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Multiverse tells the story of two women with different world views: Joanne, paralyzed by indecision as she tries to choose one life path over all others; and the immortal Trudy, for whom all possible worlds are equally real. When they fall in love, they both learn to escape their mental traps.
Multiverse tells the story of two women with different world views: Joanne, paralyzed by indecision as she tries to choose one life path over all others; and the immortal Trudy, for whom all possible worlds are equally real. When they fall in love, they both learn to escape their mental traps.
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Story
Mission Statement
Behind the camera, we have a diverse group of women in all the key roles. On screen, we have two female leads who fall in love. The film also explores the fluidity of gender and its relationship to personal identity as one of the women is, in some universes, a man.About The Project
THE STORY
Joanne is restless and stuck in her twenties. Paralyzed by indecision about her future, she's forgetting to actually live.
Then she meets Trudy.
Trudy is an immortal vampire. She's lived so long she's had a chance to be everything. So is she anyone?
Joanne is instantly drawn to Trudy and learns that Trudy perceives all universes simultaneously: every possibility to her is equally real, and present.
The two have a conversation that crosses all these different universes, and in each one, Joanne is something else: a nurse, a lawyer, a businesswoman, a starving artist, a fitness trainer, a musician.
In some universes Joanne is a man, Joe; in some she dies.
In some, she and Trudy have never met.
In some, maybe they can be together.
Joanne falls in love with Trudy and with the way she sees the world. The ability to see all possibilities seems like a welcome escape from making a choice. But for Trudy, the chance to make a single choice is an enviable one: it's a chance to create an identity. Joanne begs Trudy to stay with her, but Trudy knows that her parasitic nature would destroy Joanne and the flexibility she has as a mortal.
Trudy speaks in haiku as an exercise in control. When they meet, Joanne begins to speak in haiku with Trudy, because she is under her spell. When Joanne finally breaks out of haiku to express herself to Trudy, they both realize that Joanne can be herself without Trudy, and even love Trudy in her own way, without being absorbed by her. Trudy shows she does love Joanne by leaving her, and encouraging her to grow, rather than stagnate like a vampire. Joanne still has a long way to go, but she is now able to begin to love herself, and take steps toward her future.
DECISIONS
I'm really excited to tell this story because I think a lot of us struggle with making decisions that we think will affect our whole lives, and the worst thing we can do is do nothing. In my early twenties, I have certainly had a hard time pinning down just one thing I want to pursue. I want to do so many things! Make films, write novels, travel the world, get a PhD in linguistics. It's hard to choose one thing when you think it will stop you from doing something else. But if you take too long deciding, a few years down the road you're still right where you started.
Making this film in itself is a way for me to stop stagnating and just DO what I want to do. I've spent a lot of time with this script and it's come a long way, and I think it will resonate with a wide audience - not just twentysomethings, but anyone who has ever had doubts about big life decisions. And that's all of us, isn't it?
LOVE AND VAMPIRES
This film is also about what it means to love someone, and to love oneself. These lessons are hard learned by most of us, and I think the way we tend to talk about love can be counterproductive. Vampires are energy-suckers. You've probably dated one or two yourself. People who take all your emotional energy, take it for granted, and don't give you anything in return. A relationship with a vampire cannot be healthy. You find yourself stagnating, held back by taking care of someone else, and failing to reach your potential.
Love is helping someone reach their potential. It's not a feeling, but an action. In this story, Joanne thinks love is giving up her potential for Trudy, but Trudy tells her she's wrong; she makes Joanne see that Joanne doesn't need her. Trudy knows her own nature is to take. She doesn't think she can change it. But in the end she does love Joanne, and she shows it by pushing her reach her potential, and getting out of her way so she can thrive.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
All the locations in the film are places in my neighborhood where I've spent a lot of time, from Norma's, a local cafe where I've written many a screenplay, to Croxley's, where I worked as a hostess right after graduating from NYU. We're also featuring local parks and streets, and the cemetery near my apartment.
It's really rewarding to be able to share my neighborhood with the world, and to feel how my community has come to support me by letting me shoot scenes in these locations. I wanted to make a New York movie that isn't a Manhattan movie, and by shooting in these special locations, we're making a very personal and intimate film that feels like home.
WHY HAIKU?
Haiku is a form that imperfectly translates into English, so the haikus in this script aren't perfect. Japanese sound units, or "on", aren't the same as those in English; the closest approximation that is usually used is syllables. The strict adherence to a syllable-count, even if an imperfect approximation of the original Japanese form of poetry, is something I was drawn to as a technique for Trudy to control her surroundings. I also wanted a clear audible clue for when people interacting with Trudy are caught in her web. Beyond the sound structure of haiku, this film is itself also a haiku of sorts. It's an observational piece that contrasts two different concepts, in this case two people who observe the world in different ways.
(collages by Nat Girsberger)
Incentives
$10
The Punk Rocker
Thank you note/social media shout-out
$50
The Entrepreneur
Thank you note/social media shout-out, plus a "special thanks" credit in the film.
$100
The Poet
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus an original haiku, just for you!
$250
The Tailor
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus the director will give you notes on a short piece of writing.
$500
The Barista
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus coffee with the director at the café featured in the film (if local) and a copy of the finished film.
$1,000
The Bartender
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus drinks with the crew at the bar featured in the film (if local) and a copy of the finished film.
$2,500
The Artist
Thank you note/social media shout-out, plus an associate producer credit in the film.
$5,000
The CEO
Thank you note/social media shout-out, plus an executive producer credit in the film.
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
The Punk Rocker
Thank you note/social media shout-out
$50
The Entrepreneur
Thank you note/social media shout-out, plus a "special thanks" credit in the film.
$100
The Poet
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus an original haiku, just for you!
$250
The Tailor
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus the director will give you notes on a short piece of writing.
$500
The Barista
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus coffee with the director at the café featured in the film (if local) and a copy of the finished film.
$1,000
The Bartender
Thank you note/social media shout-out, a "special thanks" credit in the film, plus drinks with the crew at the bar featured in the film (if local) and a copy of the finished film.
$2,500
The Artist
Thank you note/social media shout-out, plus an associate producer credit in the film.
$5,000
The CEO
Thank you note/social media shout-out, plus an executive producer credit in the film.
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Rayn Epremian is a writer of fantasy novels, science fiction screenplays, and the occasional musical. After completing her studies in screenwriting and linguistics at NYU, she worked as a legal assistant at entertainment firm Grubman, Shire & Meiseles and subsequently on various film, TV, and commercial sets with Earth Angel. "Multiverse" will be her first time directing one of her screenplays, and she is thrilled to be working with a stellar team of passionate friends and colleagues.
This will be Grace Hendricks's first project as a director of photography. After studying screenwriting, production design, and producing at NYU, she graduated to find a job with the company Earth Angel on the sets of Madam Secretary, Billions, and Okja. Her observations on set - and her experimentations with a camera on the side - led her to switch into the camera department. To learn the gear, Grace worked at Arri Rental, one of the leading camera equipment rental houses in New York, and worked as an assistant camera-woman on multiple productions. Now, she's ready to experiment with her own framing, lighting, and movement. She looks forward to working with such an inspirational crew on a story that inspires adventure into different worlds, the self, and the unknown.
Nat Girsberger is a Swiss visual artist based in Brooklyn, New York, a graduate from NYU film and visual communication. Her most recent exhibits include her solo show at Ivy Brown Gallery in Chelsea called 'Transient Terrain,' and shows at The Living Gallery Outpost, Carrie Able Gallery, and 301 Studio. Recent production design work includes UP NORTH & THE HOLDOUTS (both winners at SERIES FEST), James Franco: HORROR TIME, Tessora, CELEBRITY CRUSH, NIKOLA TAMiNDZiC, Damn Joan. Videography and photography backstage and runway at New York Fashion Week, Bridal Market, ELLE Magazine, GUSTER. Nat splits her time between visual work for clients such as Megan Poe MD for New York University and the IMAGE FLOW and her own studio time (collaging/ mixed media/ installations). Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Observer, Indiwiere, Whitehot, Artreveal and various other publications. Her website is http://www.natgirsberger.com/
Coraline Wang works at Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre as an editor, videographer and graphic designer while drawing storyboards daily for her animated short. Aside from hanging around puppeteers, she designs posters and album covers, illustrates books, edits and animates for her friends' passion projects. After reading Multiverse, she immediately fell for its rhythm and movement, which is similar to how she brings images together in her animation and music videos. She is very excited to work alongside this talented crew to bring the script to life!! (check out her art work at https://www.corafilm.com/)
Faith Namsemon is a twenty something year old not-so-recently graduated from NYU Stern (business division) with a degree in marketing and management. Loved business and marketing strategy and made an atypical choice to leverage her learnings and embark on a tubular yet parlous journey into the world of film. Avid lover of the science fiction genre as a whole- from film and literature to anime- and seeks to produce more works in this genre.
Film Experience: Yes, in the most interesting and unconventional way possible. Let's sit for coffee and we'll talk about it.
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