We've reached our goal of $5.5K! So... what now? We streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch!

We are so grateful to our supporters for helping us surpass our goal of $5,500 in just 15 days! With another 15 days left, what's next? Why, we stretch, of course!

But why stretch? Well, take a look at the handy dandy graphic above. At a budget of $5,500, we planned to pay our team members $167.50 for a twelve-hour shoot day. That's $13.54/hour -- below the mimimum wage in NYC but more than most indie films pay (which is often $0 and snacks). If we make it to $10K, we can pay our team members $18.75/hour! That $5 and change increase helps a lot in a city that costs... a lot.

Also, at a lower budget of $5.5K, often times our post-team is working well below their rates, and therefore need to prioritize other projects that pay their rent first, making the time it takes to finish the film oh so long (about 6 months). However, at $10K, we will be able to pay our post-peeps more and bump up the chain of priority, helping our film get done in as little as 3 months!!! 

Lastly, what's not on this graph is the number of festivals we could submit to with the extra dough. More festivals = more exposure = you helped make us FAMOUS!

I'm only partly kidding. So here's some simple math:

More money = better paid workers = better quality film = more exposure.

You feel us? So don't be deterred by our green light! If you believe in what we are doing (which you can find out more about below), then please contribute. Help us get Naked... made! (That joke never gets old).

The Story…Uncovered.

Naked is an in-depth portrait of a young mother posing as the self-assured woman she feels she’s expected to be. Hoping that nude modeling for an art class will restore her sense of self, she eventually finds a way to accept her circumstances, even if life isn’t everything she hoped it would be.

The Birthday Suit

Naked was first born when Vanessa Shealy submitted a short monologue to Emerging Artists Theater’s New Work Series. The piece became a metaphor for a journey that Vanessa knew was a common for other women her age – one of trying to hold on to the ambitions of her youth, but juggling too many responsibilities and a highly energetic toddler at home.

Vanessa's son had recently been diagnosed with autism, after which life changed dramatically. She accepted a full time job (complete with benefits and office lighting), and began the all-consuming life of countless therapy sessions, fighting for schools, and trying to overcome an the obsessive fear of what the future held for her son -- and for her.

“The act of writing this piece was, for me, standing in front of a group of my peers, trying to get naked - trying to be honest, trying to be okay with letting go, trying to accept my new self and be okay with it.”

The Bare Truth

Fast forward a few years, and the piece was included in a festival produced by Project Y Theater called Women in Theater. Vanessa called up the best actress she knew to perform this 15 minute monologue, Rebecca De Ornelas.

Rebecca and Vanessa became friends when they were in a play together with Alice Spivak’s company, OnTheRoadRep. Later that year, they worked together at the aforementioned “office” job, where Vanessa was still spending her days.

Rebecca knocked the socks off the play, and afterwards she and her husband Michael DiBiasio had the grand idea to make it into a short film.

The Exposure

Together, Rebecca and Michael produced the feature film The Videoblogs (available on VOD), as well as short films such as Multiverse and The Confession.

To conceptualize this piece for film, the team added the (previously “off stage”) character of the young artist, who is there to draw the nude protagonist.  

Real-life artist Jamel Robinson was perfect for this role, and brings an edge, honesty, and depth to it that the team thinks will make this piece resonate with audiences.

The Clothes Off Our Backs

We need your help to bring this story to life. We know we have an important story to tell, and if you’ve read to this point you probably also understand the balancing act that comes with growing older, making art, living life, raising kids, and accepting new identities. Without you this project won’t be possible, so thank you in advance for your support of female-centered stories, and women-driven filmmaking.

Naked Stretching!

Oh, wait, did we forget to mention that we're all independent artists, who are used to stretchinggggg a buck but ALSO have learned it's okay to ask for more (whattt?).

Here are some different tiers for our campaign goal(s):

Base Goal ($5,500)

This allows us to shoot, and to pay every one a little bit for their time. Many key collaborators on the team will wear multiple hats. We don't mind, but it can get hard!

Middle Goal ($7,800)

This amount will allow us to hire a bigger crew, with most people wearing only one hat (doing one job). It can happen!

Top Goal ($10,000)

If we were to raise this amount, we can speed up completion of the film and secure an easier go of things, just in general. We don't need it to succeed, but it would sureeeee be nice, and every dollar would still be maxed out to make the best film possible.

For you. Our Naked friends.

Thanks for considering our project! You're so very sexy!