Hey Friends! Great News: We’re doing a Stretch Goal of $12,500!

But Why? 
Our initial budget of $7,500 was absolute barebones. We started with a very conservative number because the most important thing was to be able to make the film. Now that we’ve reached that goal, we can focus on making the film the absolute best it can be!

But Where Will the Money Go? 
Because many of our budget lines were initially very low, just a little more money would help make the film really shine! If we get to $12,500, it will help us pay for Art Department (making the costumes and set look beautiful), Post Production (making the movie sound and look awesome), and Additional Festival Submissions (we want everyone to see it!).

What Else Should I Know? 
That you’re awesome! Thank you so much for supporting Lily’s Mirror!

Lily is out on a dinner date with her boyfriend Bart, expecting a proposal, when he unexpectedly cuts off her hand. As Lily works on recovering, she begins to feel phantom pains where her hand used to be, so her doctor gives her a therapeutic mirror box to help with the discomfort. However, as she begins to use the box, she realizes there's a side effect: she can see real phantoms in the mirror. Specifically, she begins to see the obituaries of multiple women who experienced recent and mysterious deaths come to life. 

As Lily learns these women's stories, their lives and deaths begin to intertwine in a journey of self-dicovery, female empowerment, and the quest for justice. 

Linnea and Adam (the co-writers) have been friends and creative partners for over 15 years now. Recently, Linnea's world was turned upside-down after experiencing a life-changing psychologically abusive incident. As Linnea shared the incident with her close friends, they all began to share similar stories with her that she had never heard them tell before. Almost every woman she knew had experienced treament like this in a personal and/or professional relationship. When she spoke about this incident with Adam, it started a deeper dialogue about male behavior, and how to be more helpful and supportive of women, which eventually led to this film.

Psychological abuse is not often talked about, partially because it's harder to understand or see than physical abuse, but also because it is often dismissed - even though it can be equally as devastating. We wanted to use this film to give a visual representation to this type of abuse and start a dialogue around it. Our intention is to explore the idea of justice around abuse and how to handle recovery in a way that is fair, but also moral.

Since the topic of this film is so heavy, we felt it was important to frame the story in a fantastical way, using some small comedic elements to create levity, in order to start a dialogue about such a heavy topic. While using color and camera work to simulate mood, we will also be using moments of fantasy and absurdity to allow for moments of relief.

Linnea, Adam, and Megan have been working together collectively on various creative projects for over 7 years now. They all believe in making meaningful work with their friends, which is why they're making this film.

Megan Dahl - Producer: Megan is the producer of this film and the owner of Handsome Chance Films. She's worked commercially and creatively in Chicago, Austin, Atlanta, and New York. She has been a part of major productions including Discovering Ardi, Too Many Cooks, Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell, multiple music videos, and the award-winning feature The Arbalest. Megan has also been the Line Producer at Dad's Garage TV since 2011.

Linnea Frye - Co-Writer/Co-Director/Actor: Linnea is a Chicago-based writer, actor, and improviser. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she cut her teeth at Dad’s Garage Theatre Co. where she was part of the company for over ten years. While there, she was a performer as well as a writer for their stage shows and their online arm, DGTV. Currently, she's a professional actor with Big Mouth Talent, a teacher at The Second City, and a freelance writer. Her goal in life is to create meaningful comedy with that help people to grow, heal, and change.

Adam Pinney - Co-Writer/Co-Director: Adam is a writer/director whose 2016 film, The Arbalest, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival, and was previously selected to participate in the 2015 IFP Narrative Labs. Adam was the cinematographer for Joe Swanberg's 24 Exposures, and for Adult Swim's viral short, Too Many Cooks. He is also an illustrator and Graphic Designer who has created posters for Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room and Macon Blair's Sundance-winning film, I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore.

Curious where your money will go? Here's a breakdown:

And yes, we could certainly use more money than we're asking for! We're at bare bones right now and a little more cash would certainly give us some breathing room. Also, we're hoping to turn this into a feature down the road - so let us know if you want to be involved!

If you believe in us and what we want to create, please donate what you can. Every little bit really does help. Seriously. If you don't have any money to give, that's a-ok! Please share this with your friends via email or social media.