Red Skies
Marco Island, Florida | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
"Red Skies" asks the viewer to re-examine the damage of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" laws through the deeply intimate story of two young women in 2006 struggling with an attraction that could pit one of them against the country they were raised to worship unquestionably.
Red Skies
Marco Island, Florida | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
2 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $29,500 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
20 supporters | followers
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"Red Skies" asks the viewer to re-examine the damage of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" laws through the deeply intimate story of two young women in 2006 struggling with an attraction that could pit one of them against the country they were raised to worship unquestionably.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
LOGLINE:
Set in 2006 during the Iraq War and the peak of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” laws in America, best friends Noa and Nessa struggle with their attraction to one another in the days leading up to Noa’s military departure.
SYNOPSIS:
It’s the summer of 2006, and 18-year-old Nessa is staying at her parents’ beach house in Southwest Florida. It’s her best friend Noa’s last few days in town before going to basic training and deploying to Iraq, and she’s choosing to spend them vacationing in Florida with Nessa. Through the course of their several-day vacation, the two young women explore their profound and evolving love for one another in a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” America, and are forced to reckon with the pain of exploring a romantic relationship that will end before it can ever truly begin.
NOA
Noa is a strong-willed, idealistic girl who stops at nothing to achieve her goals. Although quiet around those she doesn’t know, Noa has a bombastic personality around her best friend Nessa.
Noa’s mother died in the Gulf War, leaving a young Noa and her father alone. As a way to try and connect with her mother’s memory, Noa developed an obsession with joining the military - doing everything in her power to attain that goal. Her friendship with Nessa is one of her only close relationships, and her attraction towards her puts her lifetime of work in jeopardy.
NESSA
Nessa is an extrovert known for her magnetic presence. Extraordinarily lonely and isolated, Nessa covers up her fears with a smiling face and exuberant confidence. Noa is her closest personal connection, and without her, Nessa feels completely lost.
Nessa comes from a wealthy, jet-setting family, being raised almost entirely by a nanny. Although seemingly aimless, Nessa’s greatest goal is keeping those she loves close. The loss of Noa is nearly catastrophic, as Noa is the first person Nessa truly cares for.
THEMATIC STATEMENT:
Red Skies is driven less by traditional story elements and more by the passing of time. The story ends at an inconvenient time. This, though, emphasizes the fluidity and cluelessness of the real world. Rather than watching Nessa wonder if Noa will leave her, we wonder right along with her. Our goal is to present a little-talked-about issue, show how it affects real lives, and allow the viewers to draw their own conclusions based on the snapshot of life we chose to present. We are compared to Agnes Varda stylistically.
Thematically, Red Skies is centered around the toxic practices and expectations put upon soldiers by the United States Military. The “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” laws (1994-2011), championed by Bill Clinton, say that one is unable to be open as gay in the military without the threat of discharge. In exploring how that law affected impressionable young adults just starting to discover their sexuality, we hope to push people to continue to look deeper into the military’s treatment of LGBTQ+ soldiers and veterans.
TIMELINE, BUDGET, AND TARGET AUDIENCE
We are hoping for a budget of 33-40k. We will be paying the on-set crew hourly and the production staff and actresses a flat rate. Travel expenses and hotel rooms will be covered for all members of the cast and crew out of the budget.
WHY NOW?
According to the Journal of Traumatic Stress, over 80% of LGBTQ+ soldiers have reported sexual harassment during their service. Although the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" laws seem distant, the topic of queer mistreatment in the military is more pressing than ever. By addressing them so closely and personally, we hope to inspire our viewers to learn more about the suffering of LGBTQ+ soldiers and, in turn, incorporate them into their activism.
Schuyler, A.C., Klemmer, C., Mamey, M.R., Schrager, S.M., Goldbach, J.T., Holloway, I.W. and Castro, C.A. (2020), Experiences of Sexual Harassment, Stalking, and Sexual Assault During Military Service Among LGBT and Non-LGBT Service Members. JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, 33: 257-266. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22506
REGARDING COVID
The entire cast and crew will be double vaccinated, as well as be administered COVID tests before takeoff. We will be adhering to the guidelines set out by the CDC.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Crew Compensation
Costs $13,000
With a crew of 19 people, mostly based in NYC, we intend to pay our workers a livable wage.
Talent Compensation
Costs $2,000
This allows us to get the best lead actresses possible.
Craft Services
Costs $2,050
Craft Services ensures we feed all 19 Cast & Crew on set during production for the week of filming.
Business Expenses
Costs $2,200
Cost of insurance, fees, & Establishing Production Company in state of New York
Housing
Costs $1,750
For renting a house for a week and splitting Cast&Crew between onset location and Airbnb
Safety on Set
Costs $300
For maintaining sanitation and buying ice packs for crew working outdoors!
Transportation
Costs $5,350
For flying our amazing cast and crew from all over the country to Fort Myers, Florida
Make up and Wardrobe
Costs $500
To make the characters feel authentically 2006!
Production Design
Costs $850
For making the world on screen feel authentically 2006!
Camera Costs
Costs $1,500
To get the most realistic image quality possible, we will be renting a RED Camera and lenses.
Sound Equipment
Costs $1,400
For Hollywood-quality sound equipment - wireless lavaliers, shotgun mic and boom pole
Reserves
Costs $3,200
In case something goes off schedule unexpectedly
Festival Funds
Costs $900
To send to as many film festivals as possible
Editing
Costs $400
Editor to color grade & condense on-screen and behind the scenes footage
Composer
Costs $400
For original music to accompany the short
Vehicles
Costs $750
Rented van for the week + Gas
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
White Rhino Productions is a production company for the next generation. We hope to revolutionize the film industry both on and offscreen, learning from both the mistakes and successes of the generations before us. Our first priority is the health, safety, and happiness of our team. Because of that, we make it a point to pay livable wages to every individual regardless of role and are planning to train an emotional support animal to help make our sets a place of uncensored creativity and comfort. In an industry where higher-ups routinely verbally and sexually abuse their underlings, we hope that our focus on empathy, flexibility, and kindness will provide a unique oasis for anyone who works with us. We believe that this atmosphere will help us to create films with beating hearts, as the emotion, joy, and care put into production will be evident on screen.
In terms of filmmaking itself, White Rhino Productions combines the hyper-realistic style of filmmakers like Agnes Varda with the technology of the present. This, in turn, completely immerses the audience into the film, making it feel as if they are really standing five feet away, watching everything happen. This deeply personal connection created between the audience and the film can inspire new outlooks when it comes to especially controversial or sensitive issues. With division being prevalent throughout the country, it could be impactful to immerse people in situations that would otherwise seem alien to them. Perhaps it could even usher in a newfound sense of empathy in our viewers. We hope for a completely individualized experience for each viewer and, as a result, chose the Northern White Rhino as our mascot - the truest individual on the planet.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
LOGLINE:
Set in 2006 during the Iraq War and the peak of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” laws in America, best friends Noa and Nessa struggle with their attraction to one another in the days leading up to Noa’s military departure.
SYNOPSIS:
It’s the summer of 2006, and 18-year-old Nessa is staying at her parents’ beach house in Southwest Florida. It’s her best friend Noa’s last few days in town before going to basic training and deploying to Iraq, and she’s choosing to spend them vacationing in Florida with Nessa. Through the course of their several-day vacation, the two young women explore their profound and evolving love for one another in a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” America, and are forced to reckon with the pain of exploring a romantic relationship that will end before it can ever truly begin.
NOA
Noa is a strong-willed, idealistic girl who stops at nothing to achieve her goals. Although quiet around those she doesn’t know, Noa has a bombastic personality around her best friend Nessa.
Noa’s mother died in the Gulf War, leaving a young Noa and her father alone. As a way to try and connect with her mother’s memory, Noa developed an obsession with joining the military - doing everything in her power to attain that goal. Her friendship with Nessa is one of her only close relationships, and her attraction towards her puts her lifetime of work in jeopardy.
NESSA
Nessa is an extrovert known for her magnetic presence. Extraordinarily lonely and isolated, Nessa covers up her fears with a smiling face and exuberant confidence. Noa is her closest personal connection, and without her, Nessa feels completely lost.
Nessa comes from a wealthy, jet-setting family, being raised almost entirely by a nanny. Although seemingly aimless, Nessa’s greatest goal is keeping those she loves close. The loss of Noa is nearly catastrophic, as Noa is the first person Nessa truly cares for.
THEMATIC STATEMENT:
Red Skies is driven less by traditional story elements and more by the passing of time. The story ends at an inconvenient time. This, though, emphasizes the fluidity and cluelessness of the real world. Rather than watching Nessa wonder if Noa will leave her, we wonder right along with her. Our goal is to present a little-talked-about issue, show how it affects real lives, and allow the viewers to draw their own conclusions based on the snapshot of life we chose to present. We are compared to Agnes Varda stylistically.
Thematically, Red Skies is centered around the toxic practices and expectations put upon soldiers by the United States Military. The “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” laws (1994-2011), championed by Bill Clinton, say that one is unable to be open as gay in the military without the threat of discharge. In exploring how that law affected impressionable young adults just starting to discover their sexuality, we hope to push people to continue to look deeper into the military’s treatment of LGBTQ+ soldiers and veterans.
TIMELINE, BUDGET, AND TARGET AUDIENCE
We are hoping for a budget of 33-40k. We will be paying the on-set crew hourly and the production staff and actresses a flat rate. Travel expenses and hotel rooms will be covered for all members of the cast and crew out of the budget.
WHY NOW?
According to the Journal of Traumatic Stress, over 80% of LGBTQ+ soldiers have reported sexual harassment during their service. Although the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" laws seem distant, the topic of queer mistreatment in the military is more pressing than ever. By addressing them so closely and personally, we hope to inspire our viewers to learn more about the suffering of LGBTQ+ soldiers and, in turn, incorporate them into their activism.
Schuyler, A.C., Klemmer, C., Mamey, M.R., Schrager, S.M., Goldbach, J.T., Holloway, I.W. and Castro, C.A. (2020), Experiences of Sexual Harassment, Stalking, and Sexual Assault During Military Service Among LGBT and Non-LGBT Service Members. JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, 33: 257-266. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22506
REGARDING COVID
The entire cast and crew will be double vaccinated, as well as be administered COVID tests before takeoff. We will be adhering to the guidelines set out by the CDC.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Crew Compensation
Costs $13,000
With a crew of 19 people, mostly based in NYC, we intend to pay our workers a livable wage.
Talent Compensation
Costs $2,000
This allows us to get the best lead actresses possible.
Craft Services
Costs $2,050
Craft Services ensures we feed all 19 Cast & Crew on set during production for the week of filming.
Business Expenses
Costs $2,200
Cost of insurance, fees, & Establishing Production Company in state of New York
Housing
Costs $1,750
For renting a house for a week and splitting Cast&Crew between onset location and Airbnb
Safety on Set
Costs $300
For maintaining sanitation and buying ice packs for crew working outdoors!
Transportation
Costs $5,350
For flying our amazing cast and crew from all over the country to Fort Myers, Florida
Make up and Wardrobe
Costs $500
To make the characters feel authentically 2006!
Production Design
Costs $850
For making the world on screen feel authentically 2006!
Camera Costs
Costs $1,500
To get the most realistic image quality possible, we will be renting a RED Camera and lenses.
Sound Equipment
Costs $1,400
For Hollywood-quality sound equipment - wireless lavaliers, shotgun mic and boom pole
Reserves
Costs $3,200
In case something goes off schedule unexpectedly
Festival Funds
Costs $900
To send to as many film festivals as possible
Editing
Costs $400
Editor to color grade & condense on-screen and behind the scenes footage
Composer
Costs $400
For original music to accompany the short
Vehicles
Costs $750
Rented van for the week + Gas
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
White Rhino Productions is a production company for the next generation. We hope to revolutionize the film industry both on and offscreen, learning from both the mistakes and successes of the generations before us. Our first priority is the health, safety, and happiness of our team. Because of that, we make it a point to pay livable wages to every individual regardless of role and are planning to train an emotional support animal to help make our sets a place of uncensored creativity and comfort. In an industry where higher-ups routinely verbally and sexually abuse their underlings, we hope that our focus on empathy, flexibility, and kindness will provide a unique oasis for anyone who works with us. We believe that this atmosphere will help us to create films with beating hearts, as the emotion, joy, and care put into production will be evident on screen.
In terms of filmmaking itself, White Rhino Productions combines the hyper-realistic style of filmmakers like Agnes Varda with the technology of the present. This, in turn, completely immerses the audience into the film, making it feel as if they are really standing five feet away, watching everything happen. This deeply personal connection created between the audience and the film can inspire new outlooks when it comes to especially controversial or sensitive issues. With division being prevalent throughout the country, it could be impactful to immerse people in situations that would otherwise seem alien to them. Perhaps it could even usher in a newfound sense of empathy in our viewers. We hope for a completely individualized experience for each viewer and, as a result, chose the Northern White Rhino as our mascot - the truest individual on the planet.