Someone Will Assist You Shortly
Hampton Bays, New York | Film Feature
Drama, LGBTQ
When Eli comes home to care for his abusive dad, he's forced back into the closet triggering panic attacks. But when his sister storms through, she saddles him with a surprise... her asshole kid. Now Eli must care for two monsters -- one old, one young -- and put himself first to make it work.
Someone Will Assist You Shortly
Hampton Bays, New York | Film Feature
Drama, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $20,436 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
134 supporters | followers
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When Eli comes home to care for his abusive dad, he's forced back into the closet triggering panic attacks. But when his sister storms through, she saddles him with a surprise... her asshole kid. Now Eli must care for two monsters -- one old, one young -- and put himself first to make it work.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
“We’re all of us sentenced to solitary confinements in our own lonely skins.”
— Val, Orpheus Descending (Tennessee Williams/dir. Sir Peter Hall, 1990)
Someone Will Assist You Shortly focuses on a small-town hospice nurse wrestling with loneliness, panic, and shame as he tries to care for his abusive father and hateful nephew. The story evolved from our writer’s life — becoming a temporary parent by proxy, witnessing his grandma’s in-home death, returning to a conservative hometown that may not accept him— these are all rooted in Jon’s experiences.
The main character Eli is tortured by a painful history with his father (who he now has to care for) and the struggle to embrace he’s gay. He reacts to that pain by playing the martyr, shutting out the world around him, and carrying on imaginary relationships with his comatose, bedridden patients. Eli also deals with crippling panic attacks that manifest themselves as fantastic visions of death.
Ready or not, these episodes push Eli to face his past and commit to building a new, better future. The flashes frame his loneliness and highlight the shitty hand he was dealt, but they evolve as Eli learns to create a new kind of family with his nephew, Toby. And eventually with his sister (Toby’s mom), Rox.
In Eli, we’ll see a man going stale in his loneliness, but waking to an unexpected love for his dysfunctional family; a man battered by time and broken relationships striving to do better. We’ll see ourselves and hopefully fight just a little harder for our lives.
Someone Will Assist You Shortly is about two young men, different men, of different ages… who’ve got debilitating relationships with life, family, and what it means to be a man -- learning there’s a point to living.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
PRINCIPAL CAST/SUPPORTING WEEKLY CAST
Costs $13,930
CAST We'll provide our actors SAG-AFTRA-approved compensation, food, travel, and accommodations.
PRODUCTION STAFF
Costs $11,070
DOP Scripty POC Accounting Dept Location Mgr 2nd AD Office PA Prod Sec
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jon Levenson (Writer/Director/Executive Producer) has been a career actor in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles for many years. He was part of the original Broadway cast of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart. When the Navy took his brother-in-law overseas, Levenson came home to do some hardcore uncle-ing. It was during this time he fell for writing. Levenson’s first short film, At A Loss, is currently in post-production. He received his first M.F.A. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and his second in Screenwriting at University of California, Riverside. Levenson is a proud SAG-AFTRA and AEA member.
Stephen Boyett (Executive Producer) is a transactional attorney with extensive experience in corporate mergers and acquisitions, Steve is a trusted advisor to clients for general corporate governance and finance matters. He is currently Counsel at boutique law firm DuFour Conapinski LLP where his areas of practice cover a range of corporate matters, renewable energy-related real estate issues, acquisition, disposition, land use, construction, lending and finance, development, and leasing. Steve is also a Senior Associate Editor for Thomson Reuters where he manages existing and develops new California and New York legal practice resources. As Executive Producer at wordking LLC, Steve is excited to lend his business expertise to advancing the development of quality stories like Someone Will Assist You Shortly. Steve is a longtime supporter of the performing arts, and before embarking on a legal career, studied music.
David Wiese (Producer) started in the theatre, earning his B.A. in Theatre Arts at California State University, Long Beach, but ultimately ended up working in film. For the past decade, he has had his hands in development, pre-production, production, and post-production for both short- and long-form projects on the big and small screens. Most recently, he helped produce cult horror film Dead Night with M3 Creative. A lifelong actor himself, he knows how to get the best results from both sides of the camera. As producer on Someone Will Assist You Shortly, David is thrilled to bring his experience to the team in order to ensure that the creative and logistical goals of the film are realized.
Meg Kettell (Director of Photography) is a cinematographer based in New York City. She shoots narrative films, commercials, documentaries, and branded content. She has been telling stories and collaborating with directors for over fifteen years. Meg received her BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and is a member of the Internationa Cinematographers Guild. She loves traveling, meeting new people, and telling unique stories. Her award-winning cinematography has screened at numerous film festivals around the world, including the Tribeca Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Nick Westrate (Eli Shields) just ended his run as a series regular on AMC’s Turn: Washington’s Spies, filming three seasons as Quaker spy and tavern owner, Robert Townsend. He was recently seen opposite Meryl Streep in Ricki and the Flash directed by Jonathan Demme. He starred in the indie feature, Future ’38 opposite Betty Gilpin and was featured in the films Care opposite Rachel Brosnahan, and Beach Pillows opposite Geoffrey Arend. On television, he currently recurs on Amazon’s The Tick and has appeared in HBO’s Mildred Pierce, CBS’s Blue Bloods and Person of Interest, and ABC’s Quantico. On stage in New York, he has appeared in Casa Valentina and A Moon for the Misbegotten on Broadway and Off-Broadway in Tribes at the Barrow Street Theater, Love's Labor's Lost at the Public, Ivo van Hove’s production of The Little Foxes at NYTW, and recently in Anna Zeigler’s A Delicate Ship. He is a 2012 Drama Desk Award winner, a 2010 Drama Desk nominee, and a Juilliard graduate.
Emma Myles (Rox Shields) A native of Northern California, Emma trained at the internationally recognized William Esper Studio in New York City. Film and TV credits include Orange is the New Black, Odd Mom Out, Happy Yummy Chicken, Child of Grace, Girl Most Likely, Please Give, Spinning Into Butter, Conviction, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and How To Make It In American. Emma can most recently be seen starring in Gaby Dunn’s short film Dick Sisters, which recently premiered at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco, and the upcoming independent film King of Knives.
Javier Muñoz (Matt Ailer) can be seen in the hit Freeform series, Shadowhunters. He recently starred as the title role in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning smash Hamilton. When creator Lin Manuel Miranda began writing the cultural phenomenon, Muñoz was an active part of the musical's early development and creation. They developed the role of Alexander Hamilton together, and Muñoz served as Miranda's alternate at the Public Theater Off-Broadway debut in 2015, as well as throughout the Broadway engagement before inheriting the role full time in July. Prior to Hamilton, Muñoz served as Miranda's understudy in the role of Usnavi in the Tony-winning hit In the Heights, which he later assumed full time upon Miranda's departure. Muñoz's previous theater credits include The Porch (Ziad) at Altered Stages; Venice (Venice) at Center Theatre Group; Two Gentlemen of Verona (a rock opera) (Proteus) at Shakespeare Theatre of DC; Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Richard III (Dorset) and Into The Woods (The Baker). Earlier this year, Muñoz was honored with the prestigious OUT100 "Breakout of the Year" award, as well as the Howard Ashman Award by the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC).
Justice Quiroz (Toby Shields) Eleven-year-old Justice Quiroz is of Dominican and Spanish descent and has three sisters and an older brother. He loves to dance and has been doing so since he was two. At that age, he told his mom, “I like when people look at me”. Justice is fluent in Spanish and has performed at Baruch College, the Symphony Theater, and worked on an MLB 2017 postseason commercial, not to mention several other commercials. He’s appeared in Exposed, Deception, and Billions and is currently working on PBS-Pinkalicious & Peteriffic animation, as Rafael. Justice is very passionate about acting and hopes to walk the Red Carpet one day.
Michelle Wilson (Ray Storer) is currently in the New York Theater Workshop's critically acclaimed production of The House That Will Not Stand by Marcus Gardley. Michelle is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the Pulitzer-Prize winning play Sweat. Wilson played long-time factory worker Cynthia, a role she originated off-Broadway at the Public Theatre before the show transitioned to Broadway with incredible reviews. In 2017, Sweat received three Tony Award nominations including Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role for Wilson. Wilson’s other notable theater credits include A Raisin in the Sun, Detroit ’67, Follow Me to Nellie’s, Fahrenheit 451, Two Trains Running, The People Before the Park and more. Wilson also had memorable turns on the small screen in The Good Fight, Blue Bloods, and E.R., as well as in indie films Nehemiah, Sink, and The Bicycle. Wilson can be seen next in the indie film The True Adventures of Wolfboy alongside Jaeden Lieberher and John Turturro. The film is currently in production.
Amy Kirwin (Associate Producer) is Artistic Director of Southampton Arts Center in New York. She previously worked on and off Broadway in sales and marketing for 15 years before moving to the Hamptons in 2010. Originally from Los Angeles, Amy earned a degree in Theater & Film from the University of Kansas and continued her acting studies at Circle in the Square in NYC. She now lives in Hampton Bays, where the story takes place, with her husband Peter and their two rescue mutts Renny and Mel.
Brenda Storer (Associate Producer) is a Silicon Valley native who moved to NYC to escape the tech scene and pursue a creative career. But after trading coasts, she discovered tech is actually really creative and pretty awesome. She began her career in graphic design and now Brenda works as a software engineer and design consultant where she collaborates with clients from various industries to build custom web applications. She’s thrilled to further exercise her creativity as an associate producer on Someone Will Assist You Shortly.
Kendall Brunson (Lead Associate Producer) is a writer, filmmaker, and professor. She’s written and produced four short films. Willow Garden debuted at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, and The Final Girl was a finalist in the 60 Seconds to Impact competition. Her directorial debut, Box, premiered at The Loft Film Festival, and Grab This is currently in the circuit. She graduated from the University of California, Riverside’s low residency program with her MFA in Screenwriting in 2016. She's excited to join the team of Someone Will Assist You Shortly.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
“We’re all of us sentenced to solitary confinements in our own lonely skins.”
— Val, Orpheus Descending (Tennessee Williams/dir. Sir Peter Hall, 1990)
Someone Will Assist You Shortly focuses on a small-town hospice nurse wrestling with loneliness, panic, and shame as he tries to care for his abusive father and hateful nephew. The story evolved from our writer’s life — becoming a temporary parent by proxy, witnessing his grandma’s in-home death, returning to a conservative hometown that may not accept him— these are all rooted in Jon’s experiences.
The main character Eli is tortured by a painful history with his father (who he now has to care for) and the struggle to embrace he’s gay. He reacts to that pain by playing the martyr, shutting out the world around him, and carrying on imaginary relationships with his comatose, bedridden patients. Eli also deals with crippling panic attacks that manifest themselves as fantastic visions of death.
Ready or not, these episodes push Eli to face his past and commit to building a new, better future. The flashes frame his loneliness and highlight the shitty hand he was dealt, but they evolve as Eli learns to create a new kind of family with his nephew, Toby. And eventually with his sister (Toby’s mom), Rox.
In Eli, we’ll see a man going stale in his loneliness, but waking to an unexpected love for his dysfunctional family; a man battered by time and broken relationships striving to do better. We’ll see ourselves and hopefully fight just a little harder for our lives.
Someone Will Assist You Shortly is about two young men, different men, of different ages… who’ve got debilitating relationships with life, family, and what it means to be a man -- learning there’s a point to living.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
PRINCIPAL CAST/SUPPORTING WEEKLY CAST
Costs $13,930
CAST We'll provide our actors SAG-AFTRA-approved compensation, food, travel, and accommodations.
PRODUCTION STAFF
Costs $11,070
DOP Scripty POC Accounting Dept Location Mgr 2nd AD Office PA Prod Sec
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jon Levenson (Writer/Director/Executive Producer) has been a career actor in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles for many years. He was part of the original Broadway cast of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart. When the Navy took his brother-in-law overseas, Levenson came home to do some hardcore uncle-ing. It was during this time he fell for writing. Levenson’s first short film, At A Loss, is currently in post-production. He received his first M.F.A. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and his second in Screenwriting at University of California, Riverside. Levenson is a proud SAG-AFTRA and AEA member.
Stephen Boyett (Executive Producer) is a transactional attorney with extensive experience in corporate mergers and acquisitions, Steve is a trusted advisor to clients for general corporate governance and finance matters. He is currently Counsel at boutique law firm DuFour Conapinski LLP where his areas of practice cover a range of corporate matters, renewable energy-related real estate issues, acquisition, disposition, land use, construction, lending and finance, development, and leasing. Steve is also a Senior Associate Editor for Thomson Reuters where he manages existing and develops new California and New York legal practice resources. As Executive Producer at wordking LLC, Steve is excited to lend his business expertise to advancing the development of quality stories like Someone Will Assist You Shortly. Steve is a longtime supporter of the performing arts, and before embarking on a legal career, studied music.
David Wiese (Producer) started in the theatre, earning his B.A. in Theatre Arts at California State University, Long Beach, but ultimately ended up working in film. For the past decade, he has had his hands in development, pre-production, production, and post-production for both short- and long-form projects on the big and small screens. Most recently, he helped produce cult horror film Dead Night with M3 Creative. A lifelong actor himself, he knows how to get the best results from both sides of the camera. As producer on Someone Will Assist You Shortly, David is thrilled to bring his experience to the team in order to ensure that the creative and logistical goals of the film are realized.
Meg Kettell (Director of Photography) is a cinematographer based in New York City. She shoots narrative films, commercials, documentaries, and branded content. She has been telling stories and collaborating with directors for over fifteen years. Meg received her BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and is a member of the Internationa Cinematographers Guild. She loves traveling, meeting new people, and telling unique stories. Her award-winning cinematography has screened at numerous film festivals around the world, including the Tribeca Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Nick Westrate (Eli Shields) just ended his run as a series regular on AMC’s Turn: Washington’s Spies, filming three seasons as Quaker spy and tavern owner, Robert Townsend. He was recently seen opposite Meryl Streep in Ricki and the Flash directed by Jonathan Demme. He starred in the indie feature, Future ’38 opposite Betty Gilpin and was featured in the films Care opposite Rachel Brosnahan, and Beach Pillows opposite Geoffrey Arend. On television, he currently recurs on Amazon’s The Tick and has appeared in HBO’s Mildred Pierce, CBS’s Blue Bloods and Person of Interest, and ABC’s Quantico. On stage in New York, he has appeared in Casa Valentina and A Moon for the Misbegotten on Broadway and Off-Broadway in Tribes at the Barrow Street Theater, Love's Labor's Lost at the Public, Ivo van Hove’s production of The Little Foxes at NYTW, and recently in Anna Zeigler’s A Delicate Ship. He is a 2012 Drama Desk Award winner, a 2010 Drama Desk nominee, and a Juilliard graduate.
Emma Myles (Rox Shields) A native of Northern California, Emma trained at the internationally recognized William Esper Studio in New York City. Film and TV credits include Orange is the New Black, Odd Mom Out, Happy Yummy Chicken, Child of Grace, Girl Most Likely, Please Give, Spinning Into Butter, Conviction, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and How To Make It In American. Emma can most recently be seen starring in Gaby Dunn’s short film Dick Sisters, which recently premiered at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco, and the upcoming independent film King of Knives.
Javier Muñoz (Matt Ailer) can be seen in the hit Freeform series, Shadowhunters. He recently starred as the title role in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning smash Hamilton. When creator Lin Manuel Miranda began writing the cultural phenomenon, Muñoz was an active part of the musical's early development and creation. They developed the role of Alexander Hamilton together, and Muñoz served as Miranda's alternate at the Public Theater Off-Broadway debut in 2015, as well as throughout the Broadway engagement before inheriting the role full time in July. Prior to Hamilton, Muñoz served as Miranda's understudy in the role of Usnavi in the Tony-winning hit In the Heights, which he later assumed full time upon Miranda's departure. Muñoz's previous theater credits include The Porch (Ziad) at Altered Stages; Venice (Venice) at Center Theatre Group; Two Gentlemen of Verona (a rock opera) (Proteus) at Shakespeare Theatre of DC; Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Richard III (Dorset) and Into The Woods (The Baker). Earlier this year, Muñoz was honored with the prestigious OUT100 "Breakout of the Year" award, as well as the Howard Ashman Award by the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC).
Justice Quiroz (Toby Shields) Eleven-year-old Justice Quiroz is of Dominican and Spanish descent and has three sisters and an older brother. He loves to dance and has been doing so since he was two. At that age, he told his mom, “I like when people look at me”. Justice is fluent in Spanish and has performed at Baruch College, the Symphony Theater, and worked on an MLB 2017 postseason commercial, not to mention several other commercials. He’s appeared in Exposed, Deception, and Billions and is currently working on PBS-Pinkalicious & Peteriffic animation, as Rafael. Justice is very passionate about acting and hopes to walk the Red Carpet one day.
Michelle Wilson (Ray Storer) is currently in the New York Theater Workshop's critically acclaimed production of The House That Will Not Stand by Marcus Gardley. Michelle is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the Pulitzer-Prize winning play Sweat. Wilson played long-time factory worker Cynthia, a role she originated off-Broadway at the Public Theatre before the show transitioned to Broadway with incredible reviews. In 2017, Sweat received three Tony Award nominations including Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role for Wilson. Wilson’s other notable theater credits include A Raisin in the Sun, Detroit ’67, Follow Me to Nellie’s, Fahrenheit 451, Two Trains Running, The People Before the Park and more. Wilson also had memorable turns on the small screen in The Good Fight, Blue Bloods, and E.R., as well as in indie films Nehemiah, Sink, and The Bicycle. Wilson can be seen next in the indie film The True Adventures of Wolfboy alongside Jaeden Lieberher and John Turturro. The film is currently in production.
Amy Kirwin (Associate Producer) is Artistic Director of Southampton Arts Center in New York. She previously worked on and off Broadway in sales and marketing for 15 years before moving to the Hamptons in 2010. Originally from Los Angeles, Amy earned a degree in Theater & Film from the University of Kansas and continued her acting studies at Circle in the Square in NYC. She now lives in Hampton Bays, where the story takes place, with her husband Peter and their two rescue mutts Renny and Mel.
Brenda Storer (Associate Producer) is a Silicon Valley native who moved to NYC to escape the tech scene and pursue a creative career. But after trading coasts, she discovered tech is actually really creative and pretty awesome. She began her career in graphic design and now Brenda works as a software engineer and design consultant where she collaborates with clients from various industries to build custom web applications. She’s thrilled to further exercise her creativity as an associate producer on Someone Will Assist You Shortly.
Kendall Brunson (Lead Associate Producer) is a writer, filmmaker, and professor. She’s written and produced four short films. Willow Garden debuted at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, and The Final Girl was a finalist in the 60 Seconds to Impact competition. Her directorial debut, Box, premiered at The Loft Film Festival, and Grab This is currently in the circuit. She graduated from the University of California, Riverside’s low residency program with her MFA in Screenwriting in 2016. She's excited to join the team of Someone Will Assist You Shortly.