Milky
New York City, New York | Film Short
Thriller, Satire
At a glossy sustainability launch, a climate activist becomes the face of a 'cruelty-free' milk brand, until the truth behind the product sends her spiraling. Milky is a dark satire about corporate greenwashing, animal ethics, and the lies we are sold in the name of progress.
Milky
New York City, New York | Film Short
Thriller, Satire
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $16,530 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
126 supporters | followers
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At a glossy sustainability launch, a climate activist becomes the face of a 'cruelty-free' milk brand, until the truth behind the product sends her spiraling. Milky is a dark satire about corporate greenwashing, animal ethics, and the lies we are sold in the name of progress.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Emma, a rising eco-activist joins a milk launch event; only to sense the future of sustainability may be hiding something sinister.
TONAL REFERENCES
COMPS: OKJA, GET OUT, EO, THE MENU
WHY THIS STORY:
This film is a tribute to the animals we don’t let ourselves think about. To the mother cows who scream for their babies. To the pigs who spend their entire lives in crates, treated like products on a shelf. Milky asks a simple question: Why are we horrified by the idea of drinking dog’s milk, but completely fine turning a cow’s into ice cream and butter?
WHY ME:
I’m making this film because I’ve seen the pain of animals up close. I’ve stood outside slaughterhouses at dusk, watching transport trucks roll in, filled with pigs crammed so tightly together they could barely move. Some were bleeding, most trembling, dehydrated, and terrified, because they had only known abuse and betrayal by humans. Alongside other volunteers with LA Animal Save, I offered them water... sometimes they’d accept it because they were so dehydrated, having been crammed in the truck for up to 24 hours in the heat with no water... but often they were too afraid.
I’ve watched videos of mother cows screaming for their young as they were taken from them, all so humans could continue to impregnate them and steal their milk.
Those moments changed me, and I will always carry the look in their eyes with me.
Milky is my way of honoring the animals we’ve learned not to see. It’s a love letter to the ones who never got gentleness, and a challenge to the systems that keep it that way. This isn’t a story about being perfect, but about refusing to look away.
Directors statement:
Storytelling has shaped my life for nearly two decades, and Milky is the project that finally pushed me to step behind the camera. After years acting in film and TV, I fell in love with the process of building a world and using visual language to ask hard questions. Tonally, I want Milky to lure you in with polish and charm, then slowly unravel into something eerie and unsettling, like Get Out, Okja, or The Menu. The horror isn’t just in what’s revealed, but in how familiar it feels. Caity asked a question that stuck with me: “How far do we blindly consume until we question the system?” That question became the heart of this film.
WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION
We will use the funds to pay for an experienced cast and crew, equipment, meals for the team, location fees, post-production, and festival submission costs. We are currently in the fundraising stage and plan to move into official pre-production in mid-September. This campaign will allow us to secure our team, lock locations, and begin production planning in earnest.
Our goal is to submit Milky to film festivals. After the festival run, we will share a public link so everyone, including our donors, can see the finished film.
If we exceed our goal, we would love to increase pay for our cast and crew and add an extra half-day of shooting for pickup shots.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Craft services
Costs $3,000
Help feed our amazing cast and crew for 2.5 days of filming!
Camera and equipment
Costs $3,500
Great gear helps tell great stories. Supporting our equipment needs ensures Milky looks and sounds as sharp as the message it carries.
Post production
Costs $3,500
We need funds for editing, sound, and color...everything that makes Milky feel polished, complete, and ready for audiences.
Cast
Costs $2,000
To tell this story right, we need committed, professional actors. Your help makes that possible.
Insurance and contingency
Costs $2,400
Coverage for gear and a buffer for unexpected costs.
Crew
Costs $6,000
Filmmaking is a team effort. Supporting our crew means supporting the people who light, shoot, record, and shape every frame."
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Mckaley Miller: Director
McKaley Miller is known for her roles in FOX’s ‘Scream Queens’, and Blumhouse’s ‘Ma’, starring opposite Octavia Spencer and directed by Tate Taylor. She gained early recognition in the crime thriller ‘The Iceman’ alongside Winona Ryder, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, and Ray Liotta— an experience that sparked her love for thrillers. Continuing in the horror genre, Miller led the Showtime exclusive ‘You’re Killing Me’ and her recent work includes a recurring role in the upcoming ‘Dexter: Resurrection’.
Miller’s love for the thriller and horror genre has fueled a growing passion for directing within the same space, with ‘Milky’ marking her directorial debut.
Caity Brewer: Writer
Caity Brewer is known for her roles in Alan Ball’s Uncle Frank, appearing alongside Paul Bettany and Margo Martindale, as well as Hallmark’s A Biltmore Christmas, Nicholas Sparks The Choice and CBS’s The Equalizer. A lifelong advocate for animal rights, Caity brings that passion to the screen with Milky/ The film marks her narrative debut as both writer and producer.
Mia Kavensky: Producer
Mia Rose Kavensky is an award-winning producer/writer/actor whose work centers around bold storytelling, social commentary, and underrepresented voices.
Her films have screened at over 20 festivals globally, including the Chelsea Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, and TBUFF, where she was nominated for Best Screenplay.Her most recent project, Sorority Court—a satirical take on mental health and the Greek system—has been well received on the festival circuit and was nominated for Best Cast Ensemble at the Garden State Film Festival.
In addition to her creative work, Mia is deeply committed to producing content that challenges societal norms and opens conversations around shame, gender politics, and emotional health.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Emma, a rising eco-activist joins a milk launch event; only to sense the future of sustainability may be hiding something sinister.
TONAL REFERENCES
COMPS: OKJA, GET OUT, EO, THE MENU
WHY THIS STORY:
This film is a tribute to the animals we don’t let ourselves think about. To the mother cows who scream for their babies. To the pigs who spend their entire lives in crates, treated like products on a shelf. Milky asks a simple question: Why are we horrified by the idea of drinking dog’s milk, but completely fine turning a cow’s into ice cream and butter?
WHY ME:
I’m making this film because I’ve seen the pain of animals up close. I’ve stood outside slaughterhouses at dusk, watching transport trucks roll in, filled with pigs crammed so tightly together they could barely move. Some were bleeding, most trembling, dehydrated, and terrified, because they had only known abuse and betrayal by humans. Alongside other volunteers with LA Animal Save, I offered them water... sometimes they’d accept it because they were so dehydrated, having been crammed in the truck for up to 24 hours in the heat with no water... but often they were too afraid.
I’ve watched videos of mother cows screaming for their young as they were taken from them, all so humans could continue to impregnate them and steal their milk.
Those moments changed me, and I will always carry the look in their eyes with me.
Milky is my way of honoring the animals we’ve learned not to see. It’s a love letter to the ones who never got gentleness, and a challenge to the systems that keep it that way. This isn’t a story about being perfect, but about refusing to look away.
Directors statement:
Storytelling has shaped my life for nearly two decades, and Milky is the project that finally pushed me to step behind the camera. After years acting in film and TV, I fell in love with the process of building a world and using visual language to ask hard questions. Tonally, I want Milky to lure you in with polish and charm, then slowly unravel into something eerie and unsettling, like Get Out, Okja, or The Menu. The horror isn’t just in what’s revealed, but in how familiar it feels. Caity asked a question that stuck with me: “How far do we blindly consume until we question the system?” That question became the heart of this film.
WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION
We will use the funds to pay for an experienced cast and crew, equipment, meals for the team, location fees, post-production, and festival submission costs. We are currently in the fundraising stage and plan to move into official pre-production in mid-September. This campaign will allow us to secure our team, lock locations, and begin production planning in earnest.
Our goal is to submit Milky to film festivals. After the festival run, we will share a public link so everyone, including our donors, can see the finished film.
If we exceed our goal, we would love to increase pay for our cast and crew and add an extra half-day of shooting for pickup shots.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Craft services
Costs $3,000
Help feed our amazing cast and crew for 2.5 days of filming!
Camera and equipment
Costs $3,500
Great gear helps tell great stories. Supporting our equipment needs ensures Milky looks and sounds as sharp as the message it carries.
Post production
Costs $3,500
We need funds for editing, sound, and color...everything that makes Milky feel polished, complete, and ready for audiences.
Cast
Costs $2,000
To tell this story right, we need committed, professional actors. Your help makes that possible.
Insurance and contingency
Costs $2,400
Coverage for gear and a buffer for unexpected costs.
Crew
Costs $6,000
Filmmaking is a team effort. Supporting our crew means supporting the people who light, shoot, record, and shape every frame."
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Mckaley Miller: Director
McKaley Miller is known for her roles in FOX’s ‘Scream Queens’, and Blumhouse’s ‘Ma’, starring opposite Octavia Spencer and directed by Tate Taylor. She gained early recognition in the crime thriller ‘The Iceman’ alongside Winona Ryder, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, and Ray Liotta— an experience that sparked her love for thrillers. Continuing in the horror genre, Miller led the Showtime exclusive ‘You’re Killing Me’ and her recent work includes a recurring role in the upcoming ‘Dexter: Resurrection’.
Miller’s love for the thriller and horror genre has fueled a growing passion for directing within the same space, with ‘Milky’ marking her directorial debut.
Caity Brewer: Writer
Caity Brewer is known for her roles in Alan Ball’s Uncle Frank, appearing alongside Paul Bettany and Margo Martindale, as well as Hallmark’s A Biltmore Christmas, Nicholas Sparks The Choice and CBS’s The Equalizer. A lifelong advocate for animal rights, Caity brings that passion to the screen with Milky/ The film marks her narrative debut as both writer and producer.
Mia Kavensky: Producer
Mia Rose Kavensky is an award-winning producer/writer/actor whose work centers around bold storytelling, social commentary, and underrepresented voices.
Her films have screened at over 20 festivals globally, including the Chelsea Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, and TBUFF, where she was nominated for Best Screenplay.Her most recent project, Sorority Court—a satirical take on mental health and the Greek system—has been well received on the festival circuit and was nominated for Best Cast Ensemble at the Garden State Film Festival.
In addition to her creative work, Mia is deeply committed to producing content that challenges societal norms and opens conversations around shame, gender politics, and emotional health.