PUSH IT!
Boulder, Colorado | Film Short
Action, Drama
PUSH IT! reveals the hypermasculine approach by coaches to training high school students to be less emotional and physical men. By doing this, players dreams are crushed by the demand put on their bodies and mental health. By helping fund this project, we can bring awareness to those environments.
PUSH IT!
Boulder, Colorado | Film Short
Action, Drama
1 Campaigns | Colorado, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $5,395 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
9 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
PUSH IT! reveals the hypermasculine approach by coaches to training high school students to be less emotional and physical men. By doing this, players dreams are crushed by the demand put on their bodies and mental health. By helping fund this project, we can bring awareness to those environments.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story:
After trying out for high school football, freshman Jason Overland is encouraged to push his body to his limits by his overbearing coach, Marcus White. Jason pushes himself harder and harder to try and fit the hyper masculine mold that Coach White sets for him. All of this being said, the next wave of feminism will focus on redefining masculinity, and this film is a part of that conversation. "Push It!" exposes the rotten underbelly of fixed ideas of manhood and the cycle of glory and failure followed to achieve unrealistic masculine standards, a cycle that can incapacitate.
The Why:
Growing up, I was always told that I needed to be more aggressive. When I played sports, I needed to steal the ball, hit harder, and think less. If I didn't do those things, I was pushed to eat more, train harder, and stay after practices. It all lead to me developing dysmorphia by the age of 14. As Someone who is not naturally aggressive or great at putting on weight, I struggled to fit in with my teammates and bond with my coaches. Buying into the football culture became harder and harder. The more I embraced the pain, the weaker my body was and it ultimately broke my body as in my Junior year of high school. I suffered a severe stress reaction in my right leg ending my college playing hopes. To this day I have yet to full recover from.
Why Support:
"Push It!" shows the way that hypermasculine environments pull in boys and train them to believe that the only way to have worth is through physical prowess, regardless of any strain on their health. The film verbalizes the often silent, using body horror to encourage us to reevaluate our prejudice.
Purchasing Timeline and Production Schedule:
For all of the materials we are purchasing we want to order them within the next few weeks and before the start of our production which is the weekend of April 3rd or April 11th. Our ideal purchasing timeline if Seed&Spark funding is completed by March 26th is: All equipment purchased on March 26th and Costumes ordered on March 26th. Costuming will take place on April 2nd and filming taking place on April 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th. If funding however is needed for more time, everything will be pushed back a week so equipment and costumes are ordered on April 2nd, and filming happens on April 11th, 12th, and the 18th. Catering and food for cast and crew will be purchased during the filming dates listed previously.
OUR FUNDING BREAKDOWN:
We are looking to get a total budget of $6000 for this short student film. All funding will go toward equipment, and on set necessities including feeding our crew. With the desired budget we are breaking the funds down in the following order: $4000 to production design, $750 for make-up budgeting, $500 for all needed film equipment, and $750 for food going to the cast and crew. All detailed items can be found under our wish list!
All Funds For This Project Will Go Towards:
-Equipment for camera add-ons such as lenses
-Props for tackling scenes and weight lifting scenes
-Makeup for the actors for injuries
-Food for the cast and crew between scene shooting
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Football Pads (x8)
Costs $1,000
This item is the centerpiece for our project! Without pads, we can't have a film.
Football Helmets (x8)
Costs $1,650
In the same vein as the pads, the helmets are a critical part of this film! Without helmets we have no film!
Practice Jerseys (x12)
Costs $200
Practice jerseys will be going over the pads to complete to high school football practice look!
Crash Mat (x3)
Costs $100
For the actors safety, we need crash mats for contact and collisions.
Fake 45lb Plates (x8)
Costs $400
During parts of the films, actors will be in the weight room, lifting. To prevent injury we need fake plates to film with
Catering and On Set Food
Costs $800
While we film we want to make sure crew and cast are fed. Having a fund of $600 allows us to buy items in bulk and one day of catering
Prosthetics, Blood, and Make-Up
Costs $750
For everything we will be doing, we want it to be realistic. For this reason we will be using all fake its for prosthetics and no CGI
High School Location Funding
Costs $600
Funding in case we need to rent out a location for filming instead of being able to use one for free
Filming Equipment
Costs $500
We will need equipment to film!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Micah Kress is the Producer, Director, and Writer for Push It! As a undergraduate at the University of CU Boulder, he co-founded a production focused student organization for all underrepresented individuals in the CU Boulder film community called Give Us The F--king Camera Productions! In his second year at the film program, he served as President and was then nominated into the Student Advisor role for his senior year of college where he now works with the Head of the Cinema Department and collaborates with the Sundance Institute as they prepare to move to Boulder. Majoring in film production, He loves to work with others to create projects, produce, and has no shortage of experience in video editing, project management, graphic design, and event planning.
Maggie Muhich is the assistant director and co-producer of Push It! Majoring in cinema production and computer science, Maggie has worked on a variety of different projects and film sets. After co-founding Give Us the F–king Camera Productions!, or GUT-C Productions for short, Maggie worked on the board as Communications Chair before moving to the President position in the following year. She loves to work with dedicated and passionate communities on creative works, whether it be organizing group events or collaborating on a film set. In addition to working as assistant director and co-producer, Maggie has experience as a producer, director, editor, sound mixer, and production designer.
JohnMichael Blackburn is the Head Cinematographer for Push It and a cinematographer out of Boulder, Colorado. Together with his collaborators, he has produced, directed, and written multiple shorts and feature length films for over five years. With an education in Avant-Garde Film Aesthetics from the University of Colorado, JohnMichael intends to build his narratives and worlds in a fresh way that combats the nature of the world around us and the deep connections people make with each other.
Zoe Kaed is the Head Gaffer for Push It and is a third-year cinema studies student at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has experience in both writing and directing several short films of her own including but not limited to STUCK, CONSUME, and THE VEIL, while assistant directing and being the cinematographer for several others. Listed but not limited to Pocket Change directed by Lucas Piscano, Coma: A Love Story by Kenneth Lindholm, and New York: A Music Video by Tyler Anderson. As a film student, she loves the collaborative environment and is very interested in capturing the human experience through experimental and intimate filmmaking styles.
Blair Snyder is the Head Sound Designer and Boom Operator for Push It! She’s done sound for both student and professional sets and is experienced in production and post-production fields.
She will graduate CU Boulder in spring of 2026 with a degree in film production. She’s especially interested in dialogue in film which she explores both through her sound work and her screenwriting.
Skinner Myers is the Production Consultant for Push It! Skinner Myers is an award-winning writer and director based in Boulder, Colorado. After leaving USC School of Cinematic Arts, he established a strong foundation with a series of acclaimed short films. His short, LA TIERRA DEL EXODO, screened at over 90 international festivals and received numerous awards, while his film FRANK EMBREE won the Grand Jury Award at the Hollyshorts Film Festival, qualifying it for Academy Award consideration. Myers made a successful transition to feature films with his debut, THE SLEEPING NEGRO, which had its World Premiere at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival. The film earned significant critical acclaim and received several prestigious honors, including the FIPRESCI Prize at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg (IFFMH) and a VISIONARY AWARD at Cinequest. Praised by the L.A. TIMES and SLANT MAGAZINE, the film secured domestic and international distribution and is currently available on prominent streaming platforms MUBI and Universciné. Continuing his momentum, Myers' second feature film, BEFORE YOU FADE AWAY INTO NOTHING, premiered at the 2025 Berlinale Critics' Week and was acquired for distribution by Deskpop Entertainment. He is currently in post-production on his third feature, MOODSWING WHISKEY. In recognition of his growing body of work and promising future, Skinner was named a 2025 Film Independent Amplifier Fellow.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story:
After trying out for high school football, freshman Jason Overland is encouraged to push his body to his limits by his overbearing coach, Marcus White. Jason pushes himself harder and harder to try and fit the hyper masculine mold that Coach White sets for him. All of this being said, the next wave of feminism will focus on redefining masculinity, and this film is a part of that conversation. "Push It!" exposes the rotten underbelly of fixed ideas of manhood and the cycle of glory and failure followed to achieve unrealistic masculine standards, a cycle that can incapacitate.
The Why:
Growing up, I was always told that I needed to be more aggressive. When I played sports, I needed to steal the ball, hit harder, and think less. If I didn't do those things, I was pushed to eat more, train harder, and stay after practices. It all lead to me developing dysmorphia by the age of 14. As Someone who is not naturally aggressive or great at putting on weight, I struggled to fit in with my teammates and bond with my coaches. Buying into the football culture became harder and harder. The more I embraced the pain, the weaker my body was and it ultimately broke my body as in my Junior year of high school. I suffered a severe stress reaction in my right leg ending my college playing hopes. To this day I have yet to full recover from.
Why Support:
"Push It!" shows the way that hypermasculine environments pull in boys and train them to believe that the only way to have worth is through physical prowess, regardless of any strain on their health. The film verbalizes the often silent, using body horror to encourage us to reevaluate our prejudice.
Purchasing Timeline and Production Schedule:
For all of the materials we are purchasing we want to order them within the next few weeks and before the start of our production which is the weekend of April 3rd or April 11th. Our ideal purchasing timeline if Seed&Spark funding is completed by March 26th is: All equipment purchased on March 26th and Costumes ordered on March 26th. Costuming will take place on April 2nd and filming taking place on April 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th. If funding however is needed for more time, everything will be pushed back a week so equipment and costumes are ordered on April 2nd, and filming happens on April 11th, 12th, and the 18th. Catering and food for cast and crew will be purchased during the filming dates listed previously.
OUR FUNDING BREAKDOWN:
We are looking to get a total budget of $6000 for this short student film. All funding will go toward equipment, and on set necessities including feeding our crew. With the desired budget we are breaking the funds down in the following order: $4000 to production design, $750 for make-up budgeting, $500 for all needed film equipment, and $750 for food going to the cast and crew. All detailed items can be found under our wish list!
All Funds For This Project Will Go Towards:
-Equipment for camera add-ons such as lenses
-Props for tackling scenes and weight lifting scenes
-Makeup for the actors for injuries
-Food for the cast and crew between scene shooting
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Football Pads (x8)
Costs $1,000
This item is the centerpiece for our project! Without pads, we can't have a film.
Football Helmets (x8)
Costs $1,650
In the same vein as the pads, the helmets are a critical part of this film! Without helmets we have no film!
Practice Jerseys (x12)
Costs $200
Practice jerseys will be going over the pads to complete to high school football practice look!
Crash Mat (x3)
Costs $100
For the actors safety, we need crash mats for contact and collisions.
Fake 45lb Plates (x8)
Costs $400
During parts of the films, actors will be in the weight room, lifting. To prevent injury we need fake plates to film with
Catering and On Set Food
Costs $800
While we film we want to make sure crew and cast are fed. Having a fund of $600 allows us to buy items in bulk and one day of catering
Prosthetics, Blood, and Make-Up
Costs $750
For everything we will be doing, we want it to be realistic. For this reason we will be using all fake its for prosthetics and no CGI
High School Location Funding
Costs $600
Funding in case we need to rent out a location for filming instead of being able to use one for free
Filming Equipment
Costs $500
We will need equipment to film!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Micah Kress is the Producer, Director, and Writer for Push It! As a undergraduate at the University of CU Boulder, he co-founded a production focused student organization for all underrepresented individuals in the CU Boulder film community called Give Us The F--king Camera Productions! In his second year at the film program, he served as President and was then nominated into the Student Advisor role for his senior year of college where he now works with the Head of the Cinema Department and collaborates with the Sundance Institute as they prepare to move to Boulder. Majoring in film production, He loves to work with others to create projects, produce, and has no shortage of experience in video editing, project management, graphic design, and event planning.
Maggie Muhich is the assistant director and co-producer of Push It! Majoring in cinema production and computer science, Maggie has worked on a variety of different projects and film sets. After co-founding Give Us the F–king Camera Productions!, or GUT-C Productions for short, Maggie worked on the board as Communications Chair before moving to the President position in the following year. She loves to work with dedicated and passionate communities on creative works, whether it be organizing group events or collaborating on a film set. In addition to working as assistant director and co-producer, Maggie has experience as a producer, director, editor, sound mixer, and production designer.
JohnMichael Blackburn is the Head Cinematographer for Push It and a cinematographer out of Boulder, Colorado. Together with his collaborators, he has produced, directed, and written multiple shorts and feature length films for over five years. With an education in Avant-Garde Film Aesthetics from the University of Colorado, JohnMichael intends to build his narratives and worlds in a fresh way that combats the nature of the world around us and the deep connections people make with each other.
Zoe Kaed is the Head Gaffer for Push It and is a third-year cinema studies student at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has experience in both writing and directing several short films of her own including but not limited to STUCK, CONSUME, and THE VEIL, while assistant directing and being the cinematographer for several others. Listed but not limited to Pocket Change directed by Lucas Piscano, Coma: A Love Story by Kenneth Lindholm, and New York: A Music Video by Tyler Anderson. As a film student, she loves the collaborative environment and is very interested in capturing the human experience through experimental and intimate filmmaking styles.
Blair Snyder is the Head Sound Designer and Boom Operator for Push It! She’s done sound for both student and professional sets and is experienced in production and post-production fields.
She will graduate CU Boulder in spring of 2026 with a degree in film production. She’s especially interested in dialogue in film which she explores both through her sound work and her screenwriting.
Skinner Myers is the Production Consultant for Push It! Skinner Myers is an award-winning writer and director based in Boulder, Colorado. After leaving USC School of Cinematic Arts, he established a strong foundation with a series of acclaimed short films. His short, LA TIERRA DEL EXODO, screened at over 90 international festivals and received numerous awards, while his film FRANK EMBREE won the Grand Jury Award at the Hollyshorts Film Festival, qualifying it for Academy Award consideration. Myers made a successful transition to feature films with his debut, THE SLEEPING NEGRO, which had its World Premiere at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival. The film earned significant critical acclaim and received several prestigious honors, including the FIPRESCI Prize at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg (IFFMH) and a VISIONARY AWARD at Cinequest. Praised by the L.A. TIMES and SLANT MAGAZINE, the film secured domestic and international distribution and is currently available on prominent streaming platforms MUBI and Universciné. Continuing his momentum, Myers' second feature film, BEFORE YOU FADE AWAY INTO NOTHING, premiered at the 2025 Berlinale Critics' Week and was acquired for distribution by Deskpop Entertainment. He is currently in post-production on his third feature, MOODSWING WHISKEY. In recognition of his growing body of work and promising future, Skinner was named a 2025 Film Independent Amplifier Fellow.