'Muse’ tells the story of Norah, a private young woman who works in childcare. Unbeknownst to her, Adam is watching…and falling in love with the idea of her he has created in his mind. While Norah fights against the invasion of her privacy that her ex has set into motion, she has no idea that the biggest threat to her privacy is right at home, watching her through her laptop. All it takes is just one push, and Adam makes the decision to boldly step out from behind the screen and make Norah his in real life.

Norah is the muse of Adam’s daydreams.

Norah is the muse of her ex’s artwork.

Norah is just a girl trying to figure her life out, who didn’t ask for any of this, and who suddenly needs to find a strength and resourcefulness she never knew she had in order to survive. 

Back in college, my friends and I used to joke about the targeted ads we would get, blaming it on “the FBI agent” in our phones. From that simple joke, this story was born. What if there really was someone in your devices, getting to know your likes and dislikes, seeing you on such an intimate level, and curating content specifically for you? 

This dark comedy goes out to the FBI agent in my phone for filling my algorithm with videos of baby animals. 

On a more serious note, this film is for everyone who has had their story manipulated by somebody else, who has lived under the weight of a reputation earned through gossip and not reality, and who has struggled to break free from the strict rules of society that dictate who they should be, what they should look like, and how they should behave. 

I originally wrote this film as a feature set in my home city of Philadelphia. This short film, though shot in LA, will serve as a proof of concept as well as a stand alone short, in the hopes that one day we can get back to Philly and make the full-length version. In the meantime, ‘Muse’ is an exciting, richly layered, intricate story with nuanced characters who will make you laugh, make you gasp in fear, and hopefully give you something fascinating to chew on long after the lights in the theater have come up. 

In recent years, box office sales and critical reviews alike have shown that there is a great hunger for women’s stories. From comedies like Barbie to horror films like The Substance, audiences have flocked to theaters to laugh, cry, and connect as women’s lives from women’s perspectives were finally shared on the big screen. Female audiences have proven themselves to be a massively powerful demographic when it comes to boosting sales, and they want to see their stories told. Films that depict the truth of women’s experiences have a beautiful ability to make women feel seen and help strengthen the power and impact of their voices.

We are also living in a world that goes more and more digital everyday. Technology has become embedded into every aspect of life. Increasingly, cell phones seem more like a necessity than a luxury, as so much of our lives depend on apps, the internet, and social media traction. Meanwhile, AI has infiltrated a wide array of industries, tasks, and tools. While these emerging technologies have their benefits, they also have the potential to cause harm if not used properly. Two main points of concern addressed in the film: 1) these technologies increase cases of loneliness: with more social apps than ever for people to connect online, so many people feel isolated and live lives devoid of much genuine human connection and in-person interactions 2) these technologies also create great risks to our privacy, as so much of our lives is online - be it pictures posted to the public, sensitive information logged in online accounts, or apps having permissions to track and use our data. No matter how on or offline you are, emerging technologies are changing the very fabric of our society and affecting everybody. Let’s talk about it. 

'Muse’ is a film we need to today because it continues to drive forward the mission to highlight previously underrepresented voices in cinema while also exploring the fears so many of us have around how technology is reshaping our society and our ability to connect with one another on a meaningful level. Now is absolutely the time to bring this film to audiences and spark these conversations. 

We plan to film in early summer, and are creating this film for festival entry.

We have worked tremendously hard to make the budget as low as possible while also making sure that we can make this film the best that it can be. 

Our budget is primarily focused on:

- compensating our team

- covering equipment

- having the necessary insurance for a safe set

You can find the exact budget breakdown here so you know exactly where your contributions are going:

• We are asking for $16,820 for the entirety of production to cover everything shown above and make this film the highest quality we can on a low budget.
• For $800 more - totaling $17,620 - we will be able to hire a hair and make-up team, elevating the look and quality of the film even further.  
• If we are able to raise any amount over $17,620, we will save and allocate those funds towards our post-production costs. While we are focused on production costs right now, it would be an incredible gift to be able to start setting money aside for editing, coloring, and sound, helping us towards delivering the final product to audiences!

We have just 30 days to reach a minimum of 80% of our goal in order to receive the funds from Seed & Spark and move into production. That means this campaign needs to hit at least $13,456.00 in one month, so anything you can give and/or share to help us achieve that goal means the world!

In order to make ‘Muse’ a reality, please consider taking these action steps:

PLEDGE: Whatever you are able to donate at a contribution amount of your choosing makes a huge impact! We also have a bunch of incentives at set rates for you to select from with lots of fun perks, gifts, and experiences, if you so choose!

SHARE: Let’s get the word out! Expand our reach by sharing our campaign link with your community!

FOLLOW: Click the little heart at the top to follow our campaign (certain follower amount thresholds can make ‘Muse’ eligible for filmmaker perks through Seed & Spark, so it really goes a long way!) and follow us on our Instagram @muse.thefilm and Facebook to stay in the loop regarding all things ‘Muse.’

We are so grateful for any support you are able to give through any of these actions! Thank you so much!!