Rachel is a lonely babysitter lost in daydreams of being a famous singer, often while watching an eight-year old named Bryson.

Only problem? She's not even good at singing. She's basically...just okay.

After a more successful singer gains traction online by mentioning their terminally ill mother, Rachel posts a video pretending Bryson is her own son who has cancer.

The lie works and she begins to finally get the attention she has always dreamed of. But her reality frays into delusion, endangering herself and Bryson.

I wrote Rachel Sings script when I was a babysitter. I didn’t want to be a babysitter.

Anxieties about the career I wanted and fears of failure would distract me while at work. I observed myself playing the attentive caretaker when internally I was elsewhere, filled with dread, frustrations, and judgments about my own life. It was the true connection I felt for the kids- their funny, interesting, curious selves- that snapped me back into the present and grounded me back into my true self. And then I had a scary thought- What if I never snapped back?

What if something happened to the kids when I wasn’t paying attention?

Rachel Sings is a nightmare about a woman whose ambition becomes a manic obsession that pulls her further and further from reality.

Rachel’s delusions about 'being a famous singer' are not born out of a passion for music (or talent, tbh), but instead a desperation for connection. Instead of nurturing the relationship she has with Bryson, or addressing problems in her own family dynamic, Rachel externalizes her validation by chasing online clout– pushing away a true paths to happiness.

Rachel Sings invites audiences to examine their own dreams— are they rooted in joy, or are they desperate attempts to simply be someone?

-Becky Granger, writer

I first encountered Rachel Sings in a writers’ group formed during the early days of the pandemic. From the first read, I was struck by the imagery, the dark humor, and the confidence of the storytelling. It felt like a script that knew exactly what it was doing and wasn’t afraid to go there.

I connect deeply with the tone of this film. There’s a part of being a filmmaker that begins with the desire to reach other people. The desire to be recognized, understood, and to share something honest. Rachel Sings examines that impulse. It looks at where that need for connection comes from, and how it can sometimes twist into something more complicated or even toxic when we lose our grounding. Now more than ever, it feels important to examine the danger of chasing abstract forms of validation while overlooking the real human relationships right in front of us.

-Emmett Crockett, director

The film's visual style aims to create a lonely, manic atmosphere through confined framing, erratic camera movements, and observant, claustrophobic shots that echo Rachel's headspace.

Think: only an empty olive jar in the fridge, last scrap of paper towel being used as toilet paper, and no energy to change that. 

The film we want to make is suspenseful, soulful, grotesque, and funny. It lives in the tension between empathy and discomfort — drawing the audience into Rachel’s world while forcing us to confront parts of ourselves we might rather ignore.

Visually and tonally, the goal is to balance intimacy with unease, letting moments of humor and humanity coexist with the darker impulses of the story. Ultimately, we want to create a film that both entertains and unsettles.

Sure, Rachel wants ‘likes’. But don’t lie, you want them too.

In a world of constant comparison and curated versions of success and happiness, Rachel’s spiral reflects a broader cultural tension where connection is increasingly replaced by performance. At its core, Rachel Sings is about the urge to contrive an identity rather than unearthing a real one. 

Rachel’s peculiar upbringing creates a distorted sense of self, making her extra susceptible to pitfalls of external validation. With no one to guide her, Rachel misjudges how to find true fulfillment. Beneath the surface, Rachel Sings explores how intergenerational trauma can shape who we become.

What happens when this toxic cycle of validation is all someone has? Is it all you have?

Becky is a Brooklyn-based Latina writer, actor, comedian, and filmmaker. She has appeared in When They See Us (Netflix), Poker Face (Peacock), Two Questions (Prime), and Versace Softboi, which won Best Picture at the New York Short Film Festival. Becky was selected for the 2026 Rogue Island Comedy Festival and performs stand-up comedy weekly in shows across New York City and Brooklyn.

Raised in a biracial, interfaith household, Becky confronted questions of identity, belief, and purpose early on, shaping a creative voice drawn to character-driven stories. Her work explores the link between ambition and obsession, identity and self-destruction, connection and belonging, and descents into unreliable inner worlds — aiming to do so with curiosity, empathy, and a sense of play. Becky’s decade-long background in comedy inspires her to mine humor from dark material, and hopes to create work that is as human and funny as it is unsettling.

Emmett Crockett is a filmmaker based in New York and New Orleans. His work behind the scenes in the camera department includes projects in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe as well as Marvel’s Daredevil and The Punisher.

He first encountered Rachel Sings while reading early drafts in the writers’ group 'Football Practice' and has been an acolyte of the project ever since. His background directing comedy films with strong thematic undercurrents makes him a natural fit for a sensitive project like this one.

Emmett holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from the University of New Orleans, where he was a Marcus B. Christian Scholar. His experience across film, live theater, and stand-up comedy informs a directing style that balances humor, tension, and emotional honesty.

K. Dawn-Dumas is an independent producer and screenwriter, as well as a proud IATSE Local 161 member, with an acting background who specializes in dark fantasy, supernatural, comedy and thriller genres. K.’s debut "short-short" film, The Discussion, premiered in NYC in December 2016.

She has since gone on to produce and write on other projects, including CHALK - starring Amyra León; (them feels), a comedy web series, and FRAUD, a crime thriller which celebrated official selections into Tribeca Film Festival, Hollyshorts, and Outfest.

K. is honored to be part of the team bringing Rachel Sings to life, as it aligns deliciously with their interest in all things unsettling and gruesomely comedic.

Erik is a writer/director/producer with over 13 years of experience in the film industry with credits including Logan, Jurassic World, Kinds of Kindness, Apple TV’s Black Bird, and AMC's Interview With The Vampire. It has been an invaluable learning experience which Erik has taken into his own productions.

His short film, Keepsake, premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival this past October and is currently on the festival circuit. Erik is drawn to the intersection between the magical and the mundane. The audacious dark comedy of Rachel Sings grabbed Erik from its inception and he is thrilled to help bring it to life.

We are raising $35,000 to cover the cost of production and post. Our budget will go towards fair pay for our cast and crew, securing locations, renting equipment, and post production/editing of Rachel Sings. We are set to film in June and hope to submit to film festivals in early 2027.

Independent filmmaking like this is only possible with the support from a passionate audience like you!

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT!

CONTRIBUTE!

Join the Rachel Sings team by making a contribution. Seed&Spark requires we reach at least 80% of our goal ($28k) before we receive any funds. Choose from any of our incentives with whatever fits your budget. EVERY contribution makes a difference in making our film possible!

FOLLOW!

Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark and stay updated on Rachel Sings's progress! It's 100% free and it helps us earn products, services, and festival fee waivers courtesy of Seed & Spark! It takes a just a few seconds and helps us immensely. Follow @rachelsingsmovie and @beckdaddyg on IG and @r4chs1ngz on TikTok! 

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The only way we will reach our goal is if we reach beyond our networks. We depend on people like you spreading the word about our film and campaign. Please share our campaign via your social media, email, word-of-mouth, however you want! It all makes a massive impact. Here are some examples. Feel free to copy and paste!

Support RACHEL SINGS, a dark comedy short film from @beckdaddyg and @emmettjcrockett, by joining their campaign on Seed & Spark today!

Help writer @beckdaddyg and director @emmettjcrockett fund their new short film Rachel Sings by contributing to their Seed & Spark campaign today. Support independent filmmaking! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!