The World is Your Oyster
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Comedy
Trinity arrives at a sun-drenched beach alone, her electric presence transforming an ordinary day into theater. When bold Malek approaches with a bucket of freshly caught oysters, their mutual attraction escalates into an intoxicating encounter. But beneath the chemistry lies a fundamental clash.
The World is Your Oyster
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama, Comedy
2 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,484 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
15 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Trinity arrives at a sun-drenched beach alone, her electric presence transforming an ordinary day into theater. When bold Malek approaches with a bucket of freshly caught oysters, their mutual attraction escalates into an intoxicating encounter. But beneath the chemistry lies a fundamental clash.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Synopsis
Trinity arrives at a sun-drenched beach alone, her electric presence transforming an ordinary day into theater. When bold Malek approaches with a bucket of freshly caught oysters, their mutual attraction quickly escalates into an intoxicating encounter.
But beneath the chemistry lies a fundamental clash: Malek seeks to capture and understand by asking personal questions and implying his desire for marriage and children. Trinity exists to experience and move on, savoring moments without letting them define her.
Their passionate night becomes a battleground between his need to know her more and her determination to remain unknowable. When Malek pushes for permanence in a connection built on impermanence, Trinity chooses freedom over his certainty.
At dawn, she leaves as mysteriously as she arrived, teaching him that the most beautiful encounters are sometimes the ones we can never repeat.
Director's Note
There were plenty of passengers that didn’t seem significant on the surface, but left a piece in me forever, whether for better or worse, romantic or not; while there are some supposed long-standing relationships that I thought were strong.
The film is about living in the moment, exploring what constitutes a good time, and embracing the endless possibilities and limitations of intimate interactions.
I had a lot of fun writing the story. I’m not so much the type of girl who dates people whom I met in person, so seducing other people in public has been sort of a fantasy. However, the creative experience was also like flipping through a live album of old memories, reviewing the faces and scenarios I encountered. I hope you enjoy the film!
THE SEDUCTION
THE METAPHOR
THE GAZES & FIRST DANCE
THE CLIMAX
THE KILLER DRESS
SET DESIGN
Learn more about our team on THIS PAGE.
The World is Your Oyster comes with a set of specific challenges!
Such as:
1) Intimacy, Nudity & Underwater Scenes
It's essential for us to pay actors fairly and hire professionals, such as an Intimacy Coordinator and a lifeguard, to ensure their safety and comfort. This comes to at least $2,000.
2) Arranging Fresh Seafood - Oysters & Sea Urchins
Crucial elements for the story, and they are just not cheap per se ahaha!
3) Outstanding location, set design, & costume
The beach house itself costs $1,000-$ 2,000 per day for rental. And with the aesthetic we're going for, we'll need several hundred dollars, if not thousands.
4) Vintage & underwater looks = lenses & camera housing
Lenses are not cheap! Besides that, we need equipment to work around with the sunlight and in the water.
Here's the breakdown of our campaign goals:
Greenlight Minimum: $6,808
Allow us to cover the basic equipment, hire actors and safety professionals, rent the location, and feed the crew. Production design might be limited.
Target Goal: $8,510
Fewer sacrifices in camera equipment, production design, and costumes. The vision and production value could be better protected.
Stretch Goal: $11,000 ~ 18,000
Achieving stretch goals will allow us to potentially extend another shoot day, compensate all volunteered crew members, and succeed in festivals, marketing & publicity!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Talents, IC & Lifeguard
Costs $1,800
4 actors, intimacy coordinator, and life guard are essential for the film.
Location
Costs $1,500
Beach house
Set Design & Props
Costs $580
Items such as Oysters & Sea Urchin, Oyster Shucker, Bucket, Surfing Board, Bulging Pants, Curtains, Bedset, Books & Decor Items, Beach Towel
Costumes
Costs $535
Trinity travels in style, items like Bikinis, Sunglasses, Dress, Bag, Flipflops makes her character. Modesty Garments and Robes also crucial
Meals & Kit Fees
Costs $1,540
Making sure everyone is fed well and sound doesn't suck ;)
Camera & Lighting
Costs $1,350
To achieve a vintage look and shoot underwater, more equipment & insurance will be needed.
Festival Submissions
Costs $800
So one day you can brag about us with your friends and family, right?
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Valentina Chang - Writer/Director/Producer
https://www.distorted-dreams.com/
Valentina Chang is a Producer and 1st AD based in Los Angeles. With over 8 years of combined experience in marketing and filmmaking, Valentina brings a producer’s mindset to every phase of a project—from development through festival positioning. She is drawn to stories that take risks—emotionally, structurally, politically. Grub, the short film she successfully fund-raised and produced, premiered at Screamfest 2024, won Best Horror at MiSciFi 2025, and was mentioned on Deadline.
Before moving to LA in 2022, Valentina honed her craft in Taiwan, contributing to HBO Max's reality competition show and the PBS feature Girl What Do You Want. She is also a jury member of Japan Film Festival Los Angeles 2025, supporting emerging voices across cultures.
Claire Rice - Trinity
www.claire-rice.com // https://www.instagram.com/itsclairerice/
Claire Rice is a Los Angeles-based actor, originating from the Central Coast of California. A BFA Theatre graduate, she now works across film, television, and the digital space, appearing regularly in several sketch comedy groups and web series that have amassed over 15 million views online. She gravitates toward character-driven stories that blur the line between comedy and heartbreak– stories that feel real, messy, and deeply human.
Kelvin “Kwabbie” Oppong - Malek
Kelvin “Kwabbie” Oppong is a first-generation Ghanaian American actor, writer, and musician based in Los Angeles. A former chess prodigy from the Bronx, Oppong brings strategic depth and emotional nuance to every performance, known for portraying layered and introspective characters with striking authenticity. With nearly a decade of experience as an actor-musician, he blends performance and storytelling to explore themes of identity, resilience, and transformation. Beyond the screen, Oppong has built a strong social media presence that amplifies diasporic artistry and creative expression. Under his musical alias Kwabbie, he merges R&B, soul, and Afrobeats influences into narratives of self-discovery and belonging.
Judah Hooper - Producer
https://www.instagram.com/the_onceler1/
Judah Hooper is a writer, director and musician based in Los Angeles, originally from Rialto California. He gained his first few years of experience at the age of 15 as a camera operator for a non-profit organization and then moved to directing the camera-related services for the events. Around the same time he was given a camera with a tripod from his family and started to make his own self-made short films. Judah also has had experience as an Assistant Director, Script Supervisor, Editor, Cinematographer, and Production Designer on several projects both commercial and artistic. He is currently finishing post-production on a horror film and an animated short film. He is known for the way he builds tension, tone, and atmosphere with more emotional, character-driven stories.
Jenna McCarty - Producer
Jenna McCarty is an Actress based in Los Angeles. She was born and raised in Kansas and attended college at The University of Nevada, Las Vegas for acting. She then moved to the L.A. area in 2024 to pursue her acting career full-time. Since moving to L.A, she has pursued many different avenues in filmmaking including behind the scenes in the production world. She has been a Production Assistant on several different professional commercial and indie film sets and acted in several projects including: When Waipo Visits (Sonder Pictures), Showoffs (UNLV), and The Murder of Sara Mackenzie (UNLV). She has extensive training in both theater and film, and is currently using her theater background to perform as Detective/Host in “The Dinner Detective” (Claremont, California). Jenna has also been in commercials for University of Nevada, Las Vegas, AMC Theatres, and more. Jenna wants to work up the experience and expertise in front and behind the camera to one day produce, write, and act in her own works.
Jahthane Walwyn-Bent - Director of Photography
https://www.instagram.com/ybgwac/
Jahthane Walwyn-Bent is a cinematographer and Canadian native who moved to Los Angeles from Toronto in 2024. He began his life in film as a stills photographer and over the years found a home in the camera department. He has served as Director of Photography on ID (Official Selection, HollyShorts Film Festival) and as both Director and DP on Continue Us (Official Selection, Hollywood Black Film Festival). His latest project, Calculus (2025), written and directed by Danielle Nicolet, showcases his evolving mastery of narrative-driven cinematography. With a background spanning commercial, narrative, and branded content, Jahthane is known for his innovative approach to lighting, composition, and camera movement, delivering visuals that heighten story and immerse audiences.
August Mayer - Production Designer / Costume Designer
August Mayer has been a Scenographer based in the Los Angeles area for the past two years. He went to school at Colorado State University to study scenography in theatre, there he honed his skills in design for costume and scenic elements for a variety of media including plays, musicals, dance, and opera. Since graduating, he has hit the ground running and has designed many projects and begun to dabble in film once in Los Angeles. His most recent works include costume design for soon-to-be-released films such as Shift and Pretty Boy Delaney, assistant costume design for the vertical series Boss, Your Wife Flees with Baby! (2024) and My Ex-Husband Can't Stop Spoiling Me (2024), and costume design for the original play premiered at The Hudson Theater, Wangle Dangle (2024).
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Synopsis
Trinity arrives at a sun-drenched beach alone, her electric presence transforming an ordinary day into theater. When bold Malek approaches with a bucket of freshly caught oysters, their mutual attraction quickly escalates into an intoxicating encounter.
But beneath the chemistry lies a fundamental clash: Malek seeks to capture and understand by asking personal questions and implying his desire for marriage and children. Trinity exists to experience and move on, savoring moments without letting them define her.
Their passionate night becomes a battleground between his need to know her more and her determination to remain unknowable. When Malek pushes for permanence in a connection built on impermanence, Trinity chooses freedom over his certainty.
At dawn, she leaves as mysteriously as she arrived, teaching him that the most beautiful encounters are sometimes the ones we can never repeat.
Director's Note
There were plenty of passengers that didn’t seem significant on the surface, but left a piece in me forever, whether for better or worse, romantic or not; while there are some supposed long-standing relationships that I thought were strong.
The film is about living in the moment, exploring what constitutes a good time, and embracing the endless possibilities and limitations of intimate interactions.
I had a lot of fun writing the story. I’m not so much the type of girl who dates people whom I met in person, so seducing other people in public has been sort of a fantasy. However, the creative experience was also like flipping through a live album of old memories, reviewing the faces and scenarios I encountered. I hope you enjoy the film!
THE SEDUCTION
THE METAPHOR
THE GAZES & FIRST DANCE
THE CLIMAX
THE KILLER DRESS
SET DESIGN
Learn more about our team on THIS PAGE.
The World is Your Oyster comes with a set of specific challenges!
Such as:
1) Intimacy, Nudity & Underwater Scenes
It's essential for us to pay actors fairly and hire professionals, such as an Intimacy Coordinator and a lifeguard, to ensure their safety and comfort. This comes to at least $2,000.
2) Arranging Fresh Seafood - Oysters & Sea Urchins
Crucial elements for the story, and they are just not cheap per se ahaha!
3) Outstanding location, set design, & costume
The beach house itself costs $1,000-$ 2,000 per day for rental. And with the aesthetic we're going for, we'll need several hundred dollars, if not thousands.
4) Vintage & underwater looks = lenses & camera housing
Lenses are not cheap! Besides that, we need equipment to work around with the sunlight and in the water.
Here's the breakdown of our campaign goals:
Greenlight Minimum: $6,808
Allow us to cover the basic equipment, hire actors and safety professionals, rent the location, and feed the crew. Production design might be limited.
Target Goal: $8,510
Fewer sacrifices in camera equipment, production design, and costumes. The vision and production value could be better protected.
Stretch Goal: $11,000 ~ 18,000
Achieving stretch goals will allow us to potentially extend another shoot day, compensate all volunteered crew members, and succeed in festivals, marketing & publicity!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Talents, IC & Lifeguard
Costs $1,800
4 actors, intimacy coordinator, and life guard are essential for the film.
Location
Costs $1,500
Beach house
Set Design & Props
Costs $580
Items such as Oysters & Sea Urchin, Oyster Shucker, Bucket, Surfing Board, Bulging Pants, Curtains, Bedset, Books & Decor Items, Beach Towel
Costumes
Costs $535
Trinity travels in style, items like Bikinis, Sunglasses, Dress, Bag, Flipflops makes her character. Modesty Garments and Robes also crucial
Meals & Kit Fees
Costs $1,540
Making sure everyone is fed well and sound doesn't suck ;)
Camera & Lighting
Costs $1,350
To achieve a vintage look and shoot underwater, more equipment & insurance will be needed.
Festival Submissions
Costs $800
So one day you can brag about us with your friends and family, right?
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Valentina Chang - Writer/Director/Producer
https://www.distorted-dreams.com/
Valentina Chang is a Producer and 1st AD based in Los Angeles. With over 8 years of combined experience in marketing and filmmaking, Valentina brings a producer’s mindset to every phase of a project—from development through festival positioning. She is drawn to stories that take risks—emotionally, structurally, politically. Grub, the short film she successfully fund-raised and produced, premiered at Screamfest 2024, won Best Horror at MiSciFi 2025, and was mentioned on Deadline.
Before moving to LA in 2022, Valentina honed her craft in Taiwan, contributing to HBO Max's reality competition show and the PBS feature Girl What Do You Want. She is also a jury member of Japan Film Festival Los Angeles 2025, supporting emerging voices across cultures.
Claire Rice - Trinity
www.claire-rice.com // https://www.instagram.com/itsclairerice/
Claire Rice is a Los Angeles-based actor, originating from the Central Coast of California. A BFA Theatre graduate, she now works across film, television, and the digital space, appearing regularly in several sketch comedy groups and web series that have amassed over 15 million views online. She gravitates toward character-driven stories that blur the line between comedy and heartbreak– stories that feel real, messy, and deeply human.
Kelvin “Kwabbie” Oppong - Malek
Kelvin “Kwabbie” Oppong is a first-generation Ghanaian American actor, writer, and musician based in Los Angeles. A former chess prodigy from the Bronx, Oppong brings strategic depth and emotional nuance to every performance, known for portraying layered and introspective characters with striking authenticity. With nearly a decade of experience as an actor-musician, he blends performance and storytelling to explore themes of identity, resilience, and transformation. Beyond the screen, Oppong has built a strong social media presence that amplifies diasporic artistry and creative expression. Under his musical alias Kwabbie, he merges R&B, soul, and Afrobeats influences into narratives of self-discovery and belonging.
Judah Hooper - Producer
https://www.instagram.com/the_onceler1/
Judah Hooper is a writer, director and musician based in Los Angeles, originally from Rialto California. He gained his first few years of experience at the age of 15 as a camera operator for a non-profit organization and then moved to directing the camera-related services for the events. Around the same time he was given a camera with a tripod from his family and started to make his own self-made short films. Judah also has had experience as an Assistant Director, Script Supervisor, Editor, Cinematographer, and Production Designer on several projects both commercial and artistic. He is currently finishing post-production on a horror film and an animated short film. He is known for the way he builds tension, tone, and atmosphere with more emotional, character-driven stories.
Jenna McCarty - Producer
Jenna McCarty is an Actress based in Los Angeles. She was born and raised in Kansas and attended college at The University of Nevada, Las Vegas for acting. She then moved to the L.A. area in 2024 to pursue her acting career full-time. Since moving to L.A, she has pursued many different avenues in filmmaking including behind the scenes in the production world. She has been a Production Assistant on several different professional commercial and indie film sets and acted in several projects including: When Waipo Visits (Sonder Pictures), Showoffs (UNLV), and The Murder of Sara Mackenzie (UNLV). She has extensive training in both theater and film, and is currently using her theater background to perform as Detective/Host in “The Dinner Detective” (Claremont, California). Jenna has also been in commercials for University of Nevada, Las Vegas, AMC Theatres, and more. Jenna wants to work up the experience and expertise in front and behind the camera to one day produce, write, and act in her own works.
Jahthane Walwyn-Bent - Director of Photography
https://www.instagram.com/ybgwac/
Jahthane Walwyn-Bent is a cinematographer and Canadian native who moved to Los Angeles from Toronto in 2024. He began his life in film as a stills photographer and over the years found a home in the camera department. He has served as Director of Photography on ID (Official Selection, HollyShorts Film Festival) and as both Director and DP on Continue Us (Official Selection, Hollywood Black Film Festival). His latest project, Calculus (2025), written and directed by Danielle Nicolet, showcases his evolving mastery of narrative-driven cinematography. With a background spanning commercial, narrative, and branded content, Jahthane is known for his innovative approach to lighting, composition, and camera movement, delivering visuals that heighten story and immerse audiences.
August Mayer - Production Designer / Costume Designer
August Mayer has been a Scenographer based in the Los Angeles area for the past two years. He went to school at Colorado State University to study scenography in theatre, there he honed his skills in design for costume and scenic elements for a variety of media including plays, musicals, dance, and opera. Since graduating, he has hit the ground running and has designed many projects and begun to dabble in film once in Los Angeles. His most recent works include costume design for soon-to-be-released films such as Shift and Pretty Boy Delaney, assistant costume design for the vertical series Boss, Your Wife Flees with Baby! (2024) and My Ex-Husband Can't Stop Spoiling Me (2024), and costume design for the original play premiered at The Hudson Theater, Wangle Dangle (2024).