The Orange at the Seder
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, LGBTQ
*NEW STRETCH GOAL: $24k! CHECK OUR UPDATES PAGE FOR MORE INFO.* This film is an intergenerational family comedy—a queer, Jewish story about characters that don’t get the screen time they deserve. We need your help to bring it into the world, start conversations, and change some hearts and minds.
The Orange at the Seder
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $26,266 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
187 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
*NEW STRETCH GOAL: $24k! CHECK OUR UPDATES PAGE FOR MORE INFO.* This film is an intergenerational family comedy—a queer, Jewish story about characters that don’t get the screen time they deserve. We need your help to bring it into the world, start conversations, and change some hearts and minds.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It’s the first night of Passover, which means Adam is at his mentor and pseudo-adoptive grandfather Ira’s house for the all-queer seder dinner Ira hosts each year. But this year, something’s different: Adam starts proposing changes to the script (or hagaddah) that Ira personally wrote for this seder years ago and has never changed. Ira grows suspicious, and manages to needle out of Adam that Charlie, Adam’s new partner who is coming to the dinner to meet Ira for the first time, is… a bit different from the guys Adam has dated in the past. Charlie arrives unexpectedly, interrupting the awkward moment, and Ira’s jaw drops: Charlie is a woman. As the evening progresses, Adam must juggle the judgment and hostility of his mentor, who is unwilling to accept a newcomer into his sacred space, with the disbelief of his new partner, whom Adam hasn’t warned about the details of this holiday dinner. Torn between these two people he loves, Adam must try to create a new normal—or risk losing the chosen family he’s come to rely on.
In some ways, I wish this story weren’t as timely as it is. In a time of increasing challenges for both queer folks and Jews in our society, it feels imperative to tell stories centered on these communities and their intersection. As a queer Jew, I find both aspects of my identity so frequently relegated to the sidelines and the supporting characters of the shows and films I watch—if they make it in at all!
While Jewish creatives certainly have their place in the entertainment industry, so few stories speak openly and proudly about Jewish culture and our traditions, or focus on the joy and humor that are such centerpieces of my Jewish life. Even more personally, this story represents my continued journey to understand my own sexuality and the discovery of a piece of myself I’d known about for some time but wasn’t sure how to express or even fully understand.
In a world where homophobia and anti-semitism are far too widespread, this film is for me a chance to highlight Jewish and queer joy and invite viewers on a process of discovery about the world we live in—and about themselves.
I feel so lucky to have been born into the queer generation I’m a part of—one that grew up during the uncertainty and homophobia of the Bush years and experienced the transformation of the early 2010s into what felt like an inevitable arc bending towards justice. In my 20s, I worked as a journalist covering the legal battle for marriage equality, and I remember promising myself I wouldn’t get married until every queer person like me in America was free to, thinking that might take decades. Less than 10 years later, I was lucky enough to marry the love of my life.
But in those intervening years, our collective understanding about gender and sexuality have deepened and expanded, providing both opportunities for today’s queer youth that I didn’t have and challenges in the face of an angry backlash against that progress. When I came out at age 19 in 2008, the only identity I could imagine calling myself was gay. But there was always some small part of me that fit outside that label.
A few years ago, during my time working at Pixar, I experienced a jolt of understanding as I marched in the San Francisco pride parade: so many of the young faces I saw lining the parade route were waving bi pride flags. It made me wonder—would I have come out as bi if it hadn’t felt so stigmatized back when I was figuring out my sexuality? Was that how I identified now—and if so, what would it mean to tell all the people in my life I loved who had come to know and accept me as gay?
These are rich, complicated questions, ones I suspect too few people genuinely ask themselves. I believe our journey of self-discovery as individuals—about every part of ourselves, and especially our gender and sexuality—is lifelong. This film is a way for me to give voice to those questions inside me—and, I hope, to encourage others to look inside themselves as well.
One of my core goals for this film is getting the chance to share this story with queer film festivals across the US, and to connect with other queer filmmakers asking the questions I want to ask and telling the stories that speak to me. I couldn’t think of a higher honor than having this film start conversations and dialogue about the nuances of sexuality and intersectionality in the queer community.
The process of making a film is deeply humbling, and it involves the kindness and generosity of so many people.
That being said, that generosity shouldn’t involve free labor. So many of the crew on my first film donated their time and their expertise, and I feel a deep commitment to ensuring that on this film we pay the artists and crew that help bring it in the world for their talent and hard work. Not surprisingly, that means the budget of the film goes up! But it’s the right thing to do.
This film will definitely still be scrappy and shoestring—most independent shorts are! But we need your support to tell a story that’s original and thought-provoking while also making sure the folks in front of and behind the camera are able to pursue fulfilling careers where they use their skills to pay their bills.
We are also seeking a shooting location! The great thing about this story is that it happens over one night in one place: at Ira’s house, predominantly in his dining room and kitchen. If you (or someone you know) has a home that you’d be excited to have us use as a shooting location, please let us know!
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
If you’d like to support this project, but you aren’t in a place to contribute monetarily, no worries! Here are some other ways you can help us out:
1) Follow us!
Find us on Instagram: @orange_seder_film
- Follow our Seed&Spark page (that little blue heart at the top right) for updates as we move into production. Once we hit 250 "followers," regardless of how many people pledge, we'll start unlocking creator discounts for this and future projects.
2) Share our story!
- Tell a friend who might be interested in this story via email, text, word-of-mouth—anything! We want to reach the widest audience possible during our short campaign window. Please share our Instagram posts with your community with the message:
- “Help @jacobdcombs and a group of independent filmmakers by supporting the queer/Jewish comedy @orange_seder_film on @seedandspark! Join them here: https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-orange-on-the-seder-plate”
3) Get in touch!
- Have suggestions, ideas, or other talents/skills you want to share? Reach out + say hello! [email protected]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Shooting Locations
Costs $1,000
Help us find Ira's house!
Craft Services
Costs $1,450
Help us feed our hardworking team!
Camera Equipment Rental
Costs $2,000
Help us source the camera equipment that will make our film look beautiful.
Cast & Crew Labor
Costs $10,000
Help us pay our cast and crew competitive rates!
Post-Production Services
Costs $1,000
Help us ensure we have enough funding to finish our film!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jacob Combs (Writer/Director)
Jacob Combs is a writer, director, and composer based in Los Angeles. Most recently, he was part of the writers room for the Netflix comedy BLOCKBUSTER, and he is currently developing several TV projects with showrunners Vanessa Ramos and Jackie Clarke. Previously, Jacob spent a 6-year stint at Pixar Animation Studios in a variety of writing, development and production roles. He wrote on an untitled feature in development at Pixar and was part of the writers’ room for an upcoming, original episodic series. He also wrote several episodes of the Emmy-nominated Disney+ documentary series ‘Inside Pixar.’ In addition to his work in animation, Jacob has written two live-action short films: ‘Messrs.,’ which won Pixar’s AfterWORK screenplay competition, and his first short as writer/director, ‘Without,’ which showed at several festivals in 2019 and 2020. His original feature screenplay ‘Palisade Peaches’ was developed at the 2022 Nostos Screenwriting Retreat in Arezzo, Italy and was a second round candidate for the 2023 Sundance Development Track. This fall, he developed his screenplay ‘Max and Vivian Get Mitzvah’d’ at the Stowe Story Labs in Vermont. A lifelong theater nerd, Jacob wrote the music & lyrics for ‘Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins’ (based on the beloved children’s book by Eric Kimmel), which has been produced annually since 2018 by Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre. If he’s not writing, Jacob is probably playing piano with his husband Jacob (that’s right, two Jacobs) or eating a chocolate pot de creme.
Matt Garland (Producer)
Matt Garland is an award winning film producer based in Los Angeles with a diverse background in the arts, technology, and filmmaking. Originally trained as a sculptor, Matt worked as a web designer before transitioning to live virtual events and video streaming. He’s proud to have worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry including Hulu, Disney, and ESPN. A lifelong fan of film and TV, he jumped at the opportunity to start producing films over a decade ago. With a passion for genre stories that blend universal human challenges with fantastical worlds, Matt has produced numerous short films and supported them at film festivals across the US and Canada. He loves the collaborative nature of filmmaking and is keen to partner with like minded writers and directors to bring their visions to life.
Maura Turner (Producer)
Maura Turner is a Bay Area based filmmaker and Feature Relations Manager at Pixar Animation Studios. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in Cinema Studies, she worked a stint in freelance production (live action commercials) before joining Pixar Animation Studios in 2015 as a Production Assistant on Coco. She went on to work in Production Management on Cars 3, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and in Pixar's creative development department before joining Pixar's Marketing team where she's since worked on Onward, Soul, Luca, Turning Red, and most recently, Elemental. Maura loves digging into new creative projects, and in her spare time has also worked on live action short films as a producer on Pixar's AfterWORK live action short Messrs., and as a set designer on Jacob Combs' directorial debut, Without. When she's not making movies, she's spending time with her husband, playing with her dog, gardening, or binge-watching a tv show.
Robin Pabello (Director of Photography)
An L.A.-based, award winning-cinematographer born in Inglewood, CA and raised by Flipino-Scottish- American parents, Robin had a tough love grandmother that shared her passion for films and make believe. Robin graduated CSULB with a BA in Liberal Arts and Science and a minor in Human and Child Psychology. She taught second grade for eight years, until she transitioned to freelancing in the entertainment industry, capturing and filming mini documentaries to raise awareness for non-profit organizations such as Cure Autism Now and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Later she graduated top of her class with a Film and Video degree from OCC, specializing in Cinematography, which lead her to be an electrician, Best Boy and Gaffer for two years before transitioning to the camera department in the Local 600. She is currently working as a DP and Camera Operator. With beginnings in the documentary world and her strong suit in photography, having an artistic eye, composing a shot and lighting design all translate to visual storytelling. She has a broad range of style from lifestyle branding to moody cinematic films and commercials. Her work ethic and techniques have elevated her and refined her skills and have taken her around the globe.
Lindsay Armstrong (Editor)
Lindsay Armstrong is a Los Angeles based film & television picture editor. She earned her MFA from the School of Cinematic Arts at USC, where she quickly formed a deep love of editing. Following her graduation from USC, Lindsay moved to the Bay Area and worked as an assistant editor at Pixar Animation Studios. She is proud to have been on the editing teams behind Finding Dory and Onward. As an editor, some of Lindsay's work includes the Blumhouse feature film Soft & Quiet, which premiered in competition at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival, season one of Amazon's series The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Netflix's series XO, Kitty. She recently edited the feature film Young. Wild. Free., which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. When she's not editing, Lindsay loves swimming, going on long walks, watching live theater, and trying out new coffee shops. She will never say no to coffee or dessert.
Meghan Apostoles (Casting Director)
Meghan Apostoles is a Casting Director & Associate based in Los Angeles. She has experience casting in all genres including major studio features, independent films, television productions, short form projects and commercials. As a Casting Associate, she has been nominated for two Artios Awards for excellence in casting for the films Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) and Harriet (Focus Features). Other credits include The Rehearsal (HBO), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+), House of Cards (Netflix) and the independent feature Coup! which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It’s the first night of Passover, which means Adam is at his mentor and pseudo-adoptive grandfather Ira’s house for the all-queer seder dinner Ira hosts each year. But this year, something’s different: Adam starts proposing changes to the script (or hagaddah) that Ira personally wrote for this seder years ago and has never changed. Ira grows suspicious, and manages to needle out of Adam that Charlie, Adam’s new partner who is coming to the dinner to meet Ira for the first time, is… a bit different from the guys Adam has dated in the past. Charlie arrives unexpectedly, interrupting the awkward moment, and Ira’s jaw drops: Charlie is a woman. As the evening progresses, Adam must juggle the judgment and hostility of his mentor, who is unwilling to accept a newcomer into his sacred space, with the disbelief of his new partner, whom Adam hasn’t warned about the details of this holiday dinner. Torn between these two people he loves, Adam must try to create a new normal—or risk losing the chosen family he’s come to rely on.
In some ways, I wish this story weren’t as timely as it is. In a time of increasing challenges for both queer folks and Jews in our society, it feels imperative to tell stories centered on these communities and their intersection. As a queer Jew, I find both aspects of my identity so frequently relegated to the sidelines and the supporting characters of the shows and films I watch—if they make it in at all!
While Jewish creatives certainly have their place in the entertainment industry, so few stories speak openly and proudly about Jewish culture and our traditions, or focus on the joy and humor that are such centerpieces of my Jewish life. Even more personally, this story represents my continued journey to understand my own sexuality and the discovery of a piece of myself I’d known about for some time but wasn’t sure how to express or even fully understand.
In a world where homophobia and anti-semitism are far too widespread, this film is for me a chance to highlight Jewish and queer joy and invite viewers on a process of discovery about the world we live in—and about themselves.
I feel so lucky to have been born into the queer generation I’m a part of—one that grew up during the uncertainty and homophobia of the Bush years and experienced the transformation of the early 2010s into what felt like an inevitable arc bending towards justice. In my 20s, I worked as a journalist covering the legal battle for marriage equality, and I remember promising myself I wouldn’t get married until every queer person like me in America was free to, thinking that might take decades. Less than 10 years later, I was lucky enough to marry the love of my life.
But in those intervening years, our collective understanding about gender and sexuality have deepened and expanded, providing both opportunities for today’s queer youth that I didn’t have and challenges in the face of an angry backlash against that progress. When I came out at age 19 in 2008, the only identity I could imagine calling myself was gay. But there was always some small part of me that fit outside that label.
A few years ago, during my time working at Pixar, I experienced a jolt of understanding as I marched in the San Francisco pride parade: so many of the young faces I saw lining the parade route were waving bi pride flags. It made me wonder—would I have come out as bi if it hadn’t felt so stigmatized back when I was figuring out my sexuality? Was that how I identified now—and if so, what would it mean to tell all the people in my life I loved who had come to know and accept me as gay?
These are rich, complicated questions, ones I suspect too few people genuinely ask themselves. I believe our journey of self-discovery as individuals—about every part of ourselves, and especially our gender and sexuality—is lifelong. This film is a way for me to give voice to those questions inside me—and, I hope, to encourage others to look inside themselves as well.
One of my core goals for this film is getting the chance to share this story with queer film festivals across the US, and to connect with other queer filmmakers asking the questions I want to ask and telling the stories that speak to me. I couldn’t think of a higher honor than having this film start conversations and dialogue about the nuances of sexuality and intersectionality in the queer community.
The process of making a film is deeply humbling, and it involves the kindness and generosity of so many people.
That being said, that generosity shouldn’t involve free labor. So many of the crew on my first film donated their time and their expertise, and I feel a deep commitment to ensuring that on this film we pay the artists and crew that help bring it in the world for their talent and hard work. Not surprisingly, that means the budget of the film goes up! But it’s the right thing to do.
This film will definitely still be scrappy and shoestring—most independent shorts are! But we need your support to tell a story that’s original and thought-provoking while also making sure the folks in front of and behind the camera are able to pursue fulfilling careers where they use their skills to pay their bills.
We are also seeking a shooting location! The great thing about this story is that it happens over one night in one place: at Ira’s house, predominantly in his dining room and kitchen. If you (or someone you know) has a home that you’d be excited to have us use as a shooting location, please let us know!
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
If you’d like to support this project, but you aren’t in a place to contribute monetarily, no worries! Here are some other ways you can help us out:
1) Follow us!
Find us on Instagram: @orange_seder_film
- Follow our Seed&Spark page (that little blue heart at the top right) for updates as we move into production. Once we hit 250 "followers," regardless of how many people pledge, we'll start unlocking creator discounts for this and future projects.
2) Share our story!
- Tell a friend who might be interested in this story via email, text, word-of-mouth—anything! We want to reach the widest audience possible during our short campaign window. Please share our Instagram posts with your community with the message:
- “Help @jacobdcombs and a group of independent filmmakers by supporting the queer/Jewish comedy @orange_seder_film on @seedandspark! Join them here: https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-orange-on-the-seder-plate”
3) Get in touch!
- Have suggestions, ideas, or other talents/skills you want to share? Reach out + say hello! [email protected]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Shooting Locations
Costs $1,000
Help us find Ira's house!
Craft Services
Costs $1,450
Help us feed our hardworking team!
Camera Equipment Rental
Costs $2,000
Help us source the camera equipment that will make our film look beautiful.
Cast & Crew Labor
Costs $10,000
Help us pay our cast and crew competitive rates!
Post-Production Services
Costs $1,000
Help us ensure we have enough funding to finish our film!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jacob Combs (Writer/Director)
Jacob Combs is a writer, director, and composer based in Los Angeles. Most recently, he was part of the writers room for the Netflix comedy BLOCKBUSTER, and he is currently developing several TV projects with showrunners Vanessa Ramos and Jackie Clarke. Previously, Jacob spent a 6-year stint at Pixar Animation Studios in a variety of writing, development and production roles. He wrote on an untitled feature in development at Pixar and was part of the writers’ room for an upcoming, original episodic series. He also wrote several episodes of the Emmy-nominated Disney+ documentary series ‘Inside Pixar.’ In addition to his work in animation, Jacob has written two live-action short films: ‘Messrs.,’ which won Pixar’s AfterWORK screenplay competition, and his first short as writer/director, ‘Without,’ which showed at several festivals in 2019 and 2020. His original feature screenplay ‘Palisade Peaches’ was developed at the 2022 Nostos Screenwriting Retreat in Arezzo, Italy and was a second round candidate for the 2023 Sundance Development Track. This fall, he developed his screenplay ‘Max and Vivian Get Mitzvah’d’ at the Stowe Story Labs in Vermont. A lifelong theater nerd, Jacob wrote the music & lyrics for ‘Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins’ (based on the beloved children’s book by Eric Kimmel), which has been produced annually since 2018 by Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre. If he’s not writing, Jacob is probably playing piano with his husband Jacob (that’s right, two Jacobs) or eating a chocolate pot de creme.
Matt Garland (Producer)
Matt Garland is an award winning film producer based in Los Angeles with a diverse background in the arts, technology, and filmmaking. Originally trained as a sculptor, Matt worked as a web designer before transitioning to live virtual events and video streaming. He’s proud to have worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry including Hulu, Disney, and ESPN. A lifelong fan of film and TV, he jumped at the opportunity to start producing films over a decade ago. With a passion for genre stories that blend universal human challenges with fantastical worlds, Matt has produced numerous short films and supported them at film festivals across the US and Canada. He loves the collaborative nature of filmmaking and is keen to partner with like minded writers and directors to bring their visions to life.
Maura Turner (Producer)
Maura Turner is a Bay Area based filmmaker and Feature Relations Manager at Pixar Animation Studios. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in Cinema Studies, she worked a stint in freelance production (live action commercials) before joining Pixar Animation Studios in 2015 as a Production Assistant on Coco. She went on to work in Production Management on Cars 3, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and in Pixar's creative development department before joining Pixar's Marketing team where she's since worked on Onward, Soul, Luca, Turning Red, and most recently, Elemental. Maura loves digging into new creative projects, and in her spare time has also worked on live action short films as a producer on Pixar's AfterWORK live action short Messrs., and as a set designer on Jacob Combs' directorial debut, Without. When she's not making movies, she's spending time with her husband, playing with her dog, gardening, or binge-watching a tv show.
Robin Pabello (Director of Photography)
An L.A.-based, award winning-cinematographer born in Inglewood, CA and raised by Flipino-Scottish- American parents, Robin had a tough love grandmother that shared her passion for films and make believe. Robin graduated CSULB with a BA in Liberal Arts and Science and a minor in Human and Child Psychology. She taught second grade for eight years, until she transitioned to freelancing in the entertainment industry, capturing and filming mini documentaries to raise awareness for non-profit organizations such as Cure Autism Now and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Later she graduated top of her class with a Film and Video degree from OCC, specializing in Cinematography, which lead her to be an electrician, Best Boy and Gaffer for two years before transitioning to the camera department in the Local 600. She is currently working as a DP and Camera Operator. With beginnings in the documentary world and her strong suit in photography, having an artistic eye, composing a shot and lighting design all translate to visual storytelling. She has a broad range of style from lifestyle branding to moody cinematic films and commercials. Her work ethic and techniques have elevated her and refined her skills and have taken her around the globe.
Lindsay Armstrong (Editor)
Lindsay Armstrong is a Los Angeles based film & television picture editor. She earned her MFA from the School of Cinematic Arts at USC, where she quickly formed a deep love of editing. Following her graduation from USC, Lindsay moved to the Bay Area and worked as an assistant editor at Pixar Animation Studios. She is proud to have been on the editing teams behind Finding Dory and Onward. As an editor, some of Lindsay's work includes the Blumhouse feature film Soft & Quiet, which premiered in competition at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival, season one of Amazon's series The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Netflix's series XO, Kitty. She recently edited the feature film Young. Wild. Free., which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. When she's not editing, Lindsay loves swimming, going on long walks, watching live theater, and trying out new coffee shops. She will never say no to coffee or dessert.
Meghan Apostoles (Casting Director)
Meghan Apostoles is a Casting Director & Associate based in Los Angeles. She has experience casting in all genres including major studio features, independent films, television productions, short form projects and commercials. As a Casting Associate, she has been nominated for two Artios Awards for excellence in casting for the films Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) and Harriet (Focus Features). Other credits include The Rehearsal (HBO), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+), House of Cards (Netflix) and the independent feature Coup! which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival.