We LOVE film and TV and all forms of performance art. Sadly, we've all had to experience these through very narrow perspectives through the years as well. With SNT (Shiny New Things), our goal is to create a studio-level, globally relatable story—accurate to the world we actually live in—while exploring mankind's potential future. We are thrilled to be apart of the sci-fi/action genre with our female writer/director and inclusive cast, crew, and team. This funding campaign will allow us to film the remaining six episodes, which will demonstrate our vision and achievability to any potential studio and financial partners.

OUR WORLD:

SHINY NEW THINGS is set in a futuristic world ten years after a nuclear event decimated much of the population and natural resources. After which, a new government group, The Faction, rose and infiltrated major cities around the world.  On the brink of extinction, they swooped in with food, shelter, and promises. From the surface, everything looks normal, except for the vacant looks on citizen's faces and the armed guards patrolling the streets. The Faction, are the enforcers of the new world order. They're rebuilding society and creating jobs. Jobs like the PDI (Perfect Day Initiative). PDI is a therapy replacement program that matches agents to a clients loved one lost in the war. The service allows grieving family members to hire them to live out the last memory they shared in hopes that it will help them to move on—but it's having the opposite effect on some. Children can't participate but rumors about missing children showing up in the program have been circulating nationwide. With families getting the runaround and no real help from the Faction, it was the last straw—and the catalyst that created the Opposition.

The story of Shiny New Things centers around two siblings: Chase, quiet and dependable works in the PDI program and has plans to move up in the organization and Anna, Chase's rebellious and headstrong sister, who works at a local food bank. Every day she grows weary with the conditions of the sector and wants to move up and work for PDI to help save money to move. Chase has forbidden her from joining but is losing his control over her and Anna is losing her will to follow his rules. Eventually, they come to realize that nothing in their new world is as it seems and they are forced to choose between complying and saving themselves, or fighting and saving many.

THE PILOT: 

In the pilot episode, Chase and Lena are an average couple enjoying a day together lounging around and enjoying each others time. From reading to having breakfast and binge-watching TV, it's a Perfect Day…

We soon realize though, that something is a bit off and looks can be very deceiving...

SNT is written, directed and produced by our showrunner, Lakeisha Jackson. With Christopher Martell as 1st AD, and Eddie Osturken as the camera operator. We are three filmmakers who collectively have experience as producers, directors, writers, actors, and creatives. To bring SNT to life, we are working with extremely talented actors and other crew members whose experience ranges from primetime TV shows like “Queen Sugar” to independent projects such as, “Iron Soldier” currently screening at the Cannes film festival, and “Displaced”. For more information about our cast and crew, please visit our “TEAM” tab at the top of the page or visit our website where you can find out more! www.shinynewthingstv.com

As a newly minted crew fresh out of film school we face a ton of obstacles in telling our stories. For most TV to be seen, it relies heavily on media and talent popularity and we all know as far as diversity goes, we still have a very long way to go for adequate representation. Well...we’re kind of misfits...disrupters in a sense and we’re not going to wait in a line of thousands to ask permission from Hollywood to bring this story to life. We are the change we want to see in this industry and we’re starting with projects that embody inclusion in every sense of the word.

There is a growing theme in sci-fi shows and films where the hero is male, and women come second. We explore a dynamic in storytelling that shows the strength of women that don’t answer to anyone but themselves and we explore that dynamic in this post-apocalyptic setting. Other shows also gloss over themes of race and ethnicity or disguise it with an alien race or political backdrop. In SNT, we’re putting those faces front and center. We’re also showing the real divide is between different groups of human beings, based on their financial, moral and humanitarian compasses—much like the world today (take for example the societal breakdown of Venezuela right now)—and we’re creating a project that will stay true to the genre, while exploring real human issues, reflective of our world right now.

STRETCH GOALS

We have 7 episodes we want to make in order to bring you the beginning of this story. Each time we hit a new phase together, we'll share our new crowdfunding goal with you!  

With your help, we are raising about $23,500 for the production of the entire first season of Shiny New Things, BUT, we're breaking it up into phases.

PHASE ONE: Film episodes 1-4  - $6,400

PHASE TWO: Shoot episodes 5-7 - $6,550

POST PRODUCTION: Color grading, editing, sound design, distribution - $9,550

We are paying everyone for their time and effort while staying true to the independent nature of the budget. No one will be working for free, though we have a team who understands that the majority of our funding is coming from your generous hands. This cannot be a "run and gun" production, especially being in south Florida. Permits, while free here, still require police escort to block certain streets during filming (and they must be paid per hour) as well as having between 1-5 million dollar insurance policy for all days we shoot. We refuse to cut corners that may jeopardize our team's health or safety and it is non-negotiable. For more details on how your contributions will be key to the success of this project, please visit our WISHLIST tab above. 

MORE WAYS YOU CAN HELP: 

1.) FOLLOW US - Click the blue button above and create an account. It takes a few sec's to do, confirm the email and that's it! This is free for you, and every time we pass a level we get an added layer of visibility on the platform. Also, we can earn rewards that will help us after the series is made as well: Production Assistance and FREE film festivals submissions. These add up to thousands of dollars when promoting a project.

2.) SHOUT IT OUT- Word of mouth will always and forever be the best advertising there is. Please tell your friends, family, colleagues and neighbors about our project. Share our social media posts and campaign page. . Post our link on your social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogs, anywhere!) 

3.) PLEDGE - No matter the size, anything we receive would be greatly appreciated. Sharing is amazing, but what really will give us the best impact is by contributing to our campaign. Filmmaking is not cheap and this is a sentiment all filmmakers share all the time. We want to do right by our cast, crew and the audience but we can't do it without help. Every single dollar helps us get that much closer. Check out our incentives, we have some awesome ones available, especially for anyone local. We can't wait to have you on board! 

4.) Join our newsletter to be one of the first to know about news, casting announcements etc! http://bit.ly/snttv

FAQ'S:

If you hit your goal, what happens to the money you make after that?

Any donations beyond our goal will go toward the post-production and distribution of the SNT episodes 1-7 including editing, visual FX, score/soundtrack, screenings, marketing, etc.

What happens if you don't reach your goal?
Seed & Spark requires us to reach at least 80% of our goal for our project to be greenlit and for your contributions to be sent to us. If we are unable to reach the 80% mark, your credit card will not be charged and the campaign incentives will not be delivered, sadly.

Why are you using Seed & Spark instead of some other platform like Kickstarter or Indiegogo?

We chose to crowdfund on Seed & Spark because it is the only crowdfunding website made exclusively for film and television. Also, they offer one-on-one feedback and support. What we love most though, is that they are a platform whose mission focuses on inclusion and diversity in media, which is exactly our goals and priorities for Shiny New Things.

How does the Wishlist work?

The Wishlist is Seed & Spark's way of breaking down our project's budget so you can see exactly where the money we raise will go. If you have equipment that you would like to lend us or a catering company that can offer us a discount, click the "Loan" button, describe what you have to offer, and we'll reach out to you!

Does it cost extra to ship internationally?

Not at all! The costs of our incentives include any estimated shipping fees, so you're all good!

MORE INFO:

For more information, please don't hesitate to contact us directly via our Seed & Spark campaign or at [email protected]  On behalf of the cast and crew of Shiny New Things, I want to express our sincere gratitude for taking the time to learn about our project, and we look forward to having you join us on this shiny new adventure!

With Love,

Lakeisha Jackson