations across the western US. Her latest work, the award-winning short, GIRL, is a study of the collective experience of the adolescent female through identity, personification, and a desire for the validation of self.
Rhyan Hamilton (actress) is a fashion videographer and installation artist from Monterey, Ca. In 2010 Rhyan was awarded the Edward Weston Scholarship for photography. She has produced video lookbooks for TOME's Spring/Summer 2012 and 2014 Collections. In 2014, she produced her first installation, I WANT THEM TO TURN BLACK, infusing elements of sound and performance to question the Art of Beauty. Rhyan is drawn to fusing avant garde and minimalist aesthetics with a neo-noir approach to color, motion, and style. She lives and works in Brooklyn.
Originally from Miami, Florida, Jessica Bennett (cinematographer) most notably shot AWOL the awarded short film which premiered at Sundance in 2011. Bennett has shot an array of projects for independent filmmakers, musicians and artists of all mediums including narrative, commercial, fashion and conceptual art. She has been in lighting-shading and camera support in motion picture for more than a decade. From a great independence in her youth she's developed a unique perspective on the innocence of beauty and the deception of darkness. With the wealth of knowledge from a wide experience in film, photography, music and fine arts, she uses lighting and movement to guide the viewer to the essence of any subject.
Alex Herboche (producer) is a Franco-Iranian filmmaker and producer currently based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds an MFA in Film and Video from the California Institute of the Arts and co-founded Nuhr Film with fellow filmmaker Andrea Franco.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
The Story
Bending the narrative of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, LIL’ MER repurposes elements from The Little Mermaid to explore the topics of gender identity and self-actualization. Tapping into the vibrant drag scene in New York City, as well as featuring the legendary Mermaid Parade on Coney Island, LIL’ MER presents a unique approach to narrative storytelling, grounded in documentary and experimental video.
Director Megyn Cawley brings her visual style, anchored in a 90s pop aesthetic, to LIL’ MER. Her exploration of gender and self is visible in her 2012 short film, GIRL, and she continues to explore these topics in depth in LIL’ MER.
LIL’ MER is the first in a series of short films, produced and curated by Alex Herboche. The films aim to document underrepresented and misrepresented communities in the United States through the lens of classic fairy tales. By reusing and subverting these beloved narratives, the series, lead by LIL’ MER, aims to offer a radical and collaborative re-appropriation of these well-known tales. The films hope to raise awareness of the communities and different forms of womanhood, allowing them equal representation within our shared, collective storytelling, while offering the opportunity for each to express their individualities and complexities with the support of diverse filmmakers and crews.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Actor
Costs $900
mira, ursulah & the prince come to life
G-Technology® Hard Drive ($500)
Costs $25
G-Technology® is the gold standard for storage solutions specifically designed for content creators. We’ll get a storage grant from them when we get the Green Light!
Lighting Package
Costs $150
let there be light!
Compact HD - Canon EOS C300
Costs $1,000
to capture the magic
Backup Hard Drive
Costs $260
backup hard drives - just in case!
Sound Designer
Costs $500
music to your ears
Festival Fees
Costs $300
we'll submit the finished film to festivals so more people can enjoy it
Hard Drive
Costs $380
our main hard drive - for editing
Location fees
Costs $250
location, location, location
Prop Package
Costs $1,100
what's a girl without her accessories, or a witch without her potions?
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Make Up Artist
Costs $200
mira needs to get ready for her close up
Production Assistants
Costs $150
a helping hand
Wardrobe Stylist
Costs $150
you are what you wear
Production Sound Mixer
Costs $240
featuring daniel hui on boom
Set Designer
Costs $150
for the divine tate a.k. o.
Cinematographer
Costs $400
for our brilliant dp, jessica bennett!
Catering
Costs $270
feed the people!
Flights
Costs $600
help megyn get to nyc!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Megyn Cawley (writer, director) is a multimedia artist and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. By channeling nostalgia and camp ethos through the juxtaposition of analog and digital media formats, her work explores the expression of ego, self and gender identity. Megyn holds an MFA in Film & Video from the California Institute of the Arts, and has exhibited her films and multi-channel installations across the western US. Her latest work, the award-winning short, GIRL, is a study of the collective experience of the adolescent female through identity, personification, and a desire for the validation of self.
Rhyan Hamilton (actress) is a fashion videographer and installation artist from Monterey, Ca. In 2010 Rhyan was awarded the Edward Weston Scholarship for photography. She has produced video lookbooks for TOME's Spring/Summer 2012 and 2014 Collections. In 2014, she produced her first installation, I WANT THEM TO TURN BLACK, infusing elements of sound and performance to question the Art of Beauty. Rhyan is drawn to fusing avant garde and minimalist aesthetics with a neo-noir approach to color, motion, and style. She lives and works in Brooklyn.
Originally from Miami, Florida, Jessica Bennett (cinematographer) most notably shot AWOL the awarded short film which premiered at Sundance in 2011. Bennett has shot an array of projects for independent filmmakers, musicians and artists of all mediums including narrative, commercial, fashion and conceptual art. She has been in lighting-shading and camera support in motion picture for more than a decade. From a great independence in her youth she's developed a unique perspective on the innocence of beauty and the deception of darkness. With the wealth of knowledge from a wide experience in film, photography, music and fine arts, she uses lighting and movement to guide the viewer to the essence of any subject.
Alex Herboche (producer) is a Franco-Iranian filmmaker and producer currently based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds an MFA in Film and Video from the California Institute of the Arts and co-founded Nuhr Film with fellow filmmaker Andrea Franco.