Reptilia is a proof-of-concept for a half hour comedy following Jane, a washed-ashore Lizard woman who’s looking to start a new life for herself. After escaping from her cold, homogeneous Reptilian home at the bottom of the ocean, Jane’s ready to figure out who she is. Jane stumbles across a Meisner class promising students a way to be “really human”. Which suits Jane perfectly. There, she meets Kaia, a confident eccentric artist who flips her world upside down. Kaia takes Jane on a whirlwind night of truly human experiences, including hotdogs, surprise karaoke and star gazing.

There are a lot of coming of age stories out there about mental health and LGBTQ identity. However, the genre blend of sci-fi and comedy lends an interesting new lens to view these social realities. Neurodivergence can show up as scaly lizard skin. Discovering your queerness doesn’t have to involve homophobia, but can instead show up as a sick karaoke dream sequence (spoiler!). As neurodivergent queer people who grew up in the South, we are all too familiar with the struggle of coming to terms with your own identity. 

We wanted to create a story that centered that experience while showing how joyful and absurd the journey of self-discovery can be. This story has been distinctly informed by personal experience, and brings a unique perspective to the table. We’re taking the self-discovery process a step further. It’s not just about *you*, it’s about how you show up for the people around you. Feeling like you’re keeping a part of yourself secret is something that almost everyone can relate to. But with Reptilia we want to show how worth it is to embrace your authentic self. 

"In college, I spent years joking I was a lizard person because I wasn’t quite picking up on all the cues my friends were making. Now I realize….that was just undiagnosed ADHD. I used the character of Jane as a lens to understand myself and what it means to feel like you can’t quite connect in the way that you want to. Community was a way for me to not feel alone in my own experience, and I wanted to give that to Jane.

This project has been in the making since 2017. I had been noodling around with the idea for years, listening to Strokes songs and writing in the notes app, but it wasn’t until I told the idea of a lizard girl spitting up a cold hotdog to my friends and now collaborators, Jordan and Chase, that Jane became real. Chase and I spent roughly a year writing this script, meeting at coffee shops and houses in-between both our full time jobs. Throughout the writing process, one of the biggest things we held onto was that community is an integral part of being a person. We all remember 2020 and lockdown, and how it felt to be isolated from the people we loved. A lot of us also know what it’s like to feel lonely but without a clue of what to do about it. Or to feel like you can’t really connect because you can only project a false version of yourself. This story is for anyone who feels that way. In making this, I’ve even shared things that I previously have kept close to the chest. As cliche as it sounds, if this story makes anyone feel a little more hope, a little less alone, or a little braver to become more themselves, then that will be the best thing I can do."

-Morgan Bowling, co-creators/writer, actor

Reptilia is very playful and derives much of its tone from shows like Broad City and movies like Clueless. Part social commentary, part absurd comedy, part coming-of-age story, Reptilia takes inspiration from a long legacy of female-driven narratives. 

The human world in Reptilia will be defined by lots of color. Eccentric production design, colorful cinematic lighting, and very intentional camerawork. The camera will reflect Jane’s POV, and will stay tight on her at first. Slowly the camera will widen as Jane becomes more comfortable in her (borrowed) skin. Kaia will not only pull Jane into her orbit, but the viewer as well. Movies like But I’m a Cheerleader and Muriel’s Wedding are major influences stylistically and emotionally.

In addition to the colorful human world there will be splashes of mid-century science fiction throughout the story. Particularly, the world of the Reptilians will be defined by these cinematic treasures. The Reptilian world will be shot in high key black and white photography, with the retro-futurist aesthetic of movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Their world beneath the sea will contrast with the human world above it.

We are excited to share our vision for "Reptilia" with you, and we need your support to make it a reality. Our campaign aims to raise $20,000 in the next 30 days, and your contributions are essential in helping us achieve this goal. These funds will be dedicated to covering crucial production expenses, including location rentals, high-quality visual effects, and fair compensation for our hardworking cast and crew. We have assembled an incredibly talented team that is passionate about bringing this story to life, and their dedication deserves the best resources we can provide.

This pilot episode is just the beginning, as our ultimate goal is to present "Reptilia" to major studio networks, with the hope of it being picked up as an original series. By supporting us now, you’ll be able to proudly say you were there from the start!

In 2018 Morgan ate a room temperature hotdog backstage during a show (a jarring experience), and now we have Reptilia. 

The idea for Jane came to Morgan as a way to explore identity, neurodivergence, and the need for community. She donned her first lizard “costume” fall of 2018 and has been elaborating on the character ever since with her writing partner Chase. 

She has a background in Shakespeare and musical theater in Nashville Tennessee, where she co-founded the Second Stage Theater Company (now Second Theater Co).

More recently she’s been an active member of the Atlanta Improv scene. You can see her previous work in Ghosted, a short film also co-written with Chase.

Chase is an Atlanta based filmmaker. He has been involved in filmmaking since his teenage years and graduated with a filmmaking degree from the University of Central Florida. His professional experience includes writing, producing, directing, shooting, and editing regional commercials.

For the last 5 years he has worked in post production as a Dailies Producer for Company 3 Atlanta. He has had the opportunity to work on dozens of major film and television productions. His most recent short film, Ghosted, was made in collaboration with Reptilia co-creator Morgan Bowling.

Most recently Chase co-directed for the stage "The Seagull" by Anton Checkov, which premiered in Atlanta at Pullman Yards. His background and experience has primed him to team up with Morgan to bring the story of Reptilia to life. 

A native of Atlanta, GA, Amber Combs is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia’s Master in Film, Television, and Digital Media program. Her chosen track is in script writing and film production with a special focus on creative development, crowdfunding and art direction.

She has produced multiple short films, including “Buhurt”, which won “Best Narrative Short” in the Newnan Film Festival and was selected to showcase at the Urban MediaMakers Film Festival. 

With a BFA in Interdisciplinary Art and Design, Amber provides a unique artistic perspective as a producer. Her experience working in the art department on independent feature films has given her valuable insight and knowledge about art direction, set construction, scenic dressing, prop making and costume design. 

Sawyer Holcomb is an award-winning Director of Photography with six years of experience on a wide variety of sets and projects. He specializes in creating unique and innovative camera shots and setups, building the stories and shots creators want to tell. 

With a passion for highlighting stories and themes that inspire and challenge, Sawyer has shot pictures that have been awarded accolades such as “Best Cinematography” and “Best in Show”.

He has also collaboratively founded a production company, titled Glasshouse, with a focus on universal storytelling experiences and equitable film set environments.

Jordan Kady is an Atlanta-based artist, costumer, and video clerk. After earning a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts at the University of Florida, she relocated to Atlanta and began stitching for film and television.

She has worked on short films such as comedy-noir Honor the Governor’s Honor and the comedy short Ghosted with Chase and Morgan. She has also worked on major projects including Fear the Walking Dead and the forthcoming Marvel TV show Agatha All Along.

When not costuming for movies, television, or independent short films she works as an Illustrator who frequently collaborates with local business and organizations in and around the community in Atlanta. She has illustrated poster art, merch, and other branding materials for groups including Wussy Mag, Plazadrome, Videodrome Atlanta, ATLFILMPARTY, the Plaza Theatre and more.

When she isn’t painting or sewing, Jordan can be found behind the counter at Videodrome, Atlanta’s last video rental store, where she helps manage the collection and curate films as part of the shop’s Plazadrome screening series.

Your support will allow us to bring legendary visual effects artist Shane Morton onto our team. Shane has worked on a variety of major projects including Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell and Mandy (2018) among many others. His contribution will include miniature work, practical effects, and creature design.

Here are the many ways to help Jane find her community and help us make Reptilia a reality!

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