Walking through Peanut Butter
New York City, New York | Series
Comedy
22-year-old workaholic Jessie moves to the city that never sleeps to be a stand-up comic. She also has narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder even she knows little about. In this short pilot, Jessie discovers a new symptom—sudden muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions. Her trigger? Laughter.
Walking through Peanut Butter
New York City, New York | Series
Comedy
Green Light
This campaign raised $4,035 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
57 supporters | followers
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22-year-old workaholic Jessie moves to the city that never sleeps to be a stand-up comic. She also has narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder even she knows little about. In this short pilot, Jessie discovers a new symptom—sudden muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions. Her trigger? Laughter.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE GIST
This 10-minute short film is a proof of concept for “Walking through Peanut Butter,” a ½-hour single-camera dark comedy based on my own experiences navigating the comedy world of New York City while living with narcolepsy. We’ll use this 10-min short pilot to pitch the series for further development and submit to film festivals.
Real quick: WTF IS NARCOLEPSY?
As opposed to how it’s portrayed in the media:
… in real life, narcolepsy is a chronic, invisible neurological sleep disorder that hinders the brain’s ability to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It can take many forms:
- daytime fatigue, but also screwed up restless sleep;
- vivid lucid dreaming along with sleep paralysis;
- and being a sleep deprived, irritable monster wrapped in a perfectly manicured human suit.
It can also come with cataplexy: sudden episodes of muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions (fear, joy, etc.) that vary from jaw slackening to falling down and last a few seconds to several minutes, all while conscious.
On any given day, a person with narcolepsy feels like you would if you hadn’t slept in 48 to 72 hours. Obvs, real people with narcolepsy are much more interesting than the stock misrepresentations that the media uses as regular punchlines.
THE CREATOR
Hi, I'm Anna Marr. I'm an LA-based actor, writer, and comedian. After graduatingfrom Northwestern University, I moved to NYC, where I created and performed for 6+ years.
I'm a proud company member of Story Pirates, a nationally-known kids media company. I studied and performed comedy at UCB and played around NYC with my long-form indie team My Brother's Girlfriend. In 2016, I produced, co-wrote, and acted in the comedic web series, "NANNIES" and co-produced, co-wrote, and performed in a female-centered cabaret. I'm currently a contributor to Vulture (This Week in Comedy Podcasts). I'm also a co-founder of Bluelaces Theatre Company, a non-profit that creates interactive, multi-sens
ory theatrical experiences for individuals on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities.
THE INSPIRATION
I was a high schooler in Ohio when I first started to tell doctors that I felt tired. Like, really tired. They’d tell me I was involved in too many extracurriculars and shoo me off, but I knew better. It took 4.5 years for a doctor to humor me enough to refer me to a sleep doctor who humored me enough to order a sleep test.
I wasn’t surprised with my diagnosis, but “I told you so” currency doesn’t go far. I knew nothing about living with narcolepsy. When I moved to NYC with a diagnosis and prescription in tow, I thought I had my solution. Turns out, nothing is a solution when you’re 22 years old.
Over time, I've unpacked some of that invisible baggage. Its contents are now hanging all over my room, waiting to be used, and this project is how I’m using them. As a woman with an invisible chronic illness, I am determined to create a series that depicts these conditions truthfully, free from clichés and overgeneralizations.
THE STORY
"Walking through Peanut Butter" is about a stubborn, overachieving new college grad diving headfirst into the comedy world of the city that never sleeps—aka, the perfect place to adapt to her newly diagnosed narcolepsy.
This is a show about a polite person who is unraveling into a self-absorbed mess. It’s a story about being told to ask for what you need and not knowing how.
It’s a dark comedy mixed with moments of magical realism. Why? People with narcolepsy’s dreams are so active and intense that they oftentimes have a hard time knowing what’s real and what’s not. So, yeah—think if "Inception" was a comedy.
WHY NOW?
The show takes place now. In the era of Silicon Valley, with its wireless devices that never sleep and nap-pod-filled offices, everybody is trying to unlock the secrets of both powering through and turning off. Every day, young people, from Gen Z to Millennials to Gen X, juggle our country’s obsession with success and the pressure to rack up our meditation streaks on Headspace. We’re both members of the “Burnout Generation” and targets of the “self-care” industry.
When I speak with people about narcolepsy, they’re always captivated. I believe their fascination is less about the “mysteriousness” of narcolepsy and more the fact that they’re exhausted. They want someone to tell them that it’s OK—they’re not lazy. They’re not alone.
Even if you don’t suffer from narcolepsy or another chronic illness, you're most likely aware with a certain feeling—the feeling that every step forward is a fight. The days when your head wants to stick to your pillow, when it feels like a triumph to have forced a smile to your coworker, when you then realize you have 8 more hours left of faking it. The days that feel like walking through peanut butter.
THE NITTY GRITTY
Your contributions will go to:
- Cast & Crew: While much of our team volunteered their time, we paid a few of our head crew members a low-budget rate and covered transportation costs for our main supporting actors.
- Craft Services: How do we get talented artists to volunteer their time? We FEED them! How do we push through a long day? With energy from FOOD!
- Post-Production: We’ve shot the dang thing, but it will go nowhere without a dedicated editor. The editor takes the footage & makes it into a masterpiece… if we pay them.
- Festival Submission Fees: We want to share this story on a large and professional scale, and film festivals are a major part of making that happen. Submission fees run $40-100—and they add up quickly!
Challenges
Indie filmmaking on a tight budget comes with unique puzzles, but we are thrilled with how resourceful everyone has been. We're all in it together to keep costs low without sacrificing quality.
The world of low-budget indie filmmaking is always unpredictable. An example of this is that we were unexpectedly left without a sound operator on set. This means our sound will need extra care and attention in post-production, a reason why we’ve altered our budget to allot more funds for a sound engineer.
I am grateful for every minute this team has put into this project so far, and the most exciting part is that—even though we’ve finished filming the proof of concept—this journey has just begun. I'm PUMPED to continue developing this series with their and your support.
More Ways You Can Help
Strapped for cash? You can still help in big ways! How to make an impact without dropping major green:
- Share our campaign on social media!
- Tell your community about it! Email, text, or call anyone you think would be interested in supporting this story.
Thank you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Crew
Costs $750
We couldn't function without our crew! With their expertise, we want to pay them as much as we can.
Editor
Costs $700
They're integral in bringing the project together. It's important to pay them a respectable rate.
Cast
Costs $175
While we can't pay our actors a union rate, it's important we give them something for their time.
Transportation
Costs $200
Got to get that equipment around! Taxis & gas, baby.
Meals
Costs $350
Since many of our actors & crew volunteered their time, good, quality food on set was a given.
Festival Submissions
Costs $800
Festivals can launch projects into development, but from submission fees to travel, they cost a LOT.
Props
Costs $25
Set dressing, copies of custom narcolepsy pamphlets...Props help build the world of the show.
Share this update!
About This Team
Anna Marr (Creator/Writer/Producer/Actor) is an LA-based bi-coastal actor/writer with a focus in comedy, film/TV acting, and voiceover animation. She is a UCB-trained advanced improviser and musical improviser who has performed comedy in theaters all over NYC and comedy festivals on the East Coast. As a trained singer, she has sung at Joe's Pub and the Signature Theatre, as well as on the award-winning Story Pirates podcast. A proud Story Pirates company member, Anna has toured around the country, performed characters on their podcast, and served as a consultant for sensory friendly and relaxed performances. Her acting has been featured in videos on Bustle and Allure, official film festival selections, and various online sketches. She is a regular contributor to Vulture (This Week in Comedy Podcasts).
As a creator, Anna co-wrote, produced, and acted in the comedic webseries "NANNIES." She is also a co-founder of Bluelaces Theatre Co., a non-profit that creates interactive, multi-sensory theatrical experiences for individuals with other developmental differences. A Midwesterner at heart, Anna is a Northwestern University alum who is passionate about sleep health and ice cream.
Lorena Russi (Director) is a Queens native and Queer-Latinx comedian, host and filmmaker now selling out in Brooklyn. Her 9 years in comedy, media and education ranges from hosting Chipotle’s Snapchat Channel to Head Writer for Spotify’s “Game Plan” to working on “The Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert” digital team. Her bilingual Dad jokes have been featured on the Oscars, Comedy Central, Amazon, Vice, Refinery29, BAM, and Time Out’s “LGBTQ POC Comedians We’re Obsessed With.” Outside of comedy, Lorena is an ex-pro soccer player that daydreams about symmetrical knees. Lorena has two projects currently in development, both heavily influenced by her immigrant guilt.
- Jasmin Stanley (Co-Producer/Assistant Director) is a comedy producer & writer, live entertainment host, and non-profit fundraiser. A life-long New Yorker, she hosts regular events for TriviaNYC in every corner of the city (as well as creating content for the company and managing promotional social media). She has studied sketch at UCB, as well as hosted shows at The Peoples Improv Theater and the Magnet Theater. Jasmin recently received an M.S. in Media Management from The New School.
Mark Kramer (Associate Producer) is a Filipino-American comedy writer in Los Angeles, originally from Staten Island, NY (which he's been apologizing for his entire life). His original script was a NYTV Scripts Competition Official Selection, and he's participated in the NBC Late Night Writers Workshop and NBC Scene Showcase (NY & LA). His writing has been featured in Slant’d (Issue 02), Funny or Die, headlines on Above Average, headlines/social on The Kicker, the Weekly Humorist, and FLEXX. He writes weekly podcast coverage for Vulture and was once a Writer's Assistant at WWE (briefly).
Chris Alfonso (DP) is an experienced producer, editor and photographer based in Brooklyn. He's worked with both large national campaigns and small independent creators on strategy and execution for 6 years. He's collaborated with national brands like Johnson & Johnson, independent startup creatives like Kink Out, and non-profits like DoSomething inc. Chris is committed to grounding his work in intersectionality. He seeks to center the voices of black, brown and queer bodies by dismantling status quo of representation and radically transforming spaces to be brave, inclusive and dynamic.
Dylan River Lopez (Editor) is an assistant editor at VICE Media Group in New York City. In their spare time, they love to read, play video games and hang out with their cat.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE GIST
This 10-minute short film is a proof of concept for “Walking through Peanut Butter,” a ½-hour single-camera dark comedy based on my own experiences navigating the comedy world of New York City while living with narcolepsy. We’ll use this 10-min short pilot to pitch the series for further development and submit to film festivals.
Real quick: WTF IS NARCOLEPSY?
As opposed to how it’s portrayed in the media:
… in real life, narcolepsy is a chronic, invisible neurological sleep disorder that hinders the brain’s ability to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It can take many forms:
- daytime fatigue, but also screwed up restless sleep;
- vivid lucid dreaming along with sleep paralysis;
- and being a sleep deprived, irritable monster wrapped in a perfectly manicured human suit.
It can also come with cataplexy: sudden episodes of muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions (fear, joy, etc.) that vary from jaw slackening to falling down and last a few seconds to several minutes, all while conscious.
On any given day, a person with narcolepsy feels like you would if you hadn’t slept in 48 to 72 hours. Obvs, real people with narcolepsy are much more interesting than the stock misrepresentations that the media uses as regular punchlines.
THE CREATOR
Hi, I'm Anna Marr. I'm an LA-based actor, writer, and comedian. After graduatingfrom Northwestern University, I moved to NYC, where I created and performed for 6+ years.
I'm a proud company member of Story Pirates, a nationally-known kids media company. I studied and performed comedy at UCB and played around NYC with my long-form indie team My Brother's Girlfriend. In 2016, I produced, co-wrote, and acted in the comedic web series, "NANNIES" and co-produced, co-wrote, and performed in a female-centered cabaret. I'm currently a contributor to Vulture (This Week in Comedy Podcasts). I'm also a co-founder of Bluelaces Theatre Company, a non-profit that creates interactive, multi-sens
ory theatrical experiences for individuals on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities.
THE INSPIRATION
I was a high schooler in Ohio when I first started to tell doctors that I felt tired. Like, really tired. They’d tell me I was involved in too many extracurriculars and shoo me off, but I knew better. It took 4.5 years for a doctor to humor me enough to refer me to a sleep doctor who humored me enough to order a sleep test.
I wasn’t surprised with my diagnosis, but “I told you so” currency doesn’t go far. I knew nothing about living with narcolepsy. When I moved to NYC with a diagnosis and prescription in tow, I thought I had my solution. Turns out, nothing is a solution when you’re 22 years old.
Over time, I've unpacked some of that invisible baggage. Its contents are now hanging all over my room, waiting to be used, and this project is how I’m using them. As a woman with an invisible chronic illness, I am determined to create a series that depicts these conditions truthfully, free from clichés and overgeneralizations.
THE STORY
"Walking through Peanut Butter" is about a stubborn, overachieving new college grad diving headfirst into the comedy world of the city that never sleeps—aka, the perfect place to adapt to her newly diagnosed narcolepsy.
This is a show about a polite person who is unraveling into a self-absorbed mess. It’s a story about being told to ask for what you need and not knowing how.
It’s a dark comedy mixed with moments of magical realism. Why? People with narcolepsy’s dreams are so active and intense that they oftentimes have a hard time knowing what’s real and what’s not. So, yeah—think if "Inception" was a comedy.
WHY NOW?
The show takes place now. In the era of Silicon Valley, with its wireless devices that never sleep and nap-pod-filled offices, everybody is trying to unlock the secrets of both powering through and turning off. Every day, young people, from Gen Z to Millennials to Gen X, juggle our country’s obsession with success and the pressure to rack up our meditation streaks on Headspace. We’re both members of the “Burnout Generation” and targets of the “self-care” industry.
When I speak with people about narcolepsy, they’re always captivated. I believe their fascination is less about the “mysteriousness” of narcolepsy and more the fact that they’re exhausted. They want someone to tell them that it’s OK—they’re not lazy. They’re not alone.
Even if you don’t suffer from narcolepsy or another chronic illness, you're most likely aware with a certain feeling—the feeling that every step forward is a fight. The days when your head wants to stick to your pillow, when it feels like a triumph to have forced a smile to your coworker, when you then realize you have 8 more hours left of faking it. The days that feel like walking through peanut butter.
THE NITTY GRITTY
Your contributions will go to:
- Cast & Crew: While much of our team volunteered their time, we paid a few of our head crew members a low-budget rate and covered transportation costs for our main supporting actors.
- Craft Services: How do we get talented artists to volunteer their time? We FEED them! How do we push through a long day? With energy from FOOD!
- Post-Production: We’ve shot the dang thing, but it will go nowhere without a dedicated editor. The editor takes the footage & makes it into a masterpiece… if we pay them.
- Festival Submission Fees: We want to share this story on a large and professional scale, and film festivals are a major part of making that happen. Submission fees run $40-100—and they add up quickly!
Challenges
Indie filmmaking on a tight budget comes with unique puzzles, but we are thrilled with how resourceful everyone has been. We're all in it together to keep costs low without sacrificing quality.
The world of low-budget indie filmmaking is always unpredictable. An example of this is that we were unexpectedly left without a sound operator on set. This means our sound will need extra care and attention in post-production, a reason why we’ve altered our budget to allot more funds for a sound engineer.
I am grateful for every minute this team has put into this project so far, and the most exciting part is that—even though we’ve finished filming the proof of concept—this journey has just begun. I'm PUMPED to continue developing this series with their and your support.
More Ways You Can Help
Strapped for cash? You can still help in big ways! How to make an impact without dropping major green:
- Share our campaign on social media!
- Tell your community about it! Email, text, or call anyone you think would be interested in supporting this story.
Thank you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Crew
Costs $750
We couldn't function without our crew! With their expertise, we want to pay them as much as we can.
Editor
Costs $700
They're integral in bringing the project together. It's important to pay them a respectable rate.
Cast
Costs $175
While we can't pay our actors a union rate, it's important we give them something for their time.
Transportation
Costs $200
Got to get that equipment around! Taxis & gas, baby.
Meals
Costs $350
Since many of our actors & crew volunteered their time, good, quality food on set was a given.
Festival Submissions
Costs $800
Festivals can launch projects into development, but from submission fees to travel, they cost a LOT.
Props
Costs $25
Set dressing, copies of custom narcolepsy pamphlets...Props help build the world of the show.
Share this update!
About This Team
Anna Marr (Creator/Writer/Producer/Actor) is an LA-based bi-coastal actor/writer with a focus in comedy, film/TV acting, and voiceover animation. She is a UCB-trained advanced improviser and musical improviser who has performed comedy in theaters all over NYC and comedy festivals on the East Coast. As a trained singer, she has sung at Joe's Pub and the Signature Theatre, as well as on the award-winning Story Pirates podcast. A proud Story Pirates company member, Anna has toured around the country, performed characters on their podcast, and served as a consultant for sensory friendly and relaxed performances. Her acting has been featured in videos on Bustle and Allure, official film festival selections, and various online sketches. She is a regular contributor to Vulture (This Week in Comedy Podcasts).
As a creator, Anna co-wrote, produced, and acted in the comedic webseries "NANNIES." She is also a co-founder of Bluelaces Theatre Co., a non-profit that creates interactive, multi-sensory theatrical experiences for individuals with other developmental differences. A Midwesterner at heart, Anna is a Northwestern University alum who is passionate about sleep health and ice cream.
Lorena Russi (Director) is a Queens native and Queer-Latinx comedian, host and filmmaker now selling out in Brooklyn. Her 9 years in comedy, media and education ranges from hosting Chipotle’s Snapchat Channel to Head Writer for Spotify’s “Game Plan” to working on “The Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert” digital team. Her bilingual Dad jokes have been featured on the Oscars, Comedy Central, Amazon, Vice, Refinery29, BAM, and Time Out’s “LGBTQ POC Comedians We’re Obsessed With.” Outside of comedy, Lorena is an ex-pro soccer player that daydreams about symmetrical knees. Lorena has two projects currently in development, both heavily influenced by her immigrant guilt.
- Jasmin Stanley (Co-Producer/Assistant Director) is a comedy producer & writer, live entertainment host, and non-profit fundraiser. A life-long New Yorker, she hosts regular events for TriviaNYC in every corner of the city (as well as creating content for the company and managing promotional social media). She has studied sketch at UCB, as well as hosted shows at The Peoples Improv Theater and the Magnet Theater. Jasmin recently received an M.S. in Media Management from The New School.
Mark Kramer (Associate Producer) is a Filipino-American comedy writer in Los Angeles, originally from Staten Island, NY (which he's been apologizing for his entire life). His original script was a NYTV Scripts Competition Official Selection, and he's participated in the NBC Late Night Writers Workshop and NBC Scene Showcase (NY & LA). His writing has been featured in Slant’d (Issue 02), Funny or Die, headlines on Above Average, headlines/social on The Kicker, the Weekly Humorist, and FLEXX. He writes weekly podcast coverage for Vulture and was once a Writer's Assistant at WWE (briefly).
Chris Alfonso (DP) is an experienced producer, editor and photographer based in Brooklyn. He's worked with both large national campaigns and small independent creators on strategy and execution for 6 years. He's collaborated with national brands like Johnson & Johnson, independent startup creatives like Kink Out, and non-profits like DoSomething inc. Chris is committed to grounding his work in intersectionality. He seeks to center the voices of black, brown and queer bodies by dismantling status quo of representation and radically transforming spaces to be brave, inclusive and dynamic.
Dylan River Lopez (Editor) is an assistant editor at VICE Media Group in New York City. In their spare time, they love to read, play video games and hang out with their cat.