Still Here
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
Still Here is a short film about the emotional aftermath of an unintended fentanyl overdose. When a woman loses her boyfriend, she clings to visions of him, until her friends intervene. It’s a raw, poetic look at grief, love, and the quiet toll of a drug crisis that’s still largely invisible.
Still Here
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $9,790 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
30 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Still Here is a short film about the emotional aftermath of an unintended fentanyl overdose. When a woman loses her boyfriend, she clings to visions of him, until her friends intervene. It’s a raw, poetic look at grief, love, and the quiet toll of a drug crisis that’s still largely invisible.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Help us reach 250 followers & $9,600 (80%) by Day 10 to green light production.
The Story
After her boyfriend Evan dies from an unintended fentanyl overdose, Lila retreats into a dreamlike state where he’s still alive. Her best friends, Maya and Sam, fight to pull her back before grief consumes her. Still Here is a lyrical short about love, memory, and the courage it takes to return to life.
Hi! Chelsey here.
Every day, fentanyl takes lives that were never meant to be lost, over 150 people. Mothers, sons, best friends. Most didn’t even know they were taking it. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve sat with the aftermath. I’ve listened to people try to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense.
Still Here is a short film about the emotional fallout of a death no one saw coming. It follows a woman clinging to visions of her boyfriend after he’s gone. Her friends try to pull her back, but how do you let go of someone who vanished without warning?
It’s not a PSA. It’s what’s left behind. A tangle of memories, regrets, and the quiet ache of trying to move forward.
This is my first time writing, directing, and producing a film. That’s daunting, but also necessary. I couldn’t shake this story. I had to make it. And I need your help to do it right.
We’re shooting under the SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Project Agreement with a small team who care as fiercely as I do. Your contribution will help us hire a visionary DP who can paint both the warmth of memory and the chill of reality, create an immersive soundscape (because silence after loss can roar), and pay fair wages to our cast and crew. Most of all, it helps us get the film in front of the people who need it.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and believing in this story. It means more than I can say.
With love,
Chelsey
Making a film like Still Here, one that’s intimate, emotional, and grounded in real experiences, takes more than just heart. It takes resources. We’re doing everything we can to stretch our budget, but we need your support to bring this story to life.
Our crowdfunding goal is $12,000, and we need to raise at least 80% of that to receive any funds at all.
Your support will directly help fund:
- A talented cinematographer and camera team to bring the emotional world of the film to life
- SAG-AFTRA cast and fair wages for our small, dedicated crew
- Location costs and permits
- Wardrobe, props, and production design
- On-set sound and post-production sound design
- Meals and essentials for our team
- Insurance, hard drives, and festival submission fees
If we exceed our goal:
- $15,000: Enhanced sound and color work in post-production
- $18,000: Additional shoot day for pickup shots and breathing room
- $20,000: Accessibility options like closed captions, translations, and impact screenings
- $25,000: Partnering with organizations to share the film as a fentanyl awareness tool
No donation is too small. Even $10 brings us closer to production. And if you're not in a place to give financially, sharing the campaign and spreading the word is just as meaningful.
Together, we can make something beautiful, honest, and urgently needed.
Artistic Approach
- Handheld realism grounds Lila’s day-to-day
- Golden haze, light leaks, subtle glitch show her mental drift
- Daylight ambers = hope • Inky blues/violets = despair
- Sound design blends real atmospheres with ghostly undertones
- Mood board images below inspired from (Euphoria, Waves, Atlanta, Memoria, Rust and Bone, The Empress)
Where We Are Now
We’re deep in pre-production, our cast is locked, key crew hired, locations secured, and SAG paperwork complete. Now, we need your help to bring it all to life. We’re filming July 12–13 and will officially green-light production once we hit 80% of our $12,000 goal. Your support gets us one step closer to set.
Production Plan
- Pre-Production Now – July 12
- Principal Photography July 12 – 13 (2 days)
- Post-Production July 14 – September 1 (edit, color, 5.1 mix, score)
- Festival & impact tour September onward
Can't give today? Hit Follow or share, every click unlocks Seed&Spark perks.
Thank you for helping us keep stories, and people, still here.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Principal Cast
Costs $1,500
Pay our principal talent SAG wages rather than deferring payments.
Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe
Costs $500
This will ensure period accurate outfits for our principal cast.
Meals
Costs $600
Cast & crew gotta to eat!
Set Design
Costs $500
This will cover props and set pieces.
Post Production
Costs $2,000
Edit, color grade, dialogue edit
Original Score/Composer
Costs $250
Enhance emotional impact with an original score.
Marketing/Festival Submissions
Costs $700
Get this story in front of audiences that need to see it.
Ronin 4D Gimbal
Costs $350
Wishlist item from Grant, our DP.
Steadicam Operator
Costs $1,200
Wishlist item from Grant, our DP.
Anamorphic Lenses
Costs $400
Wishlist item form Grant, our DP.
Sound
Costs $900
Pay Marcos at Yellow Boom Media for sound.
Production Insurance
Costs $600
Gear + liability insurance, because things happen.
Camera Crew, lighting and gear.
Costs $2,500
Pay our amazing camera crew!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
About This Team
Chelsey Kaye
Writer/Director/Producer
Chelsey Kaye is a Colorado born, Los Angeles based actor and filmmaker who grew up performing under stage lights and studying the stars. Raised in Boulder, she spent her early years in competitive dance, local theatre, and filling notebooks with stories and scripts. She went on to study both Dance and Astronomy at San Diego State University, because choosing between movement and the cosmos never felt necessary. After moving to LA, Chelsey appeared in a range of short films and television roles before stepping behind the camera. Still Here marks her debut as a writer-director, an emotional, lyrical project that merges her performance background with a longtime love of storytelling. When she’s not on set, she’s probably at a concert, hanging with her two doodle dogs, or figuring out which film to make next.
Grant MacAllister
Director of Photography
Grant MacAllister is an award-winning cinematographer based in Los Angeles, renowned for his work in narrative film, music videos, and commercials. With over 15 years of experience, he is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) and the Society of Camera Operators (SOC). His accolades include being named an ICG Emerging Cinematographer in 2023 and participating in the ASC Vision Mentorship Program in 2021.
MacAllister's portfolio features a diverse range of projects. Notable narrative works include "Inside the Manger", "Liz", "Chicken", "Blood Positive", and "Die Pretty". In the commercial and music video realm, he has collaborated with artists and brands such as Slash, Jimmy Page, Kirk Hammet, Demi Lovato, Gibson Guitars, and Fantastic Negrito among others. He is also dedicated to education and mentorship within the cinematography community. Through his blog, MacAllister shares insights on lens tests, lighting techniques, and resources for aspiring cinematographers.
Eric Marq
Producer
Eric Marq is known for his ability to lose himself in the life of his characters. He is a versatile actor, musician and stand up comedian. Raised in the small town of Palm Springs, California, Eric attended College of The Desert, where he quickly discovered his love for Film and Television.In 2025, he will appear on Bosch: Legacy alongside Titus Welliver. He also has a supporting role in the upcoming film The Saviors, starring Adam Scott. He recurred in Netflix's The Brothers Sun, starring Michelle Yeoh, just after his debut supporting role in the Hulu feature Flamin' Hot, directed by Eva Longoria.
Maximilien Blanc
Evan/Editor
Maximilien Blanc is a London-born, French-American actor and editor based in Los Angeles. His editing work includes the Emmy Award winning series The Shop, produced by LeBron James, as well the SXSW Audience-Award winner Sweetbriar. His recent acting work includes Nicely Entertainment's Love at the Lodge, as well as Twilight Cafe, for which he was nominated for Best Actor at FirstGlance Film Fest in Philadelphia. He is a founding member of the absurdist sketch comedy production company: People Watching Productions.
Lexi Johnson
Lila
Lexi Johnson, born in Atlanta, GA, began her career at age four with Wilhelmina Models and discovered her passion for filmmaking at twelve while acting in The Sugar Creek Gang series. She’s appeared in notable roles such as Pocahontas in The Nice Guys, Gloria in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, and starred in the 2021 psychological thriller The Girl Who Got Away, which holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Her credits also include This Is Us, Days of Our Lives, and Yogurt, a Cannes-screened short she co-wrote and starred in. In 2023, Lexi made her directorial debut with They Took Jacob, an award-winning short film now available on YouTube. Dedicated to a creative life, she continues to write, direct, act, and express herself through painting, photography, and coaching.
Jenny Katrina
Sam
Jenny Katrina is an actress and model based in Los Angeles with a focus on character-driven work across film and television projects. She brings a grounded, collaborative energy to set and is excited to be part of Still Here and help bring this story to life.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Help us reach 250 followers & $9,600 (80%) by Day 10 to green light production.
The Story
After her boyfriend Evan dies from an unintended fentanyl overdose, Lila retreats into a dreamlike state where he’s still alive. Her best friends, Maya and Sam, fight to pull her back before grief consumes her. Still Here is a lyrical short about love, memory, and the courage it takes to return to life.
Hi! Chelsey here.
Every day, fentanyl takes lives that were never meant to be lost, over 150 people. Mothers, sons, best friends. Most didn’t even know they were taking it. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve sat with the aftermath. I’ve listened to people try to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense.
Still Here is a short film about the emotional fallout of a death no one saw coming. It follows a woman clinging to visions of her boyfriend after he’s gone. Her friends try to pull her back, but how do you let go of someone who vanished without warning?
It’s not a PSA. It’s what’s left behind. A tangle of memories, regrets, and the quiet ache of trying to move forward.
This is my first time writing, directing, and producing a film. That’s daunting, but also necessary. I couldn’t shake this story. I had to make it. And I need your help to do it right.
We’re shooting under the SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Project Agreement with a small team who care as fiercely as I do. Your contribution will help us hire a visionary DP who can paint both the warmth of memory and the chill of reality, create an immersive soundscape (because silence after loss can roar), and pay fair wages to our cast and crew. Most of all, it helps us get the film in front of the people who need it.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and believing in this story. It means more than I can say.
With love,
Chelsey
Making a film like Still Here, one that’s intimate, emotional, and grounded in real experiences, takes more than just heart. It takes resources. We’re doing everything we can to stretch our budget, but we need your support to bring this story to life.
Our crowdfunding goal is $12,000, and we need to raise at least 80% of that to receive any funds at all.
Your support will directly help fund:
- A talented cinematographer and camera team to bring the emotional world of the film to life
- SAG-AFTRA cast and fair wages for our small, dedicated crew
- Location costs and permits
- Wardrobe, props, and production design
- On-set sound and post-production sound design
- Meals and essentials for our team
- Insurance, hard drives, and festival submission fees
If we exceed our goal:
- $15,000: Enhanced sound and color work in post-production
- $18,000: Additional shoot day for pickup shots and breathing room
- $20,000: Accessibility options like closed captions, translations, and impact screenings
- $25,000: Partnering with organizations to share the film as a fentanyl awareness tool
No donation is too small. Even $10 brings us closer to production. And if you're not in a place to give financially, sharing the campaign and spreading the word is just as meaningful.
Together, we can make something beautiful, honest, and urgently needed.
Artistic Approach
- Handheld realism grounds Lila’s day-to-day
- Golden haze, light leaks, subtle glitch show her mental drift
- Daylight ambers = hope • Inky blues/violets = despair
- Sound design blends real atmospheres with ghostly undertones
- Mood board images below inspired from (Euphoria, Waves, Atlanta, Memoria, Rust and Bone, The Empress)
Where We Are Now
We’re deep in pre-production, our cast is locked, key crew hired, locations secured, and SAG paperwork complete. Now, we need your help to bring it all to life. We’re filming July 12–13 and will officially green-light production once we hit 80% of our $12,000 goal. Your support gets us one step closer to set.
Production Plan
- Pre-Production Now – July 12
- Principal Photography July 12 – 13 (2 days)
- Post-Production July 14 – September 1 (edit, color, 5.1 mix, score)
- Festival & impact tour September onward
Can't give today? Hit Follow or share, every click unlocks Seed&Spark perks.
Thank you for helping us keep stories, and people, still here.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Principal Cast
Costs $1,500
Pay our principal talent SAG wages rather than deferring payments.
Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe
Costs $500
This will ensure period accurate outfits for our principal cast.
Meals
Costs $600
Cast & crew gotta to eat!
Set Design
Costs $500
This will cover props and set pieces.
Post Production
Costs $2,000
Edit, color grade, dialogue edit
Original Score/Composer
Costs $250
Enhance emotional impact with an original score.
Marketing/Festival Submissions
Costs $700
Get this story in front of audiences that need to see it.
Ronin 4D Gimbal
Costs $350
Wishlist item from Grant, our DP.
Steadicam Operator
Costs $1,200
Wishlist item from Grant, our DP.
Anamorphic Lenses
Costs $400
Wishlist item form Grant, our DP.
Sound
Costs $900
Pay Marcos at Yellow Boom Media for sound.
Production Insurance
Costs $600
Gear + liability insurance, because things happen.
Camera Crew, lighting and gear.
Costs $2,500
Pay our amazing camera crew!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
About This Team
Chelsey Kaye
Writer/Director/Producer
Chelsey Kaye is a Colorado born, Los Angeles based actor and filmmaker who grew up performing under stage lights and studying the stars. Raised in Boulder, she spent her early years in competitive dance, local theatre, and filling notebooks with stories and scripts. She went on to study both Dance and Astronomy at San Diego State University, because choosing between movement and the cosmos never felt necessary. After moving to LA, Chelsey appeared in a range of short films and television roles before stepping behind the camera. Still Here marks her debut as a writer-director, an emotional, lyrical project that merges her performance background with a longtime love of storytelling. When she’s not on set, she’s probably at a concert, hanging with her two doodle dogs, or figuring out which film to make next.
Grant MacAllister
Director of Photography
Grant MacAllister is an award-winning cinematographer based in Los Angeles, renowned for his work in narrative film, music videos, and commercials. With over 15 years of experience, he is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) and the Society of Camera Operators (SOC). His accolades include being named an ICG Emerging Cinematographer in 2023 and participating in the ASC Vision Mentorship Program in 2021.
MacAllister's portfolio features a diverse range of projects. Notable narrative works include "Inside the Manger", "Liz", "Chicken", "Blood Positive", and "Die Pretty". In the commercial and music video realm, he has collaborated with artists and brands such as Slash, Jimmy Page, Kirk Hammet, Demi Lovato, Gibson Guitars, and Fantastic Negrito among others. He is also dedicated to education and mentorship within the cinematography community. Through his blog, MacAllister shares insights on lens tests, lighting techniques, and resources for aspiring cinematographers.
Eric Marq
Producer
Eric Marq is known for his ability to lose himself in the life of his characters. He is a versatile actor, musician and stand up comedian. Raised in the small town of Palm Springs, California, Eric attended College of The Desert, where he quickly discovered his love for Film and Television.In 2025, he will appear on Bosch: Legacy alongside Titus Welliver. He also has a supporting role in the upcoming film The Saviors, starring Adam Scott. He recurred in Netflix's The Brothers Sun, starring Michelle Yeoh, just after his debut supporting role in the Hulu feature Flamin' Hot, directed by Eva Longoria.
Maximilien Blanc
Evan/Editor
Maximilien Blanc is a London-born, French-American actor and editor based in Los Angeles. His editing work includes the Emmy Award winning series The Shop, produced by LeBron James, as well the SXSW Audience-Award winner Sweetbriar. His recent acting work includes Nicely Entertainment's Love at the Lodge, as well as Twilight Cafe, for which he was nominated for Best Actor at FirstGlance Film Fest in Philadelphia. He is a founding member of the absurdist sketch comedy production company: People Watching Productions.
Lexi Johnson
Lila
Lexi Johnson, born in Atlanta, GA, began her career at age four with Wilhelmina Models and discovered her passion for filmmaking at twelve while acting in The Sugar Creek Gang series. She’s appeared in notable roles such as Pocahontas in The Nice Guys, Gloria in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, and starred in the 2021 psychological thriller The Girl Who Got Away, which holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Her credits also include This Is Us, Days of Our Lives, and Yogurt, a Cannes-screened short she co-wrote and starred in. In 2023, Lexi made her directorial debut with They Took Jacob, an award-winning short film now available on YouTube. Dedicated to a creative life, she continues to write, direct, act, and express herself through painting, photography, and coaching.
Jenny Katrina
Sam
Jenny Katrina is an actress and model based in Los Angeles with a focus on character-driven work across film and television projects. She brings a grounded, collaborative energy to set and is excited to be part of Still Here and help bring this story to life.