What happens when you fall through a crack in the system? For Mateo, it means being stuck in a fully automated jail cell for a crime he didn't commit. He embarks on a Kafka-esque journey to reach a human being, battling the prison's infuriating customer service while struggling to keep his sanity.
What happens when you fall through a crack in the system? For Mateo, it means being stuck in a fully automated jail cell for a crime he didn't commit. He embarks on a Kafka-esque journey to reach a human being, battling the prison's infuriating customer service while struggling to keep his sanity.
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Story
Mission Statement
PLEASE HOLD is the story of a working-class Latino, directed and co-written by KD Dávila, a Latina filmmaker. In this biting social satire, we examine the increasingly profit-driven penal system where marginalized communities are left to shoulder the costs.About The Project
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS AND FOLLOWERS!
Two days before the deadline, we have reached our production budget of $16,000. We are making a movie!
We have 48 hours left and want to try and get to some of our STRETCH GOALS. Here's what we will spend additional funds on if we make it to:
$17,000 = Bring "Scaley" to life! In our film, there will be an automated public defender called "Scaley". Think Word 98 Clippy in style. For an extra $1000 we can make him a fully animated character.
$18,000 and more - Additional funds will go to our Visual Effects budget. Our movie features drones and screens and all sorts of cool, futuristic tech, some of it too advanced to actually build, so we will make them digitally using our awesome VFX partner Last Pixel: http://www.lastpixelstudios.com.au/
Thank you for your ongoing support!!
THE STORY
This is a dark comedy, set in a slightly disappointing future.
MATEO (20s, Latino) is arrested by a police drone without explanation. Finding himself locked in a fully automated jail with no means of recourse, Mateo realizes he’s fallen through some kind of crack in the system. To get out alive he’ll have to go head to head with the labyrinthine, computerized bureaucracy of the privatized American justice system, in search of an actual human being who can set things right.
WHAT IS THIS STORY ABOUT?
In this film, we want to explore injustice and class dynamics in the prison system through a dark comedy/sci-fi lens. But while the situations might be funny to the audiences, everything will always be frighteningly real to the powerless protagonist.
THE TONE
In this sci-fi dark comedy, we aim to explore two forms of existential terror: the kind that comes from being wrongfully accused of a crime, and the kind that comes from being trapped on the phone with Spirit Airlines customer service. Tonally, it's like crossing Sorry to Bother You with an episode of Black Mirror.
WHY NOW?
We wanted to make a film that addresses the class divide in the American justice system. It's the sad reality that right now, if you're a criminal with a lot of money, you can essentially buy your way into a minimum security prison... Whereas if you're not wealthy and get arrested by mistake, the system can bleed you dry. Although this film is set in the near future, it should all feel frighteningly plausible. Many elements of this future we’re constructing are already a reality—like how they charge high prices for inmates to communicate with their families.Right now the justice system and the penal system are run by human beings, who are fallible and often make costly mistakes. What happens when we further reduce the human element in these systems? Considering the unstoppable advent of automation, we’re probably not that far off from this reality.
OUR WORK
Between the four of us, our team has produced and worked on dozens of short films. We've screened and won top awards at major festivals like Berlinale, Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW. While success is never guaranteed, we're an experienced team and are confident that we can deliver the film we promise.
HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY
Please also check out our Wish List!
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Incentives
$15
Solitary
Thank you!
We'll give you a social media shout out! AND if you're ever in jail, we volunteer to be your one phone call. We can't offer legal advice, but we can offer moral support.
$25
Supermax
You will get:
- A personalized social media shout out
- AND... a SPECIAL THANKS in the credits
$50
Premium EconoCell
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- AND... a link to the FINISHED FILM!
$75
Business Class Comfort+ Cell
You will get:
- A social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- AND... a signed copy of the SCRIPT!
$100
First Class Maximum Comfort Cell
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- AND.... a pair of 'Handmade' SOCKS* (US only) OR Notes on YOUR SCRIPT! **
* 'Handmade‘ is a fictional brand from the movie!
**We will read your script and send you a page of development notes. Scripts must be submitted by October 31st 2019.
Claimed: 18 of 20
$250
A Night in the Drunk Tank
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only) OR Notes on YOUR script *
- AND... an INVITATION to the PREMIERE! **
* We will read your script and send you a page of development notes. Scripts must be submitted by October 31st 2019.** You are going to the premiere of PLEASE HOLD! Said premiere may be a friends & family screening, a festival screening or formal premiere depending on our release schedule. Travel not included.
Claimed: 7 of 15
$500
Minimum Security Deluxe
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on YOUR script *
- Invitation to the Premiere **
- AND... a CAMEO ROLE in the film! ***
* We will read your script and send you a page of development notes. Scripts must be submitted by October 31st 2019.
** You are going to the premiere of PLEASE HOLD! Said premiere may be a friends & family screening, a festival screening or formal premiere depending on our release schedule. Travel not included.
*** Film shoots in LA, we unfortinately cannot cover any costs that may occur in conjunction with claiming this reward.
$1,000
Club Fed
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on your script
- Invitation to the premiere
- A cameo role
- AND... an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER credit on the film!
$2,500
Executive Suite
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on YOUR script *
- Invitation to the Premiere **
- A cameo role ***
- AND... an EXECUTIVE PRODUCER credit on the film!
$5,000
Presidential Suite
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on your script
- Invitation to the premiere
- AND... a CO-PRODUCER credit!
- PLUS... you will appear as PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES in our film!
Claimed: 0 of 1
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$15
Solitary
Thank you!
We'll give you a social media shout out! AND if you're ever in jail, we volunteer to be your one phone call. We can't offer legal advice, but we can offer moral support.
$25
Supermax
You will get:
- A personalized social media shout out
- AND... a SPECIAL THANKS in the credits
$50
Premium EconoCell
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- AND... a link to the FINISHED FILM!
$75
Business Class Comfort+ Cell
You will get:
- A social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- AND... a signed copy of the SCRIPT!
$100
First Class Maximum Comfort Cell
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- AND.... a pair of 'Handmade' SOCKS* (US only) OR Notes on YOUR SCRIPT! **
* 'Handmade‘ is a fictional brand from the movie!
**We will read your script and send you a page of development notes. Scripts must be submitted by October 31st 2019.
Claimed: 18 of 20
$250
A Night in the Drunk Tank
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only) OR Notes on YOUR script *
- AND... an INVITATION to the PREMIERE! **
* We will read your script and send you a page of development notes. Scripts must be submitted by October 31st 2019.** You are going to the premiere of PLEASE HOLD! Said premiere may be a friends & family screening, a festival screening or formal premiere depending on our release schedule. Travel not included.
Claimed: 7 of 15
$500
Minimum Security Deluxe
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on YOUR script *
- Invitation to the Premiere **
- AND... a CAMEO ROLE in the film! ***
* We will read your script and send you a page of development notes. Scripts must be submitted by October 31st 2019.
** You are going to the premiere of PLEASE HOLD! Said premiere may be a friends & family screening, a festival screening or formal premiere depending on our release schedule. Travel not included.
*** Film shoots in LA, we unfortinately cannot cover any costs that may occur in conjunction with claiming this reward.
$1,000
Club Fed
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on your script
- Invitation to the premiere
- A cameo role
- AND... an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER credit on the film!
$2,500
Executive Suite
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on YOUR script *
- Invitation to the Premiere **
- A cameo role ***
- AND... an EXECUTIVE PRODUCER credit on the film!
$5,000
Presidential Suite
You will get:
- A personalized social media shoutout!
- A Special Thanks in the credits
- A link to the finished film
- A signed copy of the script
- A pair of 'Handmade' socks (US only)
- Notes on your script
- Invitation to the premiere
- AND... a CO-PRODUCER credit!
- PLUS... you will appear as PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES in our film!
Claimed: 0 of 1
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
KD Dávila / Writer & Director
K.D. Dávila is a Chicana writer/director from Los Angeles. She holds a BA in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University and an MFA in Screenwriting from USC. She wrote EMERGENCY, winner of Best Narrative Short at SXSW 2018 and the Special Jury Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. She was recently a SW on CBS summer sci-fi show Salvation, and is currently hard at work as SE on an upcoming genre television series.
Levin Menekse / Writer
Born in Istanbul to a Muslim mother and a Jewish father, Omer Levin Menekse has always felt like somewhat of a cosmological joke. He attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he was awarded the Annenberg Fellowship. Since graduating, he has worked as a freelance story consultant and as a script analyst for various companies. He is currently co-producing PLEASE HOLD, which he co-wrote with Sundance Special Jury Award winning writer/director KD Davila. He is currently a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow. Levin is represented by Parker Davis, Jenna Block and Pamela Goldstein at Verve.
Diego Najera / Producer
Diego Nájera is a producer from Guadalajara, Mexico. He is a USC International Artist Fellow (2014-2016), a recipient of the Producers Guild of America Debra Hill Fellowship (2016), and a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow (2018). Nájera began his career at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) where he worked for six editions as Producer and Film Programmer He holds an MFA from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program. His short film, SPARK, was nominated for a BAFTA Student Film Award and was distributed by HBO. His latest short LIBERTY won the Jury Prize at Berlinale Generation and at SXSW. He is currently producing the feature film BOLICHICOS by Juan Avella with the support of the Tribeca Film Institute and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Marc Mounier / Producer
Marc is a Los Angeles based producer whose credits WYRM, FINDING HOME, and GOODBYE BLUE SKY among others. WYRM screened in the narrative shorts competition at Sundance in 2018. The FINDING HOME series screened at top documentary film festivals in the US including the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, DOC:NYC, and earned the production team a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Los Angeles. The series is available on Seed & Spark. GOODBYE BLUE SKY has accrued over 6 million views on Youtube. Marc holds an MFA in Producing from USC’s Peter Stark Program and currently works for one of Hollywood’s major management companies. Prior to this, he was a Production Coordinator for Switzerland’s largest broadcasting network SRF.
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