Maybe This Is Milo
Hamden, Connecticut | Film Short
Horror, Sci-Fi
Two teenage boys from small-town Vermont navigate their friendship all while witnessing the first signs of an all-out alien invasion; exploring familial dynamics, grief, and the struggle of being perceived as "different" in a close-knit community that condemns the queer and estranged.
Maybe This Is Milo
Hamden, Connecticut | Film Short
Horror, Sci-Fi
1 Campaigns | Connecticut, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $13,750 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
143 supporters | followers
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Two teenage boys from small-town Vermont navigate their friendship all while witnessing the first signs of an all-out alien invasion; exploring familial dynamics, grief, and the struggle of being perceived as "different" in a close-knit community that condemns the queer and estranged.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Maybe This Is Milo follows two teenage boys from small-town Vermont navigating their friendship all while witnessing the first signs of an all out alien invasion. Milo has been collecting evidence of the invasion ever since his dad died. Milo’s mom, Henrietta, can feel Milo pulling away from her, and believes Garrett to be the reason. Garrett, Milo’s best friend, has been business as usual, dodging weird looks and ignoring the fact that the way he feels towards Milo might not be platonic. Only Milo has noticed how recently people around town seem to look at you differently, like they’re looking through instead of at you. It’s up to him to figure out how to convince Garrett that aliens are real and they’re about to take over before it’s too late.
I've been working on Maybe This Is Milo (MTIM) for the past four years. It started off as an written-out audio transcript that was written my senior year of high school and has since evolved into a story about transformation and trust. It's become integral to my journey through college and early adulthood as I reflect on my time spent in Vermont. Growing up queer in an environment that shunned outsiders was incredibly isolating. I wanted to bring light to the reality of life here. What it's actually like to grow up estranged, neurodivergent, queer, trans, or of color in a town where the population doesn't reach the thousands. Henrietta outwardly rejects Garrett and makes him rethink his place in the town's community and as Milo's friend. Simultaneously, Henrietta inhabits our hesitation towards the unfamiliar and our resistance to change. I see film as an avenue to change this narrative of "not understanding" people. When you see yourself reflected on screen, you're empowered to live your life authentically regardless of the environment you're surrounded by. And it can also act as a starting place for those who don't know how to open themselves up to that which they do not understand, bringing around a new wave of empathy and understanding. I've been so fortunate to be able to pour so much time and care into this script. I can't wait to bring it to life and create something truly one of a kind.
- Finn Meyer
Touch-Tone Telephone - Lemon Demon
- Touch-Tone Telephone by Lemon Demon has been one of my favorite songs for years. It inspired the original story of a teenage conspiracy-theorist obsessed with figuring out the truth behind the mysterious disappearances occurring throughout his unsuspecting hometown. Music is such an important influence for the direction and feel of a film, it helps shape the tone, texture, and emotions that the film explores!
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Philip Kaufman inspired the style of invasion that occurs in MTIM. The idea that the body could become a vessel for an extraterrestrial being seeking to take over the planet was so fascinating to me. There's something about feeling uncomfortable in one's skin that's inherently trans. I used this to invoke a feeling of something crawling under your skin, as though the once place you could always call home was no longer yours alone.
Seasons 1 & 2 of Stranger Things
- Stranger Things by the Duffer Brothers is one of my all-time favorite pieces of media. I feel that the first two seasons of Stranger Things embody a naivety that MTIM shares. An outlook on a world that only comes with being young. Stranger Things has done an incredible job of capturing the essence of childhood and making it digestible for all audiences, not just people who grew up in the 80's, and that's something I intend to capture in MTIM, bringing viewers back to a memory from years ago that they had presumed long forgotten.
Gretel - Snarky Puppy & Metrople Orchestra
- Gretel by Snarky Puppy & Metrople Orchestra has been in the back of my mind for this film since I started rewriting this summer. The way the final buildup of the song comes crashing down has been an emotion I've wanted to translate to film for years. I want people to be watching the film and their stomach to drop like it does when you're riding a roller coaster. Whenever I would work on the final act of this film, this is what I would listen to and channel while I wrote. Figuring out how to translate a feeling from a song with no words to something that's tangible is no easy task. It's taken me the past few months and lots of help of the team to help accurately convey this feeling, and I can't wait to bring it fully to life in the next few months!!
MTIM was written over the course of the past four years, with the past six months being focused on making it something that could be realistically produced as a short film. In early September 2025 the group formed and pre-production began. Whilst we're fundraising, we will be confirming locations and actors, gathering props and costumes, and extensively planning for filming during the second week of February 2026. Post-production will begin shortly after filming, with our projected completion date falling in early May 2026. The film will be professionally mixed, scored, and color graded to ensure the most stunning result for our Capstone Showcase and prospective festival run thereafter!
- PLEDGE - Anything helps and is greatly appreciated!
- SHARE - Share our campaign amongst family and friends, anyone who might be interested in our story!
- STAY CONNECTED - Make sure to follow us on our socials to stay in the loop regarding production updates!
- IG: @maybethisismilo
- FB: @maybethisismilo
- YT: @MaybeThisIsMilo
- TT: @MaybethisisMilo
We appreciate any and all support you are able to contribute, we can't wait to bring this story to life with your help!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $2,000
We need a strong set of locations to evoke the tone and atmosphere that our small mountain town needs.
Casting
Costs $2,000
We need a strong trio of actors to bring the characters of Milo, Garrett, and Henrietta to life!
Production Design
Costs $1,000
To make this town truly feel lived in and real, we need some top notch set decoration and props.
Festivals
Costs $500
We want to do a festival run when this film is completed, so that as many people can see our film as possible!
Catering
Costs $750
We need to feed our cast and crew if we want to be working to the best of our ability!
Travel/Lodging
Costs $750
Our cast and crew will need to be able to get to and from Vermont, plus we'll need places to stay!
Wardrobe
Costs $500
We want to our characters to have outfits that best fit their personality, and it will help us further develop this world visually!
Editing and Sound
Costs $500
We need the best possible sound equipment and mixing and most polished editing processes to make sure the world we create feels truly real.
Insurance/Collateral
Costs $1,000
We need some cushion in the face of any unforeseen issues that may occur during filming.
Camera and Lighting
Costs $6,000
To bring our world to life we'll need the best camera and lighting equipment! Things like - FX3, Lenses, Extension cords, Tripods, SD cards!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Co-Director and Writer
Finn Meyer (they/them) is from Chester, Vermont and is a senior in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. They've always been telling stories, and fell in love with the medium of film their senior year of high school. They've been working on this story for the past four years and are so excited to finally bring it to life with a crew that cares about it just as much as they do!
Co-Director
Jack Igoe (they/them) from Norwood, Massachusetts is a senior (3+1) in the BA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. Growing up, they always had a fascination with the arts, but they especially gravitated towards film. The way stories would play out through the medium of film and the aesthetics of them always made Jack feel something so much deeper than any other mediums and they knew it was the career they wanted to pursue. They're super excited to be Co-Directing this project with Finn who crafted a story that they connected with emotionally. They're so excited to bring the vision to life!
Director of Photography
Emma Yoder (she/her) from Ashburnham, Massachussetts is a senior in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. Filmmaking is something she fell in love with at a young age and have continued to be passionate about. She found her passion for storytelling through a camera and she is so excited to visually bring this story to life while working with such a talented and fun crew!!
Assistant Director
Jacob Leighton (he/him) from North Attleboro, Massachussetts and is a senior (3+1) in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. He's always been passionate about making things and being creative. When he got to college, he fell in love with the world of film and started his journey to become a professional filmmaker and storyteller. Today, he continues his path with this new project alongside a wonderful creative team and hopefully some wonderful supporters!
Production Designer/Editor
Dawn Nuttall (she/her) from Salt Lake City, Utah is a senior in the BA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. As a kid, she was always making short films and recording things on her parents' video camera. Her love for filmmaking continued into high school and now into university, where she's so excited to edit and design the world of this story she's fallen in love with. She looks forward to what's to come with this amazing team of talented people!
Sound Design/Assistant Editor
Zoe Matzelle (she/her) from Long Island, New York is a senior (3+1) in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. She's the sound designer for our film! She's been interested in world of movies for as long as she can remember. Ever since she could hold a camera she would make her own music videos. She's eager to step out of her comfort zone and explore this new genre with such an incredibly captivating story. She's so excited to work with everyone to create the sound of the film, and collaborate with such a creative team!
Gaffer
Jaelyn Dotson (she/her) is a senior (3+1) in the BA Film, Television, and Media Arts and Graphic and Interactive Design programs. Ever since she can remember, she's been drawn to anything visually striking and loves bringing that to life in different ways. She's super excited to work with this amazing team to help shape this unique and vivid world, while learning and growing along the way!
Producer
Dahlia Weinstein (she/her) from Westchester, New York is a senior in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. Growing up around the film and television industry and working on various productions has helped her discover her true passion for producing. She's excited to bring her skills in budgeting and logistical management to this project and contribute to its success.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Maybe This Is Milo follows two teenage boys from small-town Vermont navigating their friendship all while witnessing the first signs of an all out alien invasion. Milo has been collecting evidence of the invasion ever since his dad died. Milo’s mom, Henrietta, can feel Milo pulling away from her, and believes Garrett to be the reason. Garrett, Milo’s best friend, has been business as usual, dodging weird looks and ignoring the fact that the way he feels towards Milo might not be platonic. Only Milo has noticed how recently people around town seem to look at you differently, like they’re looking through instead of at you. It’s up to him to figure out how to convince Garrett that aliens are real and they’re about to take over before it’s too late.
I've been working on Maybe This Is Milo (MTIM) for the past four years. It started off as an written-out audio transcript that was written my senior year of high school and has since evolved into a story about transformation and trust. It's become integral to my journey through college and early adulthood as I reflect on my time spent in Vermont. Growing up queer in an environment that shunned outsiders was incredibly isolating. I wanted to bring light to the reality of life here. What it's actually like to grow up estranged, neurodivergent, queer, trans, or of color in a town where the population doesn't reach the thousands. Henrietta outwardly rejects Garrett and makes him rethink his place in the town's community and as Milo's friend. Simultaneously, Henrietta inhabits our hesitation towards the unfamiliar and our resistance to change. I see film as an avenue to change this narrative of "not understanding" people. When you see yourself reflected on screen, you're empowered to live your life authentically regardless of the environment you're surrounded by. And it can also act as a starting place for those who don't know how to open themselves up to that which they do not understand, bringing around a new wave of empathy and understanding. I've been so fortunate to be able to pour so much time and care into this script. I can't wait to bring it to life and create something truly one of a kind.
- Finn Meyer
Touch-Tone Telephone - Lemon Demon
- Touch-Tone Telephone by Lemon Demon has been one of my favorite songs for years. It inspired the original story of a teenage conspiracy-theorist obsessed with figuring out the truth behind the mysterious disappearances occurring throughout his unsuspecting hometown. Music is such an important influence for the direction and feel of a film, it helps shape the tone, texture, and emotions that the film explores!
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Philip Kaufman inspired the style of invasion that occurs in MTIM. The idea that the body could become a vessel for an extraterrestrial being seeking to take over the planet was so fascinating to me. There's something about feeling uncomfortable in one's skin that's inherently trans. I used this to invoke a feeling of something crawling under your skin, as though the once place you could always call home was no longer yours alone.
Seasons 1 & 2 of Stranger Things
- Stranger Things by the Duffer Brothers is one of my all-time favorite pieces of media. I feel that the first two seasons of Stranger Things embody a naivety that MTIM shares. An outlook on a world that only comes with being young. Stranger Things has done an incredible job of capturing the essence of childhood and making it digestible for all audiences, not just people who grew up in the 80's, and that's something I intend to capture in MTIM, bringing viewers back to a memory from years ago that they had presumed long forgotten.
Gretel - Snarky Puppy & Metrople Orchestra
- Gretel by Snarky Puppy & Metrople Orchestra has been in the back of my mind for this film since I started rewriting this summer. The way the final buildup of the song comes crashing down has been an emotion I've wanted to translate to film for years. I want people to be watching the film and their stomach to drop like it does when you're riding a roller coaster. Whenever I would work on the final act of this film, this is what I would listen to and channel while I wrote. Figuring out how to translate a feeling from a song with no words to something that's tangible is no easy task. It's taken me the past few months and lots of help of the team to help accurately convey this feeling, and I can't wait to bring it fully to life in the next few months!!
MTIM was written over the course of the past four years, with the past six months being focused on making it something that could be realistically produced as a short film. In early September 2025 the group formed and pre-production began. Whilst we're fundraising, we will be confirming locations and actors, gathering props and costumes, and extensively planning for filming during the second week of February 2026. Post-production will begin shortly after filming, with our projected completion date falling in early May 2026. The film will be professionally mixed, scored, and color graded to ensure the most stunning result for our Capstone Showcase and prospective festival run thereafter!
- PLEDGE - Anything helps and is greatly appreciated!
- SHARE - Share our campaign amongst family and friends, anyone who might be interested in our story!
- STAY CONNECTED - Make sure to follow us on our socials to stay in the loop regarding production updates!
- IG: @maybethisismilo
- FB: @maybethisismilo
- YT: @MaybeThisIsMilo
- TT: @MaybethisisMilo
We appreciate any and all support you are able to contribute, we can't wait to bring this story to life with your help!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $2,000
We need a strong set of locations to evoke the tone and atmosphere that our small mountain town needs.
Casting
Costs $2,000
We need a strong trio of actors to bring the characters of Milo, Garrett, and Henrietta to life!
Production Design
Costs $1,000
To make this town truly feel lived in and real, we need some top notch set decoration and props.
Festivals
Costs $500
We want to do a festival run when this film is completed, so that as many people can see our film as possible!
Catering
Costs $750
We need to feed our cast and crew if we want to be working to the best of our ability!
Travel/Lodging
Costs $750
Our cast and crew will need to be able to get to and from Vermont, plus we'll need places to stay!
Wardrobe
Costs $500
We want to our characters to have outfits that best fit their personality, and it will help us further develop this world visually!
Editing and Sound
Costs $500
We need the best possible sound equipment and mixing and most polished editing processes to make sure the world we create feels truly real.
Insurance/Collateral
Costs $1,000
We need some cushion in the face of any unforeseen issues that may occur during filming.
Camera and Lighting
Costs $6,000
To bring our world to life we'll need the best camera and lighting equipment! Things like - FX3, Lenses, Extension cords, Tripods, SD cards!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Co-Director and Writer
Finn Meyer (they/them) is from Chester, Vermont and is a senior in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. They've always been telling stories, and fell in love with the medium of film their senior year of high school. They've been working on this story for the past four years and are so excited to finally bring it to life with a crew that cares about it just as much as they do!
Co-Director
Jack Igoe (they/them) from Norwood, Massachusetts is a senior (3+1) in the BA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. Growing up, they always had a fascination with the arts, but they especially gravitated towards film. The way stories would play out through the medium of film and the aesthetics of them always made Jack feel something so much deeper than any other mediums and they knew it was the career they wanted to pursue. They're super excited to be Co-Directing this project with Finn who crafted a story that they connected with emotionally. They're so excited to bring the vision to life!
Director of Photography
Emma Yoder (she/her) from Ashburnham, Massachussetts is a senior in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. Filmmaking is something she fell in love with at a young age and have continued to be passionate about. She found her passion for storytelling through a camera and she is so excited to visually bring this story to life while working with such a talented and fun crew!!
Assistant Director
Jacob Leighton (he/him) from North Attleboro, Massachussetts and is a senior (3+1) in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. He's always been passionate about making things and being creative. When he got to college, he fell in love with the world of film and started his journey to become a professional filmmaker and storyteller. Today, he continues his path with this new project alongside a wonderful creative team and hopefully some wonderful supporters!
Production Designer/Editor
Dawn Nuttall (she/her) from Salt Lake City, Utah is a senior in the BA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. As a kid, she was always making short films and recording things on her parents' video camera. Her love for filmmaking continued into high school and now into university, where she's so excited to edit and design the world of this story she's fallen in love with. She looks forward to what's to come with this amazing team of talented people!
Sound Design/Assistant Editor
Zoe Matzelle (she/her) from Long Island, New York is a senior (3+1) in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. She's the sound designer for our film! She's been interested in world of movies for as long as she can remember. Ever since she could hold a camera she would make her own music videos. She's eager to step out of her comfort zone and explore this new genre with such an incredibly captivating story. She's so excited to work with everyone to create the sound of the film, and collaborate with such a creative team!
Gaffer
Jaelyn Dotson (she/her) is a senior (3+1) in the BA Film, Television, and Media Arts and Graphic and Interactive Design programs. Ever since she can remember, she's been drawn to anything visually striking and loves bringing that to life in different ways. She's super excited to work with this amazing team to help shape this unique and vivid world, while learning and growing along the way!
Producer
Dahlia Weinstein (she/her) from Westchester, New York is a senior in the BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts program. Growing up around the film and television industry and working on various productions has helped her discover her true passion for producing. She's excited to bring her skills in budgeting and logistical management to this project and contribute to its success.