World-famous pop star ESTRELLA has adoring fans and sells out major stadiums, but underneath the spectacle, she is dissatisfied with the manufactured, soulless hits she is made to perform. Despite requests to sing her original music, domineering record label owner NOVA rebuffs and keeps her on a tight leash. That is, until one day, when Nova’s unassuming assistant LUNA secretly cues Estrella’s original track at the top of a show. Outraged by the disobedience, Nova storms the sound control room and the stage, leading to an electric onstage battle over who’s really in control of Estrella’s voice.

Estrella (25, she/her): A vibrant and feisty pop star under Nova Records who longs for something more. Voiced by Lauren Kong.

Nova (50s-60s, they/them): The overbearing and campily antagonistic owner of their eponymous record label. Voiced by Avi Roque.

Luna (29, she/her): The professional, if not passive, assistant to Nova. Voiced by Melissa Del Toro.

RECORD BREAKERS is a 2D digitally animated film. The style we are aiming for is graphic, vibrant, and kinetic. Major inspirations include Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Panty & Stocking, and K-Pop Demon Hunters.

Concept art of Estrella's musical powers.

The film will be a 4-5 minute long action-musical, featuring 2 original songs! The tone is bold and empowering, with a healthy dose of humor and sass.

With the recent success of KPDH, and a long legacy of iconic animated musicals, we know that song is a uniquely powerful storytelling tool. By framing our film as a musical experience, we aim to make it entertaining, accessible, and resonant, intended for audiences of all ages.

We are committed to producing this film without the use of generative AI.

The theme of RECORD BREAKERS is self-advocacy. The idea of ‘using your voice’ becomes literal in our film, the hero’s voice eliciting sonic superpowers that allow her to fight back against her overbearing record label. Support is another underlying theme, exemplified by the character of Luna, who provides the push our protagonist needs to succeed.

We are a team of student filmmakers based in Southern California, creating this film as our undergraduate thesis project. For us, this is more than just a class assignment, but a chance to demonstrate and push our craft. We approach this project with intentional professionalism and care.

We are generously supported by faculty advisors at Chapman University, plus the mentorship of visiting "Animation Greats" including John Musker (MOANA, THE PRINCESS & THE FROG, HERCULES, THE LITTLE MERMAID), Dana Terrace (THE OWL HOUSE, KNIGHTS OF GUINEVERE), and Chris Buck (FROZEN, SURF'S UP, TARZAN)!

RECORD BREAKERS is a story about a singer unlocking the power of her unique voice, created by filmmakers who are navigating the same journey. 

Our team is composed of passionate artists and advocates from diverse backgrounds, including POC, LGBTQ+, and predominantly female crew. Committed to authentic representation in this project, we have taken great care to create complex, agentic, and inclusive characters that reflect our own identities and experiences. 

Especially in the current moment, we feel it is vital to share stories about people (especially creatives!) gaining the confidence to express themselves and fight against a broken system. In our film, we share that not only is it possible to succeed, but that you don’t have to do it alone.

We completed our story reel (animatic) in May and have been working this summer to cast, finish songwriting, and develop our environments. We will hit the ground running with production and voice recording sessions in early-to-mid September.

The film is set to be completed by June 2027, followed by an intended festival run.

Our goal is to raise $4,444 to support our production costs, including cast compensation, hardware purchases, crew meals, and more. Visit the Wishlist tab for more details.

If we surpass our initial fundraising goal, our stretch goal is $6,944. The additional funds would go towards:

• +$900: Increased compensation for our creative collaborators, whose time and expertise are essential in making this film.
• +$1,000: Film festival fees, allowing us to submit to a wider range of festivals, including those with higher entry costs, and small travel expenditures.
• +$300: Crew meals in post-production, supporting late nights and additional meetings as we prepare to deliver.
• +$300: Merch and appreciation gifts for the cast, crew, and advisors, for their hard work in bringing this project to life.

Film production entails a variety of creative, logistical, and financial challenges, and RECORD BREAKERS is no exception. That said, our film is a thesis project supervised by faculty at Chapman University and executed during classes as part of our degree requirements. This makes it highly likely that the film will be completed, on time, to high quality standards.

The most direct way you can support us is by making a pledge to our Seed & Spark campaign. Every contribution, no matter the amount, helps us obtain the resources we need to execute this project. Be sure to check out the exclusive incentives we’re offering to supporters, or make a straight cash pledge.

If you can’t donate, you can still support our production by:

• Sharing our Seed & Spark and other RECORD BREAKERS content with your family, friends, and followers
• Following us on Instagram: @recordbreakersfilm
• Joining our Discord server
• Embodying our message by embracing and using your true voice!

Thank you so much for supporting original, heartfelt, human-created animation and helping our story SHINE!