Mirrors
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Drama
We are raising money to fund production and post-production of our new short film. Click the link to contribute and help us make our film possible!
Mirrors
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,102 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
91 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
We are raising money to fund production and post-production of our new short film. Click the link to contribute and help us make our film possible!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Mirrors explores the memories of an aspiring dancer named Crimson. Struggling to identify her own creative initiative in a sea of projected desires and desired projections, each of these memories represent unbearable conflicts within the dancer. The pain of suppressing her feelings comes to a pivotal breaking point moments into the opening of a major dance performance, when Crimson spirals out of reality and into her traumatic past. Through her eyes, the past and present blur as we encounter a scrutinizing audience, an unsupportive lover, and a nightclub full of strangers. This film dives into the terrifying frontier between the artist and the artist's endeavor. It wishes to confront fear with the intention of emerging alive, active, and powerful.
Because this is a short dance drama, the narrative relies heavily on the force of the character's physical actions through movement. This allows the audience to engage with greater intimacy those questions that might be answered more easily in symbols than words.
- What happens when we truly advocate for ourselves?
- What happens when we choose to embrace our inner critic?
- What ideas must be released?
- What effort must be shed?
A Personal Note from Director/Creator, Mary Marxen:
I've gone through my rendition of recovery and am still healing from a lifetime of negative thought and self-deprecation. I became extremely out of body when I was a teenager.
My parents encouraged play growing up. They loved us being children and I had major guilt around developing into a woman. I wanted to stop growing up in order to please them, so instead of dealing with those feelings, I resented them and abandoned my home. I became a heavy drinker at around fourteen years old, considered friends' houses more of my home than my own, and started seeking validation from detrimental men. All that drinking affected my physical development, and I had a lot of shame wrapped around my actions. In turn, I lost the ability to feel my own body. Literally. I am currently being examined to determine whether or not I suffer from a condition known as depersonalization. The only way I can describe the way it feels is that I can't feel when I touch my own hands to my skin.
The disconnected feeling I have with my own physical experience of the world has never gone away, but I have long decided to live well regardless. I share all of this because it is the deepest origin of my art. Mirrors is a manifestation of my working through recovery. It is about the endurance, courage, healthy living, and the strength it has taken me to go on that journey.
This film is here for others who desire to overcome major obstacles in their lives. It speaks to those who have struggled with addiction, suffer from severe self-deprecation in all the ways it bears its teeth, and/or have been affected by an abusive relationship/s. Mirrors will speak to subjects that are difficult to talk about, or even recognize at times. It encourages viewers to make peace with whatever reality they are living in, refrain from any more harsh self-critique, and to no longer play victim to a history that is seemingly impossible to overcome. And better yet, I hope this film encourages people to heal their lives through art, therapy, and self-expression. And to not try and please others with their work.
As Told From Director and Co-Writer, Mary Marxen
Portrait of Jacques Lacan, by Mary Marxen
This film originated from a years-worth of freeform prose poems I wrote. Each piece loosely revolves around the theme of navigating the gaze of others and the alienating inability to give a full account of the self. The poems are inspired both by painful experiences in my own life and the ideas behind French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan's "Mirror Stage" concept.
I remembered how significant it felt when I was first exposed to Lacan's "Mirror Stage." His work changed my entire disposition as I began grappling with the idea that it is only through the eyes of others that I can be seen as a whole. And when faced with my own image, I am found wanting a perfect rendition of what I cannot be. This inspired me to start writing. Many poems later, I shared my work with writer/director/actor, Ian Boisvert, and we decided to adapt them into a screenplay. This is the foundation of Mirrors - a story told through dance.
One of the reasons I love dancing as a medium of expressing this story is that the dancer's body is one which has been historically fetishized. Our intent is to examine the disconnect that humans have with their own physical being. Dance, which relies on the body as its instrument, captures, in essence, the struggle between the self as a subject and the self as an object.
Lacan's "Mirror Stage" concept inspires the vantage point through which we examine the film. In turn, our aim is to reflect the gaze back onto the viewer, begging the question, "Who am I living for?" and therefore taking the first step towards true autonomy.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $1,000
We found great places including property near Mount Diablo, a living room, a club, and a theater.
Crew
Costs $4,000
We have a very talented crew we want to pay well in order to produce utmost high quality film.
Talent
Costs $3,000
Our Talent is so talented!!
Costume
Costs $700
There will be needed costumes for each scene.
Equipment
Costs $2,200
We are using: Canon C100 MkII Canon & Sigma Pro Lenses Phantom IV Drone & need to rent more!
Marketing/Distribution
Costs $1,000
Getting the film out there costs. We also will be submitting our final products to festivals.
Craft Services
Costs $800
We need to feed and transport our team
Added Expenses
Costs $300
Covers any added expenses
Editing/Post Production
Costs $2,000
We will not only be editing our picture, we will be sound editing, and color correcting.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meredith Webster, Dancer. Meredith became the Ballet Master at Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco after dancing as a member of the company for nine seasons. She is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award. She recently wrapped a duet project entitled Empress Archer, which she co-directed and performed with Ariel Freedman, produced by The Cambrians of Chicago. Previous work includes Spectrum Dance Theater, Ledoh/SaltFarm, Maureen Whiting Dance, and Prism Dance Theatre. Meredith holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Washington. She has taught dance around the world and contributed as a writer to Pointe, Dance Spirit, and Conversations' publications.
Ward Sorrick, Producer. After 5-plus years of experience in the film and video production industry, Ward continues to bring unbridled enthusiasm, professionalism, and leadership to every project. His background in engineering, sales and management distinguish him as a producer with meticulous attention-to-detail, effective communication, and reliable execution. In his journey to become the best producer he can be, Ward has also explored both acting and directing. He studied the Meisner technique at the Waterfront Playhouse, comedy improv at The Groundlings, and scene study at Lesly Kahn & Company. Ward hopes to continue working with ambitious, visionary filmmakers who are keeping pace with the evolving landscape of storytelling.
Genesis Diaz, Co-Producer and Assistant Director. With a passion for storytelling Genesis depicts themes of connection, adventure, culture, and discovery. After studying at UCLA film school, where her natural leadership and love of film came together with technical skills and professional coaching, Genesis moved to Los Angeles and began her journey as a filmmaker and creative in this dynamic industry. In all of her work, there is a commitment to a dream-like aesthetic and a social awareness that connects the conscious with the subconscious, the inner emotional world with the outer human experience.
Ian Boisvert, Co-writer. Ian Boisvert is an actor, writer, and director who works in Europe and the US. His films have screened at Cannes Court Métrage, Raindance Film Festival and prestigious festivals in Paris, LA, NYC and Berlin. He is currently filming in Europe.
Mary Marxen, Writer/Director. After a spiritual experience at a Hindu Ashram five years ago, Mary put her painting and drawing career on hold and follow her passion for acting. After graduating from an acting program in Berkeley, she received acceptance into the William Esper Studio in New York City. She now calls the big apple home and has performed in numerous stage productions and independent films around the Bay Area and New York. Mary's writing was featured and performed at such venues as StageWerx in San Francisco for August 2017 Action Fiction! performance series, Waterfront Playhouse and Conservatory in Berkeley, California, and The Alchemical Theater Lab in New York. She co-produced the web series, The Queens Luxury Oasis. In 2016, she co-created a woman's writing group, The Seven Sisters, which supports women in pursuit of writing and producing their own material.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Mirrors explores the memories of an aspiring dancer named Crimson. Struggling to identify her own creative initiative in a sea of projected desires and desired projections, each of these memories represent unbearable conflicts within the dancer. The pain of suppressing her feelings comes to a pivotal breaking point moments into the opening of a major dance performance, when Crimson spirals out of reality and into her traumatic past. Through her eyes, the past and present blur as we encounter a scrutinizing audience, an unsupportive lover, and a nightclub full of strangers. This film dives into the terrifying frontier between the artist and the artist's endeavor. It wishes to confront fear with the intention of emerging alive, active, and powerful.
Because this is a short dance drama, the narrative relies heavily on the force of the character's physical actions through movement. This allows the audience to engage with greater intimacy those questions that might be answered more easily in symbols than words.
- What happens when we truly advocate for ourselves?
- What happens when we choose to embrace our inner critic?
- What ideas must be released?
- What effort must be shed?
A Personal Note from Director/Creator, Mary Marxen:
I've gone through my rendition of recovery and am still healing from a lifetime of negative thought and self-deprecation. I became extremely out of body when I was a teenager.
My parents encouraged play growing up. They loved us being children and I had major guilt around developing into a woman. I wanted to stop growing up in order to please them, so instead of dealing with those feelings, I resented them and abandoned my home. I became a heavy drinker at around fourteen years old, considered friends' houses more of my home than my own, and started seeking validation from detrimental men. All that drinking affected my physical development, and I had a lot of shame wrapped around my actions. In turn, I lost the ability to feel my own body. Literally. I am currently being examined to determine whether or not I suffer from a condition known as depersonalization. The only way I can describe the way it feels is that I can't feel when I touch my own hands to my skin.
The disconnected feeling I have with my own physical experience of the world has never gone away, but I have long decided to live well regardless. I share all of this because it is the deepest origin of my art. Mirrors is a manifestation of my working through recovery. It is about the endurance, courage, healthy living, and the strength it has taken me to go on that journey.
This film is here for others who desire to overcome major obstacles in their lives. It speaks to those who have struggled with addiction, suffer from severe self-deprecation in all the ways it bears its teeth, and/or have been affected by an abusive relationship/s. Mirrors will speak to subjects that are difficult to talk about, or even recognize at times. It encourages viewers to make peace with whatever reality they are living in, refrain from any more harsh self-critique, and to no longer play victim to a history that is seemingly impossible to overcome. And better yet, I hope this film encourages people to heal their lives through art, therapy, and self-expression. And to not try and please others with their work.
As Told From Director and Co-Writer, Mary Marxen
Portrait of Jacques Lacan, by Mary Marxen
This film originated from a years-worth of freeform prose poems I wrote. Each piece loosely revolves around the theme of navigating the gaze of others and the alienating inability to give a full account of the self. The poems are inspired both by painful experiences in my own life and the ideas behind French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan's "Mirror Stage" concept.
I remembered how significant it felt when I was first exposed to Lacan's "Mirror Stage." His work changed my entire disposition as I began grappling with the idea that it is only through the eyes of others that I can be seen as a whole. And when faced with my own image, I am found wanting a perfect rendition of what I cannot be. This inspired me to start writing. Many poems later, I shared my work with writer/director/actor, Ian Boisvert, and we decided to adapt them into a screenplay. This is the foundation of Mirrors - a story told through dance.
One of the reasons I love dancing as a medium of expressing this story is that the dancer's body is one which has been historically fetishized. Our intent is to examine the disconnect that humans have with their own physical being. Dance, which relies on the body as its instrument, captures, in essence, the struggle between the self as a subject and the self as an object.
Lacan's "Mirror Stage" concept inspires the vantage point through which we examine the film. In turn, our aim is to reflect the gaze back onto the viewer, begging the question, "Who am I living for?" and therefore taking the first step towards true autonomy.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $1,000
We found great places including property near Mount Diablo, a living room, a club, and a theater.
Crew
Costs $4,000
We have a very talented crew we want to pay well in order to produce utmost high quality film.
Talent
Costs $3,000
Our Talent is so talented!!
Costume
Costs $700
There will be needed costumes for each scene.
Equipment
Costs $2,200
We are using: Canon C100 MkII Canon & Sigma Pro Lenses Phantom IV Drone & need to rent more!
Marketing/Distribution
Costs $1,000
Getting the film out there costs. We also will be submitting our final products to festivals.
Craft Services
Costs $800
We need to feed and transport our team
Added Expenses
Costs $300
Covers any added expenses
Editing/Post Production
Costs $2,000
We will not only be editing our picture, we will be sound editing, and color correcting.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meredith Webster, Dancer. Meredith became the Ballet Master at Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco after dancing as a member of the company for nine seasons. She is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award. She recently wrapped a duet project entitled Empress Archer, which she co-directed and performed with Ariel Freedman, produced by The Cambrians of Chicago. Previous work includes Spectrum Dance Theater, Ledoh/SaltFarm, Maureen Whiting Dance, and Prism Dance Theatre. Meredith holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Washington. She has taught dance around the world and contributed as a writer to Pointe, Dance Spirit, and Conversations' publications.
Ward Sorrick, Producer. After 5-plus years of experience in the film and video production industry, Ward continues to bring unbridled enthusiasm, professionalism, and leadership to every project. His background in engineering, sales and management distinguish him as a producer with meticulous attention-to-detail, effective communication, and reliable execution. In his journey to become the best producer he can be, Ward has also explored both acting and directing. He studied the Meisner technique at the Waterfront Playhouse, comedy improv at The Groundlings, and scene study at Lesly Kahn & Company. Ward hopes to continue working with ambitious, visionary filmmakers who are keeping pace with the evolving landscape of storytelling.
Genesis Diaz, Co-Producer and Assistant Director. With a passion for storytelling Genesis depicts themes of connection, adventure, culture, and discovery. After studying at UCLA film school, where her natural leadership and love of film came together with technical skills and professional coaching, Genesis moved to Los Angeles and began her journey as a filmmaker and creative in this dynamic industry. In all of her work, there is a commitment to a dream-like aesthetic and a social awareness that connects the conscious with the subconscious, the inner emotional world with the outer human experience.
Ian Boisvert, Co-writer. Ian Boisvert is an actor, writer, and director who works in Europe and the US. His films have screened at Cannes Court Métrage, Raindance Film Festival and prestigious festivals in Paris, LA, NYC and Berlin. He is currently filming in Europe.
Mary Marxen, Writer/Director. After a spiritual experience at a Hindu Ashram five years ago, Mary put her painting and drawing career on hold and follow her passion for acting. After graduating from an acting program in Berkeley, she received acceptance into the William Esper Studio in New York City. She now calls the big apple home and has performed in numerous stage productions and independent films around the Bay Area and New York. Mary's writing was featured and performed at such venues as StageWerx in San Francisco for August 2017 Action Fiction! performance series, Waterfront Playhouse and Conservatory in Berkeley, California, and The Alchemical Theater Lab in New York. She co-produced the web series, The Queens Luxury Oasis. In 2016, she co-created a woman's writing group, The Seven Sisters, which supports women in pursuit of writing and producing their own material.