Scarlet
Baltimore, Maryland | Film Short
Comedy, Horror
A vengeful rapper-turned-bottle girl haunted by betrayal is offered the chance to reclaim what was stolen from her, but it comes at a deadly cost. Every crashout has a story, and this one is worth telling. Here's the catch: we can't do it without you.
Scarlet
Baltimore, Maryland | Film Short
Comedy, Horror
1 Campaigns | Maryland, United States
126 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$11,555
Goal: $10,000 for production
A vengeful rapper-turned-bottle girl haunted by betrayal is offered the chance to reclaim what was stolen from her, but it comes at a deadly cost. Every crashout has a story, and this one is worth telling. Here's the catch: we can't do it without you.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
— Toni Morrison
.
.
.
.
.
Though it’s not a book, Scarlet is that story for screenwriter/director, Nesha Jackson. Inspired by her own personal experiences, the film uses humor, horror, and surrealism to explore Black feminine rage, survival, and the pursuit of power...
Scarlet is a darkly satirical horror-comedy set against the neon-lit backdrop of Atlanta nightlife, unfolding over the course of one unforgettable night from hell.
When a powerful music industry figure turns up dead, his rising rap protégé becomes the prime suspect. She insists the real culprit is someone else: Scarlet.
Once part of a rising rap duo on the verge of success, Scarlet believed she and her partner were building something real until fame proved more valuable than loyalty, resulting in a brutal betrayal. Now she works as a bottle girl, haunted by the fortune and fame that was stolen from her.
What begins as a routine shift at the Red Sky Lounge turns volatile when Scarlet is forced to confront the past, reopening wounds she tried to bury. As bitterness and rage bubble to the surface, Scarlet encounters Lilithra, a seductive harbinger of chaos who offers her a chance to rewrite her story. But power has a price.
Scarlet is a story about betrayal, ambition, and the thin line between justice and revenge, and what happens when someone who has been pushed too far finally decides to take their power back.
Scarlet is...
gritty,
bold,
funny,
provocative,
& intense.
MK Smith as "SCARLET"
MK Smith is an actress and performance artist based in Orlando, Florida, with over a decade of experience in theater and performance. A graduate of Florida A&M University, she founded Voices Heard, the school’s first spoken word poetry organization. Her work includes touring with the National Players and performances with Orlando Shakespeare Theater and other regional companies. She has also appeared in Amazon’s Underground Railroad and the PBS documentary Spit on the Broom.
Nedgé Victome as "LILITHRA"
Nedgé Victome is an award-winning Haitian-American actress, screenwriter, and director whose work spans film, television, and original narrative content. She earned Best Actress honors from the International Black and Diversity Film Festival for her lead performance in an original pilot and has since continued to build a reputation for emotionally rich, quietly powerful characters. She's known for portraying sharp-witted, complex women across genres and is passionate about stories that challenge perception, reveal inner lives, and leave a lasting emotional resonance.
Nesha A. Jackson
Writer, Co-Director, & Executive Producer
Nesha Jackson is an award-winning director and screenwriter based in Baltimore, Maryland. A world builder with an unconventional imagination, she crafts layered, character-driven narratives that explore the messy, complex areas of human behavior while blending genres to create bold, immersive experiences. Coming out of the gate swinging, her debut short, Word of Oda (2023), premiered to critical acclaim and won four awards, including the Audience Choice Award and Best Baltimore Short. A proud Morgan State University alumna, Nesha also completed the TV & Film Essentials Program with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
NEEN.
Co-Director & Executive Producer
NEEN. is a multidisciplinary artist and genre filmmaker who centers the multifaceted people, cultures, and lore bubbling out of the Black diaspora in her work. Her character-driven films are rooted in her love for Black heroes, real and imagined, the nuanced worlds they inhabit, and a desire to see the full depth and breadth of their lived experiences on screens both big and small. Her approach across mediums is to lead with wonder, emotion, and color and to evoke feeling in those who engage with her work. She believes the most powerful stories are thoughtful and thought-provoking and aims to bring both to the fore, one film at a time. Some of Neen's recent films include Country Punk Black (2024), Word of Oda (2023), 7 Minutes of Heaven? (2022), and Robyn Hood (2021).
Black women have long been part of horror’s legacy, but too often our roles are limited. Rarely are we portrayed as complicated, messy, ambitious, or morally unpredictable. Scarlet exists to challenge that.
This film centers a Black woman who is not perfect, not easily categorized, and not written to make the audience comfortable. She is driven by dark motives and intense feelings.
Stories like this matter because Black women deserve to exist in every genre with the same complexity that other characters are allowed. We deserve to be the hero, the antihero, the chaos, and everything in between.
Yet the reality is that opportunities to tell these stories remain limited. Recent industry studies show that women of color make up only 5.3% of directors working in major films, and women direct less than 6% of horror films overall. That makes Black women directing horror stories even rarer.
We want to tell this story with care, depth, and honesty, alongside a team of talented artists who believe in this project. But bringing Scarlet to life requires community.
Scarlet is a film for us, by us, featuring us, and it’s going to take all of us to make it real.
Scarlet is in pre-production. After casting our leads, we hit the ground running to film a series of teasers in Orlando, Florida, last fall, where we got to see them breathe life into words bred out of Nesha's imagination.
Since that time, we have worked to raise a portion of the budget needed to film the short and put together a pre-production team dedicated to telling this story.
Currently, we are nailing down the remaining cast and crew and scouting locations, so that we can move into production after the crowdfunding campaign is complete with ease.
Scarlet is being built by a community of independent filmmakers who believe in bold storytelling and creating space for complex Black characters in genre films. What you see on screen is only part of the story. Behind the camera is a team of working creatives collaborating to bring this film to life with care, intention, and craft. Your support helps make that possible. We aim to begin principal photography in Atlanta in September 2026.
This campaign closes the remaining production gap so we can shoot on schedule and deliver a strong cut on time.
Of our $12,000 budget, we have already raised $2,030 in early donations.
During this campaign, we aim to raise the remaining $10,000 necessary for principal photography.
The money raised from this campaign will fund...
- Cast & Crew
- Equipment rentals (Gear, Camera, Lighting, Sound)
- Production design, wardrobe, and props
- Insurance,
- Permits,
- Meals & Crafty,
- & Location fees
If we exceed our goal, additional funding will support...
- Post-production editing,
- Sound design,
- Color grading,
- & festival submission costs
If you want to support this vision, and help us bring Scarlet to life, please...
- Pledge today, every dollar counts. No donation is too big or small.
- Follow our campaign on Seed&Spark
- Follow the Adolla Vision Productions Instagram page for updates, behind-the-scenes posts, and shoutouts
- Share our campaign with two friends & spread the word on social media
- Comment to boost our visibility. The encouragement keeps us motivated, too!
❤️ Thank you,
& the cast + crew of Scarlet
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew Compensation
Costs $4,300
We want to ensure all members of the cast & crew are paid for their time and talent.
Equipment Rental
Costs $2,000
We can’t call “Action!” without lights or a camera. This covers the cost of a camera equipment needed to bring Scarlet from script to screen
Locations
Costs $1,000
We intend to select locations in Atlanta, GA that feel most authentic to Scarlet’s nightlife culture & girl rap grit.
Production Design
Costs $900
No film is complete without the art department’s magic. This portion of the budget will pay for PD items we can’t source for free or borrow.
Meals & Crafty
Costs $1,800
A nourished crew is a happy crew. This will cover the cost of lunch and crafty for the cast & crew during production.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
"SCARLET"
MK Smith is an actress and performance artist based in Orlando, Florida, with over a decade of experience in theater and performance. A graduate of Florida A&M University, she founded Voices Heard, the school’s first spoken word poetry organization. Her work includes touring with the National Players and performances with Orlando Shakespeare Theater and other regional companies. She has also appeared in Amazon’s Underground Railroad and the PBS documentary Spit on the Broom.
"LILITHRA"
Nedgé Victome is an award-winning Haitian-American actress, screenwriter, and director whose work spans film, television, and original narrative content. She earned Best Actress honors from the International Black and Diversity Film Festival for her lead performance in an original pilot and has since continued to build a reputation for emotionally rich, quietly powerful characters. She's known for portraying sharp-witted, complex women across genres and is passionate about stories that challenge perception, reveal inner lives, and leave a lasting emotional resonance.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, WRITER, & CO-DIRECTOR
Nesha Jackson is an award-winning director and screenwriter based in Baltimore, Maryland. A world builder with an unconventional imagination, she crafts layered, character-driven narratives that explore the messy, complex areas of human behavior while blending genres to create bold, immersive experiences. Coming out of the gate swinging, her debut short, Word of Oda (2023), premiered to critical acclaim and won four awards, including the Audience Choice Award and Best Baltimore Short. A proud Morgan State University alumna, Nesha also completed the TV & Film Essentials Program with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & CO-DIRECTOR
NEEN. is a multidisciplinary artist and genre filmmaker who centers the multifaceted people, cultures, and lore bubbling out of the Black diaspora in her work. Her character-driven films are rooted in her love for Black heroes, real and imagined, the nuanced worlds they inhabit, and a desire to see the full depth and breadth of their lived experiences on screens both big and small. Her approach across mediums is to lead with wonder, emotion, and color and to evoke feeling in those who engage with her work. Dedicated to being a lifelong student of her craft, NEEN. holds a B.S. in Journalism from Florida A&M University, an M.F.A in Film Production from Florida State University, and an M.F.A in Documentary Expression from the University of Mississippi.
PRODUCER
Melvin Fitten Jr. is a producer and co-founding member of Adolla Vision, a creative multimedia production company. Known for his collaborative approach, he brings a hands-on presence to each project. He served as a producer and production assistant on the award-winning short film Word of Oda (2023), supporting on-set production and overall execution.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
D’Anthony Edwards is an Atlanta-based producer, filmmaker, and digital media artist whose work blends cinematic storytelling, culture, and intentional visual craft across film, branded content, and digital media. With a background in video production, editing, and creative direction, he has supported and developed independent creative projects while helping shape story-driven work from concept through post-production. His work also includes building original media platforms such as Urban Sama and Sama The Creative.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
— Toni Morrison
.
.
.
.
.
Though it’s not a book, Scarlet is that story for screenwriter/director, Nesha Jackson. Inspired by her own personal experiences, the film uses humor, horror, and surrealism to explore Black feminine rage, survival, and the pursuit of power...
Scarlet is a darkly satirical horror-comedy set against the neon-lit backdrop of Atlanta nightlife, unfolding over the course of one unforgettable night from hell.
When a powerful music industry figure turns up dead, his rising rap protégé becomes the prime suspect. She insists the real culprit is someone else: Scarlet.
Once part of a rising rap duo on the verge of success, Scarlet believed she and her partner were building something real until fame proved more valuable than loyalty, resulting in a brutal betrayal. Now she works as a bottle girl, haunted by the fortune and fame that was stolen from her.
What begins as a routine shift at the Red Sky Lounge turns volatile when Scarlet is forced to confront the past, reopening wounds she tried to bury. As bitterness and rage bubble to the surface, Scarlet encounters Lilithra, a seductive harbinger of chaos who offers her a chance to rewrite her story. But power has a price.
Scarlet is a story about betrayal, ambition, and the thin line between justice and revenge, and what happens when someone who has been pushed too far finally decides to take their power back.
Scarlet is...
gritty,
bold,
funny,
provocative,
& intense.
MK Smith as "SCARLET"
MK Smith is an actress and performance artist based in Orlando, Florida, with over a decade of experience in theater and performance. A graduate of Florida A&M University, she founded Voices Heard, the school’s first spoken word poetry organization. Her work includes touring with the National Players and performances with Orlando Shakespeare Theater and other regional companies. She has also appeared in Amazon’s Underground Railroad and the PBS documentary Spit on the Broom.
Nedgé Victome as "LILITHRA"
Nedgé Victome is an award-winning Haitian-American actress, screenwriter, and director whose work spans film, television, and original narrative content. She earned Best Actress honors from the International Black and Diversity Film Festival for her lead performance in an original pilot and has since continued to build a reputation for emotionally rich, quietly powerful characters. She's known for portraying sharp-witted, complex women across genres and is passionate about stories that challenge perception, reveal inner lives, and leave a lasting emotional resonance.
Nesha A. Jackson
Writer, Co-Director, & Executive Producer
Nesha Jackson is an award-winning director and screenwriter based in Baltimore, Maryland. A world builder with an unconventional imagination, she crafts layered, character-driven narratives that explore the messy, complex areas of human behavior while blending genres to create bold, immersive experiences. Coming out of the gate swinging, her debut short, Word of Oda (2023), premiered to critical acclaim and won four awards, including the Audience Choice Award and Best Baltimore Short. A proud Morgan State University alumna, Nesha also completed the TV & Film Essentials Program with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
NEEN.
Co-Director & Executive Producer
NEEN. is a multidisciplinary artist and genre filmmaker who centers the multifaceted people, cultures, and lore bubbling out of the Black diaspora in her work. Her character-driven films are rooted in her love for Black heroes, real and imagined, the nuanced worlds they inhabit, and a desire to see the full depth and breadth of their lived experiences on screens both big and small. Her approach across mediums is to lead with wonder, emotion, and color and to evoke feeling in those who engage with her work. She believes the most powerful stories are thoughtful and thought-provoking and aims to bring both to the fore, one film at a time. Some of Neen's recent films include Country Punk Black (2024), Word of Oda (2023), 7 Minutes of Heaven? (2022), and Robyn Hood (2021).
Black women have long been part of horror’s legacy, but too often our roles are limited. Rarely are we portrayed as complicated, messy, ambitious, or morally unpredictable. Scarlet exists to challenge that.
This film centers a Black woman who is not perfect, not easily categorized, and not written to make the audience comfortable. She is driven by dark motives and intense feelings.
Stories like this matter because Black women deserve to exist in every genre with the same complexity that other characters are allowed. We deserve to be the hero, the antihero, the chaos, and everything in between.
Yet the reality is that opportunities to tell these stories remain limited. Recent industry studies show that women of color make up only 5.3% of directors working in major films, and women direct less than 6% of horror films overall. That makes Black women directing horror stories even rarer.
We want to tell this story with care, depth, and honesty, alongside a team of talented artists who believe in this project. But bringing Scarlet to life requires community.
Scarlet is a film for us, by us, featuring us, and it’s going to take all of us to make it real.
Scarlet is in pre-production. After casting our leads, we hit the ground running to film a series of teasers in Orlando, Florida, last fall, where we got to see them breathe life into words bred out of Nesha's imagination.
Since that time, we have worked to raise a portion of the budget needed to film the short and put together a pre-production team dedicated to telling this story.
Currently, we are nailing down the remaining cast and crew and scouting locations, so that we can move into production after the crowdfunding campaign is complete with ease.
Scarlet is being built by a community of independent filmmakers who believe in bold storytelling and creating space for complex Black characters in genre films. What you see on screen is only part of the story. Behind the camera is a team of working creatives collaborating to bring this film to life with care, intention, and craft. Your support helps make that possible. We aim to begin principal photography in Atlanta in September 2026.
This campaign closes the remaining production gap so we can shoot on schedule and deliver a strong cut on time.
Of our $12,000 budget, we have already raised $2,030 in early donations.
During this campaign, we aim to raise the remaining $10,000 necessary for principal photography.
The money raised from this campaign will fund...
- Cast & Crew
- Equipment rentals (Gear, Camera, Lighting, Sound)
- Production design, wardrobe, and props
- Insurance,
- Permits,
- Meals & Crafty,
- & Location fees
If we exceed our goal, additional funding will support...
- Post-production editing,
- Sound design,
- Color grading,
- & festival submission costs
If you want to support this vision, and help us bring Scarlet to life, please...
- Pledge today, every dollar counts. No donation is too big or small.
- Follow our campaign on Seed&Spark
- Follow the Adolla Vision Productions Instagram page for updates, behind-the-scenes posts, and shoutouts
- Share our campaign with two friends & spread the word on social media
- Comment to boost our visibility. The encouragement keeps us motivated, too!
❤️ Thank you,
& the cast + crew of Scarlet
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew Compensation
Costs $4,300
We want to ensure all members of the cast & crew are paid for their time and talent.
Equipment Rental
Costs $2,000
We can’t call “Action!” without lights or a camera. This covers the cost of a camera equipment needed to bring Scarlet from script to screen
Locations
Costs $1,000
We intend to select locations in Atlanta, GA that feel most authentic to Scarlet’s nightlife culture & girl rap grit.
Production Design
Costs $900
No film is complete without the art department’s magic. This portion of the budget will pay for PD items we can’t source for free or borrow.
Meals & Crafty
Costs $1,800
A nourished crew is a happy crew. This will cover the cost of lunch and crafty for the cast & crew during production.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
"SCARLET"
MK Smith is an actress and performance artist based in Orlando, Florida, with over a decade of experience in theater and performance. A graduate of Florida A&M University, she founded Voices Heard, the school’s first spoken word poetry organization. Her work includes touring with the National Players and performances with Orlando Shakespeare Theater and other regional companies. She has also appeared in Amazon’s Underground Railroad and the PBS documentary Spit on the Broom.
"LILITHRA"
Nedgé Victome is an award-winning Haitian-American actress, screenwriter, and director whose work spans film, television, and original narrative content. She earned Best Actress honors from the International Black and Diversity Film Festival for her lead performance in an original pilot and has since continued to build a reputation for emotionally rich, quietly powerful characters. She's known for portraying sharp-witted, complex women across genres and is passionate about stories that challenge perception, reveal inner lives, and leave a lasting emotional resonance.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, WRITER, & CO-DIRECTOR
Nesha Jackson is an award-winning director and screenwriter based in Baltimore, Maryland. A world builder with an unconventional imagination, she crafts layered, character-driven narratives that explore the messy, complex areas of human behavior while blending genres to create bold, immersive experiences. Coming out of the gate swinging, her debut short, Word of Oda (2023), premiered to critical acclaim and won four awards, including the Audience Choice Award and Best Baltimore Short. A proud Morgan State University alumna, Nesha also completed the TV & Film Essentials Program with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & CO-DIRECTOR
NEEN. is a multidisciplinary artist and genre filmmaker who centers the multifaceted people, cultures, and lore bubbling out of the Black diaspora in her work. Her character-driven films are rooted in her love for Black heroes, real and imagined, the nuanced worlds they inhabit, and a desire to see the full depth and breadth of their lived experiences on screens both big and small. Her approach across mediums is to lead with wonder, emotion, and color and to evoke feeling in those who engage with her work. Dedicated to being a lifelong student of her craft, NEEN. holds a B.S. in Journalism from Florida A&M University, an M.F.A in Film Production from Florida State University, and an M.F.A in Documentary Expression from the University of Mississippi.
PRODUCER
Melvin Fitten Jr. is a producer and co-founding member of Adolla Vision, a creative multimedia production company. Known for his collaborative approach, he brings a hands-on presence to each project. He served as a producer and production assistant on the award-winning short film Word of Oda (2023), supporting on-set production and overall execution.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
D’Anthony Edwards is an Atlanta-based producer, filmmaker, and digital media artist whose work blends cinematic storytelling, culture, and intentional visual craft across film, branded content, and digital media. With a background in video production, editing, and creative direction, he has supported and developed independent creative projects while helping shape story-driven work from concept through post-production. His work also includes building original media platforms such as Urban Sama and Sama The Creative.