[subtext]
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Romantic Comedy
Two people on a first date mask and ignore their insecurities until an event forces them to say what they're really thinking. Even though being honest and vulnerable can be terrifying, acknowledging and accepting our darkness is what actually allows us to move forward and make genuine connections.
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,590 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
140 supporters | followers
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Two people on a first date mask and ignore their insecurities until an event forces them to say what they're really thinking. Even though being honest and vulnerable can be terrifying, acknowledging and accepting our darkness is what actually allows us to move forward and make genuine connections.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
**UPDATE**
Thank you all for your contributions to [subtext] - we got the green light!
If you did not get the chance to contribute and would like to support the project, or you would like to contribute more funds, you can use our Paypal donation link here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=UVPMCH8JAUCQW&no_recurring=0&item_name=%5Bsubtext%5D+-+A+Short+Film¤cy_code=USD
Two deeply insecure people on a first date speak their subtext out loud -- but the actors play it as if they're sharing normal small talk. Neither person knows what's really going on with the other until an event happens in the middle of the date that forces them to say exactly what they're thinking. In the end, their vulnerability finally allows them to make a genuine connection.
I always like my work to be a little bit weird. I love plays that aren't entirely based in realism because of how it can allow for more creative ways of expressing emotion. Something my heart gets even if my head doesn't - like a Dali painting.
Honesty is also a huge theme in my work. I'm obsessed with finding shared experiences that we don't even realize we have because we don't talk about them. A first date felt like a great scenario to explore the dichotomy between our burning desire to be known and our equally burning desire to present the most ideal version of ourselves. We want to move on from the trauma in our past, but at the same time, our past shapes who we are. When we hide our true selves in favor of some idea of what we think we should be, we rob ourselves and other people of the true connections that come from being honest and vulnerable.
We also can't take ourselves out of the context of the time that we are living in. When we avoid talking about what's really going on in the world, we don't make progress as a society.
It's like some dating advice I once got: if a couple never fights, that doesn't mean there's no conflict in their relationship - it means they aren't talking about it.
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This film is led by an all-female team and will create compensated opportunities for underrepresented independent filmmakers. A professional, people-forward approach will permeate every level of this production.
Our goal is to film in early January, so by fundraising in October we ensure that we can put down some deposits and give our crew an expectation what we can pay them. The closer we get to our goal, the more money our crew can earn (yay)!
The pandemic has also made filming more complicated. In order to ensure a safe working environment, we will use funds raised to purchase masks, covid tests, and sanitizer to follow industry Health & Safety protocol. As a former H&S scheduler on two professional sets, Olivia knows a thing or two about avoiding covid on set! And hey, it's winter, we don't want to get colds and flus either.
During the campaign, the creative team will start our prep work. This will include finalizing the script, hiring all the crew members, rehearsing with the actors, scouting the location, and setting up the shot list. Then, we will commence filming in mid-December or early January.
After we shoot the film, we will begin the post-production process and hire editors to create the rough and final cuts of the film. And after that, we will enter the short into the film festival circuit. This will help the project gain momentum and allow us to show it to wider audiences.
The best way to help is with a pledge! 100% of your contribution will go towards production costs.
Be sure to follow this campaign on Seed & Spark, as well as our official social media pages, for updates as we add new team members and begin filming! This way you can see exactly how your contribution is making an impact.
Can't pledge right now? Share our campaign with someone who can! This especially goes for those of you popular folks with a lot of followers. Or maybe you already pledged and want to tell everyone else how awesome this film is gonna be. Get them to join you! Make your money turn into MORE money! Big budget mindset.
Here are some examples of social media posts you can use. Feel free to copy and paste:
Help filmmakers @olivia_haller and @erinbrownthomas_filmmaker by supporting their surreal short film about two people on a first date who can only speak in...[SUBTEXT]. Support them on @seedandspark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/subtext
I just found out about [SUBTEXT] directed by @erinbrownthomas_filmmaker and written by @olivia_haller and WOW, you've got to support this short! Join them on @seedandspark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/subtext
I'm so excited to see the new surreal dramedy [SUBTEXT], by @olivia_haller and directed by @erinbrownthomas_filmmaker - Support them on @seedandspark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/subtext
Our official socials to follow are:
Instagram: @subtextshort
Facebook: Subtext - A Short Film
Can't make a monetary pledge but have services or items you can donate or loan? Check out our list below! We can offer credit and/or advertising. You can get in touch by sending a DM to our Instagram or Facebook accounts.
Here are a few things we are looking for:
Featured Extras/Background
Craft services (snacks, coffee, bottled water)
Catering
PPE
Outdoor folding tables/tent/chairs
We appreciate anything you can do. We can't do this without you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew fees
Costs $8,500
Because we value our people!
Location
Costs $5,000
Because we can't use my apartment.
Insurance
Costs $500
Because my lawyers told me to.
Catering & Crafty
Costs $500
Because no one works well when they're hangry.
Production Supplies
Costs $500
Because it's good to be prepared.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Olivia met Erin in the first writers group she joined in Los Angeles. After reading a kick-ass feature that Erin co-wrote, she knew she had to get to know this person. Over jam & toast at Squirl on the east side, they realized they both liked each other's voices and knew they wanted to collaborate on something. Erin mentioned she directed shorts, and though Olivia loved writing 10-minute plays, she had never written a short screenplay.
A challenge.
A year later, Olivia reached out to Erin with the idea for Subtext, and Erin said it sounded cool and to send her a draft. Out of all the people Olivia sent this draft to, Erin was the one to challenge it the most. Would the concept of actors speaking their subtext translate well from page to screen? After workshopping the script with a few actors and artistic collaborators, the idea seemed to not only work but really resonate with people. We were makin' the short.
Our project continues to attract dope filmmakers from around the city. I could mention something about how cool it is that we have an entirely female-led team, but can't women just make stuff together without it being revolutionary yet?
Watch this page as we continue to add cool folks to our team!
Olivia Haller writes feel-good, emotionally earnest stories about relationships - often with a healthy dose of the surreal. She is a DC-born playwright and screenwriter currently based in Los Angeles. Her stage plays have been presented at or developed with Relative Theatrics, Convergence Theatre (2018 Women's Voices Theater Festival), Interlochen Center for the Arts, NextStop Theatre Company, Theater Alliance, Keegan Theatre, and Rorschach Theatre. Most recently, her TV pilot Friendmance was a Finalist for the 2022 Catalyst Story Institute festival and a Semifinalist in the Screencraft Comedy Competition. Olivia holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University and a certificate from UCLA's Professional Program in Writing for Television. www.oliviahaller.net
Filmmaker Erin Brown Thomas is constantly creating. As a writer, she gravitates towards dramedy. Her directing portfolio is more eclectic -- boldy oscillating between formalism and naturalism. She has a proclivity for blending genres (most often combining comedy, drama, and choreography) and a knack for creating visually interesting stories that take place in a single room. Her films have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, been curated by Vimeo, and won awards in Academy Award-Qualifying film festivals. Erin is a co-founder of Salute Your Shorts Film Festival.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
**UPDATE**
Thank you all for your contributions to [subtext] - we got the green light!
If you did not get the chance to contribute and would like to support the project, or you would like to contribute more funds, you can use our Paypal donation link here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=UVPMCH8JAUCQW&no_recurring=0&item_name=%5Bsubtext%5D+-+A+Short+Film¤cy_code=USD
Two deeply insecure people on a first date speak their subtext out loud -- but the actors play it as if they're sharing normal small talk. Neither person knows what's really going on with the other until an event happens in the middle of the date that forces them to say exactly what they're thinking. In the end, their vulnerability finally allows them to make a genuine connection.
I always like my work to be a little bit weird. I love plays that aren't entirely based in realism because of how it can allow for more creative ways of expressing emotion. Something my heart gets even if my head doesn't - like a Dali painting.
Honesty is also a huge theme in my work. I'm obsessed with finding shared experiences that we don't even realize we have because we don't talk about them. A first date felt like a great scenario to explore the dichotomy between our burning desire to be known and our equally burning desire to present the most ideal version of ourselves. We want to move on from the trauma in our past, but at the same time, our past shapes who we are. When we hide our true selves in favor of some idea of what we think we should be, we rob ourselves and other people of the true connections that come from being honest and vulnerable.
We also can't take ourselves out of the context of the time that we are living in. When we avoid talking about what's really going on in the world, we don't make progress as a society.
It's like some dating advice I once got: if a couple never fights, that doesn't mean there's no conflict in their relationship - it means they aren't talking about it.
This film is led by an all-female team and will create compensated opportunities for underrepresented independent filmmakers. A professional, people-forward approach will permeate every level of this production.
Our goal is to film in early January, so by fundraising in October we ensure that we can put down some deposits and give our crew an expectation what we can pay them. The closer we get to our goal, the more money our crew can earn (yay)!
The pandemic has also made filming more complicated. In order to ensure a safe working environment, we will use funds raised to purchase masks, covid tests, and sanitizer to follow industry Health & Safety protocol. As a former H&S scheduler on two professional sets, Olivia knows a thing or two about avoiding covid on set! And hey, it's winter, we don't want to get colds and flus either.
During the campaign, the creative team will start our prep work. This will include finalizing the script, hiring all the crew members, rehearsing with the actors, scouting the location, and setting up the shot list. Then, we will commence filming in mid-December or early January.
After we shoot the film, we will begin the post-production process and hire editors to create the rough and final cuts of the film. And after that, we will enter the short into the film festival circuit. This will help the project gain momentum and allow us to show it to wider audiences.
The best way to help is with a pledge! 100% of your contribution will go towards production costs.
Be sure to follow this campaign on Seed & Spark, as well as our official social media pages, for updates as we add new team members and begin filming! This way you can see exactly how your contribution is making an impact.
Can't pledge right now? Share our campaign with someone who can! This especially goes for those of you popular folks with a lot of followers. Or maybe you already pledged and want to tell everyone else how awesome this film is gonna be. Get them to join you! Make your money turn into MORE money! Big budget mindset.
Here are some examples of social media posts you can use. Feel free to copy and paste:
Help filmmakers @olivia_haller and @erinbrownthomas_filmmaker by supporting their surreal short film about two people on a first date who can only speak in...[SUBTEXT]. Support them on @seedandspark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/subtext
I just found out about [SUBTEXT] directed by @erinbrownthomas_filmmaker and written by @olivia_haller and WOW, you've got to support this short! Join them on @seedandspark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/subtext
I'm so excited to see the new surreal dramedy [SUBTEXT], by @olivia_haller and directed by @erinbrownthomas_filmmaker - Support them on @seedandspark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/subtext
Our official socials to follow are:
Instagram: @subtextshort
Facebook: Subtext - A Short Film
Can't make a monetary pledge but have services or items you can donate or loan? Check out our list below! We can offer credit and/or advertising. You can get in touch by sending a DM to our Instagram or Facebook accounts.
Here are a few things we are looking for:
Featured Extras/Background
Craft services (snacks, coffee, bottled water)
Catering
PPE
Outdoor folding tables/tent/chairs
We appreciate anything you can do. We can't do this without you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew fees
Costs $8,500
Because we value our people!
Location
Costs $5,000
Because we can't use my apartment.
Insurance
Costs $500
Because my lawyers told me to.
Catering & Crafty
Costs $500
Because no one works well when they're hangry.
Production Supplies
Costs $500
Because it's good to be prepared.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Olivia met Erin in the first writers group she joined in Los Angeles. After reading a kick-ass feature that Erin co-wrote, she knew she had to get to know this person. Over jam & toast at Squirl on the east side, they realized they both liked each other's voices and knew they wanted to collaborate on something. Erin mentioned she directed shorts, and though Olivia loved writing 10-minute plays, she had never written a short screenplay.
A challenge.
A year later, Olivia reached out to Erin with the idea for Subtext, and Erin said it sounded cool and to send her a draft. Out of all the people Olivia sent this draft to, Erin was the one to challenge it the most. Would the concept of actors speaking their subtext translate well from page to screen? After workshopping the script with a few actors and artistic collaborators, the idea seemed to not only work but really resonate with people. We were makin' the short.
Our project continues to attract dope filmmakers from around the city. I could mention something about how cool it is that we have an entirely female-led team, but can't women just make stuff together without it being revolutionary yet?
Watch this page as we continue to add cool folks to our team!
Olivia Haller writes feel-good, emotionally earnest stories about relationships - often with a healthy dose of the surreal. She is a DC-born playwright and screenwriter currently based in Los Angeles. Her stage plays have been presented at or developed with Relative Theatrics, Convergence Theatre (2018 Women's Voices Theater Festival), Interlochen Center for the Arts, NextStop Theatre Company, Theater Alliance, Keegan Theatre, and Rorschach Theatre. Most recently, her TV pilot Friendmance was a Finalist for the 2022 Catalyst Story Institute festival and a Semifinalist in the Screencraft Comedy Competition. Olivia holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University and a certificate from UCLA's Professional Program in Writing for Television. www.oliviahaller.net
Filmmaker Erin Brown Thomas is constantly creating. As a writer, she gravitates towards dramedy. Her directing portfolio is more eclectic -- boldy oscillating between formalism and naturalism. She has a proclivity for blending genres (most often combining comedy, drama, and choreography) and a knack for creating visually interesting stories that take place in a single room. Her films have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, been curated by Vimeo, and won awards in Academy Award-Qualifying film festivals. Erin is a co-founder of Salute Your Shorts Film Festival.