Maggie's Not Okay
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy
Maggie, a chronic people pleaser, is always getting pushed around. But when she tries to return a lost cat to his owner, Maggie is finally pushed too far and decides to push back… in the most unexpected way.
Maggie's Not Okay
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,900 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
100 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Maggie, a chronic people pleaser, is always getting pushed around. But when she tries to return a lost cat to his owner, Maggie is finally pushed too far and decides to push back… in the most unexpected way.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
STRETCH GOAL UPDATE:
We are blown away by the incredible support we received for our project. We reached our fundraising goal of $8,000 in just 7 days and that means we are officially moving into STRETCH GOALS!
Why you ask?
Because there's so much more we can do!
Check out what each additional dollar actually means for us!
So please continue to support us and help us make this movie the best that it can be.
Thank you so much!
Read more about our film below:
People pleasing - it’s in our DNA as a form of survival. In ancient times, if no one liked you, you’d probably be exiled and left to starve! And even though it’s no longer life and death, the human instinct to please still lingers. This is especially true for women, who are typically taught at a very young age to be agreeable, polite, nice and quiet!
(Image credit: Getty Images, The Swaddle)
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions are currently on strike, standing up for themselves and fighting for better pay and working conditions. The United Auto Workers might not be too far behind.
It seems like everyone, collectively, is done being pushed around and making their voices heard - just like Maggie!
I wrote this story to give a voice to the women who hesitate to share their opinions, who never tout their own accomplishments, who always make themselves small so they don’t take up too much space! What happens when they stand up, get big and get loud?
We’re seeing a seismic shift around the world right now. I wanted to explore this in an individual’s story, with a woman of color protagonist (that brings with it its own set of nuances) while also subverting cinematic expectations and norms.
The tone and visual style of the film will mirror the feelings of our protagonist. In the beginning, when Maggie does her best to make everyone around her happy, the look and feel of the short will range from neutral to bright - mimicking the conflict-free world that Maggie wants to live in. But as Maggie finds her voice and begins to stand up for herself, we will shift towards muted colors, reflecting her embrace of the darker parts of her personality.
(Image credit: iStock)
We plan to play with tone, light, style and genre and exploit it for comedic effect. We’ll draw inspiration from movies that begin as one type of film only to completely change partway through the story.
WHY US?
We are a diverse group of passionate artists who are excited to bring together our deep experiences to tell this story in a fun and exciting way. We want to explore, play and stretch our creative muscles to bring something unique to the screen.
WHY YOU?
This is your chance! We invite you to join our campaign to help fuel the movement to expand the types of stories and storytellers we see. Together, let's illuminate the beauty of our differences and the resonance of our shared experiences.
We are currently fundraising to cover production and post-production costs. We’ve already raised $7k but it’s not enough to pay for all the things we need to take the words from the page to the screen.
Your contribution will be broken down the following way:
But our $8,000 fundraising goal is the bare minimum we need to get this movie made. More funds will help us do everything better and more efficiently! That's why we have the following STRETCH GOALS!
STRETCH GOAL #1: $10,000
We’ll put it towards getting a better camera, lighting and electrical package and hiring additional crew to enable efficient shoot days.
STRETCH GOAL #2: $12,000
We’ll put it towards post production costs to make sure the final film looks and sounds the best it can be and we’ll use any remaining funds towards festival submissions so we can get as many eyeballs on it as possible.
STRETCH GOAL #3: $14,000
We’ll put it towards better wages for our crew because they deserve it!
We invite you to be a part of our journey! And that can mean a few different things:
DONATE
If any of the above resonates with you, DONATE to this campaign! ANY amount helps, seriously….no, we really mean it!
FOLLOW & SHARE
We know times are tough so if a fiscal donation is not possible, please FOLLOW and SHARE so we can get as many supporters as possible to get this to the finish line!
If we get 500 followers or more on our Seed&Spark campaign, we get to unlock extra rewards that will help us with production and festival submissions.
So FOLLOW us here and on our IG page, @maggies_not_okay_film to get the latest scoop and
SHARE, SHARE, SHARE our campaign!
We couldn't do this without you!
We are immensely grateful for your support and encouragement as we embark on making this hopefully fun and memorable piece of cinema that we can all be proud of.
THANK YOU for joining us on our journey - we can't wait to share "Maggie's Not Okay" with you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals and Craft Service
Costs $600
We will be feeding approximately 15+ people over the course of a 2-day shoot
Locations
Costs $1,000
We have three locations in our script - an office/cubicle area, an open concept kitchen and living room, and a public garage.
Camera and Lighting Equipment Rental
Costs $3,400
We want this to short to look good and we need the right equipment to achieve that.
Crew
Costs $3,000
We need experienced folks to be able to shoot this short efficiently in two days and we want to pay them well given the industry strikes.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Mouzam Makkar
Writer ⚈ Producer ⚈ Actor
Mouzam Makkar is an actor, producer and writer based in Los Angeles. She was last seen recurring as Commander Nouri on Paramount+’s SEAL TEAM and in the series regular role of Jennifer McDuffie on Ava DuVernay’s NAOMI for The CW. Prior to that, Mouzam was a series regular in ABC’s THE FIX, and NBC’s CHAMPIONS. Additional credits include recurring roles in LAW & ORDER: SVU, NCIS, THE EXORCIST, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, and CHICAGO FIRE and guest star roles in AMERICAN HORROR STORY, and BONES, to name a few. On the feature side, she has worked in independent films such as SHE’S IN PORTLAND and FREELANCER’S ANONYMOUS. Her performance in the comedy short THE FIRST SESSION earned her a Best Actress Award at the NBCUniversal Short Cuts Festival. Mouzam is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, the Improv and Sketch Writing programs at The Second City in Chicago, and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.
Vance Smith
Director ⚈ Producer
Vance Smith is a producer, director, and actor living in Los Angeles. He has produced several award winning short films that have screened at festivals around the world including Austin Film Festival, LA Shorts, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Rotterdam Independent Film Festival. Before moving to LA, Vance spent 20 years making theater in Chicago, most notably in his capacity as Artistic Director of Stage Left Theatre, where he worked closely with writers to develop and produce dozens of new works. He has also directed a bunch of plays, including a production of DETROIT by Lisa D'Amour for The Hollywood Fringe Festival earlier this year. Vance is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and Tulane University.
Behzad Dabu
Actor ⚈ Producer
Behzad Dabu is an actor, producer, and writer based out of both Los Angeles and Chicago. He has worked extensively on stage at some of the best theaters in the country, especially in Chicago, and is a proud company member at TimeLine Theatre Company. He originated the role of 'Amit' in "Samsara" at Victory Gardens Theatre, for which he was nominated for a Jeff Award - Best Actor. He also originated the role of 'Abe' in the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated play, "Disgraced" which he performed at American Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Repertory, Seattle Repertory, and the Mark Taper Forum at Center Theatre Group. On screen, you can see him as 'Simon Drake' on Seasons 3 and 4 of HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER on ABC, as 'Amir' on the Showtime series THE CHI, and on Disney’s THE LION GUARD. He also appeared in episodes of THE GOOD PLACE, ALL RISE, CHICAGO P.D., DRIVE SHARE, YOU’RE SO TALENTED, DEALBREAKERS; and in the films WEATHERING, and KING RAT, among others. He is a founding member of The Chicago Inclusion Project, which seeks to level the playing field and provide resources in the arts for people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. He grew up in Syracuse, NY and got his BFA in Acting from Columbia College Chicago.
Clare Cooney
Actor ⚈ Producer ⚈ Editor
Clare Cooney is an LA-based filmmaker and actress. She recently made her feature film directorial debut with the darkly comedic thriller DEPARTING SENIORS, which premiered in August 2023 at FrightFest in London. The film was featured in Variety as one of seven special gala screenings at the inaugural Cannes’ Fantastic Pavilion 2023 and was described as “‘Scream’ for the next generation.” Her award-winning short films RUNNER, PICK UP, and AFTER (A LOVE STORY) have played at festivals across the country, including Academy-Qualifying festivals such as Cleveland International, LA Shorts International, Indy Shorts International, and Atlanta Film Festival, where Cooney received a “Filmmaker to Watch” nod. Acting credits include NBC's CHICAGO MED, CW’s 4400, NBC’s CHICAGO PD, lead roles in numerous independent features, and a supporting role in Steve McQueen’s WIDOWS. Cooney is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and the University of Notre Dame.
Suzaine Aguirre
Director of Photography
Suzaine, aka zaine!, has spent the last decade lending her skills of photography, on set vfx, and live action video to commercial, editorial, fashion, and narrative film projects. Suzaine began her career working as a digital retoucher at Lowry Digital for such films as Titanic, Bambi, and Aliens 2. She then moved to the world of Visual Effects - working with Rhythm & Hues Studios, WETA Digital, and MPC - capturing visual assets on set and in studio for films such as Avatar, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Life of Pi, The Jungle Book, Gemini Man, and Call of the Wild, to name a few. More recently, she has lensed promos, campaigns, and visual motion assets for clients such as A&E, Disney Channel, HBO, Carters, Sephora, Glamour, GQ, and Goop.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
STRETCH GOAL UPDATE:
We are blown away by the incredible support we received for our project. We reached our fundraising goal of $8,000 in just 7 days and that means we are officially moving into STRETCH GOALS!
Why you ask?
Because there's so much more we can do!
Check out what each additional dollar actually means for us!
So please continue to support us and help us make this movie the best that it can be.
Thank you so much!
Read more about our film below:
People pleasing - it’s in our DNA as a form of survival. In ancient times, if no one liked you, you’d probably be exiled and left to starve! And even though it’s no longer life and death, the human instinct to please still lingers. This is especially true for women, who are typically taught at a very young age to be agreeable, polite, nice and quiet!
(Image credit: Getty Images, The Swaddle)
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions are currently on strike, standing up for themselves and fighting for better pay and working conditions. The United Auto Workers might not be too far behind.
It seems like everyone, collectively, is done being pushed around and making their voices heard - just like Maggie!
I wrote this story to give a voice to the women who hesitate to share their opinions, who never tout their own accomplishments, who always make themselves small so they don’t take up too much space! What happens when they stand up, get big and get loud?
We’re seeing a seismic shift around the world right now. I wanted to explore this in an individual’s story, with a woman of color protagonist (that brings with it its own set of nuances) while also subverting cinematic expectations and norms.
The tone and visual style of the film will mirror the feelings of our protagonist. In the beginning, when Maggie does her best to make everyone around her happy, the look and feel of the short will range from neutral to bright - mimicking the conflict-free world that Maggie wants to live in. But as Maggie finds her voice and begins to stand up for herself, we will shift towards muted colors, reflecting her embrace of the darker parts of her personality.
(Image credit: iStock)
We plan to play with tone, light, style and genre and exploit it for comedic effect. We’ll draw inspiration from movies that begin as one type of film only to completely change partway through the story.
WHY US?
We are a diverse group of passionate artists who are excited to bring together our deep experiences to tell this story in a fun and exciting way. We want to explore, play and stretch our creative muscles to bring something unique to the screen.
WHY YOU?
This is your chance! We invite you to join our campaign to help fuel the movement to expand the types of stories and storytellers we see. Together, let's illuminate the beauty of our differences and the resonance of our shared experiences.
We are currently fundraising to cover production and post-production costs. We’ve already raised $7k but it’s not enough to pay for all the things we need to take the words from the page to the screen.
Your contribution will be broken down the following way:
But our $8,000 fundraising goal is the bare minimum we need to get this movie made. More funds will help us do everything better and more efficiently! That's why we have the following STRETCH GOALS!
STRETCH GOAL #1: $10,000
We’ll put it towards getting a better camera, lighting and electrical package and hiring additional crew to enable efficient shoot days.
STRETCH GOAL #2: $12,000
We’ll put it towards post production costs to make sure the final film looks and sounds the best it can be and we’ll use any remaining funds towards festival submissions so we can get as many eyeballs on it as possible.
STRETCH GOAL #3: $14,000
We’ll put it towards better wages for our crew because they deserve it!
We invite you to be a part of our journey! And that can mean a few different things:
DONATE
If any of the above resonates with you, DONATE to this campaign! ANY amount helps, seriously….no, we really mean it!
FOLLOW & SHARE
We know times are tough so if a fiscal donation is not possible, please FOLLOW and SHARE so we can get as many supporters as possible to get this to the finish line!
If we get 500 followers or more on our Seed&Spark campaign, we get to unlock extra rewards that will help us with production and festival submissions.
So FOLLOW us here and on our IG page, @maggies_not_okay_film to get the latest scoop and
SHARE, SHARE, SHARE our campaign!
We couldn't do this without you!
We are immensely grateful for your support and encouragement as we embark on making this hopefully fun and memorable piece of cinema that we can all be proud of.
THANK YOU for joining us on our journey - we can't wait to share "Maggie's Not Okay" with you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals and Craft Service
Costs $600
We will be feeding approximately 15+ people over the course of a 2-day shoot
Locations
Costs $1,000
We have three locations in our script - an office/cubicle area, an open concept kitchen and living room, and a public garage.
Camera and Lighting Equipment Rental
Costs $3,400
We want this to short to look good and we need the right equipment to achieve that.
Crew
Costs $3,000
We need experienced folks to be able to shoot this short efficiently in two days and we want to pay them well given the industry strikes.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Mouzam Makkar
Writer ⚈ Producer ⚈ Actor
Mouzam Makkar is an actor, producer and writer based in Los Angeles. She was last seen recurring as Commander Nouri on Paramount+’s SEAL TEAM and in the series regular role of Jennifer McDuffie on Ava DuVernay’s NAOMI for The CW. Prior to that, Mouzam was a series regular in ABC’s THE FIX, and NBC’s CHAMPIONS. Additional credits include recurring roles in LAW & ORDER: SVU, NCIS, THE EXORCIST, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, and CHICAGO FIRE and guest star roles in AMERICAN HORROR STORY, and BONES, to name a few. On the feature side, she has worked in independent films such as SHE’S IN PORTLAND and FREELANCER’S ANONYMOUS. Her performance in the comedy short THE FIRST SESSION earned her a Best Actress Award at the NBCUniversal Short Cuts Festival. Mouzam is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, the Improv and Sketch Writing programs at The Second City in Chicago, and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.
Vance Smith
Director ⚈ Producer
Vance Smith is a producer, director, and actor living in Los Angeles. He has produced several award winning short films that have screened at festivals around the world including Austin Film Festival, LA Shorts, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Rotterdam Independent Film Festival. Before moving to LA, Vance spent 20 years making theater in Chicago, most notably in his capacity as Artistic Director of Stage Left Theatre, where he worked closely with writers to develop and produce dozens of new works. He has also directed a bunch of plays, including a production of DETROIT by Lisa D'Amour for The Hollywood Fringe Festival earlier this year. Vance is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and Tulane University.
Behzad Dabu
Actor ⚈ Producer
Behzad Dabu is an actor, producer, and writer based out of both Los Angeles and Chicago. He has worked extensively on stage at some of the best theaters in the country, especially in Chicago, and is a proud company member at TimeLine Theatre Company. He originated the role of 'Amit' in "Samsara" at Victory Gardens Theatre, for which he was nominated for a Jeff Award - Best Actor. He also originated the role of 'Abe' in the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated play, "Disgraced" which he performed at American Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Repertory, Seattle Repertory, and the Mark Taper Forum at Center Theatre Group. On screen, you can see him as 'Simon Drake' on Seasons 3 and 4 of HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER on ABC, as 'Amir' on the Showtime series THE CHI, and on Disney’s THE LION GUARD. He also appeared in episodes of THE GOOD PLACE, ALL RISE, CHICAGO P.D., DRIVE SHARE, YOU’RE SO TALENTED, DEALBREAKERS; and in the films WEATHERING, and KING RAT, among others. He is a founding member of The Chicago Inclusion Project, which seeks to level the playing field and provide resources in the arts for people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. He grew up in Syracuse, NY and got his BFA in Acting from Columbia College Chicago.
Clare Cooney
Actor ⚈ Producer ⚈ Editor
Clare Cooney is an LA-based filmmaker and actress. She recently made her feature film directorial debut with the darkly comedic thriller DEPARTING SENIORS, which premiered in August 2023 at FrightFest in London. The film was featured in Variety as one of seven special gala screenings at the inaugural Cannes’ Fantastic Pavilion 2023 and was described as “‘Scream’ for the next generation.” Her award-winning short films RUNNER, PICK UP, and AFTER (A LOVE STORY) have played at festivals across the country, including Academy-Qualifying festivals such as Cleveland International, LA Shorts International, Indy Shorts International, and Atlanta Film Festival, where Cooney received a “Filmmaker to Watch” nod. Acting credits include NBC's CHICAGO MED, CW’s 4400, NBC’s CHICAGO PD, lead roles in numerous independent features, and a supporting role in Steve McQueen’s WIDOWS. Cooney is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and the University of Notre Dame.
Suzaine Aguirre
Director of Photography
Suzaine, aka zaine!, has spent the last decade lending her skills of photography, on set vfx, and live action video to commercial, editorial, fashion, and narrative film projects. Suzaine began her career working as a digital retoucher at Lowry Digital for such films as Titanic, Bambi, and Aliens 2. She then moved to the world of Visual Effects - working with Rhythm & Hues Studios, WETA Digital, and MPC - capturing visual assets on set and in studio for films such as Avatar, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Life of Pi, The Jungle Book, Gemini Man, and Call of the Wild, to name a few. More recently, she has lensed promos, campaigns, and visual motion assets for clients such as A&E, Disney Channel, HBO, Carters, Sephora, Glamour, GQ, and Goop.