Lost In Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova | Series
Comedy, Drama
At the end of his rope, Diego joins the Peace Corps in a last-ditch effort to win back his ex-girlfriend. He imagines exotic tropical locations filled with grateful natives but instead ends up in Moldova in Eastern Europe, where he is forced to overcome his arrogance and learn to help others.
Lost In Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova | Series
Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | Port of Spain Corporation, Trinidad and Tobago
Green Light
This campaign raised $14,175 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
130 supporters | followers
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At the end of his rope, Diego joins the Peace Corps in a last-ditch effort to win back his ex-girlfriend. He imagines exotic tropical locations filled with grateful natives but instead ends up in Moldova in Eastern Europe, where he is forced to overcome his arrogance and learn to help others.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Webseries
Diego joins the Peace Corps to win back his ex-girlfriend. He imagines exotic, tropical locales, and instead he finds himself "Lost in Moldova."
Follow his adventures as he navigates the cultural differences that divide us and the shared humor and humanity that unites us.
Diego undergoes a slow transformation through a series of adventures that test his assumptions about people and the world. The first season of Lost in Moldova revolves around Diego teaching English at a school in small town Moldova, the characters he meets, and his adjustment to life in Moldova.
What We Need
Film and TV is a powerful method of storytelling, but it's also an expensive one. In order to bring our project to life, we need things like crew, equipment, travel, permits, insurance, the list goes on and on! This is why we're asking for your help. We will be reshooting our pilot episode, along with 3 additional episodes from the first season. This is a story that needs to be told to show audiences how complex our world truly is, but we can't do it without you.
What You Get
Every little bit counts, and we want to personally thank each and every one of you for your contributions. When you support this campaign you have the opportunity to receive a wide variety of perks that show our sincere appreciation. Some of the perks include: a personal shout out on the series' Facebook page, a private link to view the series as soon as it is released, or even an executive producer credit on the series!
The Impact
This project will make a big impact in creating awarness about Moldova and transforming the image of Moldova in the eyes of people around the world. We also want to encourage Moldovans to share their rich and vibrant culture with others. Thank you for supporting this meaningful project!
Other Ways You Can Help
In order to reach our goal, we will need help from as many of you as possible. In addition to contributing to the campaign, sharing the link to the campaign via social media will help to spread the word about this important story.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Hard Drives
Costs $400
We need to be able to store all the footage somewhere. Hard drives are a necessity!
Lighting
Costs $1,000
A great show needs great lighting to capture all of the best moments and create a powerful look!
Sound equipment
Costs $800
While it may seem subtle, clean audio is one of the most important aspects of film making!
Production Supplies
Costs $3,000
Trash bags, tents, tables and chairs, we need the necessities to keep our cast and crew comfortable!
Editing
Costs $1,500
Editing brings all the clips together and allows us to tell our story in the most effective way!
Color Correction
Costs $500
Coloring gives any project a specific look, and consistent tone throughout the series.
Production Crew
Costs $8,300
We need to hire a team to get this project made, and bring our important story to life!
Share this update!
About This Team
John Lewis
Creator-Showrunner
John was born in Massachusetts but has worked overseas for almost 20 years of his life—13 years of it in the former Soviet Union. He speaks Russian fluently and has worked building sustainable peace in a number of countries. He focuses on writing fish out of water dramedies, like “Lost in Moldova”, films with an exotic overseas twist, like the Siege: a thriller based in the early days of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and the Bones of Cyprus, a Romeo and Juliet-type tale of love across the conflict divide in Cyprus. He has also channeled some of his frustrations of working for large bureaucratic organizations on peace processes into a pilot for a comedy series called The Peace Process. He has his Masters degree in TV and Screenwriting from Stephens College.
Calin Laur
Director
Calin Laur is a passionate and dedicated film director based in Chisinau, Moldova. Born October 17, 1992 in Chisinau, Moldova, he graduated in 2017 graduated from the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts, from the Multimedia Department with a focus on Film Directing. He is now working towards a master’s degree in Documentary Film Directing at the same academy. He has worked on several international projects as a First AD and as a PA. He is a pitch winner at the Moldox Film Festival 2017, Inspirational Workshop and was an observer at the Balkan Documentary Center Workshop.
“Casa Mare” is his diploma short film, which was submitted to many international festivals. He is looking forward to making his first feature film and is happy to be part of the new generation of filmmakers of Moldova.
Lucia Lupu
Producer
Lucia Lupu is a director and film producer from Moldova. She graduated from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts from Chisinau, with a degree in film directing and editing and a master’s degree in Animation Film Direction. In 2016, she debuted with her short film "Paparuda" that received awards at various festivals. In 2017, she made a documentary about the state of Moldovan movies shot on 16 and 35mm film called "Lost in Time". In 2018, she worked as an executive producer and clean-up artist in the animation project "Sigh". Currently, she is a producer and director at Volt Cinematography production company, where she produces and directs music videos, documentaries, and other media products.
Vlad Bolgarin
Producer-Editor
Born and raised in the Republic of Moldova, to a family of musicians. He graduated from the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts in Chișinău, with a Bachelor's degree in Film Directing & Editing (2016), and a Master's degree in Animation Directing (2018). He founded VOLT Cinematography – an independent film production company. He is the author of three student short fiction films and several music videos and commercials. His Master’s Degree thesis in animation was a film called, Sigh. It was released in 2019 and has competed in a number of international film festivals like Busan ISFF, Sarajevo FF, Animest and many more.
Erika Campany
Associate Producer
Erika Campany is a graduate of the Stephens College MFA program in television and screenwriting. Erika is an active member of The LadyParts Collective, an all-female theater company dedicated to creating works about social issues that impact the community. An animal lover, she is a founding member of Rockin' Pets
Foundation, a non-profit foundation that provides food and veterinary care for homeless animals in Los Angeles. Erika believes that the best stories inspire and bring people together. Because the world can always use more hope, Erika writes about lonely oddballs who find their best lives by embracing their weirdness.
Kris Dyson
Associate Producer
Kris Dyson is a former Y2K IT Project Manager turned writer, educator and filmmaker. She is the co-producer of "When All That's Left Is Love," a feature-length documentary that goes behind closed doors with Alzheimer's caregivers. This powerful film is currently at film festivals worldwide and has already won several awards since beginning its festival run earlier in 2019. Her screenplay, "Windfalling" was a Top 5 Finalist at the Citizen Jane Film Festival's Screen Grab Contest. She’s currently writing a Florida based web series with Lost in Moldova creator John Lewis. In addition to her MFA in TV & Screenwriting from Stephens College, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication/Motion Pictures from the University of Miami and a Certificate in Documentary Arts from the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.
Kenny Grimble Jr.
Lead Actor/Associate Producer
Kenny studied film at the University of California Riverside (UCR) and continued on to receive a Master's Degree from Stephens College. As a writer, Kenny is managed by PB Management with scripts optioned by Overbrook Entertainment and considered by networks like HBO. As an actor, he studied acting at UCR with the bulk of his experience coming from acJng in short film roles and self-produced projects as well as a 2020 Olympic Commercial funded by the Japanese Olympic Commercial. He is an accomplished former college athlete, standout high school athlete, and is no stranger to hard work and dedication.
Megan Poepsel
Associate Producer
Megan Poepsel is a screenwriter and filmmaker currently based in Missouri. Her love of filmmaking began at the age of seventeen in London, where she wrote and directed short films, DP'd on 16mm Arriflex cameras and spent hours splicing and taping together her first silent stories. Since then, she has traveled the world, dabbled in music journalism, taught English in Thailand and worked in film production in both Chicago and New York City. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, with a minor in Digital Cinema, from DePaul University and a master’s degree in Screenwriting for Television and Film from Stephens College. She has worked at a news station and on numerous short films and music videos in various roles, including producing, directing, camera operating, sound recording/mixing, and editing. Currently, she is a writer on a web series being developed as part of SeriesFest's Writers' Room.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Webseries
Diego joins the Peace Corps to win back his ex-girlfriend. He imagines exotic, tropical locales, and instead he finds himself "Lost in Moldova."
Follow his adventures as he navigates the cultural differences that divide us and the shared humor and humanity that unites us.
Diego undergoes a slow transformation through a series of adventures that test his assumptions about people and the world. The first season of Lost in Moldova revolves around Diego teaching English at a school in small town Moldova, the characters he meets, and his adjustment to life in Moldova.
What We Need
Film and TV is a powerful method of storytelling, but it's also an expensive one. In order to bring our project to life, we need things like crew, equipment, travel, permits, insurance, the list goes on and on! This is why we're asking for your help. We will be reshooting our pilot episode, along with 3 additional episodes from the first season. This is a story that needs to be told to show audiences how complex our world truly is, but we can't do it without you.
What You Get
Every little bit counts, and we want to personally thank each and every one of you for your contributions. When you support this campaign you have the opportunity to receive a wide variety of perks that show our sincere appreciation. Some of the perks include: a personal shout out on the series' Facebook page, a private link to view the series as soon as it is released, or even an executive producer credit on the series!
The Impact
This project will make a big impact in creating awarness about Moldova and transforming the image of Moldova in the eyes of people around the world. We also want to encourage Moldovans to share their rich and vibrant culture with others. Thank you for supporting this meaningful project!
Other Ways You Can Help
In order to reach our goal, we will need help from as many of you as possible. In addition to contributing to the campaign, sharing the link to the campaign via social media will help to spread the word about this important story.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Hard Drives
Costs $400
We need to be able to store all the footage somewhere. Hard drives are a necessity!
Lighting
Costs $1,000
A great show needs great lighting to capture all of the best moments and create a powerful look!
Sound equipment
Costs $800
While it may seem subtle, clean audio is one of the most important aspects of film making!
Production Supplies
Costs $3,000
Trash bags, tents, tables and chairs, we need the necessities to keep our cast and crew comfortable!
Editing
Costs $1,500
Editing brings all the clips together and allows us to tell our story in the most effective way!
Color Correction
Costs $500
Coloring gives any project a specific look, and consistent tone throughout the series.
Production Crew
Costs $8,300
We need to hire a team to get this project made, and bring our important story to life!
Share this update!
About This Team
John Lewis
Creator-Showrunner
John was born in Massachusetts but has worked overseas for almost 20 years of his life—13 years of it in the former Soviet Union. He speaks Russian fluently and has worked building sustainable peace in a number of countries. He focuses on writing fish out of water dramedies, like “Lost in Moldova”, films with an exotic overseas twist, like the Siege: a thriller based in the early days of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and the Bones of Cyprus, a Romeo and Juliet-type tale of love across the conflict divide in Cyprus. He has also channeled some of his frustrations of working for large bureaucratic organizations on peace processes into a pilot for a comedy series called The Peace Process. He has his Masters degree in TV and Screenwriting from Stephens College.
Calin Laur
Director
Calin Laur is a passionate and dedicated film director based in Chisinau, Moldova. Born October 17, 1992 in Chisinau, Moldova, he graduated in 2017 graduated from the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts, from the Multimedia Department with a focus on Film Directing. He is now working towards a master’s degree in Documentary Film Directing at the same academy. He has worked on several international projects as a First AD and as a PA. He is a pitch winner at the Moldox Film Festival 2017, Inspirational Workshop and was an observer at the Balkan Documentary Center Workshop.
“Casa Mare” is his diploma short film, which was submitted to many international festivals. He is looking forward to making his first feature film and is happy to be part of the new generation of filmmakers of Moldova.
Lucia Lupu
Producer
Lucia Lupu is a director and film producer from Moldova. She graduated from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts from Chisinau, with a degree in film directing and editing and a master’s degree in Animation Film Direction. In 2016, she debuted with her short film "Paparuda" that received awards at various festivals. In 2017, she made a documentary about the state of Moldovan movies shot on 16 and 35mm film called "Lost in Time". In 2018, she worked as an executive producer and clean-up artist in the animation project "Sigh". Currently, she is a producer and director at Volt Cinematography production company, where she produces and directs music videos, documentaries, and other media products.
Vlad Bolgarin
Producer-Editor
Born and raised in the Republic of Moldova, to a family of musicians. He graduated from the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts in Chișinău, with a Bachelor's degree in Film Directing & Editing (2016), and a Master's degree in Animation Directing (2018). He founded VOLT Cinematography – an independent film production company. He is the author of three student short fiction films and several music videos and commercials. His Master’s Degree thesis in animation was a film called, Sigh. It was released in 2019 and has competed in a number of international film festivals like Busan ISFF, Sarajevo FF, Animest and many more.
Erika Campany
Associate Producer
Erika Campany is a graduate of the Stephens College MFA program in television and screenwriting. Erika is an active member of The LadyParts Collective, an all-female theater company dedicated to creating works about social issues that impact the community. An animal lover, she is a founding member of Rockin' Pets
Foundation, a non-profit foundation that provides food and veterinary care for homeless animals in Los Angeles. Erika believes that the best stories inspire and bring people together. Because the world can always use more hope, Erika writes about lonely oddballs who find their best lives by embracing their weirdness.
Kris Dyson
Associate Producer
Kris Dyson is a former Y2K IT Project Manager turned writer, educator and filmmaker. She is the co-producer of "When All That's Left Is Love," a feature-length documentary that goes behind closed doors with Alzheimer's caregivers. This powerful film is currently at film festivals worldwide and has already won several awards since beginning its festival run earlier in 2019. Her screenplay, "Windfalling" was a Top 5 Finalist at the Citizen Jane Film Festival's Screen Grab Contest. She’s currently writing a Florida based web series with Lost in Moldova creator John Lewis. In addition to her MFA in TV & Screenwriting from Stephens College, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication/Motion Pictures from the University of Miami and a Certificate in Documentary Arts from the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.
Kenny Grimble Jr.
Lead Actor/Associate Producer
Kenny studied film at the University of California Riverside (UCR) and continued on to receive a Master's Degree from Stephens College. As a writer, Kenny is managed by PB Management with scripts optioned by Overbrook Entertainment and considered by networks like HBO. As an actor, he studied acting at UCR with the bulk of his experience coming from acJng in short film roles and self-produced projects as well as a 2020 Olympic Commercial funded by the Japanese Olympic Commercial. He is an accomplished former college athlete, standout high school athlete, and is no stranger to hard work and dedication.
Megan Poepsel
Associate Producer
Megan Poepsel is a screenwriter and filmmaker currently based in Missouri. Her love of filmmaking began at the age of seventeen in London, where she wrote and directed short films, DP'd on 16mm Arriflex cameras and spent hours splicing and taping together her first silent stories. Since then, she has traveled the world, dabbled in music journalism, taught English in Thailand and worked in film production in both Chicago and New York City. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, with a minor in Digital Cinema, from DePaul University and a master’s degree in Screenwriting for Television and Film from Stephens College. She has worked at a news station and on numerous short films and music videos in various roles, including producing, directing, camera operating, sound recording/mixing, and editing. Currently, she is a writer on a web series being developed as part of SeriesFest's Writers' Room.