SUNKISS
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Teen
SUNKISS is a short film deals with themes of girlhood, bisexuality, and rape culture. It is based on the writers’ own personal experiences in the summer before high school.
SUNKISS
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Teen
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $18,003 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
135 supporters | followers
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SUNKISS is a short film deals with themes of girlhood, bisexuality, and rape culture. It is based on the writers’ own personal experiences in the summer before high school.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
Alex and Sofia lay under a tree hiding from the summer sun and feed each other slices of oranges and laugh. They are young girls on the path of discovering their sexual identities and testing boundaries. They run into a group of boys who are their peers and head to the skatepark. The skatepark boys do flips and tricks, but Sofia is unimpressed. Alex vies for her attention. Then a couple of twenty something guys pull up with their big Lincoln town car blasting cool music. Sofia is intrigued and drags Alex to come along with her and talk to the guys.
They soon find themselves in the backseat of the car drinking and doing donuts. Alex is focused on Sofia, Sofia is focused on the guys. The driver pulls over and shotguns a hit of weed into Anna’s mouth. As Alex watches, her mind plays tricks on her and clicks into a strange fantasy where they are covered in sunflowers and yellow roses and having sex in the front seat. Alex snaps out of this as the other guy puts his arm around her. The boys drive them to their house and pressure the young girls to go inside. Alex has a bad feeling in her gut and as she steps out of the car she pulls one of the flowers from her fantasy from her mouth. Alex snaps out of it when one of the guys chastises her and convinces her to come inside. The door closes behind the young girls and we know their fate is sealed and their innocence lost.
About Me
I grew up in a small town in Colorado and in 1999 when I was 13 I was raped by two older boys. I wish I could say it was an isolated incident, but the truth is that I would experience years of grooming by men in their 20s along with the constant bombardment from society that my only value as a woman was my looks and what I could offer a man sexually. It would take me years to be able to speak about this not from a place of victimhood, but from a colletive that this is an issue that effects all of us. I want to shoot this film in a way that is gritty and real and capture that delicate balance of the beauty of my girlhood and discovering who I am as a queer person while contrasting that against the dangers that so many of us experienced.
The Characters
Alex - A girl who can usually say what's on her mind, except for when it comes to the wishes of
her crush, Sofia. Red hair and freckles. On the verge of being a TomBoy, but has enough feminine style that Sofia approves of. She's the oldest daughter and started rebelling by sneaking her moms's menthol cigarettes when she wasn't looking. Super smart but downplays it to fit in with others. Her tough exterior is a front to hide her anxiety and self consciousness.
Sofia - She has recently discovered her desire for boys, but she is bored with her video game energy drink chugging peers. Grew up in a bi racial household and felt like she never quite fit in either. She has a big heart and big dreams of one day being a singer songwriter. Is just learning that her looks gets her things she wants and doesn't yet know the dangers.
Trent and Casey - Deep down these two are just deeply flawed humans who have been dealt a shitty hand in life from their abusive parents and unknowingly dealing with the negative effects of the patriarchy. Not evil by nature, but misguided and pushing boundaries of their power and what they can get away with. Seeking attention from women in all the wrong ways and just wanting validation. Have been best friends since they were little and have fallen in with the wrong crowd.
Mission Statement
With one in five women being survivors of rape and one quarter of men experiencing some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, this is sadly an all too prevalent story. I am a two time survivor of rape and it took me years before I would forgive myself and stopped blaming myself for what had happened. It was hearing stories like these from other women and survivors that allowed me to learn that it was not my fault and instead a part of an overwhelming systemic culture of silence and control.
In recent years with the overturn of Roe v Wade we have taken many steps backwards in America regarding rights and freedoms and basic respects to women and other marginalized groups. Talking about sexual violence and predatory men is an important part of sharing my story as a survivor to connect with other folks to help them feel less alone and to teach others that we must undo this culture of sexual violence and power.
Why Film
Around this same time period of my life I began to learn how to shoot on film in a darkroom. I have spent 20+ years of my life deicated to the craft of analog so for me not only is it stylistically representative of the time period, but it has this very personal connection of represetning that time in my life and what I was making. Film was often my place of escape and power outside of the fucked up world I was living in. Kodak 16mm motion picture film has this instantly timeless quality to it. There's something about the celluloid that almost breathes and allows the viewer to feel a presence and connection unlike any digital medium. Shooting on film also creates this intentionality on set with its collaborators. Since everyone knows it's a finite resource and we only have so many takes, it levels everyone up to perform at their best and to be even more considerate about every little thing entering the frame.
How You Can Help
Any monetary contributions are greatly appreciated, there really is no amount too small. The total budget needed to complete this film from pre-production all the way through post production is $30,000, however, we’re currently looking to raise $20,000 to cover the cost of production. If we exceed our goal, the additional funds will go towards post production expenses. Here’s a breakdown of where your money will go if you choose to donate:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Camera Department
Costs $3,000
Compensation for our First Assistant Camera, Second Assistant Camera and Behind the Scenes Photographer
Grip and Electrical Department
Costs $2,500
Compensation for our Key Grip and Grips
Sound Department
Costs $1,500
Compensation for our sound technician
Production Design
Costs $600
Compensation for our Production Designer
Actor Wages
Costs $3,000
Compensation for our actors
Craft Services
Costs $800
Lunch and Craft Services for our cast and crew
ARRI SR III Camera Package Rental
Costs $500
The 16mm film camera we'll be using to bring SUNKISS to life
Lens Rental from Old Fast Glass
Costs $1,000
A rare set of Kowa Super Speed lenses
Kodak Film
Costs $1,300
4,000 feet of Kodak 16mm film stock
Locations
Costs $200
The house where our film comes to its conclusion
Props
Costs $600
A budget for our props
Costumes
Costs $500
A budget for our costumes
Vintage Car Rental
Costs $500
The car driven by Trent and Casey
Car Rig
Costs $600
A rig for shooting our car scenes
Workers Compensation
Costs $1,000
Workers compensation is always necessary, even when all precautions are taken
Equipment Insurance
Costs $700
Another necessary precaution, insurance for our equipment
Film Development
Costs $1,700
The final step before we begin post production, film processing and scanning by FotoKem
Share this update!
About This Team
Candice Rose (Director, DP, Co-Writer)
Candice is a queer female filmmaker who began studying darkroom film photography in 2000. She was the first in her family to finish high school and the only one to go to college where she received a BFA in Photography from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2010. She later earned her MFA in Film from UCLA in 2016 where she focused on Directing & Cinematography. Candice has received several awards such as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award, the MPAA award, and the Jack Nicholson Distinguished Student Director Award. Her film, IN LOVE, a short comedy horror about toxic relationships shot all on Super 8mm won the Straight8 competition in Cannes in 2018. Candice currently runs her boutique production company, Spin the Dial Productions, in Los Angeles.
Sam Clay (Co-Writer)
Borrowing from events in her own experiences growing up as an erased bisexual girl in the 90s in small town West Virginia, Sam brings a much needed levity and cohesive story approach to the film. Sam is a Sundance Institute Episodic Lab Alum and has acted in films alongside Kathy Bates and in TV shows like How I Met Your Mother. She also has extensive work in improv at Groundlings and Stella Adler Theater.
Riley Bradford (Producer)
Riley Bradford is a producer based out of Los Angeles who loves stories that make people feel less alone. He’s produced music videos for a variety of today’s top artists including Tate McRae, Calum Scott and Isaac Dunbar. His skill in organizing teams to find creative success has been utilized by brands such as Snapchat, Armani, National Geographic and more. Prior to his work in Los Angeles, he led the content division at a series 2 travel startup called Plannet where he worked closely with the CEO to shape brand strategy and to find the right creators to partner with. Riley’s work has been honored by the Broadcast Education Association, River Run International Film Festival and the Student Academy Awards.
Matt Johnson (Producer)
Matthew Johnson is an independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. His first documentary Unsettled (2013) captured the attention of Mayor Muriel Bowser in the District of Columbia and headlined the capital’s Our City Film Festival. Prior to filmmaking, Matthew Johnson worked for 14-years as a journalist, photographer, and digital storyteller. He reported news related to national security issues from Capitol Hill for Congressional Quarterly and created multimedia digital stories for the Urban Institute, a non-partisan research organization that explores the most significant social issues of the day. At Urban, Matthew began to look through a lens to help audiences better connect with those facing the most difficult challenges. In 2013, he graduated from George Washington University’s Institute for Documentary Filmmaking and later earned an MFA in narrative film directing at UCLA. His short films have screened at the Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner, Dances With Films Los Angeles, Film School Fest Munich, amongst others.In addition to directing, Matthew has produced 14 short films and one feature length picture. His screenplay for his thesis film Holdfast was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Institute Screenwriting Grant and he has also been awarded the Jack Nicholson Distinguished Student Director Award, the Edie and Lew Wasserman Film Production Fellowship, and the National Association of Theater Owners of California/Nevada Fellowship.
Curtiss Clayton (Editor)
Editor of over forty feature films, with an emphasis on American independent cinema, documentaries & television. Curtiss has edited American indie classics such as Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho and Buffalo ‘66 as well as outside-the-mainstream studio fare like To Die For and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Some of the directors Curtiss has worked with include Gus Van Sant, Vincent Gallo, Jonathan Kaplan, Charles Burnett, Gregory Nava, Jon Favreau, and Andrew Dominik.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
Alex and Sofia lay under a tree hiding from the summer sun and feed each other slices of oranges and laugh. They are young girls on the path of discovering their sexual identities and testing boundaries. They run into a group of boys who are their peers and head to the skatepark. The skatepark boys do flips and tricks, but Sofia is unimpressed. Alex vies for her attention. Then a couple of twenty something guys pull up with their big Lincoln town car blasting cool music. Sofia is intrigued and drags Alex to come along with her and talk to the guys.
They soon find themselves in the backseat of the car drinking and doing donuts. Alex is focused on Sofia, Sofia is focused on the guys. The driver pulls over and shotguns a hit of weed into Anna’s mouth. As Alex watches, her mind plays tricks on her and clicks into a strange fantasy where they are covered in sunflowers and yellow roses and having sex in the front seat. Alex snaps out of this as the other guy puts his arm around her. The boys drive them to their house and pressure the young girls to go inside. Alex has a bad feeling in her gut and as she steps out of the car she pulls one of the flowers from her fantasy from her mouth. Alex snaps out of it when one of the guys chastises her and convinces her to come inside. The door closes behind the young girls and we know their fate is sealed and their innocence lost.
About Me
I grew up in a small town in Colorado and in 1999 when I was 13 I was raped by two older boys. I wish I could say it was an isolated incident, but the truth is that I would experience years of grooming by men in their 20s along with the constant bombardment from society that my only value as a woman was my looks and what I could offer a man sexually. It would take me years to be able to speak about this not from a place of victimhood, but from a colletive that this is an issue that effects all of us. I want to shoot this film in a way that is gritty and real and capture that delicate balance of the beauty of my girlhood and discovering who I am as a queer person while contrasting that against the dangers that so many of us experienced.
The Characters
Alex - A girl who can usually say what's on her mind, except for when it comes to the wishes of
her crush, Sofia. Red hair and freckles. On the verge of being a TomBoy, but has enough feminine style that Sofia approves of. She's the oldest daughter and started rebelling by sneaking her moms's menthol cigarettes when she wasn't looking. Super smart but downplays it to fit in with others. Her tough exterior is a front to hide her anxiety and self consciousness.
Sofia - She has recently discovered her desire for boys, but she is bored with her video game energy drink chugging peers. Grew up in a bi racial household and felt like she never quite fit in either. She has a big heart and big dreams of one day being a singer songwriter. Is just learning that her looks gets her things she wants and doesn't yet know the dangers.
Trent and Casey - Deep down these two are just deeply flawed humans who have been dealt a shitty hand in life from their abusive parents and unknowingly dealing with the negative effects of the patriarchy. Not evil by nature, but misguided and pushing boundaries of their power and what they can get away with. Seeking attention from women in all the wrong ways and just wanting validation. Have been best friends since they were little and have fallen in with the wrong crowd.
Mission Statement
With one in five women being survivors of rape and one quarter of men experiencing some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, this is sadly an all too prevalent story. I am a two time survivor of rape and it took me years before I would forgive myself and stopped blaming myself for what had happened. It was hearing stories like these from other women and survivors that allowed me to learn that it was not my fault and instead a part of an overwhelming systemic culture of silence and control.
In recent years with the overturn of Roe v Wade we have taken many steps backwards in America regarding rights and freedoms and basic respects to women and other marginalized groups. Talking about sexual violence and predatory men is an important part of sharing my story as a survivor to connect with other folks to help them feel less alone and to teach others that we must undo this culture of sexual violence and power.
Why Film
Around this same time period of my life I began to learn how to shoot on film in a darkroom. I have spent 20+ years of my life deicated to the craft of analog so for me not only is it stylistically representative of the time period, but it has this very personal connection of represetning that time in my life and what I was making. Film was often my place of escape and power outside of the fucked up world I was living in. Kodak 16mm motion picture film has this instantly timeless quality to it. There's something about the celluloid that almost breathes and allows the viewer to feel a presence and connection unlike any digital medium. Shooting on film also creates this intentionality on set with its collaborators. Since everyone knows it's a finite resource and we only have so many takes, it levels everyone up to perform at their best and to be even more considerate about every little thing entering the frame.
How You Can Help
Any monetary contributions are greatly appreciated, there really is no amount too small. The total budget needed to complete this film from pre-production all the way through post production is $30,000, however, we’re currently looking to raise $20,000 to cover the cost of production. If we exceed our goal, the additional funds will go towards post production expenses. Here’s a breakdown of where your money will go if you choose to donate:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Camera Department
Costs $3,000
Compensation for our First Assistant Camera, Second Assistant Camera and Behind the Scenes Photographer
Grip and Electrical Department
Costs $2,500
Compensation for our Key Grip and Grips
Sound Department
Costs $1,500
Compensation for our sound technician
Production Design
Costs $600
Compensation for our Production Designer
Actor Wages
Costs $3,000
Compensation for our actors
Craft Services
Costs $800
Lunch and Craft Services for our cast and crew
ARRI SR III Camera Package Rental
Costs $500
The 16mm film camera we'll be using to bring SUNKISS to life
Lens Rental from Old Fast Glass
Costs $1,000
A rare set of Kowa Super Speed lenses
Kodak Film
Costs $1,300
4,000 feet of Kodak 16mm film stock
Locations
Costs $200
The house where our film comes to its conclusion
Props
Costs $600
A budget for our props
Costumes
Costs $500
A budget for our costumes
Vintage Car Rental
Costs $500
The car driven by Trent and Casey
Car Rig
Costs $600
A rig for shooting our car scenes
Workers Compensation
Costs $1,000
Workers compensation is always necessary, even when all precautions are taken
Equipment Insurance
Costs $700
Another necessary precaution, insurance for our equipment
Film Development
Costs $1,700
The final step before we begin post production, film processing and scanning by FotoKem
Share this update!
About This Team
Candice Rose (Director, DP, Co-Writer)
Candice is a queer female filmmaker who began studying darkroom film photography in 2000. She was the first in her family to finish high school and the only one to go to college where she received a BFA in Photography from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2010. She later earned her MFA in Film from UCLA in 2016 where she focused on Directing & Cinematography. Candice has received several awards such as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award, the MPAA award, and the Jack Nicholson Distinguished Student Director Award. Her film, IN LOVE, a short comedy horror about toxic relationships shot all on Super 8mm won the Straight8 competition in Cannes in 2018. Candice currently runs her boutique production company, Spin the Dial Productions, in Los Angeles.
Sam Clay (Co-Writer)
Borrowing from events in her own experiences growing up as an erased bisexual girl in the 90s in small town West Virginia, Sam brings a much needed levity and cohesive story approach to the film. Sam is a Sundance Institute Episodic Lab Alum and has acted in films alongside Kathy Bates and in TV shows like How I Met Your Mother. She also has extensive work in improv at Groundlings and Stella Adler Theater.
Riley Bradford (Producer)
Riley Bradford is a producer based out of Los Angeles who loves stories that make people feel less alone. He’s produced music videos for a variety of today’s top artists including Tate McRae, Calum Scott and Isaac Dunbar. His skill in organizing teams to find creative success has been utilized by brands such as Snapchat, Armani, National Geographic and more. Prior to his work in Los Angeles, he led the content division at a series 2 travel startup called Plannet where he worked closely with the CEO to shape brand strategy and to find the right creators to partner with. Riley’s work has been honored by the Broadcast Education Association, River Run International Film Festival and the Student Academy Awards.
Matt Johnson (Producer)
Matthew Johnson is an independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. His first documentary Unsettled (2013) captured the attention of Mayor Muriel Bowser in the District of Columbia and headlined the capital’s Our City Film Festival. Prior to filmmaking, Matthew Johnson worked for 14-years as a journalist, photographer, and digital storyteller. He reported news related to national security issues from Capitol Hill for Congressional Quarterly and created multimedia digital stories for the Urban Institute, a non-partisan research organization that explores the most significant social issues of the day. At Urban, Matthew began to look through a lens to help audiences better connect with those facing the most difficult challenges. In 2013, he graduated from George Washington University’s Institute for Documentary Filmmaking and later earned an MFA in narrative film directing at UCLA. His short films have screened at the Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner, Dances With Films Los Angeles, Film School Fest Munich, amongst others.In addition to directing, Matthew has produced 14 short films and one feature length picture. His screenplay for his thesis film Holdfast was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Institute Screenwriting Grant and he has also been awarded the Jack Nicholson Distinguished Student Director Award, the Edie and Lew Wasserman Film Production Fellowship, and the National Association of Theater Owners of California/Nevada Fellowship.
Curtiss Clayton (Editor)
Editor of over forty feature films, with an emphasis on American independent cinema, documentaries & television. Curtiss has edited American indie classics such as Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho and Buffalo ‘66 as well as outside-the-mainstream studio fare like To Die For and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Some of the directors Curtiss has worked with include Gus Van Sant, Vincent Gallo, Jonathan Kaplan, Charles Burnett, Gregory Nava, Jon Favreau, and Andrew Dominik.