Swimming Out
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
Incentives for filmmakers, by filmmakers. Welcome to my FFBF crowdfunding campaign. We’re offering a three session DIY filmmaking course at the $350 level, with script notes from Scout Durwood starting at $100. And if you’re not a filmmaker, relax, we have options for you, too.
Swimming Out
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
2 Campaigns | California, United States
29 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$3,328
Goal: $5,500 for post-production
Incentives for filmmakers, by filmmakers. Welcome to my FFBF crowdfunding campaign. We’re offering a three session DIY filmmaking course at the $350 level, with script notes from Scout Durwood starting at $100. And if you’re not a filmmaker, relax, we have options for you, too.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
FBF: For Filmmakers, By Filmmakers
Incentives for filmmakers, by filmmakers. Welcome to my FFBF crowdfunding campaign. We’re offering a three session online filmmaking course at the $350 level, with script notes from Scout Durwood starting at $100. And if you’re not a filmmaker, relax, we have options for you, too.
ORIGINS
SWIMMING OUT came out of the loneliest chapter of my life. Every day I woke up feeling like “I can’t do this anymore.”
Then, a year passed and I realized that I was. Doing this. That I was sad, but still here.
A friend of mine (and fellow filmmaker) died by suicide in 2022. The last conversation we had was about my re-edit of her digital series. It was sudden and scary and very, very sad.
My coping mechanism google the crap out what might have been the final moments of her life. What was she thinking when death went from something to avoid to something to seek out?
I learned most suicide prevention focuses on buying small amounts of time, giving the body a chance to catch up to the mind. I learned how difficult it is to convince a living body to give up on being alive. That life is hard, but death is harder.
So I decided to dig into that liminal space. Pick that moment apart, slow it down. I decided to drown.
THE STORY
SWIMMING OUT is a story about wanting life to have meaning, and when that feels impossible, settling for a meaningful death.
An existentially depressed individual watches a nature documentary about the life giving nature of whale falls--When a whale dies, it's body sinks to the bottom of the ocean providing a groundswell of resources to an otherwise desolate environment--and decides to give their life meaning by descending to the bottom of the ocean. They cross a crosswalk, walk down a beach, and decide to swim out.
... that's honestly the whole movie. They (Seed&Spark) told me to write a synopsis, but, like, literally that's the entire ten minute film.
THE TEAM
This movie was made by a small but dedicated group of individuals, and was made possible by generous pro bono contributions from my circus and Atlantic City communities. Filmmaking is freaking hard. It's expensive, it's collaborative, and it's also my favorite thing in the entire universe because the stories we tell ourselves matter. They shape the world in which we live. When I was feeling desperate, this narrative offered me a life raft. I hope to pay that favor forward to audiences both near and far.
REWARDS
Who am I to offer you filmmaking advice?
My first film screened at almost no festivals, but was much beloved at the ones that it did.
My second project, TAKE ONE THING OFF screened at TONS and was nominated for a 2019 Streamy Award for best indie series. Then I made a feature film, YOUTOPIA, which was runner up for best narrative feature at its Outfest premiere, and went on to screen at festivals around the world. I also program episodes as a co-captain at a major film festival (Slamdance—if I know you, I’ve already recused myself from evaluating our project)
I have also sold exactly one TV show to a major network and have another one in development with fancy producers, all of which has in some way been shaped by my creation of indie film.
My focus is on helping indie writer/director/producers shoot something that matters to them and also helps move towards whatever goal they have, whether that's turning a short film into a feature or creating a calling card for their style and voice as a creator. For more information, check out www.scoutdurwood.com
DISCLOSURE
The funds raised on this platform will go towards reimbursing the filmmaker for expenses incurred during post-production. More specifically, these funds will cover the costs of color correction, sound design/mix, VFX, and a composer for an original score.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Original Score
Costs $1,500
SWIMMING OUT is almost entirely dialogue-free, so an original score plays a major role in articulating the emotional build of the film.
Sound Mix
Costs $1,000
There is SO MUCH WATER in this movie, which means a delicate balance of bubbles and splash.
VFX
Costs $1,500
We have one major VFX sequence in the film which is a pivotal narrative moment. A two person team of real people made it happen.
Festival Submissions
Costs $500
We are applying to twelve film festivals including three full waivers and one 50% discount, which comes to $544.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
SCOUT DURWOOD (they/she) is a writer-director whose work pairs bold comedic storytelling with an unmistakable visual point of view, shaped by years performing in New York City's cabaret, burlesque, and queer nightlife scenes. Durwood's path to directing began while acting on MTV's breakout series MARY + JANE (executive produced by Snoop Dogg). Fascinated by the collaborative architecture of filmmaking, Durwood spent their free time learning from department heads across every corner of the production. That desire to understand how every creative element, from performance to production design, comes together to weave an emotional story, remains central to their work today.
In 2020, Durwood sold the half-hour comedy pilot DEPENDENT to Freeform, with Gabrielle Union attached to executive produce, Sony Television producing, and Cheryl Dunye attached to direct.
Durwood’s feature-length narrative visual album YOUTOPIA, which they wrote, directed, and edited, premiered at Outfest 2022, where it was the runner-up for the Grand Jury Prize for Best North American Feature. They are currently in post-production on SWIMMING OUT, a dark comedy short developed as a directing sample for a half-hour dramedy pilot based on Durwood’s experience as a performer in NYC nightlife and burlesque called MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES, currently in development with Entertainment 360 attached to produce.
Previously, Durwood wrote and directed TAKE ONE THING OFF, a 22-episode digital series released alongside their debut comedy album with Blue Élan Records. The project amassed more than 275,000 YouTube views, screened at Slamdance 2020, and earned a 2019 Streamy Award nomination for Best Indie Series. They have since directed more than a dozen music videos for Blue Élan artists.
Durwood graduated from Amherst College, where they designed an interdisciplinary degree in Political and Social Activism Through Theater. Durwood received cum laude honors for their senior thesis, a multi-media narrative comedy about gender hierarchies in pornography and the mainstream media.
Durwood’s work blends performance, comedy, and cinematic world-building into emotionally precise, visually daring storytelling that is unmistakably their own.
For more information, visit scoutdurwood.com.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
FBF: For Filmmakers, By Filmmakers
Incentives for filmmakers, by filmmakers. Welcome to my FFBF crowdfunding campaign. We’re offering a three session online filmmaking course at the $350 level, with script notes from Scout Durwood starting at $100. And if you’re not a filmmaker, relax, we have options for you, too.
ORIGINS
SWIMMING OUT came out of the loneliest chapter of my life. Every day I woke up feeling like “I can’t do this anymore.”
Then, a year passed and I realized that I was. Doing this. That I was sad, but still here.
A friend of mine (and fellow filmmaker) died by suicide in 2022. The last conversation we had was about my re-edit of her digital series. It was sudden and scary and very, very sad.
My coping mechanism google the crap out what might have been the final moments of her life. What was she thinking when death went from something to avoid to something to seek out?
I learned most suicide prevention focuses on buying small amounts of time, giving the body a chance to catch up to the mind. I learned how difficult it is to convince a living body to give up on being alive. That life is hard, but death is harder.
So I decided to dig into that liminal space. Pick that moment apart, slow it down. I decided to drown.
THE STORY
SWIMMING OUT is a story about wanting life to have meaning, and when that feels impossible, settling for a meaningful death.
An existentially depressed individual watches a nature documentary about the life giving nature of whale falls--When a whale dies, it's body sinks to the bottom of the ocean providing a groundswell of resources to an otherwise desolate environment--and decides to give their life meaning by descending to the bottom of the ocean. They cross a crosswalk, walk down a beach, and decide to swim out.
... that's honestly the whole movie. They (Seed&Spark) told me to write a synopsis, but, like, literally that's the entire ten minute film.
THE TEAM
This movie was made by a small but dedicated group of individuals, and was made possible by generous pro bono contributions from my circus and Atlantic City communities. Filmmaking is freaking hard. It's expensive, it's collaborative, and it's also my favorite thing in the entire universe because the stories we tell ourselves matter. They shape the world in which we live. When I was feeling desperate, this narrative offered me a life raft. I hope to pay that favor forward to audiences both near and far.
REWARDS
Who am I to offer you filmmaking advice?
My first film screened at almost no festivals, but was much beloved at the ones that it did.
My second project, TAKE ONE THING OFF screened at TONS and was nominated for a 2019 Streamy Award for best indie series. Then I made a feature film, YOUTOPIA, which was runner up for best narrative feature at its Outfest premiere, and went on to screen at festivals around the world. I also program episodes as a co-captain at a major film festival (Slamdance—if I know you, I’ve already recused myself from evaluating our project)
I have also sold exactly one TV show to a major network and have another one in development with fancy producers, all of which has in some way been shaped by my creation of indie film.
My focus is on helping indie writer/director/producers shoot something that matters to them and also helps move towards whatever goal they have, whether that's turning a short film into a feature or creating a calling card for their style and voice as a creator. For more information, check out www.scoutdurwood.com
DISCLOSURE
The funds raised on this platform will go towards reimbursing the filmmaker for expenses incurred during post-production. More specifically, these funds will cover the costs of color correction, sound design/mix, VFX, and a composer for an original score.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Original Score
Costs $1,500
SWIMMING OUT is almost entirely dialogue-free, so an original score plays a major role in articulating the emotional build of the film.
Sound Mix
Costs $1,000
There is SO MUCH WATER in this movie, which means a delicate balance of bubbles and splash.
VFX
Costs $1,500
We have one major VFX sequence in the film which is a pivotal narrative moment. A two person team of real people made it happen.
Festival Submissions
Costs $500
We are applying to twelve film festivals including three full waivers and one 50% discount, which comes to $544.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
SCOUT DURWOOD (they/she) is a writer-director whose work pairs bold comedic storytelling with an unmistakable visual point of view, shaped by years performing in New York City's cabaret, burlesque, and queer nightlife scenes. Durwood's path to directing began while acting on MTV's breakout series MARY + JANE (executive produced by Snoop Dogg). Fascinated by the collaborative architecture of filmmaking, Durwood spent their free time learning from department heads across every corner of the production. That desire to understand how every creative element, from performance to production design, comes together to weave an emotional story, remains central to their work today.
In 2020, Durwood sold the half-hour comedy pilot DEPENDENT to Freeform, with Gabrielle Union attached to executive produce, Sony Television producing, and Cheryl Dunye attached to direct.
Durwood’s feature-length narrative visual album YOUTOPIA, which they wrote, directed, and edited, premiered at Outfest 2022, where it was the runner-up for the Grand Jury Prize for Best North American Feature. They are currently in post-production on SWIMMING OUT, a dark comedy short developed as a directing sample for a half-hour dramedy pilot based on Durwood’s experience as a performer in NYC nightlife and burlesque called MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES, currently in development with Entertainment 360 attached to produce.
Previously, Durwood wrote and directed TAKE ONE THING OFF, a 22-episode digital series released alongside their debut comedy album with Blue Élan Records. The project amassed more than 275,000 YouTube views, screened at Slamdance 2020, and earned a 2019 Streamy Award nomination for Best Indie Series. They have since directed more than a dozen music videos for Blue Élan artists.
Durwood graduated from Amherst College, where they designed an interdisciplinary degree in Political and Social Activism Through Theater. Durwood received cum laude honors for their senior thesis, a multi-media narrative comedy about gender hierarchies in pornography and the mainstream media.
Durwood’s work blends performance, comedy, and cinematic world-building into emotionally precise, visually daring storytelling that is unmistakably their own.
For more information, visit scoutdurwood.com.