Stitches Come Out
Poughkeepsie, New York | Film Short
Animation, Comedy
Through the magic of stop-motion, this film features Liam navigating coming out to his crush, Lulu, in this laundromat meet cute. Support independent queer media this Pride Month!
Stitches Come Out
Poughkeepsie, New York | Film Short
Animation, Comedy
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
70 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$12,437
Goal: $9,250 for production
Through the magic of stop-motion, this film features Liam navigating coming out to his crush, Lulu, in this laundromat meet cute. Support independent queer media this Pride Month!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
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Do you want to support the creation of the FIRST stop motion film to star a trans man this Pride Month?
Do you fantasize about seeing more queer laundromat meet cutes on screen?
Have you always wanted a rom-com version of Tom & Jerry?
Do you want more beautiful, handmade art in the world?
If you answered yes to any of the questions we've got great news:
This film is for you! So, keep Reading...
Synopsis
This meetcute follows Liam and his sentient trans flag hoodie who comedically clash over whether to come out to his crush, Lulu. This story externalizes an internal conflict that trans people often navigate: “is this person safe to come out to?” and explores the difficulty of finding self-acceptance in a world that isn’t always accepting.
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I started writing this script in response to the ongoing political persecution of trans people in this country, and the effects that this has had on both my trans husband and our immediate queer community.
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While this movie is most directly a love letter to my husband, I believe it will make all people, trans or cis, smile and feel deserving of love.
Read more about the folks making this magic happen under the team tab.
There is no other medium that flips you around quite like stop-motion. There is no other medium where we can spend six hours cutting hundreds of small square tiles out out of PVC foam. Six more hours cleaning, sanding, and painting said tiles. Two hours cutting, cleaning, and painting more tiles because of a miscalculation. And, six more hours laying them out and speckling them by hand.
Art is a gift. The intense dedication that each element of what appears on screen in a stop-motion film is felt. There is magic in moving hand-crafted characters in hand-crafted sets millimeter by millimeter through thousands of pictures to tell a story. For a movie rooted in love like “Stitches Come Out”, I can’t imagine a better medium than one based on this same value.
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~How You Can Help ~
Contribute:
- Please consider investing in this project financially! Incentives are available at all giving abilities. You can donate any amount, not just the suggested ones. Every dollar make a difference!
Follow:
- Follow the campaign on Seed&Spark! Once we hit 250 followers, regardless of how many people pledge, we'll unlock additional resources from Seed & Spark. 350 followers and we'll get discounted festival submissions! :)
- Subscribe to Big Mama Studio's monthly newsletter to get the insider look at our process, and follow @sara_inoa on instagram and tiktok for more stop motion on your feed.
Share the following on your social media:
- Support @sara_inoa in making her queer stop motion laundromat meet cute this Pride Month! Check out:(https://seedandspark.com/fund/stitches-come-out#story)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Tabling Supplies
Costs $200
We need a table, tent, and printed materials for tabling at in person events. We want to connect with the local queer community! :)
Set
Costs $1,000
Wood, Paint, Epoxy, Oh My! It takes a lot to build a 1:6 replica of a laundromat, and this money will help us do so.
Festival Submissions
Costs $2,500
We want to submit our film to festivals far and wide! This money will help us do so, and pay for gas money for local(ish) fests.
Artists + Intern
Costs $1,200
Help us support our Fabrication Intern, Storyboard Artist, and Editor!
Puppet Costs
Costs $500
We have three puppets to make: Liam, Lulu, and Hoodie. We'll make their armature (stop motion skeletons), and costumes!
Camera Accessories
Costs $750
We need a Camera Slider, a top-down set-up, and a dim fill light for those beautiful stop motion shots.
Props
Costs $600
Every. Single. Thing. You see in the film will be handmade by me. This money will go to raw materials to work with!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
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Meet the wonderful people working hard to make this film happen! Months of dedication from writers, storyboard artists, set, stop-motion fabricators, editors, and musicians are required to make this film as fantastic as it’s going to be.
This film is being made with the support of California based non-profit Black N Animated.
My name is Sara. Working in independent animation requires knowing a lot about a lot. I have my hands in all facets of this project. This is the first of many animated films I want to make that bring nuanced perspectives to characters underrepresented in film.
I'm Ezra. Like Sara I wear many hats on this project. I’ve edited every piece of marketing you’ve seen, helped apply for funding, organized our crowdfunding campaign (coming soon!), and much more. Outside of this film, my current interests are identifying bird calls, riding my e-bike, and reading about the history of oil in the 20th century.
I’m also Sara’s husband and the transsexual that inspired this project, which you’ll notice in the character design of Liam. Despite being involved in the production of a film that’s very #transpride, I don’t usually feel positively about this whole trans thing. Making this film is as much an act of self compassion as it is a gift for other trans men.
I'm Mikail Ekiz, a Jersey born Brooklyn based Animator and Designer. I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 2019 began working with various clients and studios including Hornet, Ralph Lauren, CNN, HBO Max, and ShadowMachine on the Oscar Award Winning feature film Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio.
Joenell Luma here, a first-generation Haitian American artist currently mastering the high-stakes discipline of "Toddler Management." When I’m not being outmaneuvered by two adorable toddlers, I spend my time creating "silly drawings"—though most know them as professional caricature artist and storyboards.
My obsession with drawing and animation started early, sparked by endless Looney Tunes reruns and a childhood dream of spending every waking hour with a pencil in hand. Not understanding animation was an option, I studied Fine Art Painting at Hofstra University Long Island NY. It was only after graduating that I realized I could go after animation.
My name is Maya Tuckman. I’m a studio art student going into my junior year at Vassar college (Sara & Ezra's alma mater)! I enjoy to dabbling in all mediums, but animation is my favorite. I love stop motion and am so excited for the opportunity to help Sara with Stitches Come Out. I’ve made small scale productions before and this is my first time collaborating on a set! I am interested in becoming a stop motion animator for my career, and I’m grateful for all the experiences that have led me here!
I work as an assistant editor. I’m deeply in love with animation, racing video games, have a mild obsession with snow shoveling videos, and the urge to travel to Ireland.
Hello there! I’m Isabel “Cha-Cha” Inoa and I’m the film score composer for Stitches Come Out. I’m based in Upstate New York where alongside writing music, I work at a local college library and have begun writing poetry and short stories in my free time. Growing up playing the violin, I fell in love with Joe Hisaishi’s film scores while watching (and rewatching) numerous Ghibli films with Sara. Cultivating joy for myself and my surrounding communities feels imperative to me, and I am honored that I get to do that through this project beside my lovely sister and other dedicated creatives.
We are excited to support Stitches Come Out in our inaugural 2026 BNA Artist Fellowship.
Our mission at BNA "is to create space and support the US Black animation community through their entire careers - from breaking in, to developing a series or feature films. BNA is a resource for creatives aiming to break into the animation industry, or those trying to advance their careers. By creating more access to industry education, targeted talent development, and a streamlined communication channel between Black professionals and students of the craft, we want to empower Black creatives to advance in their careers, while we provide guidance and continual support" (Sourced from the Black N Animated website).
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Do you want to support the creation of the FIRST stop motion film to star a trans man this Pride Month?
Do you fantasize about seeing more queer laundromat meet cutes on screen?
Have you always wanted a rom-com version of Tom & Jerry?
Do you want more beautiful, handmade art in the world?
If you answered yes to any of the questions we've got great news:
This film is for you! So, keep Reading...
Synopsis
This meetcute follows Liam and his sentient trans flag hoodie who comedically clash over whether to come out to his crush, Lulu. This story externalizes an internal conflict that trans people often navigate: “is this person safe to come out to?” and explores the difficulty of finding self-acceptance in a world that isn’t always accepting.
I started writing this script in response to the ongoing political persecution of trans people in this country, and the effects that this has had on both my trans husband and our immediate queer community.
While this movie is most directly a love letter to my husband, I believe it will make all people, trans or cis, smile and feel deserving of love.
Read more about the folks making this magic happen under the team tab.
There is no other medium that flips you around quite like stop-motion. There is no other medium where we can spend six hours cutting hundreds of small square tiles out out of PVC foam. Six more hours cleaning, sanding, and painting said tiles. Two hours cutting, cleaning, and painting more tiles because of a miscalculation. And, six more hours laying them out and speckling them by hand.
Art is a gift. The intense dedication that each element of what appears on screen in a stop-motion film is felt. There is magic in moving hand-crafted characters in hand-crafted sets millimeter by millimeter through thousands of pictures to tell a story. For a movie rooted in love like “Stitches Come Out”, I can’t imagine a better medium than one based on this same value.
~How You Can Help ~
Contribute:
- Please consider investing in this project financially! Incentives are available at all giving abilities. You can donate any amount, not just the suggested ones. Every dollar make a difference!
Follow:
- Follow the campaign on Seed&Spark! Once we hit 250 followers, regardless of how many people pledge, we'll unlock additional resources from Seed & Spark. 350 followers and we'll get discounted festival submissions! :)
- Subscribe to Big Mama Studio's monthly newsletter to get the insider look at our process, and follow @sara_inoa on instagram and tiktok for more stop motion on your feed.
Share the following on your social media:
- Support @sara_inoa in making her queer stop motion laundromat meet cute this Pride Month! Check out:(https://seedandspark.com/fund/stitches-come-out#story)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Tabling Supplies
Costs $200
We need a table, tent, and printed materials for tabling at in person events. We want to connect with the local queer community! :)
Set
Costs $1,000
Wood, Paint, Epoxy, Oh My! It takes a lot to build a 1:6 replica of a laundromat, and this money will help us do so.
Festival Submissions
Costs $2,500
We want to submit our film to festivals far and wide! This money will help us do so, and pay for gas money for local(ish) fests.
Artists + Intern
Costs $1,200
Help us support our Fabrication Intern, Storyboard Artist, and Editor!
Puppet Costs
Costs $500
We have three puppets to make: Liam, Lulu, and Hoodie. We'll make their armature (stop motion skeletons), and costumes!
Camera Accessories
Costs $750
We need a Camera Slider, a top-down set-up, and a dim fill light for those beautiful stop motion shots.
Props
Costs $600
Every. Single. Thing. You see in the film will be handmade by me. This money will go to raw materials to work with!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meet the wonderful people working hard to make this film happen! Months of dedication from writers, storyboard artists, set, stop-motion fabricators, editors, and musicians are required to make this film as fantastic as it’s going to be.
This film is being made with the support of California based non-profit Black N Animated.
My name is Sara. Working in independent animation requires knowing a lot about a lot. I have my hands in all facets of this project. This is the first of many animated films I want to make that bring nuanced perspectives to characters underrepresented in film.
I'm Ezra. Like Sara I wear many hats on this project. I’ve edited every piece of marketing you’ve seen, helped apply for funding, organized our crowdfunding campaign (coming soon!), and much more. Outside of this film, my current interests are identifying bird calls, riding my e-bike, and reading about the history of oil in the 20th century.
I’m also Sara’s husband and the transsexual that inspired this project, which you’ll notice in the character design of Liam. Despite being involved in the production of a film that’s very #transpride, I don’t usually feel positively about this whole trans thing. Making this film is as much an act of self compassion as it is a gift for other trans men.
I'm Mikail Ekiz, a Jersey born Brooklyn based Animator and Designer. I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 2019 began working with various clients and studios including Hornet, Ralph Lauren, CNN, HBO Max, and ShadowMachine on the Oscar Award Winning feature film Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio.
Joenell Luma here, a first-generation Haitian American artist currently mastering the high-stakes discipline of "Toddler Management." When I’m not being outmaneuvered by two adorable toddlers, I spend my time creating "silly drawings"—though most know them as professional caricature artist and storyboards.
My obsession with drawing and animation started early, sparked by endless Looney Tunes reruns and a childhood dream of spending every waking hour with a pencil in hand. Not understanding animation was an option, I studied Fine Art Painting at Hofstra University Long Island NY. It was only after graduating that I realized I could go after animation.
My name is Maya Tuckman. I’m a studio art student going into my junior year at Vassar college (Sara & Ezra's alma mater)! I enjoy to dabbling in all mediums, but animation is my favorite. I love stop motion and am so excited for the opportunity to help Sara with Stitches Come Out. I’ve made small scale productions before and this is my first time collaborating on a set! I am interested in becoming a stop motion animator for my career, and I’m grateful for all the experiences that have led me here!
I work as an assistant editor. I’m deeply in love with animation, racing video games, have a mild obsession with snow shoveling videos, and the urge to travel to Ireland.
Hello there! I’m Isabel “Cha-Cha” Inoa and I’m the film score composer for Stitches Come Out. I’m based in Upstate New York where alongside writing music, I work at a local college library and have begun writing poetry and short stories in my free time. Growing up playing the violin, I fell in love with Joe Hisaishi’s film scores while watching (and rewatching) numerous Ghibli films with Sara. Cultivating joy for myself and my surrounding communities feels imperative to me, and I am honored that I get to do that through this project beside my lovely sister and other dedicated creatives.
We are excited to support Stitches Come Out in our inaugural 2026 BNA Artist Fellowship.
Our mission at BNA "is to create space and support the US Black animation community through their entire careers - from breaking in, to developing a series or feature films. BNA is a resource for creatives aiming to break into the animation industry, or those trying to advance their careers. By creating more access to industry education, targeted talent development, and a streamlined communication channel between Black professionals and students of the craft, we want to empower Black creatives to advance in their careers, while we provide guidance and continual support" (Sourced from the Black N Animated website).