Sleep Talking
Jeffersonville, New York | Film Feature
Horror
In Sleep Talking, horror meets nostalgia as Maya, a 12-year-old protective sister, battles demons, both intergenerational and supernatural, that cannot be controlled no matter how hard she tries. Join us as we explore the importance of connecting--and the innate horror in being unable to do so.
Sleep Talking
Jeffersonville, New York | Film Feature
Horror
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $40,320 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
133 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
In Sleep Talking, horror meets nostalgia as Maya, a 12-year-old protective sister, battles demons, both intergenerational and supernatural, that cannot be controlled no matter how hard she tries. Join us as we explore the importance of connecting--and the innate horror in being unable to do so.
In Partnership With
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Sleep Talking is fiscally sponsored by From the Heart Productions, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit. That means every donation you make to this campaign qualifies as a charitable contribution under the U.S. Tax Code and is tax deductible!
Decades ago, Lori Gibson’s sister went missing. Now, she’s dragging her own daughters, 12-year-old Maya and 5-year-old Ellie, along to find answers in their ancestral family home.
When the girls are left alone with their newly discovered Aunt Josie, Maya must take matters into her own hands to protect Ellie as she begins to sleep talk. With the help of a new friend, Maya uncovers supernatural forces in her family’s past that are causing Ellie to become more and more controlled by demonic forces. As Maya tries to control the demons she finds and protect her sister, she finds it harder and harder to save herself.
Contribute to our campaign to bring Maya’s story to life, in all its gruesome glory.
Set in the late 1990s, with flashbacks to the 1920s, our movie is inspired by Hereditary, Stranger Things, and Beetlejuice.
Sleep Talking features a unique blend of elements that are both fantastical and corporeal. In our short film 99¢ Dreams, we conceptualized and created a fantasy world that revealed the intricacies, mysteries, and ultimately the beauty of the human experience. Now, we are elevating that vision to tell a new story from the point of view of Maya, who courts danger at every turn like a moth drawn to a flame.
We use this metaphor in the visual composition of the film; while the eye is drawn to focus on the lighter areas of the shots, the horror takes place in the darkness. The tone is at times a warm amber, symbolizing the flame, or alternatively it is green and desaturated which is representative of the sickness within Aunt Josie, and the world itself once Maya arrives at the house.
Despite Maya’s desire to be an adult, her dreams pull her inescapably into fantasy worlds. To enhance these childlike nightmares, there are stop motion elements throughout the film, as in Beetlejuice. In one of Maya’s nightmare sequences, Aunt Josie extracts a bedsheet from Ellie’s mouth. The sheet then charges down the hall and entraps Maya in a linen cocoon. These moments are saturated and soft to bring out their more juvenile, dreamlike qualities. In contrast, Maya’s waking world is detailed and sharp, mirroring her focus on everything around her in order to solve this mystery.
The majority of the central characters in Sleep Talking are women of color, and the plot is entirely driven by women. A prepubescent coming of age story, Maya’s narrative arc reckons with the external forces that she simply cannot control--despite desperate attempts. Maya’s efforts to be in control just might be her downfall.
“All I want to do is create and share raw, vulnerable, growing stories when the stories themselves are in that state.”
- Jess Costa, Director of Sleep Talking
Read more here about Jess’s vision for joyful, inclusive filmmaking.
We are creating a community for horror-loving, emotionally connected humans of all marginalized genders. We center all of our pursuits on connecting our people to bask in the excitement and the sense of play that comes with creating and supporting each other along the way. By inviting you in at the very beginning of our journey we hope to create this film with you. As we move from pre-production into production and beyond, we want you to celebrate every success with us, learn from our mistakes, and to grow with us as we bring Sleep Talking to life.
Part of building this community means we promise to be transparent with you. $50,000 is a lot of money- and while it’s only part of what we’ll need to get Sleep Talking all the way from Jess’s brain to a screen near you- it’s this money we’re raising from our community that is most essential. This crowdfund is what will allow us to independently and innovatively tell the story we need to tell. The money we raise now will cover the cost of production this summer for:
What does this all mean? A whopping 35% of our fundraising dollars are going towards food. Yes, food! We’re bringing a big team with us, and we need to keep everyone fed. Feeding a team safely looks a little different right now, so this also includes the added costs of keeping food individually packaged and other COVID-19 safety precautions. Our $10,000 location budget and $7,500 art budget will allow us to bring Aunt Josie’s Tudor to life in grim and terrifying detail, as well as to seamlessly jump from the 1920s to the 1990s. G&E Equipment refers to the lighting equipment we will need to properly spookify our gorgeous locations and Camera Equipment, perhaps intuitively, refers to the rentals of camera equipment. Finally, the $5,000 we raise for Picture Vehicles will cover rentals and insurance for the cars used in the film.
(Check out the “Wishlist” tab for more details on this budget!)
We have big, gruesome, gory plans for this movie- rotting teeth, burned skin, stop motion sequences, and a lot of moths. Raising this amount will ensure that we are able to finish production safely this summer, with the goal of taking the film on a Drive-In tour around the country when it’s safe to do so. Learn more about our distribution plan HERE and check out the Media tab to learn more about our process.
We’re breaking barriers and shattering the exclusivity of filmmaking and you can have part in making it happen. Becoming a Sleep Talker is more than just a label, you are an integral part of the metamorphosis of this film.
We, Director Jess Costa (she/her) and Producer Danielle Benedict (fae/faer) are a team of early-career filmmakers, horror lovers, and community builders. When we were at NYU Tisch we bonded over a commitment to inclusive storytelling and making fantastic films. As an independent producer, Danielle has produced several short films, including faer first collaboration with Jess- 99¢ Dreams. Jess’s previous work has premiered at Toronto International Short Film Festival, Soho International Film Festival and more.
Sleep Talking Writer and Director Jess Costa behind the scenes during her short film 99¢ Dreams
Sleep Talking is the first feature film either of us has embarked on, and we’ve assembled a fantastic team to join us. Our team is primarily made up of people of marginalized genders, and all of us are committed to a more inclusive and equitable film industry and world.
(Check out the “Team” tab to learn more about the whole Sleep Talking crew!)
Jess describes Sleep Talking as a love letter to her sister, who protected her while their family went through its own battles. It was deeply important to her to work with a partner and team she could trust as she told this story. By working together, with our amazing crew, and with you - our audience - we hope to connect to each other and the story on a more intimate level.
All we want when someone watches our film is that they don’t feel alone, that someone understands.
No matter the size of your donation, you are a part of the Sleep Talking community. Get even more tangled in the web by joining us on social media, through our newsletter, and follow this campaign on Seed&Spark to stay in the loop.
Tell us a bit about why you’re excited to join the Sleep Talking community with #SleepTalkingFilm and we may share your story on our social media! Tell your friends about the campaign and the film to help us connect with a wider audience. We’re at @SleepTalkingFilm on Instagram and @SleepTalkingFlm on Twitter (thank you character count!)
Check out our Upcoming Events, like our Virtual Campaign Launch Speakeasy to get involved with the community, or The Cutting Room Floor to find out more about the filmmaking process.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Breakfast
Costs $3,500
Nothing beats starting the day with a filling breakfast! Your support will start each day off right.
Camera
Costs $3,200
We need a camera that can peer deep into the shadows of the Gibson family mystery.
Lenses
Costs $1,800
We need lenses that won't look too modern (the film is set mostly in the 1990s, after all!).
Lights
Costs $5,000
We always say, "Like a moth to a flame". Lighting is an integral part of telling Maya's story.
Family Camper Van
Costs $4,000
What better way for the Gibsons to embark on an investigation than in their disused camper van?
Dave's Car
Costs $1,000
For a movie set primarily in the 90s, an average sedan tells us so much about Dave's character.
Gibson House
Costs $7,000
The place where it all happens... It's vital that we film in the most authentic location possible.
Samsa House
Costs $1,000
We need your help to secure a location where Maya and Ellie should feel safe.
Bookstore
Costs $2,000
A bookstore that's got centuries of history and rumors; the perfect place to uncover the truth.
Props
Costs $1,750
Tea, flashlights, sheets... Everything our characters touch or interact with needs to fit perfectly.
Gibson House Furniture & Set Pieces
Costs $2,000
There's a lot of history in the Gibson house. Help us decorate the spooky, old house of our dreams!
Speakeasy Furniture & Set Pieces
Costs $1,500
We're decking out our speakeasy with all the vintage details like there was a party there yesterday.
Maya & Ellie's Belongings (Bedroom)
Costs $750
We're filling Maya and Ellie's room with personal touches that reveal their lives beyond the film.
Research Room Files & Furniture
Costs $1,500
Help us fill the research room with a microfiche machine and decades of small-town history.
Share this update!
About This Team
JESS COSTA
(SHE/HER) DIRECTOR & WRITER
Jess Costa (she/her) a New York writer and director, who is most known for her most recent short 99? Dreams. She fell in love with filmmaking when she was 11, but as a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts she has met her core team. She is committed to telling raw, vulnerable stories and to always adds a sense of play to the creation process. She is environmentally conscious and brings that awareness to her film sets. Her work has premiered in Toronto International Short Film Festival, Soho International Film Festival and more! Check it out on jesscosta.com
DANIELLE BENEDICT
(FAE/FAER) PRODUCER
Danielle Benedict (fae/faer) is a genderqueer femme and an independent Producer/Director living in NYC. As a filmmaker, both in faer own work and in faer collaborations, Danielle invites audiences to imagine as perfectly normal the empathetic, equitable, just change that feels so radical in our own. Prior to the COVID-19 production pause, Danielle produced several short films, including “99¢ Dreams” (dir. Jess Costa). Outside of film, Danielle supports direct actions and reads the words of our transcestors.
PRIYA KIRAN
(SHE/HER) ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Priya Kiran (she/her) is a writer, director, and producer. She perfected her craft at New York University – Tisch School of the Arts and has since been freelancing as a producer and first assistant director while creating her own art as well. Having grown up in the small-town Midwest, Priya knows what it’s like to grow up without feeling represented on the silver screen. She understands how film, TV, and new media affect the way we view our world and those around us and therefore, strives to make an impact in the film industry by promoting diversity in storytelling and creating spaces for everyone to be seen and heard.
POULOMI MUKHERJI
(SHE/HER) PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Poulomi Mukherji is an independent filmmaker, director, and animator dabbling in every project she can get her hands on. She graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has worked for various clients such as Spotify, NBC Universal, and the Center for Emotional Intelligence at Yale University where she directs a series of animated shorts for their online learning platform. Her award-winning independent short Silhouette City has been featured internationally in several film festivals such as the Brooklyn Film Festival and the Buenos Aires Film Festival. Her mind is a messy database of whimsical stories and colorful characters, and she is excited to use them to work on the ambitious film, Sleep Talking.
BRIANA MAN
(SHE/HER) DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Briana Man is a Director of Photography, based out of NYC and LA. She has a passion for shooting narrative films, and likes to bring her photography, gaffing, and acting experiences to her work as a cinematographer. Her most recent standout work has been as the cinematographer of the feature film "Hell Wanted," as the gaffer for a Nordstrom commercial, and as a camera operator for the upcoming documentaries: "This is Paris," and Showtime's "Love Fraud." She recently received the Nestor Almendros Award for her cinematography on the short film "Birthday." Briana is a graduate of NYU Tisch Film & TV.
NAYLA DAVIS
(SHE/HER) GAFFER
Nayla Davis is a Midwest native and an NYU Tisch graduate specializing in Lighting and Camera. She enjoys creating ambience within a scene and finds collaborating with passionate filmmakers quite rewarding. In her free time, she can be found cooking, stargazing or planning her next trip.
ERIN GATES
(SHE/HER) GRANTS COORDINATOR
Erin Gates is a cultural anthropologist specializing in the study of Papua New Guinea and gender relations. She is currently working on an interdisciplinary PhD blending the fields of anthropology, biography, history, and feminism. In her spare time she can be found saving rock and roll, or writing poetry by the sea.
EMILIA SMART-DENSON
(SHE/HER) CROWDFUNDING COORDINATOR
Emilia Smart-Denson (she/her) recently graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Theatre Management. Her work promotes social change through theatre administration, production management, and producing, as well as a recent foray into political organizing. She recently helped produce the Theatre Communications Group’s National Conference, bringing theatre makers together to reimagine the American theatre.
TAYLOR TEE
(SHE/HER) ASSOCIATE PRODUCER - PUBLICITY & PARTNERSHIPS
Taylor Tee (she/her) is from Florida and is passionate about all things media. She has worked in a range of industries, such as human rights nonprofits and children’s film festivals. She is a Master’s Student at the London School of Economics where she studies Media, Communication and Development. In the future, she hopes to tell stories that inspire people to make political and social change.
JENAE THOMPSON
(SHE/HER) BRAND PUBLICIST
Jenae Thompson is a Southern California native Creative Consultant , Writer and Actor, cinephile and Fresh Prince aficionado who attended Azusa Pacific University for Theatre Arts and English with a Creative Writing emphasis.
Her love for the Arts, for the spirit of entrepreneurship, and for her community led her to start her own business, SayQuoi Entertainment, in 2020. Since then, she has assisted her growing clientele with brand management, social media management and marketing, digital marketing, creative writing partnerships and collaborations, and creative consulting.
KYLE TSANG
(HE/HIM) OUTREACH TEAM
Kyle Tsang is a second generation Chinese American from New York. He is an avid Brooklyn Nets fan and League of Legends player. From the age of 8 years old making lego stop motion movies to now, film has always been a big part of his life. In the coming year, he hopes to pursue a Marketing major along with a Film/Media minor in college.
OLIVIA MOSCHETTI
(SHE/HER) OUTREACH TEAM
Olivia Moschetti is a creative and determined student from New York. Her interest in film and media first began with her curiosity for the unknown, wanting to know more about others. Olivia has always loved the idea of story-telling and lies to explore foreign concepts that are left untold and unseen by many. She uses film as a gateway to this intention, hoping to continue her pursuit of her love for film, cinematography and editing in college.
EMMA MOSCHETTI
(SHE/HER) OUTREACH TEAM
Emma Moschetti is an avid film maker from New York. From the time she was young to her teenage years she has always had the innate ability to connect with people. She likes photography and the idea of storytelling through her art. In the coming year she plans to pursue her interests in film, cinematography and acting in college.
JUSTIN GERBER
(HE/HIM) OUTREACH TEAM
Justin is a self-made, broad-minded, tenacious individual whose ambitions are to share a part of him through the diverse content he creates. His passions include cinematography, photography and story telling. He is known to try and achieve what has never been done before by thinking outside the box in abnormal situations while being unique in his own way.
DANIELLE CORONADO
(SHE/HER) PRODUCING INTERN
Danielle Coronado (she/her) is an aspiring Filipino-Canadian writer and producer from Vancouver. Currently in pursuit of a BFA degree from NYU Tisch as part of their inaugural Collaborative Arts program, she would consider herself a multidisciplinary artist.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Sleep Talking is fiscally sponsored by From the Heart Productions, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit. That means every donation you make to this campaign qualifies as a charitable contribution under the U.S. Tax Code and is tax deductible!
Decades ago, Lori Gibson’s sister went missing. Now, she’s dragging her own daughters, 12-year-old Maya and 5-year-old Ellie, along to find answers in their ancestral family home.
When the girls are left alone with their newly discovered Aunt Josie, Maya must take matters into her own hands to protect Ellie as she begins to sleep talk. With the help of a new friend, Maya uncovers supernatural forces in her family’s past that are causing Ellie to become more and more controlled by demonic forces. As Maya tries to control the demons she finds and protect her sister, she finds it harder and harder to save herself.
Contribute to our campaign to bring Maya’s story to life, in all its gruesome glory.
Set in the late 1990s, with flashbacks to the 1920s, our movie is inspired by Hereditary, Stranger Things, and Beetlejuice.
Sleep Talking features a unique blend of elements that are both fantastical and corporeal. In our short film 99¢ Dreams, we conceptualized and created a fantasy world that revealed the intricacies, mysteries, and ultimately the beauty of the human experience. Now, we are elevating that vision to tell a new story from the point of view of Maya, who courts danger at every turn like a moth drawn to a flame.
We use this metaphor in the visual composition of the film; while the eye is drawn to focus on the lighter areas of the shots, the horror takes place in the darkness. The tone is at times a warm amber, symbolizing the flame, or alternatively it is green and desaturated which is representative of the sickness within Aunt Josie, and the world itself once Maya arrives at the house.
Despite Maya’s desire to be an adult, her dreams pull her inescapably into fantasy worlds. To enhance these childlike nightmares, there are stop motion elements throughout the film, as in Beetlejuice. In one of Maya’s nightmare sequences, Aunt Josie extracts a bedsheet from Ellie’s mouth. The sheet then charges down the hall and entraps Maya in a linen cocoon. These moments are saturated and soft to bring out their more juvenile, dreamlike qualities. In contrast, Maya’s waking world is detailed and sharp, mirroring her focus on everything around her in order to solve this mystery.
The majority of the central characters in Sleep Talking are women of color, and the plot is entirely driven by women. A prepubescent coming of age story, Maya’s narrative arc reckons with the external forces that she simply cannot control--despite desperate attempts. Maya’s efforts to be in control just might be her downfall.
“All I want to do is create and share raw, vulnerable, growing stories when the stories themselves are in that state.”
- Jess Costa, Director of Sleep Talking
Read more here about Jess’s vision for joyful, inclusive filmmaking.
We are creating a community for horror-loving, emotionally connected humans of all marginalized genders. We center all of our pursuits on connecting our people to bask in the excitement and the sense of play that comes with creating and supporting each other along the way. By inviting you in at the very beginning of our journey we hope to create this film with you. As we move from pre-production into production and beyond, we want you to celebrate every success with us, learn from our mistakes, and to grow with us as we bring Sleep Talking to life.
Part of building this community means we promise to be transparent with you. $50,000 is a lot of money- and while it’s only part of what we’ll need to get Sleep Talking all the way from Jess’s brain to a screen near you- it’s this money we’re raising from our community that is most essential. This crowdfund is what will allow us to independently and innovatively tell the story we need to tell. The money we raise now will cover the cost of production this summer for:
What does this all mean? A whopping 35% of our fundraising dollars are going towards food. Yes, food! We’re bringing a big team with us, and we need to keep everyone fed. Feeding a team safely looks a little different right now, so this also includes the added costs of keeping food individually packaged and other COVID-19 safety precautions. Our $10,000 location budget and $7,500 art budget will allow us to bring Aunt Josie’s Tudor to life in grim and terrifying detail, as well as to seamlessly jump from the 1920s to the 1990s. G&E Equipment refers to the lighting equipment we will need to properly spookify our gorgeous locations and Camera Equipment, perhaps intuitively, refers to the rentals of camera equipment. Finally, the $5,000 we raise for Picture Vehicles will cover rentals and insurance for the cars used in the film.
(Check out the “Wishlist” tab for more details on this budget!)
We have big, gruesome, gory plans for this movie- rotting teeth, burned skin, stop motion sequences, and a lot of moths. Raising this amount will ensure that we are able to finish production safely this summer, with the goal of taking the film on a Drive-In tour around the country when it’s safe to do so. Learn more about our distribution plan HERE and check out the Media tab to learn more about our process.
We’re breaking barriers and shattering the exclusivity of filmmaking and you can have part in making it happen. Becoming a Sleep Talker is more than just a label, you are an integral part of the metamorphosis of this film.
We, Director Jess Costa (she/her) and Producer Danielle Benedict (fae/faer) are a team of early-career filmmakers, horror lovers, and community builders. When we were at NYU Tisch we bonded over a commitment to inclusive storytelling and making fantastic films. As an independent producer, Danielle has produced several short films, including faer first collaboration with Jess- 99¢ Dreams. Jess’s previous work has premiered at Toronto International Short Film Festival, Soho International Film Festival and more.
Sleep Talking Writer and Director Jess Costa behind the scenes during her short film 99¢ Dreams
Sleep Talking is the first feature film either of us has embarked on, and we’ve assembled a fantastic team to join us. Our team is primarily made up of people of marginalized genders, and all of us are committed to a more inclusive and equitable film industry and world.
(Check out the “Team” tab to learn more about the whole Sleep Talking crew!)
Jess describes Sleep Talking as a love letter to her sister, who protected her while their family went through its own battles. It was deeply important to her to work with a partner and team she could trust as she told this story. By working together, with our amazing crew, and with you - our audience - we hope to connect to each other and the story on a more intimate level.
All we want when someone watches our film is that they don’t feel alone, that someone understands.
No matter the size of your donation, you are a part of the Sleep Talking community. Get even more tangled in the web by joining us on social media, through our newsletter, and follow this campaign on Seed&Spark to stay in the loop.
Tell us a bit about why you’re excited to join the Sleep Talking community with #SleepTalkingFilm and we may share your story on our social media! Tell your friends about the campaign and the film to help us connect with a wider audience. We’re at @SleepTalkingFilm on Instagram and @SleepTalkingFlm on Twitter (thank you character count!)
Check out our Upcoming Events, like our Virtual Campaign Launch Speakeasy to get involved with the community, or The Cutting Room Floor to find out more about the filmmaking process.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Breakfast
Costs $3,500
Nothing beats starting the day with a filling breakfast! Your support will start each day off right.
Camera
Costs $3,200
We need a camera that can peer deep into the shadows of the Gibson family mystery.
Lenses
Costs $1,800
We need lenses that won't look too modern (the film is set mostly in the 1990s, after all!).
Lights
Costs $5,000
We always say, "Like a moth to a flame". Lighting is an integral part of telling Maya's story.
Family Camper Van
Costs $4,000
What better way for the Gibsons to embark on an investigation than in their disused camper van?
Dave's Car
Costs $1,000
For a movie set primarily in the 90s, an average sedan tells us so much about Dave's character.
Gibson House
Costs $7,000
The place where it all happens... It's vital that we film in the most authentic location possible.
Samsa House
Costs $1,000
We need your help to secure a location where Maya and Ellie should feel safe.
Bookstore
Costs $2,000
A bookstore that's got centuries of history and rumors; the perfect place to uncover the truth.
Props
Costs $1,750
Tea, flashlights, sheets... Everything our characters touch or interact with needs to fit perfectly.
Gibson House Furniture & Set Pieces
Costs $2,000
There's a lot of history in the Gibson house. Help us decorate the spooky, old house of our dreams!
Speakeasy Furniture & Set Pieces
Costs $1,500
We're decking out our speakeasy with all the vintage details like there was a party there yesterday.
Maya & Ellie's Belongings (Bedroom)
Costs $750
We're filling Maya and Ellie's room with personal touches that reveal their lives beyond the film.
Research Room Files & Furniture
Costs $1,500
Help us fill the research room with a microfiche machine and decades of small-town history.
Share this update!
About This Team
JESS COSTA
(SHE/HER) DIRECTOR & WRITER
Jess Costa (she/her) a New York writer and director, who is most known for her most recent short 99? Dreams. She fell in love with filmmaking when she was 11, but as a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts she has met her core team. She is committed to telling raw, vulnerable stories and to always adds a sense of play to the creation process. She is environmentally conscious and brings that awareness to her film sets. Her work has premiered in Toronto International Short Film Festival, Soho International Film Festival and more! Check it out on jesscosta.com
DANIELLE BENEDICT
(FAE/FAER) PRODUCER
Danielle Benedict (fae/faer) is a genderqueer femme and an independent Producer/Director living in NYC. As a filmmaker, both in faer own work and in faer collaborations, Danielle invites audiences to imagine as perfectly normal the empathetic, equitable, just change that feels so radical in our own. Prior to the COVID-19 production pause, Danielle produced several short films, including “99¢ Dreams” (dir. Jess Costa). Outside of film, Danielle supports direct actions and reads the words of our transcestors.
PRIYA KIRAN
(SHE/HER) ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Priya Kiran (she/her) is a writer, director, and producer. She perfected her craft at New York University – Tisch School of the Arts and has since been freelancing as a producer and first assistant director while creating her own art as well. Having grown up in the small-town Midwest, Priya knows what it’s like to grow up without feeling represented on the silver screen. She understands how film, TV, and new media affect the way we view our world and those around us and therefore, strives to make an impact in the film industry by promoting diversity in storytelling and creating spaces for everyone to be seen and heard.
POULOMI MUKHERJI
(SHE/HER) PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Poulomi Mukherji is an independent filmmaker, director, and animator dabbling in every project she can get her hands on. She graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has worked for various clients such as Spotify, NBC Universal, and the Center for Emotional Intelligence at Yale University where she directs a series of animated shorts for their online learning platform. Her award-winning independent short Silhouette City has been featured internationally in several film festivals such as the Brooklyn Film Festival and the Buenos Aires Film Festival. Her mind is a messy database of whimsical stories and colorful characters, and she is excited to use them to work on the ambitious film, Sleep Talking.
BRIANA MAN
(SHE/HER) DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Briana Man is a Director of Photography, based out of NYC and LA. She has a passion for shooting narrative films, and likes to bring her photography, gaffing, and acting experiences to her work as a cinematographer. Her most recent standout work has been as the cinematographer of the feature film "Hell Wanted," as the gaffer for a Nordstrom commercial, and as a camera operator for the upcoming documentaries: "This is Paris," and Showtime's "Love Fraud." She recently received the Nestor Almendros Award for her cinematography on the short film "Birthday." Briana is a graduate of NYU Tisch Film & TV.
NAYLA DAVIS
(SHE/HER) GAFFER
Nayla Davis is a Midwest native and an NYU Tisch graduate specializing in Lighting and Camera. She enjoys creating ambience within a scene and finds collaborating with passionate filmmakers quite rewarding. In her free time, she can be found cooking, stargazing or planning her next trip.
ERIN GATES
(SHE/HER) GRANTS COORDINATOR
Erin Gates is a cultural anthropologist specializing in the study of Papua New Guinea and gender relations. She is currently working on an interdisciplinary PhD blending the fields of anthropology, biography, history, and feminism. In her spare time she can be found saving rock and roll, or writing poetry by the sea.
EMILIA SMART-DENSON
(SHE/HER) CROWDFUNDING COORDINATOR
Emilia Smart-Denson (she/her) recently graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Theatre Management. Her work promotes social change through theatre administration, production management, and producing, as well as a recent foray into political organizing. She recently helped produce the Theatre Communications Group’s National Conference, bringing theatre makers together to reimagine the American theatre.
TAYLOR TEE
(SHE/HER) ASSOCIATE PRODUCER - PUBLICITY & PARTNERSHIPS
Taylor Tee (she/her) is from Florida and is passionate about all things media. She has worked in a range of industries, such as human rights nonprofits and children’s film festivals. She is a Master’s Student at the London School of Economics where she studies Media, Communication and Development. In the future, she hopes to tell stories that inspire people to make political and social change.
JENAE THOMPSON
(SHE/HER) BRAND PUBLICIST
Jenae Thompson is a Southern California native Creative Consultant , Writer and Actor, cinephile and Fresh Prince aficionado who attended Azusa Pacific University for Theatre Arts and English with a Creative Writing emphasis.
Her love for the Arts, for the spirit of entrepreneurship, and for her community led her to start her own business, SayQuoi Entertainment, in 2020. Since then, she has assisted her growing clientele with brand management, social media management and marketing, digital marketing, creative writing partnerships and collaborations, and creative consulting.
KYLE TSANG
(HE/HIM) OUTREACH TEAM
Kyle Tsang is a second generation Chinese American from New York. He is an avid Brooklyn Nets fan and League of Legends player. From the age of 8 years old making lego stop motion movies to now, film has always been a big part of his life. In the coming year, he hopes to pursue a Marketing major along with a Film/Media minor in college.
OLIVIA MOSCHETTI
(SHE/HER) OUTREACH TEAM
Olivia Moschetti is a creative and determined student from New York. Her interest in film and media first began with her curiosity for the unknown, wanting to know more about others. Olivia has always loved the idea of story-telling and lies to explore foreign concepts that are left untold and unseen by many. She uses film as a gateway to this intention, hoping to continue her pursuit of her love for film, cinematography and editing in college.
EMMA MOSCHETTI
(SHE/HER) OUTREACH TEAM
Emma Moschetti is an avid film maker from New York. From the time she was young to her teenage years she has always had the innate ability to connect with people. She likes photography and the idea of storytelling through her art. In the coming year she plans to pursue her interests in film, cinematography and acting in college.
JUSTIN GERBER
(HE/HIM) OUTREACH TEAM
Justin is a self-made, broad-minded, tenacious individual whose ambitions are to share a part of him through the diverse content he creates. His passions include cinematography, photography and story telling. He is known to try and achieve what has never been done before by thinking outside the box in abnormal situations while being unique in his own way.
DANIELLE CORONADO
(SHE/HER) PRODUCING INTERN
Danielle Coronado (she/her) is an aspiring Filipino-Canadian writer and producer from Vancouver. Currently in pursuit of a BFA degree from NYU Tisch as part of their inaugural Collaborative Arts program, she would consider herself a multidisciplinary artist.