My Own Mecca
Oakland, California | Film Short
Drama
This project touches on the many situations that Black men find themselves in, trying to navigate through their everyday lives without having their body’s destroyed. This film serves as a positive outlet for these people, allowing them to discover more about themselves.
My Own Mecca
Oakland, California | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,075 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
72 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
This project touches on the many situations that Black men find themselves in, trying to navigate through their everyday lives without having their body’s destroyed. This film serves as a positive outlet for these people, allowing them to discover more about themselves.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Crowd Funding Update!
PC: @sbmaneyphoto
Since the beginning of our Crowdfunding Campaign, our film has gained a lot of attention, including recognition from Academy Award Winner Barry Jenkins, Director of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk.
Because of the amount of traction we have gained, we wanted to ensure we provide the BEST film we could create.
Through the support of the film community and Bay Area, we were able to cut down expenses and use the $5.5k we raised to produce a film valued at A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
While we wrapped up on production, we still have several expenses to cover for, including post-production, editing, marketing, and festival contribution.
We want to finish this campaign strong and raise enough money to match the value of our film. We are very excited to be moving forward to the next steps of this project and we are excited to get this film to you all - our supporters.
Please show your support by sharing our page on social media, and together, we will create something that will strengthen the voices and community of filmmakers, people of color, and the Bay Area.
What Is My Own Mecca
My Own Mecca is a story of a young man, Dre, and his relationship with his vessel. We learn how he must contort into different versions of himself in order to navigate through his world. The plot follows Dre living his day to day life in Oakland, California. Dre and his wife, Anyssa, are soon to be moving to a new location but are struggling to find the right spot due to the high rent in the Bay Area.
On his way home from work, Dre gives his old friend, Walt, a ride to a motel where Walt plans to meet up with one of his colleagues. While waiting for Walt’s colleague to arrive, Dre is confronted with the opportunity to sell cocaine in order to help with his financial needs. Dre is tempted but ultimately decides to pass on the opportunity.
Walt, an older brother figure to Dre, does not take no as an answer. He feels like he is helping Dre “get out,” so he leaves the baggie in Dre’s car in case he decides to change his mind. The fact that his friend has placed him in this situation has risen Dre’s anxiety/paranoia.
Dre must remain calm despite knowing how quickly one wrong move can result in him having his body destroyed. Overall the film is about Dre having to contort who he is as a person in order to make it through these various situations.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Talent
Costs $900
In order to capture the emotion of our characters, we need to hire the best actors, and that costs $
Grip and Electric
Costs $800
To bring life to our film, grip and electric is vital to compliment the emotion of the film.
Sound Equipment Rental
Costs $200
Nothing is worse than a film with poor sound.
Incentives Shipping
Costs $100
To show our appreciation for your support, we gotta get our incentives to you somehow.
Sound Design
Costs $200
Nothing sounds better than good sound design
Film Processing and Scanning
Costs $610
Our movie will be using literal film in order to capture the natural feeling of the Bay Area.
External Harddrives
Costs $160
Necessary for storing footage for editing. 2 2TB Hard Drives.
Camera Equipment
Costs $510
We will be using an Arri SR3 to capture the world of our narrative short film.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Alba Roland
Director/Co-Writer
Alba Roland Mejia is an aspiring filmmaker from the Bay Area working towards her Masters of Fine Arts in Cinema at San Francisco State University (SFSU) with a focus in directing narrative. She has had the opportunity to work on sets of all sizes from multi-million dollar productions including Last Black Man in San Francisco and 13 Reasons Why to no budget passion projects. Whatever the scale, she approaches all productions with the same intensity. Alba's freshmen year short film, Code Switch, was picked up by Beast Mode Productions out of Oakland, CA and premiered at the San Francisco Black Film Festival. Her thesis project was nominated for The Princess Grace filmmaking award by the faculty of SFSU and will begin production early next year. She is a passionate filmmaker that strives for excellence in any production that she is a part of. Alba strives to capture the true essence of storytelling in her projects by pulling from real life experiences.
Jon Harrison
Co-Writer/Director of Photography
Jon Harrison, is a director of photographer with a passion for visual storytelling. He seeks to never stop learning new ways to help actualize stories through different methods of lighting and camera techniques. My Own Mecca is an opportunity to capture various situations that Jon and many others in the Bay Area have experienced while growing up.
Maddy Graves
Producer
Maddy Graves is an Undergraduate student at San Francisco State University pursuing her BA in Cinema. She is a diligent and passionate filmmaker, who has produced over seven student short films and music videos, along with her own thesis film Conditional. Maddy wants to become a film producer and director that focuses on complex stories from inclusive and female perspectives.
Monica Castro
Producer
Monica Castro is a Bay Area native who has operated as a freelance Producer for the last few years. As a Latina/Filipina filmmaker growing up in San Francisco, she's drawn to telling unique stories and giving voices to those unheard. From ex-convicts to undocumented students, Monica aims to tell everyone's story.
Christopher L. Adams
1st AD
A graduate of the Academy of Art SF. He is an active freelance Assistant Director. Has worked as a Key PA for Netflix original feature film All Day and a Night and CBS Films feature film Lexi.
Jake Naso
Production Coordinator
Jake Naso is a recent cinema graduate at San Francisco State Univeristy. In his final year at SFSU, he wrote and directed his thesis film Saguaro and helped out as a first assistant director in Maddy Graves' Conditional.
Raphael Mallari
Marketing Manager
Raphael Mallari graduate from UC Santa Cruz in 2016 with a BA in Film and Digital Media. He is now pursuing his Cinema MFA at SFSU. He has been making films for about 10 years and has screened his recent film Love For Food at Silicon Valley's Cinequest Film Festival. He primarily focuses on film editing, which serves as the basis for his films. Much of what he films revolves around the darkness in reality that he bring to life in the narrative world.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Crowd Funding Update!
PC: @sbmaneyphoto
Since the beginning of our Crowdfunding Campaign, our film has gained a lot of attention, including recognition from Academy Award Winner Barry Jenkins, Director of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk.
Because of the amount of traction we have gained, we wanted to ensure we provide the BEST film we could create.
Through the support of the film community and Bay Area, we were able to cut down expenses and use the $5.5k we raised to produce a film valued at A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
While we wrapped up on production, we still have several expenses to cover for, including post-production, editing, marketing, and festival contribution.
We want to finish this campaign strong and raise enough money to match the value of our film. We are very excited to be moving forward to the next steps of this project and we are excited to get this film to you all - our supporters.
Please show your support by sharing our page on social media, and together, we will create something that will strengthen the voices and community of filmmakers, people of color, and the Bay Area.
What Is My Own Mecca
My Own Mecca is a story of a young man, Dre, and his relationship with his vessel. We learn how he must contort into different versions of himself in order to navigate through his world. The plot follows Dre living his day to day life in Oakland, California. Dre and his wife, Anyssa, are soon to be moving to a new location but are struggling to find the right spot due to the high rent in the Bay Area.
On his way home from work, Dre gives his old friend, Walt, a ride to a motel where Walt plans to meet up with one of his colleagues. While waiting for Walt’s colleague to arrive, Dre is confronted with the opportunity to sell cocaine in order to help with his financial needs. Dre is tempted but ultimately decides to pass on the opportunity.
Walt, an older brother figure to Dre, does not take no as an answer. He feels like he is helping Dre “get out,” so he leaves the baggie in Dre’s car in case he decides to change his mind. The fact that his friend has placed him in this situation has risen Dre’s anxiety/paranoia.
Dre must remain calm despite knowing how quickly one wrong move can result in him having his body destroyed. Overall the film is about Dre having to contort who he is as a person in order to make it through these various situations.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Talent
Costs $900
In order to capture the emotion of our characters, we need to hire the best actors, and that costs $
Grip and Electric
Costs $800
To bring life to our film, grip and electric is vital to compliment the emotion of the film.
Sound Equipment Rental
Costs $200
Nothing is worse than a film with poor sound.
Incentives Shipping
Costs $100
To show our appreciation for your support, we gotta get our incentives to you somehow.
Sound Design
Costs $200
Nothing sounds better than good sound design
Film Processing and Scanning
Costs $610
Our movie will be using literal film in order to capture the natural feeling of the Bay Area.
External Harddrives
Costs $160
Necessary for storing footage for editing. 2 2TB Hard Drives.
Camera Equipment
Costs $510
We will be using an Arri SR3 to capture the world of our narrative short film.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Alba Roland
Director/Co-Writer
Alba Roland Mejia is an aspiring filmmaker from the Bay Area working towards her Masters of Fine Arts in Cinema at San Francisco State University (SFSU) with a focus in directing narrative. She has had the opportunity to work on sets of all sizes from multi-million dollar productions including Last Black Man in San Francisco and 13 Reasons Why to no budget passion projects. Whatever the scale, she approaches all productions with the same intensity. Alba's freshmen year short film, Code Switch, was picked up by Beast Mode Productions out of Oakland, CA and premiered at the San Francisco Black Film Festival. Her thesis project was nominated for The Princess Grace filmmaking award by the faculty of SFSU and will begin production early next year. She is a passionate filmmaker that strives for excellence in any production that she is a part of. Alba strives to capture the true essence of storytelling in her projects by pulling from real life experiences.
Jon Harrison
Co-Writer/Director of Photography
Jon Harrison, is a director of photographer with a passion for visual storytelling. He seeks to never stop learning new ways to help actualize stories through different methods of lighting and camera techniques. My Own Mecca is an opportunity to capture various situations that Jon and many others in the Bay Area have experienced while growing up.
Maddy Graves
Producer
Maddy Graves is an Undergraduate student at San Francisco State University pursuing her BA in Cinema. She is a diligent and passionate filmmaker, who has produced over seven student short films and music videos, along with her own thesis film Conditional. Maddy wants to become a film producer and director that focuses on complex stories from inclusive and female perspectives.
Monica Castro
Producer
Monica Castro is a Bay Area native who has operated as a freelance Producer for the last few years. As a Latina/Filipina filmmaker growing up in San Francisco, she's drawn to telling unique stories and giving voices to those unheard. From ex-convicts to undocumented students, Monica aims to tell everyone's story.
Christopher L. Adams
1st AD
A graduate of the Academy of Art SF. He is an active freelance Assistant Director. Has worked as a Key PA for Netflix original feature film All Day and a Night and CBS Films feature film Lexi.
Jake Naso
Production Coordinator
Jake Naso is a recent cinema graduate at San Francisco State Univeristy. In his final year at SFSU, he wrote and directed his thesis film Saguaro and helped out as a first assistant director in Maddy Graves' Conditional.
Raphael Mallari
Marketing Manager
Raphael Mallari graduate from UC Santa Cruz in 2016 with a BA in Film and Digital Media. He is now pursuing his Cinema MFA at SFSU. He has been making films for about 10 years and has screened his recent film Love For Food at Silicon Valley's Cinequest Film Festival. He primarily focuses on film editing, which serves as the basis for his films. Much of what he films revolves around the darkness in reality that he bring to life in the narrative world.