The Last Actress
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama
"The Last Actress" is an MFA thesis that follows a once-successful actress torn between ambitions and the affections of her daughter.
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$4,673
Goal: $9,999 for pre-production
"The Last Actress" is an MFA thesis that follows a once-successful actress torn between ambitions and the affections of her daughter.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"Over the course of a day Harper works through film shoots, a rival actress and a nasty ex all while caring for her daughter, Shelby. As she chases a big audition, she confronts the question: ambition or motherhood?"
THE CHARACTERS
HARPER WILSON, a mid-30s actress and single mother in New York City, fighting to reignite a stalled career while raising her daughter through a difficult divorce. Ambitious and proud, she is haunted by the sense that time is running out.
Our HARPER:
We are thrilled to share that the role of Harper will be played by Molly Kunz, a talented actress and a friend of Alex's since their undergraduate days. Bringing a performer of Molly's caliber to a thesis short is rare, and her talent and experience elevate this project in a way we could not be more excited about.
SHELBY, Harper's young daughter. Caught in the middle of her parents' split, she feels neglected by her mom's career demands and just wants more of her time.
DALTON, Harper's ex-husband. Their divorce is nasty, and his commentary chips away at Harper's confidence and complicates every choice she makes.
CLAIRE, a younger actress up for the same role on a bigger project. Confident and cutting. The stolen ring is hers.
LINDSAY, a former collaborator who left acting behind and now runs a bodega. A living reminder of the road Harper is terrified of taking.
The film moves through the many corners of a single NYC day:
- School drop-off
- A film set
- City streets
- A shopping trip
- A pawn shop
- Dalton's house
- A crowded public bathroom
- The audition room
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
"Growing up a movie nerd in small-town Minnesota I moved to New York City twelve years ago to work in media, everything from film and TV to advertising, web series, and even corporate and wedding videos. I have watched the technology and the landscape shift dramatically, along with my own roles on set as I adapted. Placing my short in this world is intriguing to me because I am not only familiar with the topic, but my ambitions run parallel with the characters’.
Before entering my MFA at Brooklyn College, I was struggling to decide on my next steps in life. Although I could make a living, I was stuck in an existential loop of "almost there," topping out as a skilled hired hand with a cloudy long-term goal. The question of whether I should take one last big swing to become a director and writer, or shift my career entirely, weighed heavily on me. Is the creative high worth chasing?
Harper has a child and the push and pull between her professional and personal lives force her to make tough sacrifices. I am in my mid-30s and feel related pressures about starting a family and balancing my own ambitions. The choice at the heart of this film, dreams versus stability against a shrinking window of time, is a challenge multiple generations are living through right now. That is what inspired me to make this project, and why I want to make it now."
Why Your Support Matters
Brooklyn College's MFA program has given us something most independent productions don't: professional equipment and a crew. Every dollar you contribute goes straight to cast, locations, and meals, and this story travels through more of New York City than most shorts ever attempt.
Schedule
Pre-production: Summer to Fall 2026 Casting, location scouting, crew lock, rehearsals.
Principal Photography: October 2026 6 shoot days across New York City locations.
Post-production: November 2026 to early 2027 Picture edit, color grade, sound mix, festival deliverables.
Festival Submission: Summer 2027
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
MISCELLANEOUS & CONTINGENCY
Costs $1,063
All the goods and a lil extra cash for emergencies
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
- Alex Kaufman is a Polish-American filmmaker originally from Minneapolis, MN, but has lived in Brooklyn for over a decade. Kaufman has worked on countless film and television sets but has made a career as a colorist for major production companies, most recently with Company 3. After working for several years, Kaufman decided to return to school to pursue an MFA in live-action filmmaking at Brooklyn College. He enjoys surreal and satirical films that examine the absurdities of daily life and culture.
- Born in Izmir, Turkey, Lal Ütün is an Istanbul-based filmmaker with a background in Psychology and Visual Arts. While doing cinematography work in various Indie short narratives, she has a background in producing. Their collaborations usually explore themes of identity, perception, and human connection. Right now, they are pursuing an MFA in Film Production in New York, United States, as a Fulbright scholar focusing on cinematography. Their hobbies include various dance styles and global cinema.
- Gigi Tamayo Boado is an Argentinian-Peruvian filmmaker and producer based in New York City. She grew up in the theater, learning early that stories don't just entertain — they shift something in the people who witness them. She holds an MFA in Film Producing from Brooklyn College and is 1/3 of Stray Tales Pictures. Gigi co-wrote Gina's Fiend, a short film that won Best Narrative and Best Screenplay at the 2018 BMCC Film Festival, and has since produced and AD'd across seven short films — building a quiet, ground-up mastery of what it takes to move a story from instinct to screen. Her projects explore race, identity, gender, and class not as topics, but as textures.
- Novella Torres is a queer Nicaraguan-American filmmaker based in New York who loves the art of storytelling as a writer, actor, and director. She is especially drawn to stories and voices that are often overlooked or left unheard, and hopes to create work that gives those stories a place to be seen. Novella is an IDC Professionals–trained intimacy coordinator. She believes safety and creativity go hand in hand, and that collaborative sets make for better storytelling.She is also one-third of Stray Tales Pictures.
- Calla Marguerite Mronz is a German-American producer based in New York City, with professional experience in both Germany and the U.S. Her background spans film, music, and live events, combining hands-on production with experience in business development. After several years working independently across commercial and event-driven productions, she shifted her focus toward narrative filmmaking. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Film at the Feirstein School of Cinema while producing independent projects and expanding her work across distribution and international sales.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
"Over the course of a day Harper works through film shoots, a rival actress and a nasty ex all while caring for her daughter, Shelby. As she chases a big audition, she confronts the question: ambition or motherhood?"
THE CHARACTERS
HARPER WILSON, a mid-30s actress and single mother in New York City, fighting to reignite a stalled career while raising her daughter through a difficult divorce. Ambitious and proud, she is haunted by the sense that time is running out.
Our HARPER:
We are thrilled to share that the role of Harper will be played by Molly Kunz, a talented actress and a friend of Alex's since their undergraduate days. Bringing a performer of Molly's caliber to a thesis short is rare, and her talent and experience elevate this project in a way we could not be more excited about.
SHELBY, Harper's young daughter. Caught in the middle of her parents' split, she feels neglected by her mom's career demands and just wants more of her time.
DALTON, Harper's ex-husband. Their divorce is nasty, and his commentary chips away at Harper's confidence and complicates every choice she makes.
CLAIRE, a younger actress up for the same role on a bigger project. Confident and cutting. The stolen ring is hers.
LINDSAY, a former collaborator who left acting behind and now runs a bodega. A living reminder of the road Harper is terrified of taking.
The film moves through the many corners of a single NYC day:
- School drop-off
- A film set
- City streets
- A shopping trip
- A pawn shop
- Dalton's house
- A crowded public bathroom
- The audition room
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
"Growing up a movie nerd in small-town Minnesota I moved to New York City twelve years ago to work in media, everything from film and TV to advertising, web series, and even corporate and wedding videos. I have watched the technology and the landscape shift dramatically, along with my own roles on set as I adapted. Placing my short in this world is intriguing to me because I am not only familiar with the topic, but my ambitions run parallel with the characters’.
Before entering my MFA at Brooklyn College, I was struggling to decide on my next steps in life. Although I could make a living, I was stuck in an existential loop of "almost there," topping out as a skilled hired hand with a cloudy long-term goal. The question of whether I should take one last big swing to become a director and writer, or shift my career entirely, weighed heavily on me. Is the creative high worth chasing?
Harper has a child and the push and pull between her professional and personal lives force her to make tough sacrifices. I am in my mid-30s and feel related pressures about starting a family and balancing my own ambitions. The choice at the heart of this film, dreams versus stability against a shrinking window of time, is a challenge multiple generations are living through right now. That is what inspired me to make this project, and why I want to make it now."
Why Your Support Matters
Brooklyn College's MFA program has given us something most independent productions don't: professional equipment and a crew. Every dollar you contribute goes straight to cast, locations, and meals, and this story travels through more of New York City than most shorts ever attempt.
Schedule
Pre-production: Summer to Fall 2026 Casting, location scouting, crew lock, rehearsals.
Principal Photography: October 2026 6 shoot days across New York City locations.
Post-production: November 2026 to early 2027 Picture edit, color grade, sound mix, festival deliverables.
Festival Submission: Summer 2027
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
MISCELLANEOUS & CONTINGENCY
Costs $1,063
All the goods and a lil extra cash for emergencies
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
- Alex Kaufman is a Polish-American filmmaker originally from Minneapolis, MN, but has lived in Brooklyn for over a decade. Kaufman has worked on countless film and television sets but has made a career as a colorist for major production companies, most recently with Company 3. After working for several years, Kaufman decided to return to school to pursue an MFA in live-action filmmaking at Brooklyn College. He enjoys surreal and satirical films that examine the absurdities of daily life and culture.
- Born in Izmir, Turkey, Lal Ütün is an Istanbul-based filmmaker with a background in Psychology and Visual Arts. While doing cinematography work in various Indie short narratives, she has a background in producing. Their collaborations usually explore themes of identity, perception, and human connection. Right now, they are pursuing an MFA in Film Production in New York, United States, as a Fulbright scholar focusing on cinematography. Their hobbies include various dance styles and global cinema.
- Gigi Tamayo Boado is an Argentinian-Peruvian filmmaker and producer based in New York City. She grew up in the theater, learning early that stories don't just entertain — they shift something in the people who witness them. She holds an MFA in Film Producing from Brooklyn College and is 1/3 of Stray Tales Pictures. Gigi co-wrote Gina's Fiend, a short film that won Best Narrative and Best Screenplay at the 2018 BMCC Film Festival, and has since produced and AD'd across seven short films — building a quiet, ground-up mastery of what it takes to move a story from instinct to screen. Her projects explore race, identity, gender, and class not as topics, but as textures.
- Novella Torres is a queer Nicaraguan-American filmmaker based in New York who loves the art of storytelling as a writer, actor, and director. She is especially drawn to stories and voices that are often overlooked or left unheard, and hopes to create work that gives those stories a place to be seen. Novella is an IDC Professionals–trained intimacy coordinator. She believes safety and creativity go hand in hand, and that collaborative sets make for better storytelling.She is also one-third of Stray Tales Pictures.
- Calla Marguerite Mronz is a German-American producer based in New York City, with professional experience in both Germany and the U.S. Her background spans film, music, and live events, combining hands-on production with experience in business development. After several years working independently across commercial and event-driven productions, she shifted her focus toward narrative filmmaking. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Film at the Feirstein School of Cinema while producing independent projects and expanding her work across distribution and international sales.