Split By a Pond
Red Bank, New Jersey | Film Short
Drama
Help us fill the funding gap of Cap Gun Production's next short film, Split by a Pond, a short about Jason's exploration of figuring out if he is German or American.
Green Light
This campaign raised $3,500 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
91 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Help us fill the funding gap of Cap Gun Production's next short film, Split by a Pond, a short about Jason's exploration of figuring out if he is German or American.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
UPDATE: STRETCH GOALS!
Thank you so much for helping us achieve our goal of $2,500! We have announced Stretch Goals for the campaign:
Stretch Goal: $3,000: On Set Sillies Video REACHED!
All supporters will receive an extra video documenting the silliness on set, from jokes to outtakes!
Stretch Goal: $4,000: Logan’s Cameo REACHED!
Logan Riley Bruner (Stranger Things, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) will not only be casting and producing— he will also appear in the film!
Stretch Goal: $5,000: Public Premiere
We will set up a night at the movies where we screen the film, followed by a Q&A session—with a big discount for all our supporters!
Stretch Goal: $6,000: Cameron’s Heartfelt Punishment
Cameron, while filming his heartfelt thank-you on set, will receive a punishment chosen by our supporters.
We are honored that we are able to do this and being fully funded in just 15 days! Thank you for your continued support!
After graduating from the Filmuiversity Babelsberg Konrad Wolf in Potsdam, Germany back in July, I’ve been searching for the next project that I want to work on. I came across an old story I had written while in lockdown during the early days of the Pandemic: a story based on my life, an American German, who tried to figure out where he’d belonged.
While that story was rough around the edges, after working on it for some time and getting some thoughts about it, I finally was able to tell the story that I had never quite gotten all those years: a story about how we all somehow feel out of place, and that how we are a bunch of walking contradictions, always feeling at least slightly out of place.
This is the biggest project I have worked on to date, which is why I am asking for your support by helping us raise half of that 5K budget to help ensure that this project gets made.
Growing up as a German-American in a small, one-square-mile town in New Jersey, USA, finding my way in the world through nationality has always been a sore spot for me. I always felt out of place: being the German/ European in the US, being seen as American, and visiting friends and family in Germany. After graduating high school and working in the film industry in NYC, I decided to move to Potsdam, Germany to start studying in a new environment. As much as I loved the move, I still was that American under my German friends, while being the German under American friends that I had met. It was something that I thought was only happening while I grew up, but I have since realized that it was something engrained in me and something that will follow me my whole life.
Cameron, at the Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin, DE, and at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, NJ, USA
Because of this, I have always had the urge to dissect what it means to have two nationalities, not just in a pros and cons list kind of way, but also in a cultural context, and what it means to have a strong connection to two cultures at the same time. This became the topic of my Bachelors thesis, analyzing how films across the last 50 years have shown this connection and what conclusions they drew from it. This analysis and my experiences became the basis for the first versions of Split by a Pond.
I knew though that something was missing, and so it went into the drawer of unused ideas. Over the years, I have worked on countless other projects, but this one always stuck with me, ready to be pulled back out. As I graduated and was looking for my next big project that was the moment I took out the old script to use the skills and experiences I had gained making films to finally make this film the story I always knew it could be.
I also realized something else: that we are all split by some sort of pond. As I met more people in the industry and people from all around the world, I realized that it wasn't just something that German-Americans faced, or something that dual nationals face, but something that almost everyone faces to some degree. Having to capture this universal feeling of feeling out of place because no one fits into a tiny box 100%. This gave me the final piece of this film: that even though this film was based on my life experiences, the film needs to be about the universality of this feeling.
Jason, bogged down by his need to belong, seeks advice at a therapist's office, wanting to know that everything will be ok. But when the Therapist realizes that she is dealing with someone who is a German American, and has both nationalities, they both decide to figure out where he belongs: is he German or is he an American?
Throughout this session, we follow Jason as he tells stories about his life, trying to answer that question. The therapist, acting as a sort of shapeshifter, keeps switching between being a German Therapist and an American Therapist, showcasing the best and cliche from each country, to help Jason navigate his journey to enlightenment.
Which side does he identify with at the end? What does Jason do with this information at the end? Does the Therapist have more to her than she puts on? Find out the answers to this 15 Minute Short Film.
Our budget is only $5000, but we are confident that we can use our budget wisely to make the film on such a tight budget. Luckily, there isn’t much we need to do as far as complicated shots or big elaborate sets go, but we have a few costs that we still need to cover, including transportation and some props.
This is a rough outline of the budget, half of this budget is already raised, with the other half being raised through crowdfunding. You can help us complete the circle and get us fully funded!
We have secured about half of the funding, but we need your help to get the other $2500 so that we can make the film. Below is our budget outline to see where your money is going! We need 80% of that to be greenlit receive the funds from the campaign.
We have some cool incentives too: from your split poster (similar to the ones we have in the department heads' bios) to a 60-second "Therapy Session" where the Therapist of the film (played by Satomi Hofmann) gives you the reassurance you need to get through the day. (Please also fill out the Google form here to make sure you get your incentives as soon as possible).
We need your help by sharing our story and this campaign to reach our goal. If we get 125 people to buy our film at $20, then we’ve reached our goal, so please help us! All of us on the team are excited to tell this story and show you how we are split by a pond.
So please share this page everywhere and follow us on Instagram under @splitbyapond so that you can follow our journey as we not only talk about our own experiences but showcase some cool aspects of what is going on.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering
Costs $500
The team will be working hard and they need food!
Studio Space
Costs $375
We are partnering with Set to Go Studios, but still need to pay for some operational costs.
Equipment Rental
Costs $550
We need to rent some equipment out for our Lighting, Camera, and Audio departments.
Costume
Costs $150
Last looks for the cast! We will be trying to be frugal, but we want to help make sure that what the cast wears is right!
Casting
Costs $375
We need to pay for casting and for our leads expenses.
Transportation
Costs $150
We need to get our crew and equipment around!
Production Design
Costs $400
Most of us sets are going to be set, but we need to grab props and build out our Therapist office!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Our team is a young crew of all backgrounds with their own stories and their Pond that they are split by. Each of them brings their association with the theme with the belief that this film will be special.
Cameron just graduated from his MBA in European Film Business and Law from the Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. He has produced films such as House Sitters, Knocking on Doors, and Moving On which have given him the opportunity to participate in multiple Film Festivals and win Best Director. After graduating, he is now working on his next short film with the cast of characters that has helped him countless times before. In his free time, Cameron shoots and develops his own analog film and plays Mario Kart!
Rolando Hernandez III is a Cuban/ Puerto Rican director born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He added the title of director to his arsenal when he began directing plays at the Brookdale Performing Arts Center. Putting his experiences with directing and producing to the test, Rolando partnered with Red Flight Pictures in the winter of 2014. He ultimately began his own production company, First Hour Productions.
Logan Riley Bruner is a New York City-born and based artist with 18 years of experience. He attended the Professional Performing Arts School for Drama, The British American Dramatic Academy’s “Midsummer in Oxford” Shakespeare program, and graduated from SUNY Purchase in 2019 with degrees in Screenwriting/Playwriting and Arts Management. As a Casting Director, he has worked alongside Cameron on “Knocking on Doors” and “Moving On” and is thrilled to be helping to bring the cast together for “Split by a Pond”. You can find more of his work at his website www.LoganRileyBruner.com
Hannah was born and raised in a small town outside of Hamburg, Germany. From an early age, she has always loved to tell stories and started playing around with the medium at 7 years old. She has also experiences in the physical medium of film, having previously competed a 16mm intensive course at the Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf and has participated in many projects such as being part of the Notruf Hafenkante team as a Production intern. Today, she is working hard to become a Filmmaker by not only helping on other short film projects, but also producing and directing her own short films.
Linnéa has a BFA in digital Filmmaking from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. She loves being on film sets and is excited to help bring this story to life. Her mother grew up in Germany before coming to America for college. Yearly visits to her grandparents in Germany and living/going to school there for four months were a big part of her experience growing up and connected her to the story of this film.
Gabby was born and raised in Neptune, New Jersey. She grew up with a passion and love for music. In school, she participated in choir and theater. After high school, she got her associate’s in media communications and then moved to Florida to get her bachelor’s in film. While in film school she specialized in the art department. Now she’s currently in school for her master’s in entertainment business with the end goal of opening her own production company.
A pond has split Jade by always being asked to “pick a side” regarding her ethnicity. But after many years of offensive jokes and stereotypes; Jade realized that it’s not her job to fit neatly into the box of someone else’s ludicrous expectations. People are three-dimensional and all their dimensions make up the whole. Jade is an inspiring screenwriter/writer, and critic. In her free time, she enjoys reviewing movies on Letterbox or reading a good book. She currently works as a para in a middle school until she can find more relevant work. Jade worked at a semi-bougie retail store for five years and has a lot of experience styling and putting cool outfits together.
To much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Edward’s pond is the ongoing challenge of balancing multiple tasks in his life. The tension between professional ambition and enjoying personal family/friends moments feels like two powerful currents pulling in opposite directions. This film with Cameron marks his third collaboration, and with each project, the excitement only grows.
Quinton is a multimedia producer and sound engineer from Lyndhurst, NJ. As the co-founder of Blue Crew Productions, Quinton has honed his craft across a variety of projects, from live performances to full-scale video productions. His “split” lies in his desire for a peaceful and balanced life while continuously pushing himself to grow both personally and professionally. In his free time, Quinton enjoys listening to music, playing guitar, watching movies, and reading. These pursuits help him recharge and find inspiration, fueling his creative drive and focus. He is thrilled to join Cameron’s team and bring his passion for storytelling and technical expertise to Split by a Pond.
Anthony has a Digital Media Technologies degree with a double concentration in film production and Graphic & web design from East Stroudsburg University. He has a passion for filmmaking and loves to tell a story. He admires and gets excited in the post-production stages being able to put the story together like a puzzle. He has had the pleasure of working with Cameron on two previous projects.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
UPDATE: STRETCH GOALS!
Thank you so much for helping us achieve our goal of $2,500! We have announced Stretch Goals for the campaign:
Stretch Goal: $3,000: On Set Sillies Video REACHED!
All supporters will receive an extra video documenting the silliness on set, from jokes to outtakes!
Stretch Goal: $4,000: Logan’s Cameo REACHED!
Logan Riley Bruner (Stranger Things, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) will not only be casting and producing— he will also appear in the film!
Stretch Goal: $5,000: Public Premiere
We will set up a night at the movies where we screen the film, followed by a Q&A session—with a big discount for all our supporters!
Stretch Goal: $6,000: Cameron’s Heartfelt Punishment
Cameron, while filming his heartfelt thank-you on set, will receive a punishment chosen by our supporters.
We are honored that we are able to do this and being fully funded in just 15 days! Thank you for your continued support!
After graduating from the Filmuiversity Babelsberg Konrad Wolf in Potsdam, Germany back in July, I’ve been searching for the next project that I want to work on. I came across an old story I had written while in lockdown during the early days of the Pandemic: a story based on my life, an American German, who tried to figure out where he’d belonged.
While that story was rough around the edges, after working on it for some time and getting some thoughts about it, I finally was able to tell the story that I had never quite gotten all those years: a story about how we all somehow feel out of place, and that how we are a bunch of walking contradictions, always feeling at least slightly out of place.
This is the biggest project I have worked on to date, which is why I am asking for your support by helping us raise half of that 5K budget to help ensure that this project gets made.
Growing up as a German-American in a small, one-square-mile town in New Jersey, USA, finding my way in the world through nationality has always been a sore spot for me. I always felt out of place: being the German/ European in the US, being seen as American, and visiting friends and family in Germany. After graduating high school and working in the film industry in NYC, I decided to move to Potsdam, Germany to start studying in a new environment. As much as I loved the move, I still was that American under my German friends, while being the German under American friends that I had met. It was something that I thought was only happening while I grew up, but I have since realized that it was something engrained in me and something that will follow me my whole life.
Cameron, at the Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin, DE, and at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, NJ, USA
Because of this, I have always had the urge to dissect what it means to have two nationalities, not just in a pros and cons list kind of way, but also in a cultural context, and what it means to have a strong connection to two cultures at the same time. This became the topic of my Bachelors thesis, analyzing how films across the last 50 years have shown this connection and what conclusions they drew from it. This analysis and my experiences became the basis for the first versions of Split by a Pond.
I knew though that something was missing, and so it went into the drawer of unused ideas. Over the years, I have worked on countless other projects, but this one always stuck with me, ready to be pulled back out. As I graduated and was looking for my next big project that was the moment I took out the old script to use the skills and experiences I had gained making films to finally make this film the story I always knew it could be.
I also realized something else: that we are all split by some sort of pond. As I met more people in the industry and people from all around the world, I realized that it wasn't just something that German-Americans faced, or something that dual nationals face, but something that almost everyone faces to some degree. Having to capture this universal feeling of feeling out of place because no one fits into a tiny box 100%. This gave me the final piece of this film: that even though this film was based on my life experiences, the film needs to be about the universality of this feeling.
Jason, bogged down by his need to belong, seeks advice at a therapist's office, wanting to know that everything will be ok. But when the Therapist realizes that she is dealing with someone who is a German American, and has both nationalities, they both decide to figure out where he belongs: is he German or is he an American?
Throughout this session, we follow Jason as he tells stories about his life, trying to answer that question. The therapist, acting as a sort of shapeshifter, keeps switching between being a German Therapist and an American Therapist, showcasing the best and cliche from each country, to help Jason navigate his journey to enlightenment.
Which side does he identify with at the end? What does Jason do with this information at the end? Does the Therapist have more to her than she puts on? Find out the answers to this 15 Minute Short Film.
Our budget is only $5000, but we are confident that we can use our budget wisely to make the film on such a tight budget. Luckily, there isn’t much we need to do as far as complicated shots or big elaborate sets go, but we have a few costs that we still need to cover, including transportation and some props.
This is a rough outline of the budget, half of this budget is already raised, with the other half being raised through crowdfunding. You can help us complete the circle and get us fully funded!
We have secured about half of the funding, but we need your help to get the other $2500 so that we can make the film. Below is our budget outline to see where your money is going! We need 80% of that to be greenlit receive the funds from the campaign.
We have some cool incentives too: from your split poster (similar to the ones we have in the department heads' bios) to a 60-second "Therapy Session" where the Therapist of the film (played by Satomi Hofmann) gives you the reassurance you need to get through the day. (Please also fill out the Google form here to make sure you get your incentives as soon as possible).
We need your help by sharing our story and this campaign to reach our goal. If we get 125 people to buy our film at $20, then we’ve reached our goal, so please help us! All of us on the team are excited to tell this story and show you how we are split by a pond.
So please share this page everywhere and follow us on Instagram under @splitbyapond so that you can follow our journey as we not only talk about our own experiences but showcase some cool aspects of what is going on.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering
Costs $500
The team will be working hard and they need food!
Studio Space
Costs $375
We are partnering with Set to Go Studios, but still need to pay for some operational costs.
Equipment Rental
Costs $550
We need to rent some equipment out for our Lighting, Camera, and Audio departments.
Costume
Costs $150
Last looks for the cast! We will be trying to be frugal, but we want to help make sure that what the cast wears is right!
Casting
Costs $375
We need to pay for casting and for our leads expenses.
Transportation
Costs $150
We need to get our crew and equipment around!
Production Design
Costs $400
Most of us sets are going to be set, but we need to grab props and build out our Therapist office!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Our team is a young crew of all backgrounds with their own stories and their Pond that they are split by. Each of them brings their association with the theme with the belief that this film will be special.
Cameron just graduated from his MBA in European Film Business and Law from the Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. He has produced films such as House Sitters, Knocking on Doors, and Moving On which have given him the opportunity to participate in multiple Film Festivals and win Best Director. After graduating, he is now working on his next short film with the cast of characters that has helped him countless times before. In his free time, Cameron shoots and develops his own analog film and plays Mario Kart!
Rolando Hernandez III is a Cuban/ Puerto Rican director born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He added the title of director to his arsenal when he began directing plays at the Brookdale Performing Arts Center. Putting his experiences with directing and producing to the test, Rolando partnered with Red Flight Pictures in the winter of 2014. He ultimately began his own production company, First Hour Productions.
Logan Riley Bruner is a New York City-born and based artist with 18 years of experience. He attended the Professional Performing Arts School for Drama, The British American Dramatic Academy’s “Midsummer in Oxford” Shakespeare program, and graduated from SUNY Purchase in 2019 with degrees in Screenwriting/Playwriting and Arts Management. As a Casting Director, he has worked alongside Cameron on “Knocking on Doors” and “Moving On” and is thrilled to be helping to bring the cast together for “Split by a Pond”. You can find more of his work at his website www.LoganRileyBruner.com
Hannah was born and raised in a small town outside of Hamburg, Germany. From an early age, she has always loved to tell stories and started playing around with the medium at 7 years old. She has also experiences in the physical medium of film, having previously competed a 16mm intensive course at the Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf and has participated in many projects such as being part of the Notruf Hafenkante team as a Production intern. Today, she is working hard to become a Filmmaker by not only helping on other short film projects, but also producing and directing her own short films.
Linnéa has a BFA in digital Filmmaking from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. She loves being on film sets and is excited to help bring this story to life. Her mother grew up in Germany before coming to America for college. Yearly visits to her grandparents in Germany and living/going to school there for four months were a big part of her experience growing up and connected her to the story of this film.
Gabby was born and raised in Neptune, New Jersey. She grew up with a passion and love for music. In school, she participated in choir and theater. After high school, she got her associate’s in media communications and then moved to Florida to get her bachelor’s in film. While in film school she specialized in the art department. Now she’s currently in school for her master’s in entertainment business with the end goal of opening her own production company.
A pond has split Jade by always being asked to “pick a side” regarding her ethnicity. But after many years of offensive jokes and stereotypes; Jade realized that it’s not her job to fit neatly into the box of someone else’s ludicrous expectations. People are three-dimensional and all their dimensions make up the whole. Jade is an inspiring screenwriter/writer, and critic. In her free time, she enjoys reviewing movies on Letterbox or reading a good book. She currently works as a para in a middle school until she can find more relevant work. Jade worked at a semi-bougie retail store for five years and has a lot of experience styling and putting cool outfits together.
To much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Edward’s pond is the ongoing challenge of balancing multiple tasks in his life. The tension between professional ambition and enjoying personal family/friends moments feels like two powerful currents pulling in opposite directions. This film with Cameron marks his third collaboration, and with each project, the excitement only grows.
Quinton is a multimedia producer and sound engineer from Lyndhurst, NJ. As the co-founder of Blue Crew Productions, Quinton has honed his craft across a variety of projects, from live performances to full-scale video productions. His “split” lies in his desire for a peaceful and balanced life while continuously pushing himself to grow both personally and professionally. In his free time, Quinton enjoys listening to music, playing guitar, watching movies, and reading. These pursuits help him recharge and find inspiration, fueling his creative drive and focus. He is thrilled to join Cameron’s team and bring his passion for storytelling and technical expertise to Split by a Pond.
Anthony has a Digital Media Technologies degree with a double concentration in film production and Graphic & web design from East Stroudsburg University. He has a passion for filmmaking and loves to tell a story. He admires and gets excited in the post-production stages being able to put the story together like a puzzle. He has had the pleasure of working with Cameron on two previous projects.