SERENITY
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
Ethan, a shy misfit, is seeking a place of acceptance. He comes across a peer support meeting for serial killers, and is introduced to all walks of life (and the undead). He listens to their stories as the group opens up to share, and finds an unexpected connection.
SERENITY
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $17,270 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
57 supporters | followers
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Ethan, a shy misfit, is seeking a place of acceptance. He comes across a peer support meeting for serial killers, and is introduced to all walks of life (and the undead). He listens to their stories as the group opens up to share, and finds an unexpected connection.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
AS OF NOVEMBER 26th, WE ARE AT 100% OF OUR GOAL!!!!!!!!
OUR NEW STRETCH FUNDING AMOUNT IS $15K!
Here is what we still need to cover:
LOCATION / PERMIT FEES!
CAST & CREW PAYMENTS!
TO FEED OUR CAST & CREW!
PLEDGE NOW AND BE A PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE PROJECT!
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU.
Ethan, a shy misfit, is seeking a place of acceptance, where he can find ways to cope with his inner rage and violent impulses. He comes across a peer support meeting for serial killers, and is introduced to all walks of life (and the undead).
Among the many attendees are a cannibal, a vampire, a zombie, a social media manager. He listens to their stories as the group opens up to share, and feels an unexpected connection. He sees each of them as so much more than what his impression was at first glance, that they are all just looking to improve themselves, and live a better life.
There is so much that separates us, as a result of not getting beneath the surface. It feels as though we are being blocked from empathy and compassion, only seeing our own experience. Connections to others is possible. We are not alone in our pain and confusion. There is an answer, and it can be found if we look within, and help each other without condemnation.
Our previous film Froggy is a symbolic story of Mother Earth vs Humanity, told through a teenage girl. Serenity, while a captivating and wild ride of each characters' past and present, also has a message. This time in regard to mental health, and what we do to cope individually, living in today’s world. Feeling lost? You’re not alone.
After how awesome our festival run has been, the creator of Froggy, Amelia Joyce, wanted to join forces again for a new round in the horror/comedy space. Audiences loved our previous project, and Amelia found inspiration in her personal experience having attended peer support groups and combined that with her love of the horror genre.
Amelia Joyce | Writer/Director
Amelia is a Photographer and Director, based in Los Angeles. She is the owner of agency, Boys Club Creative, and film production company, Black Dog Media.
A former New Yorker, Amelia cut her teeth as a music photographer, which led to directing projects across the music and fashion industries. She has spent the last 20+ years dedicated to commercial and branded content, working directly with iconic fashion designers, musicians, and artists. Amelia’s client list includes Vogue magazine, LiveNation UK/USA, Prince, Roger Waters, Sony Music, Spin Magazine, and BBDO.
Having made an artistic shift into narrative, her award-nominated eco-horror project, Froggy, has been running in the 2024 festival circuit.
Other projects close to her heart include creating reportage content in support of conservation groups around the world, such as Sea Shepherd, Trunks Up, and The Abraham Foundation.
David Gomez Carrascal | Executive Producer
David co-founded Streets Ahead in 2012 while attending UCLA, where he met his fellow colleagues. He has written and directed various projects, including Obsidian: Heavy Metal Rising and The Violinist, which won Best Actress at Campus MovieFest UCLA.
He handled the worldwide distribution for Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Disney, Gravitas, Vertical Entertainment and YouTube Originals. Now he has combined all his previous experiences to be a full time director/producer and distribution consultant, helping connect filmmakers and content providers to different platforms around the world.
Roberta Sparta | Producer
Roberta is the founder of Sparta Productions, an LA-based media company built on the principles of authenticity, collaboration, and excellence.
Sparta moved from Italy to the States to pursue her career as an actress. After her success on “Star Wars,” she decided to bring her curious and entrepreneurial mind to production. Roberta found herself to be a natural First Assistant Director and that helped her develop critical scheduling skills and a profound understanding of all departments and the movie-making process.
Becoming a producer was a natural evolution. Sparta’s most recent credits include the star-studded, highly anticipated Western “Buffalo Daze” and Lifetime Original, “Abducted at an HBCU,” directed by Delmar Washington, starring Garcelle Beauvais.
Roberta’s collaboration with Amelia Joyce started with the award-nominated co-horror short Froggy, and continued with the creation of Femme FATAL Film Festival, motivated by the desire to shed a light on underrepresented filmmakers.
Kaity Williams | Director of Photography
Award-winning cinematographer, Kaity Williams, was born and raised in South Carolina. She developed a passion for cinematography and the craft of visual storytelling, which inspired her move to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue a career in filmmaking.
In the feature film world, Kaity photographed the terse thriller Break In, the multi-award-winning romantic drama Before the Dawn, as well as additional photography on the Biblical epic The Penitent Thief. In documentaries, Kaity photographed the Streamy Show of the Year winner, 30 Days with: Bretman Rock, for which she received the Gold Telly Award for Best Cinematography, and the multi-award-winning racing documentary short Sonya Slidez in addition to an ongoing docuseries with custom super-car crafting expert Nelson Racing Engines. Her prolific work in short films includes Alone Together, Decisions, the sci-fi adventure On the Orion, and the multi-award winning lyrical visual poem, Glaistig. Her commercial work includes national spots for the American Cancer Society and ABC’s The Bachelor, along with regional spots for Publix, Footlocker, and UberEats.
She is an active member of the American Society of Cinematographers Motion Imaging Technology Council Lens Committee, has been featured several times in American Cinematographer magazine and was a contributor to the internationally renowned The Cine Lens Manual.
Donna Morong | Casting Director
Donna Morong is an award-winning Casting Director with over 30 years in the business. She began her career in NYC assisting on some of the most prestigious Broadway productions of the time, including Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Hurly Burly.
Her career flourished in L.A. where she worked as a Senior Casting Executive in the Feature Film division of Walt Disney Studios, casting contemporary classic films like Ten Things I Hate About You, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and Princess Diaries. In 2007 she won the prestigious Artios award for her casting of Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck’s directorial debut.
She has helped launch the careers of Heath Ledger, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, Megan Fox, and Chris Pine, among others. She has had her acting own studio since 2009, as well as casting independent features that have premiered in many of the major film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance and South by Southwest. She has worked with French filmmakers including Quentin Dupieux, Hanna Ladoul and Marco LaVia.
Ms. Morong began her acting training at the William Esper Studio in NYC, and got a Master’s degree from Rutgers University where she taught undergraduate acting and the Meisner technique.
We are absolutely DYING over the tremendous talent we have attached to this!!! Aaron Staton (Mad Men, LA Noire), Vivian Bang (White Rabbit, Always Be My Maybe), and Kylr Coffman (GLOW, Geo), and many more. This outstanding cast will make this film incredibly memorable, and give potential for us to bring this proof of concept project to festivals, and to production companies for feature or TV development!
Aaron Staton
Aaron Staton is an American actor. He played Ken Cosgrove on the AMC series Mad Men and Cole Phelps in the video game L.A. Noire, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Performer.
Vivian Bang
Vivian Bang is Co-Writer, Co-Producer and Star of Sundance 2018's Indie Feature: White Rabbit. She's Jenny on Netflix's Rom-Com, Always Be My Maybe. She was awarded Best Actress for the Asian American Film Lab short film Elizabeth Ong Is Missing.
WE NEED YOU TO HELP US GET THIS PRODUCTION GOING! Our ultimate financial goal is $50K for the whole shebang! All funds contributed will go towards film pre-production (ie: locations, props, permits, cast/crew set design).
Anything we receive beyond the $10K will help us with talent and crew fees, brillliant SFX, post production, film festival submission fees and any marketing materials needed to create excitement when we submit the final cut to the top tier festivals (examples include SXSW, TIFF, Tribeca, and genre festivals such as Filmquest, Beyond Fest, and Fantasia!!).
Anything left over would be distributed among the crew for contributing their time and expertise. Making people feel appreciated and valued is of the utmost importance, and it could develop lasting partnerships throughout our careers in this industry. We love our crew family, and that has been truly a wonderful reward for all involved.
We are offering a range of perks for those who want to help us out!! We have various tiers which include SPECIAL MENTIONS, CUSTOM DAILY POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS, PRODUCER CREDITS, and EXCLUSIVE SCREENING INVITATIONS.
Check out our incentives and wishlist items for ways to support SERENITY! You can also support us by sharing our Seed&Spark page, and also following and sharing from our Instagram account: @giveusserenity. We all need a little compassion sometimes. ? YOU ARE ENOUGH.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
SFX Makeup
Costs $3,500
This will help bring our "monster" meeting attendees to life! We have an INCREDIBLE SFX Artist, Monique Paredes, on board.
Production Design
Costs $6,500
In our totally awesome script we have flashback sets and props that need to be created to tell the story of some key characters!
Equipment Rentals
Costs $10,000
We use quality equipment, as well as talented, seasoned crew to use it! The best cameras, lenses, lighting... this makes all the difference.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Amelia Joyce | Writer/Director
Amelia is a Photographer and Director, based in Los Angeles. She is the owner of agency, Boys Club Creative, and film production company, Black Dog Media. A former New Yorker, Amelia cut her teeth as a music photographer, which led to directing projects across the music and fashion industries. She has spent the last 20+ years dedicated to commercial and branded content, working directly with iconic fashion designers, musicians, and artists. Amelia’s client list includes Vogue magazine, LiveNation UK/USA, Prince, Roger Waters, Sony Music, Spin Magazine, and BBDO.
Having made an artistic shift into narrative, her award-nominated eco-horror project, Froggy, has been running in the 2024 festival circuit.
Other projects close to her heart include creating reportage content in support of conservation groups around the world, such as Sea Shepherd, Trunks Up, and The Abraham Foundation.
David Gomez Carrascal | Executive Producer
David co-founded Streets Ahead in 2012 while attending UCLA, where he met his fellow colleagues. He has written and directed various projects, including Obsidian: Heavy Metal Rising and The Violinist, which won Best Actress at Campus MovieFest UCLA.
He handled the worldwide distribution for Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Disney, Gravitas, Vertical Entertainment and YouTube Originals. Now he has combined all his previous experiences to be a full time director/producer and distribution consultant, helping connect filmmakers and content providers to different platforms around the world.
Roberta Sparta | Producer
Roberta is the founder of Sparta Productions, an LA-based media company built on the principles of authenticity, collaboration, and excellence.
Sparta moved from Italy to the States to pursue her career as an actress. After her success on “Star Wars,” she decided to bring her curious and entrepreneurial mind to production. Roberta found herself to be a natural First Assistant Director and that helped her develop critical scheduling skills and a profound understanding of all departments and the movie-making process.
Becoming a producer was a natural evolution. Sparta’s most recent credits include the star-studded, highly anticipated Western “Buffalo Daze” and Lifetime Original, “Abducted at an HBCU,” directed by Delmar Washington, starring Garcelle Beauvais.
Roberta’s collaboration with Amelia Joyce started with the award-nominated co-horror short Froggy, and continued with the creation of Femme FATAL Film Festival, motivated by the desire to shed a light on underrepresented filmmakers.
Kaity Williams | Director of Photography
Award-winning cinematographer, Kaity Williams, was born and raised in South Carolina. She developed a passion for cinematography and the craft of visual storytelling, which inspired her move to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue a career in filmmaking.
In the feature film world, Kaity photographed the terse thriller Break In, the multi-award-winning romantic drama Before the Dawn, as well as additional photography on the Biblical epic The Penitent Thief. In documentaries, Kaity photographed the Streamy Show of the Year winner, 30 Days with: Bretman Rock, for which she received the Gold Telly Award for Best Cinematography, and the multi-award-winning racing documentary short Sonya Slidez in addition to an ongoing docuseries with custom super-car crafting expert Nelson Racing Engines. Her prolific work in short films includes Alone Together, Decisions, the sci-fi adventure On the Orion, and the multi-award winning lyrical visual poem, Glaistig. Her commercial work includes national spots for the American Cancer Society and ABC’s The Bachelor, along with regional spots for Publix, Footlocker, and UberEats.
She is an active member of the American Society of Cinematographers Motion Imaging Technology Council Lens Committee, has been featured several times in American Cinematographer magazine and was a contributor to the internationally renowned The Cine Lens Manual.
Donna Morong | Casting Director
Donna Morong is an award-winning Casting Director with over 30 years in the business. She began her career in NYC assisting on some of the most prestigious Broadway productions of the time, including Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Hurly Burly.
Her career flourished in L.A. where she worked as a Senior Casting Executive in the Feature Film division of Walt Disney Studios, casting contemporary classic films like Ten Things I Hate About You, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and Princess Diaries. In 2007 she won the prestigious Artios award for her casting of Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck’s directorial debut.
She has helped launch the careers of Heath Ledger, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, Megan Fox, and Chris Pine, among others. She has had her acting own studio since 2009, as well as casting independent features that have premiered in many of the major film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance and South by Southwest. She has worked with French filmmakers including Quentin Dupieux, Hanna Ladoul and Marco LaVia.
Ms. Morong began her acting training at the William Esper Studio in NYC, and got a Master’s degree from Rutgers University where she taught undergraduate acting and the Meisner technique.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
AS OF NOVEMBER 26th, WE ARE AT 100% OF OUR GOAL!!!!!!!!
OUR NEW STRETCH FUNDING AMOUNT IS $15K!
Here is what we still need to cover:
LOCATION / PERMIT FEES!
CAST & CREW PAYMENTS!
TO FEED OUR CAST & CREW!
PLEDGE NOW AND BE A PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE PROJECT!
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU.
Ethan, a shy misfit, is seeking a place of acceptance, where he can find ways to cope with his inner rage and violent impulses. He comes across a peer support meeting for serial killers, and is introduced to all walks of life (and the undead).
Among the many attendees are a cannibal, a vampire, a zombie, a social media manager. He listens to their stories as the group opens up to share, and feels an unexpected connection. He sees each of them as so much more than what his impression was at first glance, that they are all just looking to improve themselves, and live a better life.
There is so much that separates us, as a result of not getting beneath the surface. It feels as though we are being blocked from empathy and compassion, only seeing our own experience. Connections to others is possible. We are not alone in our pain and confusion. There is an answer, and it can be found if we look within, and help each other without condemnation.
Our previous film Froggy is a symbolic story of Mother Earth vs Humanity, told through a teenage girl. Serenity, while a captivating and wild ride of each characters' past and present, also has a message. This time in regard to mental health, and what we do to cope individually, living in today’s world. Feeling lost? You’re not alone.
After how awesome our festival run has been, the creator of Froggy, Amelia Joyce, wanted to join forces again for a new round in the horror/comedy space. Audiences loved our previous project, and Amelia found inspiration in her personal experience having attended peer support groups and combined that with her love of the horror genre.
Amelia Joyce | Writer/Director
Amelia is a Photographer and Director, based in Los Angeles. She is the owner of agency, Boys Club Creative, and film production company, Black Dog Media.
A former New Yorker, Amelia cut her teeth as a music photographer, which led to directing projects across the music and fashion industries. She has spent the last 20+ years dedicated to commercial and branded content, working directly with iconic fashion designers, musicians, and artists. Amelia’s client list includes Vogue magazine, LiveNation UK/USA, Prince, Roger Waters, Sony Music, Spin Magazine, and BBDO.
Having made an artistic shift into narrative, her award-nominated eco-horror project, Froggy, has been running in the 2024 festival circuit.
Other projects close to her heart include creating reportage content in support of conservation groups around the world, such as Sea Shepherd, Trunks Up, and The Abraham Foundation.
David Gomez Carrascal | Executive Producer
David co-founded Streets Ahead in 2012 while attending UCLA, where he met his fellow colleagues. He has written and directed various projects, including Obsidian: Heavy Metal Rising and The Violinist, which won Best Actress at Campus MovieFest UCLA.
He handled the worldwide distribution for Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Disney, Gravitas, Vertical Entertainment and YouTube Originals. Now he has combined all his previous experiences to be a full time director/producer and distribution consultant, helping connect filmmakers and content providers to different platforms around the world.
Roberta Sparta | Producer
Roberta is the founder of Sparta Productions, an LA-based media company built on the principles of authenticity, collaboration, and excellence.
Sparta moved from Italy to the States to pursue her career as an actress. After her success on “Star Wars,” she decided to bring her curious and entrepreneurial mind to production. Roberta found herself to be a natural First Assistant Director and that helped her develop critical scheduling skills and a profound understanding of all departments and the movie-making process.
Becoming a producer was a natural evolution. Sparta’s most recent credits include the star-studded, highly anticipated Western “Buffalo Daze” and Lifetime Original, “Abducted at an HBCU,” directed by Delmar Washington, starring Garcelle Beauvais.
Roberta’s collaboration with Amelia Joyce started with the award-nominated co-horror short Froggy, and continued with the creation of Femme FATAL Film Festival, motivated by the desire to shed a light on underrepresented filmmakers.
Kaity Williams | Director of Photography
Award-winning cinematographer, Kaity Williams, was born and raised in South Carolina. She developed a passion for cinematography and the craft of visual storytelling, which inspired her move to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue a career in filmmaking.
In the feature film world, Kaity photographed the terse thriller Break In, the multi-award-winning romantic drama Before the Dawn, as well as additional photography on the Biblical epic The Penitent Thief. In documentaries, Kaity photographed the Streamy Show of the Year winner, 30 Days with: Bretman Rock, for which she received the Gold Telly Award for Best Cinematography, and the multi-award-winning racing documentary short Sonya Slidez in addition to an ongoing docuseries with custom super-car crafting expert Nelson Racing Engines. Her prolific work in short films includes Alone Together, Decisions, the sci-fi adventure On the Orion, and the multi-award winning lyrical visual poem, Glaistig. Her commercial work includes national spots for the American Cancer Society and ABC’s The Bachelor, along with regional spots for Publix, Footlocker, and UberEats.
She is an active member of the American Society of Cinematographers Motion Imaging Technology Council Lens Committee, has been featured several times in American Cinematographer magazine and was a contributor to the internationally renowned The Cine Lens Manual.
Donna Morong | Casting Director
Donna Morong is an award-winning Casting Director with over 30 years in the business. She began her career in NYC assisting on some of the most prestigious Broadway productions of the time, including Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Hurly Burly.
Her career flourished in L.A. where she worked as a Senior Casting Executive in the Feature Film division of Walt Disney Studios, casting contemporary classic films like Ten Things I Hate About You, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and Princess Diaries. In 2007 she won the prestigious Artios award for her casting of Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck’s directorial debut.
She has helped launch the careers of Heath Ledger, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, Megan Fox, and Chris Pine, among others. She has had her acting own studio since 2009, as well as casting independent features that have premiered in many of the major film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance and South by Southwest. She has worked with French filmmakers including Quentin Dupieux, Hanna Ladoul and Marco LaVia.
Ms. Morong began her acting training at the William Esper Studio in NYC, and got a Master’s degree from Rutgers University where she taught undergraduate acting and the Meisner technique.
We are absolutely DYING over the tremendous talent we have attached to this!!! Aaron Staton (Mad Men, LA Noire), Vivian Bang (White Rabbit, Always Be My Maybe), and Kylr Coffman (GLOW, Geo), and many more. This outstanding cast will make this film incredibly memorable, and give potential for us to bring this proof of concept project to festivals, and to production companies for feature or TV development!
Aaron Staton
Aaron Staton is an American actor. He played Ken Cosgrove on the AMC series Mad Men and Cole Phelps in the video game L.A. Noire, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Performer.
Vivian Bang
Vivian Bang is Co-Writer, Co-Producer and Star of Sundance 2018's Indie Feature: White Rabbit. She's Jenny on Netflix's Rom-Com, Always Be My Maybe. She was awarded Best Actress for the Asian American Film Lab short film Elizabeth Ong Is Missing.
WE NEED YOU TO HELP US GET THIS PRODUCTION GOING! Our ultimate financial goal is $50K for the whole shebang! All funds contributed will go towards film pre-production (ie: locations, props, permits, cast/crew set design).
Anything we receive beyond the $10K will help us with talent and crew fees, brillliant SFX, post production, film festival submission fees and any marketing materials needed to create excitement when we submit the final cut to the top tier festivals (examples include SXSW, TIFF, Tribeca, and genre festivals such as Filmquest, Beyond Fest, and Fantasia!!).
Anything left over would be distributed among the crew for contributing their time and expertise. Making people feel appreciated and valued is of the utmost importance, and it could develop lasting partnerships throughout our careers in this industry. We love our crew family, and that has been truly a wonderful reward for all involved.
We are offering a range of perks for those who want to help us out!! We have various tiers which include SPECIAL MENTIONS, CUSTOM DAILY POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS, PRODUCER CREDITS, and EXCLUSIVE SCREENING INVITATIONS.
Check out our incentives and wishlist items for ways to support SERENITY! You can also support us by sharing our Seed&Spark page, and also following and sharing from our Instagram account: @giveusserenity. We all need a little compassion sometimes. ? YOU ARE ENOUGH.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
SFX Makeup
Costs $3,500
This will help bring our "monster" meeting attendees to life! We have an INCREDIBLE SFX Artist, Monique Paredes, on board.
Production Design
Costs $6,500
In our totally awesome script we have flashback sets and props that need to be created to tell the story of some key characters!
Equipment Rentals
Costs $10,000
We use quality equipment, as well as talented, seasoned crew to use it! The best cameras, lenses, lighting... this makes all the difference.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Amelia Joyce | Writer/Director
Amelia is a Photographer and Director, based in Los Angeles. She is the owner of agency, Boys Club Creative, and film production company, Black Dog Media. A former New Yorker, Amelia cut her teeth as a music photographer, which led to directing projects across the music and fashion industries. She has spent the last 20+ years dedicated to commercial and branded content, working directly with iconic fashion designers, musicians, and artists. Amelia’s client list includes Vogue magazine, LiveNation UK/USA, Prince, Roger Waters, Sony Music, Spin Magazine, and BBDO.
Having made an artistic shift into narrative, her award-nominated eco-horror project, Froggy, has been running in the 2024 festival circuit.
Other projects close to her heart include creating reportage content in support of conservation groups around the world, such as Sea Shepherd, Trunks Up, and The Abraham Foundation.
David Gomez Carrascal | Executive Producer
David co-founded Streets Ahead in 2012 while attending UCLA, where he met his fellow colleagues. He has written and directed various projects, including Obsidian: Heavy Metal Rising and The Violinist, which won Best Actress at Campus MovieFest UCLA.
He handled the worldwide distribution for Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Disney, Gravitas, Vertical Entertainment and YouTube Originals. Now he has combined all his previous experiences to be a full time director/producer and distribution consultant, helping connect filmmakers and content providers to different platforms around the world.
Roberta Sparta | Producer
Roberta is the founder of Sparta Productions, an LA-based media company built on the principles of authenticity, collaboration, and excellence.
Sparta moved from Italy to the States to pursue her career as an actress. After her success on “Star Wars,” she decided to bring her curious and entrepreneurial mind to production. Roberta found herself to be a natural First Assistant Director and that helped her develop critical scheduling skills and a profound understanding of all departments and the movie-making process.
Becoming a producer was a natural evolution. Sparta’s most recent credits include the star-studded, highly anticipated Western “Buffalo Daze” and Lifetime Original, “Abducted at an HBCU,” directed by Delmar Washington, starring Garcelle Beauvais.
Roberta’s collaboration with Amelia Joyce started with the award-nominated co-horror short Froggy, and continued with the creation of Femme FATAL Film Festival, motivated by the desire to shed a light on underrepresented filmmakers.
Kaity Williams | Director of Photography
Award-winning cinematographer, Kaity Williams, was born and raised in South Carolina. She developed a passion for cinematography and the craft of visual storytelling, which inspired her move to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue a career in filmmaking.
In the feature film world, Kaity photographed the terse thriller Break In, the multi-award-winning romantic drama Before the Dawn, as well as additional photography on the Biblical epic The Penitent Thief. In documentaries, Kaity photographed the Streamy Show of the Year winner, 30 Days with: Bretman Rock, for which she received the Gold Telly Award for Best Cinematography, and the multi-award-winning racing documentary short Sonya Slidez in addition to an ongoing docuseries with custom super-car crafting expert Nelson Racing Engines. Her prolific work in short films includes Alone Together, Decisions, the sci-fi adventure On the Orion, and the multi-award winning lyrical visual poem, Glaistig. Her commercial work includes national spots for the American Cancer Society and ABC’s The Bachelor, along with regional spots for Publix, Footlocker, and UberEats.
She is an active member of the American Society of Cinematographers Motion Imaging Technology Council Lens Committee, has been featured several times in American Cinematographer magazine and was a contributor to the internationally renowned The Cine Lens Manual.
Donna Morong | Casting Director
Donna Morong is an award-winning Casting Director with over 30 years in the business. She began her career in NYC assisting on some of the most prestigious Broadway productions of the time, including Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Hurly Burly.
Her career flourished in L.A. where she worked as a Senior Casting Executive in the Feature Film division of Walt Disney Studios, casting contemporary classic films like Ten Things I Hate About You, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and Princess Diaries. In 2007 she won the prestigious Artios award for her casting of Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck’s directorial debut.
She has helped launch the careers of Heath Ledger, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, Megan Fox, and Chris Pine, among others. She has had her acting own studio since 2009, as well as casting independent features that have premiered in many of the major film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance and South by Southwest. She has worked with French filmmakers including Quentin Dupieux, Hanna Ladoul and Marco LaVia.
Ms. Morong began her acting training at the William Esper Studio in NYC, and got a Master’s degree from Rutgers University where she taught undergraduate acting and the Meisner technique.