Nut Milk in May
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy
A Los Angeles couple goes camping to meditate and detoxify, when a neighboring camper (with a lit joint and BBQ) quickly makes TENTions run high. (Get it?) A comedy about the traps of perfectionism, and learning to take a big ole bite out of life! Inspired by Mike Leigh's film, Nuts in May (1976).
Nut Milk in May
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $23,425 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
170 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
A Los Angeles couple goes camping to meditate and detoxify, when a neighboring camper (with a lit joint and BBQ) quickly makes TENTions run high. (Get it?) A comedy about the traps of perfectionism, and learning to take a big ole bite out of life! Inspired by Mike Leigh's film, Nuts in May (1976).
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Aiden and May are a millennial couple from LA going camping to forage, take a break from indulgences (iPhones, Erewon, IPAs), and practice wholesome, off-the-grid living. When a humorous and laid-back stranger pulls up to the neighboring campsite (having a very different type of vacation: grilled meats, Candy Crush, Mary Jane) some inevitable TENTion arises. It’s a character-driven comedy (with the occasional pun) about how people can come into our lives and help us see ourselves --and our relationships-- differently.
As an actor, Mike Leigh films have been a treasure trove of inspiration to me since I discovered them. They are character-driven stories, made up of small but significant human moments in which actors get to show off their most vulnerable, subtle, comedic chops. His movies are the epitome of what I would love to achieve as an artist!
When I discovered Nuts in May (1976), I laughed until I cried. I saw myself in Alison Steadman's character: an artistic, loving, woman coupled with a man of similar values and interests, yet unable to acknowledge that there is something missing in the partnership.
When the film ended, I felt that rare and fuzzy *inspiration feeling.* "Gosh," I thought, "This movie was made awhile ago, but is still SO relatable! How did Mike Leigh get inside my head?? I would love to see a version of this about a modern couple. I feel like I could use this same basic plot structure to play with some performative feminism stuff ....I'll just write it."
(QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MY THERAPIST, DANI: Overcoming perfectionism
is a theme in the script, and is also the reason this movie is being made at all)
(Alison Steadman, Roger Sloman and Anthony O'Donnell in "Nuts in May," 1976)
Disclaimer: Mike Leigh's process is very different. He starts from improv and builds his characters with the actors! We aim to make a film with the same spirit of playful honesty, and as a loving ode to his stories, but starting with a completed script. Also my ending is very different : )
STYLE
In addition to the work of Mike Leigh, "Nut Milk in May"' has several other stylistic influences: Beef for contemporary comedic style, pacing, and similarities between George and Aiden, Bad Sisters, for JP's similarity to Aiden and for the themes of imperfect women trying their best, A Love Song, for visual style and coloring, Before Sunrise for the intimate, natural quality of dialogue between May and Todd, Theatre Camp for the handheld, voyeuristic comedy style, Enough Said for slice of life themes, and the inspiring collaboratively led work of the Duplass brothers. All of these stories also have strong women at the center shining in vulnerable moments of personal growth!
One day, I read "THE VIRTUES OF BEING BAD", which reminded me that the themes in my film regarding the pressures of modern society are relevant and worth talking about. People now - especially women - are often expected to conform with lofty (and sometimes contradictory) standards....as we have all learned from Barbie, of course!
(SHOUT OUT TO DIRECTOR GRETA GERWIG for making her own work & blazing her own trail! Inspiring us all to try it)
Growing up as a woman made it hard for me to trust my own desires and instincts. I was unconsciously taught to put other people's needs above my own. It got to the point that I was aligning myself so closely with romantic partners that it became hard to tell where they ended and I began! Now I have grown up a bit, found my independence, and need to trust that these characters and this story will make people laugh, reflect, and feel seen in a very specific way.
When I decided to reach out to a Director, I was referred to Brooke Trantor through another filmmaker, and HOLY SMOKES it was college study abroad reunion!! We studied Shakespeare together at BADA in London in 2009. Brooke loved the script, and I loved Brooke's previous directing work. I also loved the way she talked about community, collaboration and support among circles of creative people in Los Angeles. I wanted to be in her circle. It felt like a match made in England many years ago, and like this project was meant to be! (Especially since "Nut Milk in May" was inspired by a British film.)
Here we are in Italy as 19 year old study abroad *babies*, and a few months ago at with Cinematographer Liz Charky at The Cat and Fiddle Pub (aptly!) where we got the proverbial ball rolling for this project over a pint (or two....)
The next part of the story: the part where this team of women bring their passion, craft, and experience to set and LET THE MAGIC HAPPEN..... That part is up to YOU. We know there are many important causes asking for contributions right now. Here are some reasons to support this project:
- You're creating opportunities for independent female filmmakers!
- You're helping me (Lydian) take my first leap into the Writing/Acting/Producing trifecta.
- You're funding a story about honesty in a time when it can be hard to know what is genuine.
- You're funding a feminist story about escaping codependence and toxicity.
- Art matters. And it's expensive to make things! And we don't live in England where the arts are funded by the government, unfortunately...
- You're gonna laugh. Trust us on that. (Or do you have trust issues? Therapy worked for me.)
If we surpass our goal, we will be able to travel to film festivals and network with other artists, and better compensate our cast and crew for their time.
Please spread the word! SHARING and FOLLOWING this page and our INSTAGRAM PAGE are wonderful ways to support this project too!
This story is TO BE CONTINUED... (When the movie is made!)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
LOCATION
Costs $3,600
We found our "campsite" in Franklin Canyon Park! By donating, you are also giving to the Mountains & Recreation Conservation Authority!
GIVING PEOPLE A JOB!
Costs $10,000
The fact that something I wrote could employ a crew of artists for 3 days is incredibly empowering! Help me pay actors, director, & crew!
PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT
Costs $6,000
Camera, Sound, Lighting, Props and all the STUFF we need to make the movie magic happen!
FOOOD
Costs $1,400
Maybe the most important item!! Keeping people fed and happy for 3 days on set!
AFTER THE SHOOT
Costs $4,000
Editing! Score! Coloring! Film Festival Submission costs! (Trying to manifest this one by putting it as the image, aright, bruv??)
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Lydian Blossom is an Actor, Writer, and I guess, now Producer! Originally from California, Lydian studied theatre and literature at Sarah Lawrence College and the British American Drama Academy. She has a Masters in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and has also done improv with UCB and The Groundlings. Film credits include: If You Were, Sewed Figs, 49 Days of Mourning, The Couple, Abel, Another Glass, Creeps (AFI), Shadow Work, Crazy Girl, all things must end, and the lead in indie feature Earthquake Country. A woman of many passions, she thinks now is the time to try the Phoebe Waller-Bridge/ Greta Gerwig strategy and write her own material, hence this film. She has also adapted Gogol's absurdist 19th century Russian short story "The Nose" into a short film with all female characters set in modern-day Brooklyn. (Hit her up if you want to produce that one!)
Brooke Trantor is a Director/ Actor / Writer / Producer based in Los Angeles. She graduated Illinois Wesleyan University with a BFA in Acting and studied Shakespeare at The British American Drama Academy. Her true passion lies in the improv and the comedy world, where she has studied, taught, and performed at various institutions including Second City, UCB, Groundlings, and iO West. Some recent credits include HBO’s Perry Mason, NBC’s The Enemy Within, TNT’s Cocaine Cowboys Pilot, a lead in the comedy feature film Misfits, and acting alongside Shirley MacLaine in The Last Word. Brooke’s films have screened internationally on the festival circuit, procuring awards including Best Director, Best Actress, and the Powerful Voice Award. Her latest film, Oh, Baby! won Best Film: Audience Choice Award at the esteemed 2021 Dances With Films LA, Best Director at Broad Humor Film Festival 2023, and many other awards on the circuit. Brooke is drawn to scripts that tend to live in the dramedy world, finding the comedy in life’s seemingly dark moments. She is currently in post production for Katie Mancuso’s Shadow Work, pre-production on several short films including Lydian Blossom’s Nut Milk In May, in development on a spinoff TV series based on Oh, Baby!, a Comedy-Horror feature film, and her single-camera comedy, Wild Woman.
Liz Charky is an American cinematographer of Syrian, Sicilian, and Tonawanda-Seneca heritage, creating visual stories among the endless intersections of humor, heartbreak, love, and loneliness. She loves collaborating from a place of sensitivity, intuition, and playfulness when photographing honest and imaginary moments. Her style around movement, color, and light are often informed by her background as a dance artist and choreographer. Liz holds BA degrees in Dance and Film Studies from Connecticut College and an MFA in Cinematography from The American Film Institute, where she received an AFI/Audi scholarship and was invited to be a 2022 Telluride Film Festival FilmLab fellow upon graduating. Her cinematography has been presented by Camerimage (Golden Tadpole award nominee), Cucalorus Film Festival, NewFilmmakers LA, AFI Fest, SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ International, SXSW Panel Picker, Cleveland International, Miami International, Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center, Reykjavík International, among others. She is a member of the Society of Camera Operators, Women in Media, the International Collective of Female Cinematographers, and a Connecticut College Visiting Guest Artist.
Danielle McRae Spisso is a producer, director and actor who has a soft spot for nostalgic cinema, investigative thrillers and horror comedy. She grew up in Tallahassee, Florida and had her first experience with indie filmmaking as a child actor in FSU Film School thesis films. After graduating with her BFA in acting (and a brief stint in New York), Danielle moved to Los Angeles and began working on the other side of the camera with her now husband and creative partner. Her experience as an actor, assistant director, producer and director gives her a keen sense of how to create successful productions with a lot of heart. She now co-owns a Picture 304, a boutique production company which produces commercials and narrative films. Her absolute favorite thing to do is to bring people together to make art (and money!)
Alex Herrald is really excited to play Todd in order to accomplish the not so insignificant challenge of embodying a charming and decent guy after playing a string of incels and psychopaths. Select film credits include A Thousand Years, We Were Young, Wesley Loses His Penis, The Witch Pricker and the Hare, Ethixxx of Desire, Lazy Susan (with Sean Hayes and Allison Janney), Friends From College (Netflix), and The Privates (Vimeo Staff Pick). You may have also seen Alex in a commercial or two! www.alexherrald.com
This is a horrendous bio ChatGPT write for me:
"Meet Clayton Farris, the jack-of-all-trades dynamo calling sunny Los Angeles home. Acting, writing, and cracking jokes are his specialties, and boy, does he do them well. His Internet antics have racked up a jaw-dropping 100 million views across every platform you can think of.
You might recognize Clayton from his stints on Grey’s Anatomy, Seal Team, and that binge-worthy Netflix gem, Ratched. Just when you thought he couldn't pop up in more places, he's recently been turning heads in A24’s wild ride, MaXXXine.
Beyond his knack for keeping us glued to screens, Clayton spreads happiness like Nutella on toast—always ready with a punchline to brighten your day. With charisma to spare and talent that jumps off the screen, Clayton Farris is your go-to guy for a dose of laughter and heart."
PICTURE 304 is a full service, wife and husband production company in Los Angeles. We're fervent believers in the power of cinematic storytelling and understand the practicalities of the art form. We love to explore stories that embrace the weird and surreal aspects of life and often use humor to find the light in even the darkest of tales.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Aiden and May are a millennial couple from LA going camping to forage, take a break from indulgences (iPhones, Erewon, IPAs), and practice wholesome, off-the-grid living. When a humorous and laid-back stranger pulls up to the neighboring campsite (having a very different type of vacation: grilled meats, Candy Crush, Mary Jane) some inevitable TENTion arises. It’s a character-driven comedy (with the occasional pun) about how people can come into our lives and help us see ourselves --and our relationships-- differently.
As an actor, Mike Leigh films have been a treasure trove of inspiration to me since I discovered them. They are character-driven stories, made up of small but significant human moments in which actors get to show off their most vulnerable, subtle, comedic chops. His movies are the epitome of what I would love to achieve as an artist!
When I discovered Nuts in May (1976), I laughed until I cried. I saw myself in Alison Steadman's character: an artistic, loving, woman coupled with a man of similar values and interests, yet unable to acknowledge that there is something missing in the partnership.
When the film ended, I felt that rare and fuzzy *inspiration feeling.* "Gosh," I thought, "This movie was made awhile ago, but is still SO relatable! How did Mike Leigh get inside my head?? I would love to see a version of this about a modern couple. I feel like I could use this same basic plot structure to play with some performative feminism stuff ....I'll just write it."
(QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MY THERAPIST, DANI: Overcoming perfectionism
is a theme in the script, and is also the reason this movie is being made at all)
(Alison Steadman, Roger Sloman and Anthony O'Donnell in "Nuts in May," 1976)
Disclaimer: Mike Leigh's process is very different. He starts from improv and builds his characters with the actors! We aim to make a film with the same spirit of playful honesty, and as a loving ode to his stories, but starting with a completed script. Also my ending is very different : )
STYLE
In addition to the work of Mike Leigh, "Nut Milk in May"' has several other stylistic influences: Beef for contemporary comedic style, pacing, and similarities between George and Aiden, Bad Sisters, for JP's similarity to Aiden and for the themes of imperfect women trying their best, A Love Song, for visual style and coloring, Before Sunrise for the intimate, natural quality of dialogue between May and Todd, Theatre Camp for the handheld, voyeuristic comedy style, Enough Said for slice of life themes, and the inspiring collaboratively led work of the Duplass brothers. All of these stories also have strong women at the center shining in vulnerable moments of personal growth!
One day, I read "THE VIRTUES OF BEING BAD", which reminded me that the themes in my film regarding the pressures of modern society are relevant and worth talking about. People now - especially women - are often expected to conform with lofty (and sometimes contradictory) standards....as we have all learned from Barbie, of course!
(SHOUT OUT TO DIRECTOR GRETA GERWIG for making her own work & blazing her own trail! Inspiring us all to try it)
Growing up as a woman made it hard for me to trust my own desires and instincts. I was unconsciously taught to put other people's needs above my own. It got to the point that I was aligning myself so closely with romantic partners that it became hard to tell where they ended and I began! Now I have grown up a bit, found my independence, and need to trust that these characters and this story will make people laugh, reflect, and feel seen in a very specific way.
When I decided to reach out to a Director, I was referred to Brooke Trantor through another filmmaker, and HOLY SMOKES it was college study abroad reunion!! We studied Shakespeare together at BADA in London in 2009. Brooke loved the script, and I loved Brooke's previous directing work. I also loved the way she talked about community, collaboration and support among circles of creative people in Los Angeles. I wanted to be in her circle. It felt like a match made in England many years ago, and like this project was meant to be! (Especially since "Nut Milk in May" was inspired by a British film.)
Here we are in Italy as 19 year old study abroad *babies*, and a few months ago at with Cinematographer Liz Charky at The Cat and Fiddle Pub (aptly!) where we got the proverbial ball rolling for this project over a pint (or two....)
The next part of the story: the part where this team of women bring their passion, craft, and experience to set and LET THE MAGIC HAPPEN..... That part is up to YOU. We know there are many important causes asking for contributions right now. Here are some reasons to support this project:
- You're creating opportunities for independent female filmmakers!
- You're helping me (Lydian) take my first leap into the Writing/Acting/Producing trifecta.
- You're funding a story about honesty in a time when it can be hard to know what is genuine.
- You're funding a feminist story about escaping codependence and toxicity.
- Art matters. And it's expensive to make things! And we don't live in England where the arts are funded by the government, unfortunately...
- You're gonna laugh. Trust us on that. (Or do you have trust issues? Therapy worked for me.)
If we surpass our goal, we will be able to travel to film festivals and network with other artists, and better compensate our cast and crew for their time.
Please spread the word! SHARING and FOLLOWING this page and our INSTAGRAM PAGE are wonderful ways to support this project too!
This story is TO BE CONTINUED... (When the movie is made!)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
LOCATION
Costs $3,600
We found our "campsite" in Franklin Canyon Park! By donating, you are also giving to the Mountains & Recreation Conservation Authority!
GIVING PEOPLE A JOB!
Costs $10,000
The fact that something I wrote could employ a crew of artists for 3 days is incredibly empowering! Help me pay actors, director, & crew!
PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT
Costs $6,000
Camera, Sound, Lighting, Props and all the STUFF we need to make the movie magic happen!
FOOOD
Costs $1,400
Maybe the most important item!! Keeping people fed and happy for 3 days on set!
AFTER THE SHOOT
Costs $4,000
Editing! Score! Coloring! Film Festival Submission costs! (Trying to manifest this one by putting it as the image, aright, bruv??)
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Lydian Blossom is an Actor, Writer, and I guess, now Producer! Originally from California, Lydian studied theatre and literature at Sarah Lawrence College and the British American Drama Academy. She has a Masters in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and has also done improv with UCB and The Groundlings. Film credits include: If You Were, Sewed Figs, 49 Days of Mourning, The Couple, Abel, Another Glass, Creeps (AFI), Shadow Work, Crazy Girl, all things must end, and the lead in indie feature Earthquake Country. A woman of many passions, she thinks now is the time to try the Phoebe Waller-Bridge/ Greta Gerwig strategy and write her own material, hence this film. She has also adapted Gogol's absurdist 19th century Russian short story "The Nose" into a short film with all female characters set in modern-day Brooklyn. (Hit her up if you want to produce that one!)
Brooke Trantor is a Director/ Actor / Writer / Producer based in Los Angeles. She graduated Illinois Wesleyan University with a BFA in Acting and studied Shakespeare at The British American Drama Academy. Her true passion lies in the improv and the comedy world, where she has studied, taught, and performed at various institutions including Second City, UCB, Groundlings, and iO West. Some recent credits include HBO’s Perry Mason, NBC’s The Enemy Within, TNT’s Cocaine Cowboys Pilot, a lead in the comedy feature film Misfits, and acting alongside Shirley MacLaine in The Last Word. Brooke’s films have screened internationally on the festival circuit, procuring awards including Best Director, Best Actress, and the Powerful Voice Award. Her latest film, Oh, Baby! won Best Film: Audience Choice Award at the esteemed 2021 Dances With Films LA, Best Director at Broad Humor Film Festival 2023, and many other awards on the circuit. Brooke is drawn to scripts that tend to live in the dramedy world, finding the comedy in life’s seemingly dark moments. She is currently in post production for Katie Mancuso’s Shadow Work, pre-production on several short films including Lydian Blossom’s Nut Milk In May, in development on a spinoff TV series based on Oh, Baby!, a Comedy-Horror feature film, and her single-camera comedy, Wild Woman.
Liz Charky is an American cinematographer of Syrian, Sicilian, and Tonawanda-Seneca heritage, creating visual stories among the endless intersections of humor, heartbreak, love, and loneliness. She loves collaborating from a place of sensitivity, intuition, and playfulness when photographing honest and imaginary moments. Her style around movement, color, and light are often informed by her background as a dance artist and choreographer. Liz holds BA degrees in Dance and Film Studies from Connecticut College and an MFA in Cinematography from The American Film Institute, where she received an AFI/Audi scholarship and was invited to be a 2022 Telluride Film Festival FilmLab fellow upon graduating. Her cinematography has been presented by Camerimage (Golden Tadpole award nominee), Cucalorus Film Festival, NewFilmmakers LA, AFI Fest, SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ International, SXSW Panel Picker, Cleveland International, Miami International, Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center, Reykjavík International, among others. She is a member of the Society of Camera Operators, Women in Media, the International Collective of Female Cinematographers, and a Connecticut College Visiting Guest Artist.
Danielle McRae Spisso is a producer, director and actor who has a soft spot for nostalgic cinema, investigative thrillers and horror comedy. She grew up in Tallahassee, Florida and had her first experience with indie filmmaking as a child actor in FSU Film School thesis films. After graduating with her BFA in acting (and a brief stint in New York), Danielle moved to Los Angeles and began working on the other side of the camera with her now husband and creative partner. Her experience as an actor, assistant director, producer and director gives her a keen sense of how to create successful productions with a lot of heart. She now co-owns a Picture 304, a boutique production company which produces commercials and narrative films. Her absolute favorite thing to do is to bring people together to make art (and money!)
Alex Herrald is really excited to play Todd in order to accomplish the not so insignificant challenge of embodying a charming and decent guy after playing a string of incels and psychopaths. Select film credits include A Thousand Years, We Were Young, Wesley Loses His Penis, The Witch Pricker and the Hare, Ethixxx of Desire, Lazy Susan (with Sean Hayes and Allison Janney), Friends From College (Netflix), and The Privates (Vimeo Staff Pick). You may have also seen Alex in a commercial or two! www.alexherrald.com
This is a horrendous bio ChatGPT write for me:
"Meet Clayton Farris, the jack-of-all-trades dynamo calling sunny Los Angeles home. Acting, writing, and cracking jokes are his specialties, and boy, does he do them well. His Internet antics have racked up a jaw-dropping 100 million views across every platform you can think of.
You might recognize Clayton from his stints on Grey’s Anatomy, Seal Team, and that binge-worthy Netflix gem, Ratched. Just when you thought he couldn't pop up in more places, he's recently been turning heads in A24’s wild ride, MaXXXine.
Beyond his knack for keeping us glued to screens, Clayton spreads happiness like Nutella on toast—always ready with a punchline to brighten your day. With charisma to spare and talent that jumps off the screen, Clayton Farris is your go-to guy for a dose of laughter and heart."
PICTURE 304 is a full service, wife and husband production company in Los Angeles. We're fervent believers in the power of cinematic storytelling and understand the practicalities of the art form. We love to explore stories that embrace the weird and surreal aspects of life and often use humor to find the light in even the darkest of tales.