Sorry For Your Cost - Finishing Funds!
Vancouver, Canada | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
Sorry For Your Cost is the story of a family coming to terms with the predatory nature of the funeral industry, and ultimately finding solace in their own rituals.
Sorry For Your Cost - Finishing Funds!
Vancouver, Canada | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
2 Campaigns | British Columbia, Canada
Green Light
This campaign raised C$17,685 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
76 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Sorry For Your Cost is the story of a family coming to terms with the predatory nature of the funeral industry, and ultimately finding solace in their own rituals.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Teenage Ren is a scrappy and determined theatre nerd with her whole life ahead of her. Her working class parents Anna and Randall have been saving for a decade for her to attend theatre school, and thanks to a brilliant rendition of Hamlet’s ‘to be or not to be’ monologue at her audition SHE GOT IN.
Adeline Lo as Ren Zhang in Sorry For Your Cost - Photo by Carol Gandra
The day her acceptance letter arrives, Anna dies in a car accident. Ren is riddled with guilt, convinced that her fight with her Mom right beforehand is the reason she died. The family seeks out funeral services at Dying+, an eerie cross between a bougie zen spa and IKEA (think if Gwyneth Paltrow ran a funeral home, but Jeff Bezos scaled it up).
The family can’t afford the $15K it costs to host a ‘proper’ funeral, but Tatiana (the too-eager saleswoman with maternal instincts and no boundaries) shamelessly upsells the family before offering them a last resort: they can abandon Mom’s body at Dying+ to be cremated and placed in a mass grave.
Simon Chin as Randall Zhang, Adeline Lo as Ren Zhang and Lucas Mocchi
as Bodie Zhang in Sorry For Your Cost - photo by Alice Best.
Ren is faced with an impossible choice: drop out of theatre school and use her hard-earned tuition money to pay for the funeral, or pursue her dreams and leave Mom behind. Sorry For Your Cost is the story of a family coming to terms with the predatory nature of the funeral industry, and ultimately finding solace in their own rituals.
This film is inspired by my own experiences planning my Mom’s funeral and the follow-up research I did on the funeral industry. I became fascinated by how funeral homes financially exploit the grief of people right after they’ve lost someone. I also reflected on the immense privilege required to even host a funeral which costs on average $10,000 CAD in Vancouver, Canada for an open casket viewing plus cremation and ceremony. This inspired me to write a story about a family fighting for dignity in the process of death, and ultimately finding it in themselves by doing the funeral their own way.
Our film is a chaotic and joyful ode to the ridiculous fear we have around death and funerals, and how creating our own rituals can be a more powerful way to grieve.
My version of this is making my Mom's favourite salad on the anniversary of her death and bringing it down to the river where she liked to walk. I also love to keep her close by wearing her clothes - including this leather jacket from the early 2000s that I have on in the pitch video :)
Sai Choo (Rosie's Mom) in 2004 and Rosie Choo Pidcock (Writer/Director) in 2023.
Tonal and visual references for Sorry For Your Cost include Little Miss Sunshine and Shoplifters:
.jpg)
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
We initially planned for a three-day shoot, however during the casting process we met the wonderful Adeline Lo who is currently a high school student at Hugh McRoberts Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia. Despite starting her professional career less than a year earlier, we were captivated by Adeline's tenacity and commitment to bringing the role of Ren to life.
Due to union rules, performers of a certain age have limited shooting hours (as they should!) We wanted to support an emerging, local talent in her first leading role and still pay our production crew their agreed-upon rates. We decided to add an extra shooting day to give Adeline and our entire production the opportunity to fully realize the story, and learn as much as possible from the experience.
With the budget shift from post-production into production, we are now needing some extra support to get over the finish line with editing, colour grading, sound design, score, ADR and festival submissions!
HITTING OUR GOAL OF 14.5K WILL ALLOW US TO:
- PAY OUR POST-PRODUCTION TEAM during a truly challenging time for our industry. With multiple labour strikes ongoing in the US market, the film service industry in Vancouver has been hit hard. We are proud to be a low budget independent production still paying our crew a fair rate.
- RECORD ADR OR "AUTOMATED DIALOGUE REPLACEMENT" - sometimes on a film set there are noises we can't control :) Recording clean dialogue from actors, or even additional dialogue to expand the creative aspects of sound design, is a very typical activity in post-production!
- SUBMIT TO FILM FESTIVALS so our story can be seen and shared around the world.
We understand that in this economy not everyone has the financial resources to help out. If you cannot contribute financially, there is still one major way you can help! -- SHARE!
Writer/Director Rosie Choo Pidcock, Production Designer Adrianna Marchand, Gaffer Lisa Oubacche, 1st AC Lauren Yim and Costume Designer Melicia Zaini on set for Sorry For Your Cost - Photo by Carol Gandra
Please consider sharing this page with anyone who may be interested in supporting this project! Follow and share our official Instagram page @SorryForYourCost_Film. Because sharing is caring! Thank you from all of us at Team #SORRYFORYOURCOST. We love ya!
The cast and crew of Sorry For Your Cost on location - Photo by Carol Gandra
**SFYC FACT -- 8 is the luckiest number in Chinese culture and is associated with wealth, prosperity and success, which is why our incentives have this special number sprinkled in.**
Special thanks to Eleanor Lee for our key visual design and Coline DeBray for our video edit.
Our project takes places on the traditional, ancestral and occupied territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. Our team is committed to decolonization through the practices of equity, knowledge sharing through mentorship and community care. Learn more about whose land you are on in so-called 'Canada', read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action and consider a donation to a local Indigenous-led organization like Ravens Trust or Urban Native Youth Association, or purchasing from an Indigenous-owned business like Sisters Sage or Massy Books. Check out this full list of Indigenous-owned and operated organizations you can support.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
SOUND
Costs C$6,000
Whether it be sound design or composing, help us secure Vancouver's top music wizards to allow SFYC to sound as snazzy as possible.
EDITING
Costs C$3,000
Help us pay our amazing editor Coline DeBray who has supported this story and pitch from Day 1.
COLOURING
Costs C$2,500
Help us secure a colourist who can elevate our vision to an indie dream!
FILM FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
Costs C$3,000
Festivals cost $30-$100 to submit to with a 5-25% acceptance rate depending on genre and strategy.
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sorry For Your Cost features an ensemble cast of local BC talent, including:
Clockwise from top left: Simon Chin as RANDALL, Olivia Cheng as ANNA, Adeline Lo as REN and Lucas Mocchi as BODIE.
Enid-Raye Adams (centre) as TATIANA, and both Megan Elizabeth Toner (left) Christina Marie Adams (right) as DYING+ EMPLOYEES.
Rosie Choo Pidcock (she/they) - Writer, Director, Executive Producer
Rosie is a biracial Chinese Canadian actor and filmmaker living on the Occupied Territories of the Coast Salish Peoples (Vancouver, Canada). Her work explores grief, feminine solidarity and the nuances of holding multiple identities. She received the Voices With Impact grant on immigration and mental health for her short film Esther & Sai which was distributed on Air Canada and is currently being adapted into a TV series with the support of the Canada Media Fund and the TIFF Series Accelerator. Rosie is an alumnus of the VIFF Catalyst Mentorship Program and Reelworld's E20 Emerging Screenwriters Program. A passionate mental health advocate, Rosie also volunteers with Art With Impact as an Advisory Board member. She is fluent in Mandarin and loves thrift stores, libraries and swimming in the ocean.
Angelica Stirpe (she/her), Producer
Angelica Stirpe’s production experience spans over a decade taking her work and impact across the globe. She has found herself producing content and directing world class talent in film and television for International audiences to see. She believes in the power of storytelling to create change (she’s seen it happen), desires to work with like minded creatives (she has a long list) and is a true sucker for the underdog story (got any ideas?). She currently lives in Vancouver, BC where she’s pursuing both an acting and producing career. Her most recent production with Boldly she produced titled Bloom will be having its world premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
.jpg)
Athena Russell (she/her), Producer
With over 30+ credits and awards to her name as a producer/director, ATHENA RUSSELL has quickly become one of Vancouver’s most sought-after indie filmmakers. She has produced for the likes of CW Seed, The Harold Greenberg Fund, Creative BC, The National Film Board, Art With Impact, Tongal, and Telus Storyhive, with her films having screened and won numerous awards at film festivals around the world including CANNES INDIE SHORTS AWARDS, Fantasia Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Hollywood SHORTSFEST, Big Apple Film Festival, Discover Film Awards, Aesthetica Film Festival, Oaxaca International Film Festival, Etheria Film Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Atlanta Comedy Festival, Portland Film Festival, and Calgary International Film Festival. One of her most films FREYA screened and won 'Audience Choice for Best Short Narrative' at the Newport Beach Film Festival, along with 5 out of it's nominated 9 Leo Awards including, 'Best-Short Drama', before being acquired by CBC, Dust and Shudder as of July 2022. FREYA is currently in development with Monster Pictures Distribution and AACTRA as a feature film property. With 3 projects in development including a scripted 30 x minute comedy series with Netflix showrunner Dennis Heaton, and EP Matt McInnis and her newly formed production company, The Wives Entertainment LTD, Athena is excited to continue to amplify creative voices within her community and to create stories with an emphasis on intimate storytelling.
Geoff Manton (he/him), Producer
Geoff is a graduate of SFU's school for Contemporary Arts. After starting his career in directing commercials, he fell in love with producing original narrative work. He's helmed several of Boldly's long-form projects, which have built lasting relationships with screen talent and broadcasters across North America.
.jpg)
Belen Garcia (she/her), Cinematographer
BELEN GARCIA is a queer Mexican Cinematographer who lives and creates in Vancouver, Canada. Before making the transition to film, she studied animation and photography, practices that continue to influence her perspective. Belen has lived and studied in New York, Florida, Mexico City and Vancouver, even receiving a full scholarship for the VFS Film Production Program in 2018. In 2021 Belen co-created and shot the Crazy8 “Tryst” which will soon be available on CBC Gem. This experience launched her into a second feature film “Done/Undone” with Bard on the Beach. She has shot over a dozen shorts and is pursuing narrative projects. As a filmmaker, Belen is committed to creating safe positive spaces on set and breaking down barriers for women who want to pursue careers in cinematography; she is a proud member of Apertura, a Mexican community of female cinematographers. She was recently selected for the 2022-2023 ASC Vision Mentorship program by the American Society of Cinematographers paired with Oliver Bokelberg ASC as her mentor.
Melicia Zaini (they/them), Costume Designer
MELICIA ZAINI is an artist and designer originally from Jakarta, Indonesia and is now based in the unceded lands colonially known as Vancouver, BC. Currently working primarily in textiles and costumes, they have experience in designing for theatre, film, music videos, and dance since obtaining a BFA in Theatre Design and Production from UBC. Recent costume design credits for theatre include work for Gateway Theatre, Bard on the Beach, Studio 58, TomoeArts, Aenigma Theatre, among others. Outside of design, they are also a breakdown/textile artist, a design assistant, a dresser, a dancer, and are also always exploring different art forms and mediums. Melicia’s passion lies in collaborating with fellow queer and BIPOC artists, and is known for playing with punchy colour stories and patterns to create visually impactful stories.
Adrianna Marchand (she/her), Production Designer
ADRIANA MARCHAND is a Vancouver-based director, production designer and producer. Her directorial debut MAUNDY (2022) screened as part of Telefilm's 'Not Short On Talent' delegation to the 75th Festival de Cannes. On Sorry For Your Cost she is excited to be lending her production design talents to create the opposing worlds of Dying+ and the Zhang Family Home.
Isabel Paganine (she/her), Hair and Makeup Artist
Isabel is a Vancouver-based makeup artist passionate about art and makeup. Born and raised in Brasília, Brazil, she had the privilege of growing up in a country with so much beauty and art all around, from the green of the grass or the exceptional sunsets to the modern architecture of the city. She has worked with talent such Analeigh Tipton, Mark Fischbach, Adam Beach and Donal Logue. As a Makeup department head, some of her work can be seen in features such as "Exile (2021)" and "My Big Fat Family Christmas (2022)" as well as in small creative projects and short films, such as "Esther & Sai (2021)" and "Eixos (2017)" - a webseries she was nominated for Best Makeup Design at Rio Webseries 2018, and won Best Production Design at Sicily Webfest 2018, and other projects. Isabel holds a Bachelor in Film Production from BRazil and a makeup diploma from Blanche Macdonald Centre.
.jpg)
Coline DeBray (she/her), Editor
Originally from France, Coline is a Vancouver based freelance Video and Audio Editor and Post Production Consultant. She has worked for many reknowned agencies including Firm Studio, Bangumi, White Hart Post, Cycle Media, as well as independent filmmakers. Coline holds a diploma in Film and Video Editing from the independent school 3IS, the International Institute of Image and Sound. Aside from her problem-solving skills, technical abilities and trained eye for fine details, she cultivates a deep understanding of story-telling. Her work aims to carefully translate a director’s vision while seamlessly arousing true emotions in the audience’s heart. She has great appreciation for social cinema and is driven to take part in telling diverse, contemporary and refreshing stories.
Jordan Andrew (he/him), Composer
Jordan Andrew is an award winning music composer and sound designer with a unique background which offers an uncommon skillset in the world of film composition. Jordan started his career as a professional touring DJ/Turntablist and competed at national levels, with headlining shows in NYC, LA and various Canadian music festivals. His original music was known for Electronic laced with R&B, Funk, Soul and Jazz. He’s had the pleasure of sharing stages with internationally prominent DJs such as Skratch Bastid, Maseo of De La Soul, Krafty Kuts, and The Funk Hunters. Signed with renown electronic label, Westwood Recordings, his music has been nominated for various awards and covered in DJ Mag. Jordan recently won a 2023 Leo Award for Best Score for a Short Drama. He was also recently awarded a 2023 Emerging Screen Composer from the Socan Foundation. Jordan holds 2 previous Leo nominations, as well as a 2022 Canadian Screen Music Award (Casma) nomination. A retired skateboarder and an unrealistic golfer who loves a good laugh, he hopes to score a diverse range of projects with a variety of musicians. Jordan is always excited to discuss future collaborations and ideas waiting to be brought to life - any excuse to nerd out!
Sharon Tsang (she/her), Sound Designer
Sharon is a sound designer originally hailing from Taiwan, currently based in Vancouver, BC. When not designing 'wiggly air' at Elemental Post, she enjoys hiking and road tripping to music festivals.
Shane Savage (he/him), Acting Coach
Shane Savage is the Co-Founder of Sonder Acting Studio who has been a working actor for 15 years and a professional coach for 10. After completing a Bachelor of Creative Arts from Deakin University with a double major in Theatre and Film Production, Shane went on to train full time at the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia under instruction from some of the best acting coaches in the world, including Howard Fine, David Coury, Jean-Louis Rodrigue, Kristof Konrad and Ted Brunetti. Shane was honoured to call the above his colleagues when he joined the faculty of the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia in 2015. Shane has also served on the faculty at Australia’s National Theatre Drama School, where he designed and taught multiple curriculums, proudly teaching and mentoring the third year graduating ensembles in the creation of original work.Upon immigrating to Canada in 2018, Shane started working for a 3-time Emmy award winning Casting Director, before shifting his focus back to education and coaching as an Associate at JBA for 4 years.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Teenage Ren is a scrappy and determined theatre nerd with her whole life ahead of her. Her working class parents Anna and Randall have been saving for a decade for her to attend theatre school, and thanks to a brilliant rendition of Hamlet’s ‘to be or not to be’ monologue at her audition SHE GOT IN.
Adeline Lo as Ren Zhang in Sorry For Your Cost - Photo by Carol Gandra
The day her acceptance letter arrives, Anna dies in a car accident. Ren is riddled with guilt, convinced that her fight with her Mom right beforehand is the reason she died. The family seeks out funeral services at Dying+, an eerie cross between a bougie zen spa and IKEA (think if Gwyneth Paltrow ran a funeral home, but Jeff Bezos scaled it up).
The family can’t afford the $15K it costs to host a ‘proper’ funeral, but Tatiana (the too-eager saleswoman with maternal instincts and no boundaries) shamelessly upsells the family before offering them a last resort: they can abandon Mom’s body at Dying+ to be cremated and placed in a mass grave.
Simon Chin as Randall Zhang, Adeline Lo as Ren Zhang and Lucas Mocchi
as Bodie Zhang in Sorry For Your Cost - photo by Alice Best.
Ren is faced with an impossible choice: drop out of theatre school and use her hard-earned tuition money to pay for the funeral, or pursue her dreams and leave Mom behind. Sorry For Your Cost is the story of a family coming to terms with the predatory nature of the funeral industry, and ultimately finding solace in their own rituals.
This film is inspired by my own experiences planning my Mom’s funeral and the follow-up research I did on the funeral industry. I became fascinated by how funeral homes financially exploit the grief of people right after they’ve lost someone. I also reflected on the immense privilege required to even host a funeral which costs on average $10,000 CAD in Vancouver, Canada for an open casket viewing plus cremation and ceremony. This inspired me to write a story about a family fighting for dignity in the process of death, and ultimately finding it in themselves by doing the funeral their own way.
Our film is a chaotic and joyful ode to the ridiculous fear we have around death and funerals, and how creating our own rituals can be a more powerful way to grieve.
My version of this is making my Mom's favourite salad on the anniversary of her death and bringing it down to the river where she liked to walk. I also love to keep her close by wearing her clothes - including this leather jacket from the early 2000s that I have on in the pitch video :)
Sai Choo (Rosie's Mom) in 2004 and Rosie Choo Pidcock (Writer/Director) in 2023.
Tonal and visual references for Sorry For Your Cost include Little Miss Sunshine and Shoplifters:
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
We initially planned for a three-day shoot, however during the casting process we met the wonderful Adeline Lo who is currently a high school student at Hugh McRoberts Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia. Despite starting her professional career less than a year earlier, we were captivated by Adeline's tenacity and commitment to bringing the role of Ren to life.
Due to union rules, performers of a certain age have limited shooting hours (as they should!) We wanted to support an emerging, local talent in her first leading role and still pay our production crew their agreed-upon rates. We decided to add an extra shooting day to give Adeline and our entire production the opportunity to fully realize the story, and learn as much as possible from the experience.
With the budget shift from post-production into production, we are now needing some extra support to get over the finish line with editing, colour grading, sound design, score, ADR and festival submissions!
HITTING OUR GOAL OF 14.5K WILL ALLOW US TO:
- PAY OUR POST-PRODUCTION TEAM during a truly challenging time for our industry. With multiple labour strikes ongoing in the US market, the film service industry in Vancouver has been hit hard. We are proud to be a low budget independent production still paying our crew a fair rate.
- RECORD ADR OR "AUTOMATED DIALOGUE REPLACEMENT" - sometimes on a film set there are noises we can't control :) Recording clean dialogue from actors, or even additional dialogue to expand the creative aspects of sound design, is a very typical activity in post-production!
- SUBMIT TO FILM FESTIVALS so our story can be seen and shared around the world.
We understand that in this economy not everyone has the financial resources to help out. If you cannot contribute financially, there is still one major way you can help! -- SHARE!
Writer/Director Rosie Choo Pidcock, Production Designer Adrianna Marchand, Gaffer Lisa Oubacche, 1st AC Lauren Yim and Costume Designer Melicia Zaini on set for Sorry For Your Cost - Photo by Carol Gandra
Please consider sharing this page with anyone who may be interested in supporting this project! Follow and share our official Instagram page @SorryForYourCost_Film. Because sharing is caring! Thank you from all of us at Team #SORRYFORYOURCOST. We love ya!
The cast and crew of Sorry For Your Cost on location - Photo by Carol Gandra
**SFYC FACT -- 8 is the luckiest number in Chinese culture and is associated with wealth, prosperity and success, which is why our incentives have this special number sprinkled in.**
Special thanks to Eleanor Lee for our key visual design and Coline DeBray for our video edit.
Our project takes places on the traditional, ancestral and occupied territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. Our team is committed to decolonization through the practices of equity, knowledge sharing through mentorship and community care. Learn more about whose land you are on in so-called 'Canada', read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action and consider a donation to a local Indigenous-led organization like Ravens Trust or Urban Native Youth Association, or purchasing from an Indigenous-owned business like Sisters Sage or Massy Books. Check out this full list of Indigenous-owned and operated organizations you can support.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
SOUND
Costs C$6,000
Whether it be sound design or composing, help us secure Vancouver's top music wizards to allow SFYC to sound as snazzy as possible.
EDITING
Costs C$3,000
Help us pay our amazing editor Coline DeBray who has supported this story and pitch from Day 1.
COLOURING
Costs C$2,500
Help us secure a colourist who can elevate our vision to an indie dream!
FILM FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
Costs C$3,000
Festivals cost $30-$100 to submit to with a 5-25% acceptance rate depending on genre and strategy.
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sorry For Your Cost features an ensemble cast of local BC talent, including:
Clockwise from top left: Simon Chin as RANDALL, Olivia Cheng as ANNA, Adeline Lo as REN and Lucas Mocchi as BODIE.
Enid-Raye Adams (centre) as TATIANA, and both Megan Elizabeth Toner (left) Christina Marie Adams (right) as DYING+ EMPLOYEES.
Rosie Choo Pidcock (she/they) - Writer, Director, Executive Producer
Rosie is a biracial Chinese Canadian actor and filmmaker living on the Occupied Territories of the Coast Salish Peoples (Vancouver, Canada). Her work explores grief, feminine solidarity and the nuances of holding multiple identities. She received the Voices With Impact grant on immigration and mental health for her short film Esther & Sai which was distributed on Air Canada and is currently being adapted into a TV series with the support of the Canada Media Fund and the TIFF Series Accelerator. Rosie is an alumnus of the VIFF Catalyst Mentorship Program and Reelworld's E20 Emerging Screenwriters Program. A passionate mental health advocate, Rosie also volunteers with Art With Impact as an Advisory Board member. She is fluent in Mandarin and loves thrift stores, libraries and swimming in the ocean.
Angelica Stirpe (she/her), Producer
Angelica Stirpe’s production experience spans over a decade taking her work and impact across the globe. She has found herself producing content and directing world class talent in film and television for International audiences to see. She believes in the power of storytelling to create change (she’s seen it happen), desires to work with like minded creatives (she has a long list) and is a true sucker for the underdog story (got any ideas?). She currently lives in Vancouver, BC where she’s pursuing both an acting and producing career. Her most recent production with Boldly she produced titled Bloom will be having its world premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
Athena Russell (she/her), Producer
With over 30+ credits and awards to her name as a producer/director, ATHENA RUSSELL has quickly become one of Vancouver’s most sought-after indie filmmakers. She has produced for the likes of CW Seed, The Harold Greenberg Fund, Creative BC, The National Film Board, Art With Impact, Tongal, and Telus Storyhive, with her films having screened and won numerous awards at film festivals around the world including CANNES INDIE SHORTS AWARDS, Fantasia Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Hollywood SHORTSFEST, Big Apple Film Festival, Discover Film Awards, Aesthetica Film Festival, Oaxaca International Film Festival, Etheria Film Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Atlanta Comedy Festival, Portland Film Festival, and Calgary International Film Festival. One of her most films FREYA screened and won 'Audience Choice for Best Short Narrative' at the Newport Beach Film Festival, along with 5 out of it's nominated 9 Leo Awards including, 'Best-Short Drama', before being acquired by CBC, Dust and Shudder as of July 2022. FREYA is currently in development with Monster Pictures Distribution and AACTRA as a feature film property. With 3 projects in development including a scripted 30 x minute comedy series with Netflix showrunner Dennis Heaton, and EP Matt McInnis and her newly formed production company, The Wives Entertainment LTD, Athena is excited to continue to amplify creative voices within her community and to create stories with an emphasis on intimate storytelling.
Geoff Manton (he/him), Producer
Geoff is a graduate of SFU's school for Contemporary Arts. After starting his career in directing commercials, he fell in love with producing original narrative work. He's helmed several of Boldly's long-form projects, which have built lasting relationships with screen talent and broadcasters across North America.
Belen Garcia (she/her), Cinematographer
BELEN GARCIA is a queer Mexican Cinematographer who lives and creates in Vancouver, Canada. Before making the transition to film, she studied animation and photography, practices that continue to influence her perspective. Belen has lived and studied in New York, Florida, Mexico City and Vancouver, even receiving a full scholarship for the VFS Film Production Program in 2018. In 2021 Belen co-created and shot the Crazy8 “Tryst” which will soon be available on CBC Gem. This experience launched her into a second feature film “Done/Undone” with Bard on the Beach. She has shot over a dozen shorts and is pursuing narrative projects. As a filmmaker, Belen is committed to creating safe positive spaces on set and breaking down barriers for women who want to pursue careers in cinematography; she is a proud member of Apertura, a Mexican community of female cinematographers. She was recently selected for the 2022-2023 ASC Vision Mentorship program by the American Society of Cinematographers paired with Oliver Bokelberg ASC as her mentor.
Melicia Zaini (they/them), Costume Designer
MELICIA ZAINI is an artist and designer originally from Jakarta, Indonesia and is now based in the unceded lands colonially known as Vancouver, BC. Currently working primarily in textiles and costumes, they have experience in designing for theatre, film, music videos, and dance since obtaining a BFA in Theatre Design and Production from UBC. Recent costume design credits for theatre include work for Gateway Theatre, Bard on the Beach, Studio 58, TomoeArts, Aenigma Theatre, among others. Outside of design, they are also a breakdown/textile artist, a design assistant, a dresser, a dancer, and are also always exploring different art forms and mediums. Melicia’s passion lies in collaborating with fellow queer and BIPOC artists, and is known for playing with punchy colour stories and patterns to create visually impactful stories.
Adrianna Marchand (she/her), Production Designer
ADRIANA MARCHAND is a Vancouver-based director, production designer and producer. Her directorial debut MAUNDY (2022) screened as part of Telefilm's 'Not Short On Talent' delegation to the 75th Festival de Cannes. On Sorry For Your Cost she is excited to be lending her production design talents to create the opposing worlds of Dying+ and the Zhang Family Home.
Isabel Paganine (she/her), Hair and Makeup Artist
Isabel is a Vancouver-based makeup artist passionate about art and makeup. Born and raised in Brasília, Brazil, she had the privilege of growing up in a country with so much beauty and art all around, from the green of the grass or the exceptional sunsets to the modern architecture of the city. She has worked with talent such Analeigh Tipton, Mark Fischbach, Adam Beach and Donal Logue. As a Makeup department head, some of her work can be seen in features such as "Exile (2021)" and "My Big Fat Family Christmas (2022)" as well as in small creative projects and short films, such as "Esther & Sai (2021)" and "Eixos (2017)" - a webseries she was nominated for Best Makeup Design at Rio Webseries 2018, and won Best Production Design at Sicily Webfest 2018, and other projects. Isabel holds a Bachelor in Film Production from BRazil and a makeup diploma from Blanche Macdonald Centre.
Coline DeBray (she/her), Editor
Originally from France, Coline is a Vancouver based freelance Video and Audio Editor and Post Production Consultant. She has worked for many reknowned agencies including Firm Studio, Bangumi, White Hart Post, Cycle Media, as well as independent filmmakers. Coline holds a diploma in Film and Video Editing from the independent school 3IS, the International Institute of Image and Sound. Aside from her problem-solving skills, technical abilities and trained eye for fine details, she cultivates a deep understanding of story-telling. Her work aims to carefully translate a director’s vision while seamlessly arousing true emotions in the audience’s heart. She has great appreciation for social cinema and is driven to take part in telling diverse, contemporary and refreshing stories.
Jordan Andrew (he/him), Composer
Jordan Andrew is an award winning music composer and sound designer with a unique background which offers an uncommon skillset in the world of film composition. Jordan started his career as a professional touring DJ/Turntablist and competed at national levels, with headlining shows in NYC, LA and various Canadian music festivals. His original music was known for Electronic laced with R&B, Funk, Soul and Jazz. He’s had the pleasure of sharing stages with internationally prominent DJs such as Skratch Bastid, Maseo of De La Soul, Krafty Kuts, and The Funk Hunters. Signed with renown electronic label, Westwood Recordings, his music has been nominated for various awards and covered in DJ Mag. Jordan recently won a 2023 Leo Award for Best Score for a Short Drama. He was also recently awarded a 2023 Emerging Screen Composer from the Socan Foundation. Jordan holds 2 previous Leo nominations, as well as a 2022 Canadian Screen Music Award (Casma) nomination. A retired skateboarder and an unrealistic golfer who loves a good laugh, he hopes to score a diverse range of projects with a variety of musicians. Jordan is always excited to discuss future collaborations and ideas waiting to be brought to life - any excuse to nerd out!
Sharon Tsang (she/her), Sound Designer
Sharon is a sound designer originally hailing from Taiwan, currently based in Vancouver, BC. When not designing 'wiggly air' at Elemental Post, she enjoys hiking and road tripping to music festivals.
Shane Savage (he/him), Acting Coach
Shane Savage is the Co-Founder of Sonder Acting Studio who has been a working actor for 15 years and a professional coach for 10. After completing a Bachelor of Creative Arts from Deakin University with a double major in Theatre and Film Production, Shane went on to train full time at the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia under instruction from some of the best acting coaches in the world, including Howard Fine, David Coury, Jean-Louis Rodrigue, Kristof Konrad and Ted Brunetti. Shane was honoured to call the above his colleagues when he joined the faculty of the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia in 2015. Shane has also served on the faculty at Australia’s National Theatre Drama School, where he designed and taught multiple curriculums, proudly teaching and mentoring the third year graduating ensembles in the creation of original work.Upon immigrating to Canada in 2018, Shane started working for a 3-time Emmy award winning Casting Director, before shifting his focus back to education and coaching as an Associate at JBA for 4 years.