middling
Toronto, Canada | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, Drama
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY pondered whether men and women can really be friends; our team has decided probably not, but why should that stop them from hanging out anyway? MIDDLING is an almost-rom-com about two friends who, despite their reservations and opposing views, keep meeting up at various diners.
middling
Toronto, Canada | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, Drama
79 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
C$8,039
Goal: C$7,500 for production
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY pondered whether men and women can really be friends; our team has decided probably not, but why should that stop them from hanging out anyway? MIDDLING is an almost-rom-com about two friends who, despite their reservations and opposing views, keep meeting up at various diners.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"Why this story? Why these characters? Why now? All good questions. In a world obsessed with labels and identity politics, where all of us must define our relationships accordingly on the spectrum between situationships and”ethical” (jury’s still out) non-monogamy, there are few stories out there that speak to the in-between. MIDDLING explores a connection that defies categorization and traditional representations of 'platonic' friendship–instead of the black and white 'will they/won’t they,' it offers the space, time, and patience required for real understanding to unfold–outside the confines of ownership and sexual desire.
TLDR: Why this story? Because we’ve given a lot of airtime to cosmic beginnings and dramatic endings. Because I think the middle matters." - Naomi Eidinger (Writer/Director)
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MOTIFS: Relationship Dynamics, Intimacy, Memory, Identity, Performativity, Female Gaze
LOGLINE: Through a series of vignettes, two class (and soul) mates unravel across time, space, and mediocre french fries. Inspired by a true friendship.
AESTHETICS: The cinematography is reflective of our story -- real, gritty, playful. A loose handheld camera follows our characters in the midst of their emotional discoveries. Inspired by cinema verité, the camera is just as another patron at the diner. Our visual approach, like the relationship it renders, is not intrusive but revelatory.
Our tender film pulls narrative and visual influences from 500 DAYS OF SUMMER (2009), WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989), WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (2021), LIKE CRAZY (2011), and BEFORE SUNRISE (1995).
While festival programming is a complex algorithm, our research shows that the average acceptance rate for quality films is around 13%. With a recent track record of festival success, we're optimistic that we'll comfortably surpass this and be programmed from our roster of 60 targeted festivals, mathematically making it a success.
Some festivals that we have personal relationships with from past screenings or that we're aiming to target based on themes or identity are (in no particular order): Toronto International Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Cinema Femme Short-Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival, New Faces New Voices, New/Next Film Festival, Ouray International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, The Future of Film is Female, Canadian Film Fest, Montréal Shorts, Austin Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Nantucket Film Festival.
Imagine the timeline of (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, the documentary-like cinematography of LIKE CRAZY, the intimate character performances of THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, and cutting, Ephronian-esque dialogue harmoniously converge into one 17-minute short. Thems lofty goals. Especially since the last few years have been a difficult year for a lot of industries. Film specifically has taken a big hit as productions (including this one!), so we’ve pivoted, adapted, and evolved this production to be safe & welcoming for all people who are contributing. With our additional development time, our team has gotten crafty with additional prep, safety training, and budgeting, which has led us to the following breakdown...
A lot of our creative team and above-the-line talent have waived their fees or are taking a scale stipend to allow more funding to go to crew wages, safety protocols, and the overall quality of the project and experience! At this time, $7,500 will allow for principal photography and cover the bulk of our post-production costs for our Canadian cast and crew of predominantly women.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Dream Locations
Costs C$2,000
Shooting in Toronto ain't cheap--shooting in real diners is essential to the look and authenticity of our film, and YOU can make it happen!
Film Festival Submissions
Costs C$500
This is where our film will be seen and could potentially help with distribution.
Crafty
Costs C$1,000
Help nourish the bellies of our hardworking and wickedly talented cast & crew!
Camera & Equipment
Costs C$2,000
Lights, camera, action? More like lights, more lights, different lights, camera, camera lens, other camera lens, monitor........action
Cast & Crew
Costs C$2,000
Your support allows us to compensate our brilliant, generous, hardworking cast and crew for their talent, time, and star power.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
NAOMI EIDINGER - WRITER/DIRECTOR/PERFORMER
Toronto-based writer, director, and performer Naomi Eidinger was cursed by a witch on the day she was born and has been "wretchedly introspective" ever since. In her work, Naomi mines her own experiences of intimacy, memory, and identity in an earnest attempt to pinpoint why the hell we're here. After MIDDLING's 4-year gestation period, she's trembling and ecstatic to finally collectively birth it (ew).
MADELINE DECORSO - PRODUCER
Madeline is a Toronto-based producer and multi-disciplinary performer. She has a passion for telling women’s stories, with her previous works focusing on women’s health. She was drawn to this project immediately. MIDDLING is the slice-of-life, heart-filled, hilarious, and touching film that she wants to make. Madeline produces through the lens of an actor, leading with creativity and inclusiveness, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring MIDDLING to life.
HALEY WISEMAN - PRODUCER
Haley Wiseman is a Toronto-based creative producer with credits on series and films for Tubi, Paramount+, Syfy, Bell, and Hulu. She began her production career in commercials before moving into television and film at Blue Ice Pictures. Though much of her work has been in genre television, Haley is thrilled to bring her production expertise to MIDDING, a slice-of-life romantic dramedy that perfectly embodies her own favourite movies.
TEXAS SMITH - PRODUCER
Texas Smith grew up in a town without a movie theater. Now, Texas is a sometimes Chicago-based, Arkansas filmmaker, a DePaul MFA candidate whose films have screened across the US – including Academy-Award Qualifying festivals like Seattle International Film Festival, Chicago International, Doc NYC – and on trendsetting music publications like Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan, and more. In 2023, they were invited by the Baltic Analog Lab to participate in their 2023 cohort and to attend the Telluride Student Symposium. More recently, they received an IAP Grant from DCASE Chicago and a True/False Confluence Fellowship. Texas' passion for DIY filmmaking and supporting artists with singular yet unpretentious visions drew him to MIDDLING immediately.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"Why this story? Why these characters? Why now? All good questions. In a world obsessed with labels and identity politics, where all of us must define our relationships accordingly on the spectrum between situationships and”ethical” (jury’s still out) non-monogamy, there are few stories out there that speak to the in-between. MIDDLING explores a connection that defies categorization and traditional representations of 'platonic' friendship–instead of the black and white 'will they/won’t they,' it offers the space, time, and patience required for real understanding to unfold–outside the confines of ownership and sexual desire.
TLDR: Why this story? Because we’ve given a lot of airtime to cosmic beginnings and dramatic endings. Because I think the middle matters." - Naomi Eidinger (Writer/Director)
MOTIFS: Relationship Dynamics, Intimacy, Memory, Identity, Performativity, Female Gaze
LOGLINE: Through a series of vignettes, two class (and soul) mates unravel across time, space, and mediocre french fries. Inspired by a true friendship.
AESTHETICS: The cinematography is reflective of our story -- real, gritty, playful. A loose handheld camera follows our characters in the midst of their emotional discoveries. Inspired by cinema verité, the camera is just as another patron at the diner. Our visual approach, like the relationship it renders, is not intrusive but revelatory.
Our tender film pulls narrative and visual influences from 500 DAYS OF SUMMER (2009), WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989), WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (2021), LIKE CRAZY (2011), and BEFORE SUNRISE (1995).
While festival programming is a complex algorithm, our research shows that the average acceptance rate for quality films is around 13%. With a recent track record of festival success, we're optimistic that we'll comfortably surpass this and be programmed from our roster of 60 targeted festivals, mathematically making it a success.
Some festivals that we have personal relationships with from past screenings or that we're aiming to target based on themes or identity are (in no particular order): Toronto International Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Cinema Femme Short-Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival, New Faces New Voices, New/Next Film Festival, Ouray International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, The Future of Film is Female, Canadian Film Fest, Montréal Shorts, Austin Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Nantucket Film Festival.
Imagine the timeline of (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, the documentary-like cinematography of LIKE CRAZY, the intimate character performances of THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, and cutting, Ephronian-esque dialogue harmoniously converge into one 17-minute short. Thems lofty goals. Especially since the last few years have been a difficult year for a lot of industries. Film specifically has taken a big hit as productions (including this one!), so we’ve pivoted, adapted, and evolved this production to be safe & welcoming for all people who are contributing. With our additional development time, our team has gotten crafty with additional prep, safety training, and budgeting, which has led us to the following breakdown...
A lot of our creative team and above-the-line talent have waived their fees or are taking a scale stipend to allow more funding to go to crew wages, safety protocols, and the overall quality of the project and experience! At this time, $7,500 will allow for principal photography and cover the bulk of our post-production costs for our Canadian cast and crew of predominantly women.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Dream Locations
Costs C$2,000
Shooting in Toronto ain't cheap--shooting in real diners is essential to the look and authenticity of our film, and YOU can make it happen!
Film Festival Submissions
Costs C$500
This is where our film will be seen and could potentially help with distribution.
Crafty
Costs C$1,000
Help nourish the bellies of our hardworking and wickedly talented cast & crew!
Camera & Equipment
Costs C$2,000
Lights, camera, action? More like lights, more lights, different lights, camera, camera lens, other camera lens, monitor........action
Cast & Crew
Costs C$2,000
Your support allows us to compensate our brilliant, generous, hardworking cast and crew for their talent, time, and star power.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
NAOMI EIDINGER - WRITER/DIRECTOR/PERFORMER
Toronto-based writer, director, and performer Naomi Eidinger was cursed by a witch on the day she was born and has been "wretchedly introspective" ever since. In her work, Naomi mines her own experiences of intimacy, memory, and identity in an earnest attempt to pinpoint why the hell we're here. After MIDDLING's 4-year gestation period, she's trembling and ecstatic to finally collectively birth it (ew).
MADELINE DECORSO - PRODUCER
Madeline is a Toronto-based producer and multi-disciplinary performer. She has a passion for telling women’s stories, with her previous works focusing on women’s health. She was drawn to this project immediately. MIDDLING is the slice-of-life, heart-filled, hilarious, and touching film that she wants to make. Madeline produces through the lens of an actor, leading with creativity and inclusiveness, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring MIDDLING to life.
HALEY WISEMAN - PRODUCER
Haley Wiseman is a Toronto-based creative producer with credits on series and films for Tubi, Paramount+, Syfy, Bell, and Hulu. She began her production career in commercials before moving into television and film at Blue Ice Pictures. Though much of her work has been in genre television, Haley is thrilled to bring her production expertise to MIDDING, a slice-of-life romantic dramedy that perfectly embodies her own favourite movies.
TEXAS SMITH - PRODUCER
Texas Smith grew up in a town without a movie theater. Now, Texas is a sometimes Chicago-based, Arkansas filmmaker, a DePaul MFA candidate whose films have screened across the US – including Academy-Award Qualifying festivals like Seattle International Film Festival, Chicago International, Doc NYC – and on trendsetting music publications like Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan, and more. In 2023, they were invited by the Baltic Analog Lab to participate in their 2023 cohort and to attend the Telluride Student Symposium. More recently, they received an IAP Grant from DCASE Chicago and a True/False Confluence Fellowship. Texas' passion for DIY filmmaking and supporting artists with singular yet unpretentious visions drew him to MIDDLING immediately.