"The Bright Side of Life" or "How To Not Be Nervous"
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Drama
Everybody always says to be yourself, but what do you do if you ain't no good? Find out in a classic feature film made in modern times-- real 16mm film, all-female cast, good script.
"The Bright Side of Life" or "How To Not Be Nervous"
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $34,494 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
94 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Everybody always says to be yourself, but what do you do if you ain't no good? Find out in a classic feature film made in modern times-- real 16mm film, all-female cast, good script.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our friend Amber McCall read the script and drew this poster!
"I read the whole script and really, really enjoyed it! It reminded me of a Richard Brautigan novel... I think this is going to be a really great film." --Parker Love Bowling, actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
"We love the script!!" --Kansas Bowling, director, actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
"Do you have sisters? Like... how did you know?" --Holly Payne, producer of The Death of Superman Lives featuring Tim Burton and Kevin Smith
"You’ve packaged a universal coming-of-age experience into an original story and world, complete with a backdrop of fitting music... This thing is drenched in metaphor/allegory and abstract detail that creates a visually appealing and emotionally felt story." --Heather Turman, writer / producer, wife of Heather Matarazzo from Welcome to the Dollhouse
Brittany is cool, charismatic and tough, the leader of the group. She doesn't like what her sister is becoming and lets her know it, yet displays extreme compassion for her best friend. All Brittany really wants is a way out.
Here's a photo Ryan took of Sofia Greer who was the visual inspiration for Brittany.
Danielle is smart, sensitive, caring, and extremely anxious. She has become used to depending on Brittany for everyday things but hates the routine they've developed. All Danielle really wants is to escape herself.
Here's a picture Ryan took of Kayta Romanova who was the visual inspiration for Danielle.
Crystal is Brittany's little sister who feels her self worth is entirely related to her physical attractiveness. She has a burning need to be accepted, but is now in a situation where she has no secret weapon. All Crystal really wants is to be cool.
Here's a photo Ryan took of Celia Bow who was the visual inspiration for Crystal.
Best friends Brittany and Danielle go on vacation to a country house in Northern California to figure out how to improve their mediocre lives and quit their dead-end jobs.
Brittany's little sister, Crystal, stows away in the trunk of their car and accidentally upsets their long-standing dynamic, causing Danielle to get out of her shell and confront her demons, which leads to a showdown between the two best friends.
Ryan took this photo of Amber (who drew the poster) at the Trees of Mystery, one of the locations in the film.
Ryan took this photo of Amber as well-- the totem pole in the background is from one of the other Northern California film locations!
We'll be shooting on real 16mm film with a look that most people will associate with the '60s and '70s-- saturated colors, most backgrounds heavily out of focus. Editing digitally however enables us to introduce a much faster pace to certain scenes and attempt new visual tricks which have never been done before.
Ryan took these 16mm shots of Hannah Carpenter. The Bright Side of Life is in color, though!
This is writer/director Ryan Coyle with his Aaton 16mm camera.
We hope to raise our goal of $40,000 through a dedicated audience on Seed & Spark to cover 1/3 of the final budget of the film. We're taking the experience we've gained from $80 short films and assembling a team of passionate, talented collaborators to bring this project to life.
For as little as $15 or as much as $1,000, your contribution will help us bring on board a top-notch entertainment attorney and casting director to get a recognizable talent to play the part of Danielle.
Sharing our campaign on your social media is as helpful as a donation, and doing BOTH goes a long way to helping THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE become a reality!
Thank you so much for checking out the campaign!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Film
Costs $16,500
25 rolls of 16mm Ektachrome film... plus developing and scanning!
Lodging
Costs $2,550
Since we're filming in beautiful NorCal, we need lodging for our cast and crew.
Transportation
Costs $1,700
This will cover transportation costs to NorCal from LA as well as to and from set!
Equipment
Costs $7,700
A super-fast PL-mount prime lens and good lights for night scenes!
Catering & COVID Safety
Costs $3,950
Crucial for taking care of all team members for 3-4 weeks and sustaining a safe working environment!
Locations
Costs $1,850
Your contribution ensures we secure locations for the film such as the Trees of Mystery in Klamath!
Casting Director
Costs $4,000
We are holding out for a star to play Danielle!
Entertainment Lawyer
Costs $1,500
To make sure we don't sign a bad deal!
Stereo Lens
Costs $250
There will be a version of the film with short parts in 3D!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Rocio Mesa | Executive Producer
Rocio is a Spanish filmmaker, programmer and producer based in California. Mesa is the founder of the production company MY DEER FILMS and has produced titles like Mbah Jhiwo / Ancient Soul (2021) by Álvaro Gurrea, premiered at Berlinale Forum 2021 and selected at dozens of prestigious festivals like Viennale or Documenta Madrid.
Mesa’s debut feature as a director, ORENSANZ (2013), premiered at SEFF in 2013, it was selected at international film festivals such as BAFICI or Alcances, and it was nominated as Best Documentary Film in the ASECAN Awards. Her upcoming feature project as a writer-director, TOBACCO BARNS (2020), has been awarded with the National Spanish Film Production Grant and it has been selected in some of the most prestigious screenwriting workshops, like Sundance Faliro House 2017 or Sources 2 Norway 2018. Mesa practices experimental analog filmmaking and her pieces have been selected in festivals like, Festival des cinémas différents et expérimentaux de Paris, Cámara Lúcida, Festival de cine Experimental de Bogotá, L’Alternativa…etc.
Mesa is the director of "LA OLA - Independent Films from Spain", an organization focused on the promotion of the Avant-garde Spanish cinema in North America. Since 2015, LA OLA has held an annual film showcase with venues in Los Angeles (American Cinematheque), New York (Anthology Film Archives) and Mexico City (Cineteca Nacional). Rocio works as a freelance film programmer for festivals like the LA Film Festival or independent movie theaters and she is the co-chair and programmer for Art House Theater Day. Mesa was named by Variety as one of the top 10 "Spanish Women Rising in the Film Business.”
Ryan Coyle | Writer, Director
is an American filmmaker and photographer based in California. He is the founder of the production company Sometimes Films and has produced and directed a number of shorts which have been accepted at several distinguished film festivals. His newest film won its category (best experimental short) at the Hollywood Reel Independent film festival which also premiered Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood(2019) and has screened films by Werner Herzog.
As a photographer, Ryan has taken photos of Tuesday Bassen, Penelope Gazin, musical artists Bleached, Shannon and the Clams, Tomorrows Tulips, Tele Novella, The Blank Tapes, Pearl Charles, illustrator Amber "Thunderpuss" McCall, fashion gal Marisol Muro, and style icon Tziporah Salamon.
Coyle also occasionally runs a curated nighttime flea market and art show called Dreamland and records songs which have been featured on KXLU, WFMU, KCRW, and in the recent feature film Hatchback.
Nina Tarr | As Brittany
Nina Tarr is a Persian-American stand up comedian, actress and writer who splits her time between New York and Los Angeles. She can be seen on the HBOMax series Hacks and was honored as one of the New Faces of Comedy at Just for Laughs in 2018. You can see Nina’s acting chops in the critically acclaimed independent feature film, Adventures in Success, distributed by Utopia Films. She recurred on MTV’s High Crimes and you can see her pranking celebrities in the reboot of Punk’d hosted by Chance the Rapper. Nina is a featured story teller on Viceland’s Party Legends and wrote for Mostly 4 Millennials and The F-Spot with Derrick Beckles on Adult Swim as well as the 6th season of The Eric Andre Show. Lastly, Nina moonlights as a vinyl DJ and event producer, she is the co-founder of the collective, All Girls, All Vinyl.
Parker Love Bowling | As Crystal
Parker is a creative who holds the type of innocence and danger one would need to convincingly play confidante of the Manson Family, nevermind an actual member. As it turns out, she’s played a Manson-girl twice, once for Canadian TV, and most recently in the latest Quentin Tarantino film, Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood (2019). An actress interested in originality, she also happens to be a ferocious poet and documentary filmmaker in her own right.
Maria Pogosyan | Producer
Maria is an Armenian filmmaker and writer based in California. She earned a degree in Television, Film, and Media Studies from Cal State LA, where she also wrote stories for Cal State LA Magazine. In 2021, Maria received the Community Impact Media grant and directed a documentary about a non-profit called City Plants, an organization that partnered with LADWP to promote tree-planting efforts in the city of LA. Recently, Maria acted as a Unit Production Manager for a television pilot starring Michael Madsen. She also contributes to independent film productions and does 35mm photography, Her photos have been featured in a multimedia anthology called Los Suelos, focusing on topics such as isolation, identity, small-town cults, and the captivating power of the earth, as well as issues faced by California’s farmworkers, immigrants, and the Latinx and Indigenous communities.
Larissa Blintz | Costume Designer
Larissa is the founder and designer of Miracle Eye, an established '60s / '70s-inspired clothing brand and physical store in Los Angeles.
Kansas Bowling | Second Camera
Kansas wrote and directed her first feature film B.C. Butcher (2016) when she was 17-years-old. The film was shot on 16mm, is the world's first prehistoric slasher film, and stars Kato Kaelin. The film was released when she was 19 by Troma Entertainment, the world's longest running independent film company still in operation and home to the Toxic Avenger. Since B.C. Butcher(2016), Bowling has directed two dozen music videos - most popular of them being her Death Valley Girl's video "Disaster is What We're After" starring Iggy Pop. Most recently, Kansas has finished her second feature film and was featured in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood (2019) as Manson girl Sandra Good.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our friend Amber McCall read the script and drew this poster!
"I read the whole script and really, really enjoyed it! It reminded me of a Richard Brautigan novel... I think this is going to be a really great film." --Parker Love Bowling, actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
"We love the script!!" --Kansas Bowling, director, actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
"Do you have sisters? Like... how did you know?" --Holly Payne, producer of The Death of Superman Lives featuring Tim Burton and Kevin Smith
"You’ve packaged a universal coming-of-age experience into an original story and world, complete with a backdrop of fitting music... This thing is drenched in metaphor/allegory and abstract detail that creates a visually appealing and emotionally felt story." --Heather Turman, writer / producer, wife of Heather Matarazzo from Welcome to the Dollhouse
Brittany is cool, charismatic and tough, the leader of the group. She doesn't like what her sister is becoming and lets her know it, yet displays extreme compassion for her best friend. All Brittany really wants is a way out.
Here's a photo Ryan took of Sofia Greer who was the visual inspiration for Brittany.
Danielle is smart, sensitive, caring, and extremely anxious. She has become used to depending on Brittany for everyday things but hates the routine they've developed. All Danielle really wants is to escape herself.
Here's a picture Ryan took of Kayta Romanova who was the visual inspiration for Danielle.
Crystal is Brittany's little sister who feels her self worth is entirely related to her physical attractiveness. She has a burning need to be accepted, but is now in a situation where she has no secret weapon. All Crystal really wants is to be cool.
Here's a photo Ryan took of Celia Bow who was the visual inspiration for Crystal.
Best friends Brittany and Danielle go on vacation to a country house in Northern California to figure out how to improve their mediocre lives and quit their dead-end jobs.
Brittany's little sister, Crystal, stows away in the trunk of their car and accidentally upsets their long-standing dynamic, causing Danielle to get out of her shell and confront her demons, which leads to a showdown between the two best friends.
Ryan took this photo of Amber (who drew the poster) at the Trees of Mystery, one of the locations in the film.
Ryan took this photo of Amber as well-- the totem pole in the background is from one of the other Northern California film locations!
We'll be shooting on real 16mm film with a look that most people will associate with the '60s and '70s-- saturated colors, most backgrounds heavily out of focus. Editing digitally however enables us to introduce a much faster pace to certain scenes and attempt new visual tricks which have never been done before.
Ryan took these 16mm shots of Hannah Carpenter. The Bright Side of Life is in color, though!
This is writer/director Ryan Coyle with his Aaton 16mm camera.
We hope to raise our goal of $40,000 through a dedicated audience on Seed & Spark to cover 1/3 of the final budget of the film. We're taking the experience we've gained from $80 short films and assembling a team of passionate, talented collaborators to bring this project to life.
For as little as $15 or as much as $1,000, your contribution will help us bring on board a top-notch entertainment attorney and casting director to get a recognizable talent to play the part of Danielle.
Sharing our campaign on your social media is as helpful as a donation, and doing BOTH goes a long way to helping THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE become a reality!
Thank you so much for checking out the campaign!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Film
Costs $16,500
25 rolls of 16mm Ektachrome film... plus developing and scanning!
Lodging
Costs $2,550
Since we're filming in beautiful NorCal, we need lodging for our cast and crew.
Transportation
Costs $1,700
This will cover transportation costs to NorCal from LA as well as to and from set!
Equipment
Costs $7,700
A super-fast PL-mount prime lens and good lights for night scenes!
Catering & COVID Safety
Costs $3,950
Crucial for taking care of all team members for 3-4 weeks and sustaining a safe working environment!
Locations
Costs $1,850
Your contribution ensures we secure locations for the film such as the Trees of Mystery in Klamath!
Casting Director
Costs $4,000
We are holding out for a star to play Danielle!
Entertainment Lawyer
Costs $1,500
To make sure we don't sign a bad deal!
Stereo Lens
Costs $250
There will be a version of the film with short parts in 3D!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Rocio Mesa | Executive Producer
Rocio is a Spanish filmmaker, programmer and producer based in California. Mesa is the founder of the production company MY DEER FILMS and has produced titles like Mbah Jhiwo / Ancient Soul (2021) by Álvaro Gurrea, premiered at Berlinale Forum 2021 and selected at dozens of prestigious festivals like Viennale or Documenta Madrid.
Mesa’s debut feature as a director, ORENSANZ (2013), premiered at SEFF in 2013, it was selected at international film festivals such as BAFICI or Alcances, and it was nominated as Best Documentary Film in the ASECAN Awards. Her upcoming feature project as a writer-director, TOBACCO BARNS (2020), has been awarded with the National Spanish Film Production Grant and it has been selected in some of the most prestigious screenwriting workshops, like Sundance Faliro House 2017 or Sources 2 Norway 2018. Mesa practices experimental analog filmmaking and her pieces have been selected in festivals like, Festival des cinémas différents et expérimentaux de Paris, Cámara Lúcida, Festival de cine Experimental de Bogotá, L’Alternativa…etc.
Mesa is the director of "LA OLA - Independent Films from Spain", an organization focused on the promotion of the Avant-garde Spanish cinema in North America. Since 2015, LA OLA has held an annual film showcase with venues in Los Angeles (American Cinematheque), New York (Anthology Film Archives) and Mexico City (Cineteca Nacional). Rocio works as a freelance film programmer for festivals like the LA Film Festival or independent movie theaters and she is the co-chair and programmer for Art House Theater Day. Mesa was named by Variety as one of the top 10 "Spanish Women Rising in the Film Business.”
Ryan Coyle | Writer, Director
is an American filmmaker and photographer based in California. He is the founder of the production company Sometimes Films and has produced and directed a number of shorts which have been accepted at several distinguished film festivals. His newest film won its category (best experimental short) at the Hollywood Reel Independent film festival which also premiered Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood(2019) and has screened films by Werner Herzog.
As a photographer, Ryan has taken photos of Tuesday Bassen, Penelope Gazin, musical artists Bleached, Shannon and the Clams, Tomorrows Tulips, Tele Novella, The Blank Tapes, Pearl Charles, illustrator Amber "Thunderpuss" McCall, fashion gal Marisol Muro, and style icon Tziporah Salamon.
Coyle also occasionally runs a curated nighttime flea market and art show called Dreamland and records songs which have been featured on KXLU, WFMU, KCRW, and in the recent feature film Hatchback.
Nina Tarr | As Brittany
Nina Tarr is a Persian-American stand up comedian, actress and writer who splits her time between New York and Los Angeles. She can be seen on the HBOMax series Hacks and was honored as one of the New Faces of Comedy at Just for Laughs in 2018. You can see Nina’s acting chops in the critically acclaimed independent feature film, Adventures in Success, distributed by Utopia Films. She recurred on MTV’s High Crimes and you can see her pranking celebrities in the reboot of Punk’d hosted by Chance the Rapper. Nina is a featured story teller on Viceland’s Party Legends and wrote for Mostly 4 Millennials and The F-Spot with Derrick Beckles on Adult Swim as well as the 6th season of The Eric Andre Show. Lastly, Nina moonlights as a vinyl DJ and event producer, she is the co-founder of the collective, All Girls, All Vinyl.
Parker Love Bowling | As Crystal
Parker is a creative who holds the type of innocence and danger one would need to convincingly play confidante of the Manson Family, nevermind an actual member. As it turns out, she’s played a Manson-girl twice, once for Canadian TV, and most recently in the latest Quentin Tarantino film, Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood (2019). An actress interested in originality, she also happens to be a ferocious poet and documentary filmmaker in her own right.
Maria Pogosyan | Producer
Maria is an Armenian filmmaker and writer based in California. She earned a degree in Television, Film, and Media Studies from Cal State LA, where she also wrote stories for Cal State LA Magazine. In 2021, Maria received the Community Impact Media grant and directed a documentary about a non-profit called City Plants, an organization that partnered with LADWP to promote tree-planting efforts in the city of LA. Recently, Maria acted as a Unit Production Manager for a television pilot starring Michael Madsen. She also contributes to independent film productions and does 35mm photography, Her photos have been featured in a multimedia anthology called Los Suelos, focusing on topics such as isolation, identity, small-town cults, and the captivating power of the earth, as well as issues faced by California’s farmworkers, immigrants, and the Latinx and Indigenous communities.
Larissa Blintz | Costume Designer
Larissa is the founder and designer of Miracle Eye, an established '60s / '70s-inspired clothing brand and physical store in Los Angeles.
Kansas Bowling | Second Camera
Kansas wrote and directed her first feature film B.C. Butcher (2016) when she was 17-years-old. The film was shot on 16mm, is the world's first prehistoric slasher film, and stars Kato Kaelin. The film was released when she was 19 by Troma Entertainment, the world's longest running independent film company still in operation and home to the Toxic Avenger. Since B.C. Butcher(2016), Bowling has directed two dozen music videos - most popular of them being her Death Valley Girl's video "Disaster is What We're After" starring Iggy Pop. Most recently, Kansas has finished her second feature film and was featured in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood (2019) as Manson girl Sandra Good.