Lola
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Foreign Film
This coming-of-age film deals with the complicated dynamics of Asian families and the dark consequences of sexual abuse. It boldly challenges female sexuality and highlights the struggle to find one's voice in a patriarchal world. A film ABOUT Asian women, BY Asian women, FOR Asian women.
Lola
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Foreign Film
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $20,312 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
48 supporters | followers
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This coming-of-age film deals with the complicated dynamics of Asian families and the dark consequences of sexual abuse. It boldly challenges female sexuality and highlights the struggle to find one's voice in a patriarchal world. A film ABOUT Asian women, BY Asian women, FOR Asian women.
In Partnership With
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
The Story
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
Kathy Tai, the prized teenage daughter of an affluent Asian family in America lives a secret life as a webcam stripper to deal with family expectations and sexual trauma. When she receives news that could change her life, she must convince her parents that it's for the better. Unfortunately, her dark past eventually catches up to her and threatens to stop her from pursuing her true passion. Kathy is suddenly thrown into a series of events that forces her to confront her past abuser and break down the carely crafted veneer she perfected after so many years to protect herself with. In a desperate bid for control, she ends up attempting to seduce the only person she feels understands her.
Why should I care?
The film explores the complicated dynamics within Asian families, challenges the sexualization of Asian women and reveals how passion can overcome pain. Lola encourages the audience to think about the meaning of self-worth and self-acceptance through the eyes of a young girl who was forced to grow up too fast. Recently, there have been dialogue and conversations started about the role of asians (especially asian women) in media and cinema today - Lola is definitely a project to help continue this conversation and really shed light onto a culture that hasn't really been explored in depth.
In particular, sexuality is still seen as a taboo in the Asian culture of shame. Sexual abuse itself is drowned out by this culture as it pushes women into silence and submission. This is a huge problem in Asia and all over the world too. Please help us share this story and start discussions about this topic. The first step to solving a problem is to address it.
We cannot do this without you!
If anything, please share the news about this project on social media or any platform. We believe it's a story worth telling. Any help at all is greatly appreciated and you will have our deepest gratitude.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
VISUALS
Concept Art
These are visualizations of some key scenes in the film drawn up by our talented artist Josephine Chang (www.josephinechang.com)
VISUAL MOODBOARD
This will give us a general idea of the mood and tone that we'll be trying to set visually to help us tell the story. Our director of photograph Daisy Zhou (www.daisyzhou.com) put this together.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Make Up and Wardrobe
Costs $1,000
We want our actors to look like the affluent characters they are. Our lead actress also needs heavy makeup for her "webcam" scenes.
Legal and Distribution Costs
Costs $2,000
Help us get this film to the big screen! Deliverables can be costly! We will also need to cover insurance and legal costs!
Transportation/Travel
Costs $5,700
We need two cargo vans to transport equipment and props - we also need a crew pass van to bring cast and crew over as well as a car.
Camera + Grip + Lighting
Costs $4,000
To tell the right story, we need the right tools. Help our Director of Photography get what she needs to bring this story to life!
Locations
Costs $700
We got fantastic deals for the locations we need to tell the story. This will cover locations & fees
Production
Costs $900
This covers certain productions expenses as well as the costs of the very able team of crew members that we have dedicated to this film.
Food + Lodging
Costs $7,800
To keep our team well-fed and well-rested, we need all the nourishment we can get, as well as endless cups of coffee!
Sound
Costs $960
Sound is one of the most important aspects of cinema. This will cover the cost for our sound equipment and talented sound team!
Production Design
Costs $2,000
Our designer needs your help! To bring this setting to life, we need props and furniture as well as costumes for our actors!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Isabella Tan (Director/Writer/Executive Producer)
Isabella Tan was born in Taiwan and raised in Malaysia until she began attending NYU Tisch School of the Arts for film and TV production. She is now a Director and Cinematographer living in New York City. Isabella's work is greatly influenced by her international background. As a largely visual director and cinematographer, she aims to create stories with a sense of surrealism which focuses on conveying complicated human emotions. Her first short film "Girl Who Reads" which she made in her freshman year of college was an official selection at NFFTY 2015.
Alex Zou (Assistant Director / Producer)
Alex Zou is a Chinese-American filmmaker and photographer. He met his good friends and production company partners through NYU, where he earned his degree in Film & Television Production. As a director, he’s created music videos for artists such as Glassio and Kidepo and is currently in post-production for his independent thesis shot in Beijing and New York City.
Gracie Markland (Co - Producer)
A Los Angeles native, Gracie Markland has been working both in front of and behind the camera since she was 5 years old. Currently a rising Senior at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Film & TV, she's produced numerous student films and worked on many large-scale professional productions in the New York area. She hopes that, one project at a time, she can be a part of the movement to expand opportunities for women in film.
Christin Eve Cato (Co - Producer)
Daisy (Cinematographer)
Daisy Zhou is a filmmaker hailing from Shanghai and Pennsylvania, currently residing in New York. Although she sees herself more as a cinematographer- her inclinations to write from time to time has led her to direct films she is passionate about. Her first short, 100 Meters, placed 3rd at the New Visions New Voices Festival and garnered attention for its writing and producing. Her film How to be a Black Panther screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2015. The short film Fishbone (dir. Sandra Tan) won best cinematography at Fusion Film Festival 2016 that she shot.
Xiangtian Zheng (Associate Producer)
Xiangtian Zheng has done extensive coursework in film production, a considerable amount of independent film projects including his very own award-winning experimental films Eat Me and The Looking Glass, and battle-tested his knowledge in directing plays such as The Insane Asylum Next to Heaven at Columbia University Blue Glaze Theater last spring and Parasite at NYU Jujube Theater this April. Born and raised in Southwest China, educated in Chicago and New York, Xiangtian has a keen interest in fusing the American culture with his Chinese heritage in his artwork.
Lana Boy (Production Manager)
Lana Boy has been working in the film industry for over 8 years now. She currently lives in New York but often goes to Paris for film projects. She is an actress but also a filmmaker, model, and a freelance editor.
Prisca Choe (Production Designer):
Prisca Choe is a recent graduate from NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. She has experience production designing more than twenty productions ranging from short narrative forms, music videos, to commercials.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
The Story
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
Kathy Tai, the prized teenage daughter of an affluent Asian family in America lives a secret life as a webcam stripper to deal with family expectations and sexual trauma. When she receives news that could change her life, she must convince her parents that it's for the better. Unfortunately, her dark past eventually catches up to her and threatens to stop her from pursuing her true passion. Kathy is suddenly thrown into a series of events that forces her to confront her past abuser and break down the carely crafted veneer she perfected after so many years to protect herself with. In a desperate bid for control, she ends up attempting to seduce the only person she feels understands her.
Why should I care?
The film explores the complicated dynamics within Asian families, challenges the sexualization of Asian women and reveals how passion can overcome pain. Lola encourages the audience to think about the meaning of self-worth and self-acceptance through the eyes of a young girl who was forced to grow up too fast. Recently, there have been dialogue and conversations started about the role of asians (especially asian women) in media and cinema today - Lola is definitely a project to help continue this conversation and really shed light onto a culture that hasn't really been explored in depth.
In particular, sexuality is still seen as a taboo in the Asian culture of shame. Sexual abuse itself is drowned out by this culture as it pushes women into silence and submission. This is a huge problem in Asia and all over the world too. Please help us share this story and start discussions about this topic. The first step to solving a problem is to address it.
We cannot do this without you!
If anything, please share the news about this project on social media or any platform. We believe it's a story worth telling. Any help at all is greatly appreciated and you will have our deepest gratitude.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
VISUALS
Concept Art
These are visualizations of some key scenes in the film drawn up by our talented artist Josephine Chang (www.josephinechang.com)
VISUAL MOODBOARD
This will give us a general idea of the mood and tone that we'll be trying to set visually to help us tell the story. Our director of photograph Daisy Zhou (www.daisyzhou.com) put this together.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Make Up and Wardrobe
Costs $1,000
We want our actors to look like the affluent characters they are. Our lead actress also needs heavy makeup for her "webcam" scenes.
Legal and Distribution Costs
Costs $2,000
Help us get this film to the big screen! Deliverables can be costly! We will also need to cover insurance and legal costs!
Transportation/Travel
Costs $5,700
We need two cargo vans to transport equipment and props - we also need a crew pass van to bring cast and crew over as well as a car.
Camera + Grip + Lighting
Costs $4,000
To tell the right story, we need the right tools. Help our Director of Photography get what she needs to bring this story to life!
Locations
Costs $700
We got fantastic deals for the locations we need to tell the story. This will cover locations & fees
Production
Costs $900
This covers certain productions expenses as well as the costs of the very able team of crew members that we have dedicated to this film.
Food + Lodging
Costs $7,800
To keep our team well-fed and well-rested, we need all the nourishment we can get, as well as endless cups of coffee!
Sound
Costs $960
Sound is one of the most important aspects of cinema. This will cover the cost for our sound equipment and talented sound team!
Production Design
Costs $2,000
Our designer needs your help! To bring this setting to life, we need props and furniture as well as costumes for our actors!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Isabella Tan (Director/Writer/Executive Producer)
Isabella Tan was born in Taiwan and raised in Malaysia until she began attending NYU Tisch School of the Arts for film and TV production. She is now a Director and Cinematographer living in New York City. Isabella's work is greatly influenced by her international background. As a largely visual director and cinematographer, she aims to create stories with a sense of surrealism which focuses on conveying complicated human emotions. Her first short film "Girl Who Reads" which she made in her freshman year of college was an official selection at NFFTY 2015.
Alex Zou (Assistant Director / Producer)
Alex Zou is a Chinese-American filmmaker and photographer. He met his good friends and production company partners through NYU, where he earned his degree in Film & Television Production. As a director, he’s created music videos for artists such as Glassio and Kidepo and is currently in post-production for his independent thesis shot in Beijing and New York City.
Gracie Markland (Co - Producer)
A Los Angeles native, Gracie Markland has been working both in front of and behind the camera since she was 5 years old. Currently a rising Senior at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Film & TV, she's produced numerous student films and worked on many large-scale professional productions in the New York area. She hopes that, one project at a time, she can be a part of the movement to expand opportunities for women in film.
Christin Eve Cato (Co - Producer)
Daisy (Cinematographer)
Daisy Zhou is a filmmaker hailing from Shanghai and Pennsylvania, currently residing in New York. Although she sees herself more as a cinematographer- her inclinations to write from time to time has led her to direct films she is passionate about. Her first short, 100 Meters, placed 3rd at the New Visions New Voices Festival and garnered attention for its writing and producing. Her film How to be a Black Panther screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2015. The short film Fishbone (dir. Sandra Tan) won best cinematography at Fusion Film Festival 2016 that she shot.
Xiangtian Zheng (Associate Producer)
Xiangtian Zheng has done extensive coursework in film production, a considerable amount of independent film projects including his very own award-winning experimental films Eat Me and The Looking Glass, and battle-tested his knowledge in directing plays such as The Insane Asylum Next to Heaven at Columbia University Blue Glaze Theater last spring and Parasite at NYU Jujube Theater this April. Born and raised in Southwest China, educated in Chicago and New York, Xiangtian has a keen interest in fusing the American culture with his Chinese heritage in his artwork.
Lana Boy (Production Manager)
Lana Boy has been working in the film industry for over 8 years now. She currently lives in New York but often goes to Paris for film projects. She is an actress but also a filmmaker, model, and a freelance editor.
Prisca Choe (Production Designer):
Prisca Choe is a recent graduate from NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. She has experience production designing more than twenty productions ranging from short narrative forms, music videos, to commercials.