Snowflake Lake
Traverse City, Michigan | Film Feature
Comedy, LGBTQ
In this queer, femme-led comedy about the magic of Christmas and the chaos of family, siblings Nick and Noelle try to pack up their late grandmother’s lake house before betrayals, scheming gay friends, and a last minute Christmas-in-July party can get in the way.
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Goal: $12,900 for production
In this queer, femme-led comedy about the magic of Christmas and the chaos of family, siblings Nick and Noelle try to pack up their late grandmother’s lake house before betrayals, scheming gay friends, and a last minute Christmas-in-July party can get in the way.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Siblings Nick and Noelle have grown apart. When their fabulous grandmother passes away, they return to her lake house to say goodbye to the only home they’ve ever known. Noelle arrives armed with lists, nerves, and the wounds of a fresh breakup. Nick shows up with paperwork, optimism, and a car full of crazy friends. Thanks to a contract mix-up courtesy of Nick, Noelle is left reeling after discovering that the group has only one day to move out. With the clock now ticking, the pressure is on to get the place packed up. Against the idyllic backdrop of one last sun-soaked day, the siblings confront their strained relationship as they try to pay tribute to the past while moving on into the future.
While boxes fill, emotional landmines resurface, sunlight starts to fade, and the house gets louder. Gay friends scheme, ex-lovers return, mannequins vanish, and they plan a Christmas-in-July party for the ages — just like Grandma used to do. With Nick and Noelle running out of time to say goodbye, they must confront whether they’ll ever really leave Snowflake Lake behind, and if boxes once packed can ever be reopened.
The Walker Cabin, where we will film this movie, was built in the 1940’s by Abby Meyer’s great grandfather Frank Walker (Abby is one of the writers and stars of Snowflake Lake). Since then, four generations have spent their summers in Traverse City, water skiing behind the Chris Craft, booze cruising around the lake, and enjoying (or resenting) the close quarters and time spent with family.
Abby was lucky enough to have the bizarre, magical experience of growing up there. The world always felt so far away, and my family felt so close. Everything feels heightened, the joys of late nights spent laughing with your cousins, and the brutal lows of a screaming match with your sister where you for some reason say things you wouldn’t say anywhere else. We want to make a movie that captures this duality, how a place can make you crazy as it also brings you immense joy.
Last year, Abby’s Aunt Alice passed away while we were in the midst of writing. She was a vibrant and dynamic presence on the lake, and her loss has been deeply felt. Very quickly, the grandmother in this film began to take her shape, and is named after her. We hope this movie can be a tribute to both her memory, and fabulous women everywhere.
Spider Lake is unlike any place in the world. Part of it is the location, and part of it is the people. We want this film to capture a slice of this place, at this moment in time. We want it to be something we can look back on years down the line and immediately be brought right back to summer on the lake. This lake and the community built around it are special, and we want to preserve them in something beyond a home video. We want to create something we can watch every season with the people we love.
First, we have Noelle, played by Melissa Marie (Loafers, BigTime), has a long list of things to do to pack up her Grandmother’s house. She’s not sure how she’ll manage to get it all done in one day, but if she doesn’t, then who will? Her brother Nick is certainly no help.
Nick, played by Cole Steeves (State Farm Commericals, Loafers), is less concerned with the speed of packing and more interested in having one last good weekend on the lake. He comes with a car full of gay friends, a secret proposal, and a certainty that it’ll all work out, even if he’s not sure how.
Charlie, played by Beatrice Syed, can see through Nick's and Noelle’s family antics and is the glue holding everyone together when all is lost. A true friend, and a fabulous woman.
Chris, played by Dan Haller (Loafers, The Bear), just wants to be a helpful neighbor. It doesn’t hurt that his neighbor is Noelle, who broke his heart at eighteen.
Mary (on the left) and Joseph (on the right), played by Abby Meyers (Final Girl, Samsung Commericals) and Josh Mayo (Truck It, Covenant) are two peas in a pod, here to help out, have fun, and throw a damn good party anywhere they go! Joseph is afraid of the woods, but the woods are afraid of Mary!
Fundraising is important, but making the movie is more important. Snowflake Lake will begin production on AUGUST 2nd. We will shoot for 13 days. Nate Simon, our producer, will edit, with the goal of getting a picture lock in mid-December. From there, we will send the movie to Quicksilver Color and NoiseFloor, two prestigious Chicago post-production houses, who will help make our movie look and sound as beautiful as it feels. Making Snowflake Lake is going to be a challenge, because all movies are hard, and all movies are miracles, but Zach and Nate have done it before. Their first film together, Loafers, was made for under $15,000, and has played at a few prestigious film festivals across the country, including the Chicago Critics Film Festival. This is a team who knows how to make a movie cheap, efficient, but without sacrificing quality. Once the movie is done, though, the real game begins – distribution.
Snowflake Lake is a summer movie, and we want it to premiere in Summer 2027. Of course, the typical thing to do is submit it to festivals, which we certainly will do. But we don’t want our destiny in someone else’s hands. We will hold our own premiere screening in Traverse City. We will book micro-cinemas and get our film playing on as many screens as possible. We will make our movie accessible, both so people can enjoy it and also so more people can see that it is possible to make a movie you care about with your friends. We want Snowflake Lake to be an inspiration to people who have a story they’re burning to tell but who are waiting for the right moment. There’s never a right moment, so stop waiting and just get started!
Well, first, you can donate. Anything helps. You can spread the word to your friends, family, and network. You can follow us on Instagram at @snowflakelake.movie, where you can keep track of our film as it progresses. You can post about us and get the word out.
But, really, the most important thing you can do is support the arts, no matter what it is or who's making it.
Thanks so much!
hand drawings done by Fana Schoen (thanks so much!)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
More Crew!
Costs $3,900
We want to give our crew equitable wages, and with this money we will be able to hire more people that we can pay fairly.
Awesome Crafty!
Costs $3,000
The crafty table is the lifeblood of a film set, so help us make sure we can fuel ourselves, snack all day, and stay caffeinated.
Special Gear
Costs $2,500
Help us get special equipment so we can get beautiful images you could only dream of.
Media Storage
Costs $2,000
Physical storage prices are soaring, with SSD and HDD prices having doubled. Help us afford to shoot on a higher format! Know anyone at OWC?
More Festivals and More Publicity!
Costs $1,500
Help us apply to more festivals, promote more screenings, get in touch with more distributors, and play on more screens!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director: Zach Schnitzer
Zach Schnitzer is an actor and filmmaker who has appeared in projects streaming on SHUDDER, ScreamBox, and Amazon, as well as a national commercial for NBA Infinite with NBA All-Star Karl Anthony Towns.
His feature film "Loafers" recently played the Chicago Critics Festival, with FilmThreat calling his work “tender and authentic” and Roger Ebert magazine hailing it as a “smart and subtle comedy."
Having spent all his summers growing up either at camp in Wisconsin or lakes in Minnesota, a magical movie set at a lake is right up his alley. He prides himself in making movies with his friends - especially ones about chosen family, Gen Z people, queer people, and goofballs! It's by far his favorite thing to do.
Schnitzer is a Second City graduate, a DePaul Premiere Best Screenwriting winner, a BroadwayWorld MN Best Actor in a Play winner, and he holds a BFA in Acting from The Theatre School. He is known for his versatility, professionalism, and his dad jokes.
Producer: Nate Simon
Nate Simon is an award-winning filmmaker from New York City. At the age of 22 he wrote, directed, produced, edited, and starred in his first feature “My Friends,” which he self-distributed and can now be found on streamers like Tubi and Amazon Prime. A few months after graduating college, he produced and edited “Loafers,” a movie he made with his cousin Zach Schnitzer (director of this awesome movie too!).
In addition to filmmaking, Nate is also, like most young artists, a server at a restaurant, among a variety of other part-time jobs. The thing he cares about most is making movies with heart, and he couldn’t be more excited to be producing this warm and sweet movie about family, friends, and the magic of Christmas-in-July!!!!
Co-Writer, Actor: Melissa Marie
Melissa Marie is a Chicago-based actor, director, and choreographer whose work spans film, theater, voiceover, and arts education. A graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, she has appeared in productions including "Big Time" directed by Michael Gilio, "Coriolanus," "Ascension," and Zach's debut feature Loafers. Her performances have earned recognition from the Marin Fringe Festival and Shellie Awards.
In addition to performing, Melissa has spent over a decade directing and choreographing productions for artists of all ages. Her work is rooted in movement, storytelling, and ensemble collaboration, with a mission to bring joy, play, and authentic expression into the creative process. She believes the most meaningful art is made in community and strives to create spaces where artists feel empowered to connect, take risks, and tell stories together.
Co-Writer, Actor: Abby Meyers
With a BA in British Literature and Theater from Wesleyan University and an MFA in acting from The Theater School at DePaul University, Abby Meyers is a versatile and well rounded actor, writer, and athlete-artist. As an actor, she has a diverse body of work. She has appeared in the short film Final Girl, on stage in Shakespeare’s "Coriolanus," and in commercials doing voiceover for Samsung, T-Mobile, TJ Maxx and more.
As a writer Abby was awarded honors at Wesleyan University for her solo performance piece, "To Play or Not to Play" and her accompanying thesis paper by the same name.
Abby grew up spending her summers on the real life Snowflake Lake and is an avid boater, water skier, and lounge-in-the-sun-er. She feels extremely grateful to get to tell such a beautiful story in a place that means so much to her.
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Co-Writer, Script Supervisor: Joan Starkey
Joan Starkey is a dramaturg and script supervisor originally from Florida. She strives to practice theatre that promotes deep learning, conversation, and activism to combat the anti-intellectualism of our time. Chicago credits include The Importance of Being Earnest at No Dogs in the Kitchen, The Seagull at Instrumental Theatre Company, The Two Noble Kinsmen at Forest Theatre Company, An Enemy of the People at Sub Rosa Theatre Collective, and A Lie of the Mind at Raven Theatre (asst. dramaturg). She recently spoke on a panel titled “Beyond the Bounds of Creative Infrastructure" at the 2025 Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America conference. She holds a BFA in Dramaturgy & Criticism from DePaul University. When she isn't doing research, she enjoys sunshine and reality television.
As a lifelong theatremaker, she is excited to make her first film! The screenwriting process with co-writers Melissa Marie and Abby Meyers has taught her so much already. They are ready to jump in and learn by doing.
Assistant Director: Anna Wren Fry
Anna Wren Fry is an actress and filmmaker based in Chicago. Beginning her acting career at age 12, Anna has since built a diverse body of work across film, television, and commercial, including projects for Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and NBC Universal. Recently, she appeared in the film “Debaters,” an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and starred in a national campaign for Lowe’s.
In addition to acting, Anna works across independent film productions as a producer and assistant director while developing her own narrative projects as a writer and director. Her work explores the tender, turbulent realities of girlhood, with a particular interest in female friendship and the intimate spaces young women create for themselves as they navigate identity, relationships, and change.
Anna values fostering a set culture rooted in playfulness, care, and collaboration, and is excited to serve as 1st Assistant Director on Snowflake Lake.
Director of Photography: Karson Kane
Based in Los Angeles, Karson Kane is a cinematographer who studied at DePaul University. In her junior year, she shot her first commercial for 7-Eleven and Lyrical Lemonade. After graduating in 2024, she moved to Los Angeles to continue learning from filmmakers she admires. This year, her work as a gaffer was featured at Sundance on the feature “Night Nurse” and the short “Birdie.” Kane prioritizes collaboration across all departments to elevate the collective vision. Her work is informed by a distinct lived perspective that brings unique emotional honesty and care to her storytelling.
This is just a taste of the talent, creativity, and excitement that we're assembling to make Snowflake Lake!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Siblings Nick and Noelle have grown apart. When their fabulous grandmother passes away, they return to her lake house to say goodbye to the only home they’ve ever known. Noelle arrives armed with lists, nerves, and the wounds of a fresh breakup. Nick shows up with paperwork, optimism, and a car full of crazy friends. Thanks to a contract mix-up courtesy of Nick, Noelle is left reeling after discovering that the group has only one day to move out. With the clock now ticking, the pressure is on to get the place packed up. Against the idyllic backdrop of one last sun-soaked day, the siblings confront their strained relationship as they try to pay tribute to the past while moving on into the future.
While boxes fill, emotional landmines resurface, sunlight starts to fade, and the house gets louder. Gay friends scheme, ex-lovers return, mannequins vanish, and they plan a Christmas-in-July party for the ages — just like Grandma used to do. With Nick and Noelle running out of time to say goodbye, they must confront whether they’ll ever really leave Snowflake Lake behind, and if boxes once packed can ever be reopened.
The Walker Cabin, where we will film this movie, was built in the 1940’s by Abby Meyer’s great grandfather Frank Walker (Abby is one of the writers and stars of Snowflake Lake). Since then, four generations have spent their summers in Traverse City, water skiing behind the Chris Craft, booze cruising around the lake, and enjoying (or resenting) the close quarters and time spent with family.
Abby was lucky enough to have the bizarre, magical experience of growing up there. The world always felt so far away, and my family felt so close. Everything feels heightened, the joys of late nights spent laughing with your cousins, and the brutal lows of a screaming match with your sister where you for some reason say things you wouldn’t say anywhere else. We want to make a movie that captures this duality, how a place can make you crazy as it also brings you immense joy.
Last year, Abby’s Aunt Alice passed away while we were in the midst of writing. She was a vibrant and dynamic presence on the lake, and her loss has been deeply felt. Very quickly, the grandmother in this film began to take her shape, and is named after her. We hope this movie can be a tribute to both her memory, and fabulous women everywhere.
Spider Lake is unlike any place in the world. Part of it is the location, and part of it is the people. We want this film to capture a slice of this place, at this moment in time. We want it to be something we can look back on years down the line and immediately be brought right back to summer on the lake. This lake and the community built around it are special, and we want to preserve them in something beyond a home video. We want to create something we can watch every season with the people we love.
First, we have Noelle, played by Melissa Marie (Loafers, BigTime), has a long list of things to do to pack up her Grandmother’s house. She’s not sure how she’ll manage to get it all done in one day, but if she doesn’t, then who will? Her brother Nick is certainly no help.
Nick, played by Cole Steeves (State Farm Commericals, Loafers), is less concerned with the speed of packing and more interested in having one last good weekend on the lake. He comes with a car full of gay friends, a secret proposal, and a certainty that it’ll all work out, even if he’s not sure how.
Charlie, played by Beatrice Syed, can see through Nick's and Noelle’s family antics and is the glue holding everyone together when all is lost. A true friend, and a fabulous woman.
Chris, played by Dan Haller (Loafers, The Bear), just wants to be a helpful neighbor. It doesn’t hurt that his neighbor is Noelle, who broke his heart at eighteen.
Mary (on the left) and Joseph (on the right), played by Abby Meyers (Final Girl, Samsung Commericals) and Josh Mayo (Truck It, Covenant) are two peas in a pod, here to help out, have fun, and throw a damn good party anywhere they go! Joseph is afraid of the woods, but the woods are afraid of Mary!
Fundraising is important, but making the movie is more important. Snowflake Lake will begin production on AUGUST 2nd. We will shoot for 13 days. Nate Simon, our producer, will edit, with the goal of getting a picture lock in mid-December. From there, we will send the movie to Quicksilver Color and NoiseFloor, two prestigious Chicago post-production houses, who will help make our movie look and sound as beautiful as it feels. Making Snowflake Lake is going to be a challenge, because all movies are hard, and all movies are miracles, but Zach and Nate have done it before. Their first film together, Loafers, was made for under $15,000, and has played at a few prestigious film festivals across the country, including the Chicago Critics Film Festival. This is a team who knows how to make a movie cheap, efficient, but without sacrificing quality. Once the movie is done, though, the real game begins – distribution.
Snowflake Lake is a summer movie, and we want it to premiere in Summer 2027. Of course, the typical thing to do is submit it to festivals, which we certainly will do. But we don’t want our destiny in someone else’s hands. We will hold our own premiere screening in Traverse City. We will book micro-cinemas and get our film playing on as many screens as possible. We will make our movie accessible, both so people can enjoy it and also so more people can see that it is possible to make a movie you care about with your friends. We want Snowflake Lake to be an inspiration to people who have a story they’re burning to tell but who are waiting for the right moment. There’s never a right moment, so stop waiting and just get started!
Well, first, you can donate. Anything helps. You can spread the word to your friends, family, and network. You can follow us on Instagram at @snowflakelake.movie, where you can keep track of our film as it progresses. You can post about us and get the word out.
But, really, the most important thing you can do is support the arts, no matter what it is or who's making it.
Thanks so much!
hand drawings done by Fana Schoen (thanks so much!)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
More Crew!
Costs $3,900
We want to give our crew equitable wages, and with this money we will be able to hire more people that we can pay fairly.
Awesome Crafty!
Costs $3,000
The crafty table is the lifeblood of a film set, so help us make sure we can fuel ourselves, snack all day, and stay caffeinated.
Special Gear
Costs $2,500
Help us get special equipment so we can get beautiful images you could only dream of.
Media Storage
Costs $2,000
Physical storage prices are soaring, with SSD and HDD prices having doubled. Help us afford to shoot on a higher format! Know anyone at OWC?
More Festivals and More Publicity!
Costs $1,500
Help us apply to more festivals, promote more screenings, get in touch with more distributors, and play on more screens!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director: Zach Schnitzer
Zach Schnitzer is an actor and filmmaker who has appeared in projects streaming on SHUDDER, ScreamBox, and Amazon, as well as a national commercial for NBA Infinite with NBA All-Star Karl Anthony Towns.
His feature film "Loafers" recently played the Chicago Critics Festival, with FilmThreat calling his work “tender and authentic” and Roger Ebert magazine hailing it as a “smart and subtle comedy."
Having spent all his summers growing up either at camp in Wisconsin or lakes in Minnesota, a magical movie set at a lake is right up his alley. He prides himself in making movies with his friends - especially ones about chosen family, Gen Z people, queer people, and goofballs! It's by far his favorite thing to do.
Schnitzer is a Second City graduate, a DePaul Premiere Best Screenwriting winner, a BroadwayWorld MN Best Actor in a Play winner, and he holds a BFA in Acting from The Theatre School. He is known for his versatility, professionalism, and his dad jokes.
Producer: Nate Simon
Nate Simon is an award-winning filmmaker from New York City. At the age of 22 he wrote, directed, produced, edited, and starred in his first feature “My Friends,” which he self-distributed and can now be found on streamers like Tubi and Amazon Prime. A few months after graduating college, he produced and edited “Loafers,” a movie he made with his cousin Zach Schnitzer (director of this awesome movie too!).
In addition to filmmaking, Nate is also, like most young artists, a server at a restaurant, among a variety of other part-time jobs. The thing he cares about most is making movies with heart, and he couldn’t be more excited to be producing this warm and sweet movie about family, friends, and the magic of Christmas-in-July!!!!
Co-Writer, Actor: Melissa Marie
Melissa Marie is a Chicago-based actor, director, and choreographer whose work spans film, theater, voiceover, and arts education. A graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, she has appeared in productions including "Big Time" directed by Michael Gilio, "Coriolanus," "Ascension," and Zach's debut feature Loafers. Her performances have earned recognition from the Marin Fringe Festival and Shellie Awards.
In addition to performing, Melissa has spent over a decade directing and choreographing productions for artists of all ages. Her work is rooted in movement, storytelling, and ensemble collaboration, with a mission to bring joy, play, and authentic expression into the creative process. She believes the most meaningful art is made in community and strives to create spaces where artists feel empowered to connect, take risks, and tell stories together.
Co-Writer, Actor: Abby Meyers
With a BA in British Literature and Theater from Wesleyan University and an MFA in acting from The Theater School at DePaul University, Abby Meyers is a versatile and well rounded actor, writer, and athlete-artist. As an actor, she has a diverse body of work. She has appeared in the short film Final Girl, on stage in Shakespeare’s "Coriolanus," and in commercials doing voiceover for Samsung, T-Mobile, TJ Maxx and more.
As a writer Abby was awarded honors at Wesleyan University for her solo performance piece, "To Play or Not to Play" and her accompanying thesis paper by the same name.
Abby grew up spending her summers on the real life Snowflake Lake and is an avid boater, water skier, and lounge-in-the-sun-er. She feels extremely grateful to get to tell such a beautiful story in a place that means so much to her.
Co-Writer, Script Supervisor: Joan Starkey
Joan Starkey is a dramaturg and script supervisor originally from Florida. She strives to practice theatre that promotes deep learning, conversation, and activism to combat the anti-intellectualism of our time. Chicago credits include The Importance of Being Earnest at No Dogs in the Kitchen, The Seagull at Instrumental Theatre Company, The Two Noble Kinsmen at Forest Theatre Company, An Enemy of the People at Sub Rosa Theatre Collective, and A Lie of the Mind at Raven Theatre (asst. dramaturg). She recently spoke on a panel titled “Beyond the Bounds of Creative Infrastructure" at the 2025 Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America conference. She holds a BFA in Dramaturgy & Criticism from DePaul University. When she isn't doing research, she enjoys sunshine and reality television.
As a lifelong theatremaker, she is excited to make her first film! The screenwriting process with co-writers Melissa Marie and Abby Meyers has taught her so much already. They are ready to jump in and learn by doing.
Assistant Director: Anna Wren Fry
Anna Wren Fry is an actress and filmmaker based in Chicago. Beginning her acting career at age 12, Anna has since built a diverse body of work across film, television, and commercial, including projects for Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and NBC Universal. Recently, she appeared in the film “Debaters,” an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and starred in a national campaign for Lowe’s.
In addition to acting, Anna works across independent film productions as a producer and assistant director while developing her own narrative projects as a writer and director. Her work explores the tender, turbulent realities of girlhood, with a particular interest in female friendship and the intimate spaces young women create for themselves as they navigate identity, relationships, and change.
Anna values fostering a set culture rooted in playfulness, care, and collaboration, and is excited to serve as 1st Assistant Director on Snowflake Lake.
Director of Photography: Karson Kane
Based in Los Angeles, Karson Kane is a cinematographer who studied at DePaul University. In her junior year, she shot her first commercial for 7-Eleven and Lyrical Lemonade. After graduating in 2024, she moved to Los Angeles to continue learning from filmmakers she admires. This year, her work as a gaffer was featured at Sundance on the feature “Night Nurse” and the short “Birdie.” Kane prioritizes collaboration across all departments to elevate the collective vision. Her work is informed by a distinct lived perspective that brings unique emotional honesty and care to her storytelling.
This is just a taste of the talent, creativity, and excitement that we're assembling to make Snowflake Lake!