thriving.
Los Angeles, California | Series
Comedy, LGBTQ
Mia, practical and overworked, pays the rent for her broke roommate Lana, who spends her time chasing writing dreams and obsessing over Jax, the hot piercing shop owner. When Mia’s job collapses, they must navigate adulthood and friendship, while learning from each other along the way.
thriving.
Los Angeles, California | Series
Comedy, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $9,300 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
37 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Mia, practical and overworked, pays the rent for her broke roommate Lana, who spends her time chasing writing dreams and obsessing over Jax, the hot piercing shop owner. When Mia’s job collapses, they must navigate adulthood and friendship, while learning from each other along the way.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Last year, I was stuck in a job I hated, dealing with health issues, and constantly comparing myself to peers who seemed like they had it all together. I was procrastinating, overthinking, and wondering why I wasn’t living the “dream” like so many twenty-somethings in LA. Turns out, I wasn’t alone: friends and peers were also feeling behind in careers, relationships, and life in general, clinging to jobs they hated or freewheeling through instability because nothing felt secure.
Watching shows aimed at young adults, I realized I hadn’t seen what life actually feels like right now; juggling dreams versus rent, and pretending you’re chasing something when sometimes, you’re really just lying to yourself. Mia and Lana are both sides of me: the moody dreamer who procrastinates, and the corporate girl clinging to company benefits. I wanted audiences to see themselves in both of them, because most of us have been a Lana or a Mia at some point. thriving. is my way of exploring that tension, laughing at it, and helping us all feel a little less alone.
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thriving. is a six-episode web series that follows Mia and Lana, best friends and roommates navigating life in their twenties when nothing feels stable. Mia is practical, overworked, and secretly hates her marketing job, while Lana is free-spirited, impulsive, and chasing her dream of being a Hollywood screenwriter while obsessing over Jax, the hot piercing shop owner. When Mia’s job collapses, the two must confront adulthood, friendship, and ambition, all while dealing with the consequences of their choices. Through sharp comedy and painfully honest moments, the series explores how friendship can both complicate and sustain you, and how learning to see the world from someone else’s perspective can be as difficult as it is necessary.
Gen Z is facing unprecedented instability: layoffs, rising costs, and the pressure to appear like we have it all together are constants. thriving. reflects this reality, showing the messy, unpredictable, and sometimes absurd ways young adults try to build a life today. It’s a story for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re behind, broke, or just pretending to thrive while figuring it all out.
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If you love the irreverent humor of Broad City, the awkward charm of New Girl, and the comedic honesty of Adults, thriving. is made for you. It blends chaotic comedy with brutally honest friendship dynamics and a pinch of painfully relatable adulting, capturing what life really feels like for twenty-somethings today.
Scripts for the entire first season are finished, key cast and crew members are attached, and location scouting has begun. We’ve already raised roughly half of the production budget, and only $11,000 remains to fully fund all the episodes.
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To make thriving. a reality, we need your support for equipment rentals, locations, transportation, catering, and more! We’re 50% of the way there, and the final $11,000 will help us complete funding for every episode. Every contribution helps us give the series the look, feel, and energy it deserves, while keeping our cast and crew fed, safe, and thriving themselves.
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Even if you can’t pledge, you can still help thriving. thrive. Share this campaign with friends, family, and anyone who’s ever felt behind in life. Follow our social media (@thrivingwebseries) on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes content, updates, and help us bring Mia and Lana's story to life!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $2,500
Mia: Somewhere legal and with walls, please.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $2,500
Lana: We NEED a crane. // Mia: ...We don't need a crane.
Production Design
Costs $1,350
Lana: Oooh! I want lots of pastels!
Catering + Crafty
Costs $2,650
Lana: I call dibs on dessert. And if there's breadsticks, all of those, too.
Transportation
Costs $1,000
Mia: We need to get across Los Angeles without losing half the crew.
SFX Makeup
Costs $1,000
Mia: Lana needs to have a piercing infection AND an allergic reaction. // Lana: Get a girl who does both, amirite?
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
CAYLEIGH PINE - Showrunner & “Lana”
Cayleigh Pine is a Los Angeles–based filmmaker and actor, and an Emerson College film graduate. She’s collaborated with major studios across producing, writing, and directing, and has been acting since age six, most recently training at Stan Kirsch Studios. Currently an Associate Producer at PAVE Studios and the Co-founder of CB Studios, she’s passionate about storytelling both on screen and behind the scenes.
JALINA BROWN - "Mia”
Born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in a small midcoast town in Maine, Jalina Brown’s unique upbringing sparked her passion for storytelling. After graduating from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. She has since appeared in the Lifetime thriller Secrets on Campus as well as several award-winning short films. She is thrilled to step into the role of Mia and collaborate with the talented Thriving team.
SAM KING - "Jax”
Sam King is an actor based in Los Angeles who developed a passion for performance at a young age through theater and attending a performing arts magnet school. After studying and working in IT, they made the decision to fully pursue acting, returning to a craft that had always felt most authentic to them. They have trained at AMAW Acting Studio and gained on-set experience through background work. They continue to grow as a performer while collaborating with other creatives on meaningful projects.
BEN BERNARD - Producer & Director
Ben Bernard is a writer, director, producer, and editor based in Los Angeles, California. Co-founder of the production company CB Studios, he is a graduate of Emerson College’s prestigious film program and has been the creative force behind award-winning narrative and documentary shorts, music videos, and both corporate and educational videography.
SARAH LIPPSTREUER - Associate Producer
Sarah Lippstreuer is a longtime collaborator with CB Studios, working across multiple productions as a Second Assistant Director and Associate Producer, as well as contributing to the development of Thriving. By day she works as a producer helping bring Thriving to life, and by night she serves as an ICU nurse, balancing two demanding worlds with dedication and care.
ELLIE CARLIN - Associate Producer
Ellie Carlin has experience spanning development, production coordination, and on-set support. Currently based in Houston, Texas, she is also producing an original web series and feature. She has previously worked in television
development, performing script coverage and pitch deck creation.
ELLA CONWAY - Associate Producer
Ella is a producer and assistant director based in Los Angeles. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a BA in Visual and Media Arts. With a year of internship experience at production and distribution company Buffalo 8, Ella brings that experience with her to independent projects. Ella’s main goal is to tell new and young stories with up-and-coming directors, mainly focused on the film and television space.
LIDYA SEZER - Production Manager
Lidya is a Los Angeles-based director, writer and producer, and a graduate from Emerson College. Her projects often explore the awkwardness of growing up as well as dark, dramatic themes with an emphasis on delving into the strange and otherworldly.
JENNA REILLY - Director
Jenna Reilly is a Writer/Director and freelance filmmaker from Long Island, New York. In the projects she creates, she loves to explore queer stories from a sensitive perspective. She wants to see the media landscape evolve past the purely melancholic and toward the stories that celebrate the complex human existence. As a freelancer, she works in assistant directing and the lighting department. And she is currently based in Los Angeles.
ANTON ISAAC LEE - BTS Videographer
From the stars in the sky to the ants in the grass, Anton believes that stories are all around us, and for him, stories are a powerful reminder that we are not alone in life’s journey. They inspire us to be kinder, better versions of ourselves, and that lasting change can be created through emotionally resonant depictions of everyday life. It is Anton’s purpose to make the world a better place, one story at a time.
OLIVIA NEIL - Director of Photography
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Olivia has loved being behind the camera since she was a child. She primarily shoots short form narrative work and music videos. She also enjoys printmaking, painting, and dance. She is so excited to work on a series centered around female friendship!
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LOGAN STEENBERGEN - Director of Photography
Logan is a Director of Photography from Chicago, IL, and an Emerson College Graduate. Currently based in Los Angeles, Logan’s work spans feature film, documentary, TV, and variety of big brand creative production. In their free time, they enjoy photography, watching the same TV shows over and over again, and daydreaming to an extensive Spotify playlist.
JETT BOWMAN - Production Sound Mixer
Jett is a Los Angeles based Sound Mixer. He graduated from Cal State Northridge in May 2025 with a Bachelors in Film and Cinema Arts. Jett works hard to provide the cleanest and most consistent sound as possible. He is very excited to be in this crew with such talented individuals.
ETHAN FISKE - Post Production Sound Mixer/Composer
Ethan Fiske is a musician and an audio engineer based in Connecticut. He graduated from Western Connecticut State University with a BS in Audio & Music Production with a minor in Communication. Being a long-time collaborator with CB Studios, Fiske brings his passion for auditory storytelling to every CB project.
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CHESTER DEOROCKI - Stunt Coordinator
Chester Deorocki is excited to work as the stunt coordinator on Thriving! He is a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and just moved to Los Angeles at the start of the year. He currently works as a stunt actor and coordinator, and specializes in tricking and parkour.
CAROLINE NISBET - Animator
Caroline Nisbet was born and raised in central Connecticut and moved to Boston to study Nursing at Northeastern University. After graduation, she moved to New York to start her career as a nurse in the city that never sleeps. When she is off the clock, she loves spending time with her dog, drawing and lettering, and playing retro video games. Caroline is beyond excited to join the amazing Thriving team in her role as Animator!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Last year, I was stuck in a job I hated, dealing with health issues, and constantly comparing myself to peers who seemed like they had it all together. I was procrastinating, overthinking, and wondering why I wasn’t living the “dream” like so many twenty-somethings in LA. Turns out, I wasn’t alone: friends and peers were also feeling behind in careers, relationships, and life in general, clinging to jobs they hated or freewheeling through instability because nothing felt secure.
Watching shows aimed at young adults, I realized I hadn’t seen what life actually feels like right now; juggling dreams versus rent, and pretending you’re chasing something when sometimes, you’re really just lying to yourself. Mia and Lana are both sides of me: the moody dreamer who procrastinates, and the corporate girl clinging to company benefits. I wanted audiences to see themselves in both of them, because most of us have been a Lana or a Mia at some point. thriving. is my way of exploring that tension, laughing at it, and helping us all feel a little less alone.
thriving. is a six-episode web series that follows Mia and Lana, best friends and roommates navigating life in their twenties when nothing feels stable. Mia is practical, overworked, and secretly hates her marketing job, while Lana is free-spirited, impulsive, and chasing her dream of being a Hollywood screenwriter while obsessing over Jax, the hot piercing shop owner. When Mia’s job collapses, the two must confront adulthood, friendship, and ambition, all while dealing with the consequences of their choices. Through sharp comedy and painfully honest moments, the series explores how friendship can both complicate and sustain you, and how learning to see the world from someone else’s perspective can be as difficult as it is necessary.
Gen Z is facing unprecedented instability: layoffs, rising costs, and the pressure to appear like we have it all together are constants. thriving. reflects this reality, showing the messy, unpredictable, and sometimes absurd ways young adults try to build a life today. It’s a story for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re behind, broke, or just pretending to thrive while figuring it all out.
If you love the irreverent humor of Broad City, the awkward charm of New Girl, and the comedic honesty of Adults, thriving. is made for you. It blends chaotic comedy with brutally honest friendship dynamics and a pinch of painfully relatable adulting, capturing what life really feels like for twenty-somethings today.
Scripts for the entire first season are finished, key cast and crew members are attached, and location scouting has begun. We’ve already raised roughly half of the production budget, and only $11,000 remains to fully fund all the episodes.
To make thriving. a reality, we need your support for equipment rentals, locations, transportation, catering, and more! We’re 50% of the way there, and the final $11,000 will help us complete funding for every episode. Every contribution helps us give the series the look, feel, and energy it deserves, while keeping our cast and crew fed, safe, and thriving themselves.
Even if you can’t pledge, you can still help thriving. thrive. Share this campaign with friends, family, and anyone who’s ever felt behind in life. Follow our social media (@thrivingwebseries) on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes content, updates, and help us bring Mia and Lana's story to life!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $2,500
Mia: Somewhere legal and with walls, please.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $2,500
Lana: We NEED a crane. // Mia: ...We don't need a crane.
Production Design
Costs $1,350
Lana: Oooh! I want lots of pastels!
Catering + Crafty
Costs $2,650
Lana: I call dibs on dessert. And if there's breadsticks, all of those, too.
Transportation
Costs $1,000
Mia: We need to get across Los Angeles without losing half the crew.
SFX Makeup
Costs $1,000
Mia: Lana needs to have a piercing infection AND an allergic reaction. // Lana: Get a girl who does both, amirite?
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
CAYLEIGH PINE - Showrunner & “Lana”
Cayleigh Pine is a Los Angeles–based filmmaker and actor, and an Emerson College film graduate. She’s collaborated with major studios across producing, writing, and directing, and has been acting since age six, most recently training at Stan Kirsch Studios. Currently an Associate Producer at PAVE Studios and the Co-founder of CB Studios, she’s passionate about storytelling both on screen and behind the scenes.
JALINA BROWN - "Mia”
Born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in a small midcoast town in Maine, Jalina Brown’s unique upbringing sparked her passion for storytelling. After graduating from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. She has since appeared in the Lifetime thriller Secrets on Campus as well as several award-winning short films. She is thrilled to step into the role of Mia and collaborate with the talented Thriving team.
SAM KING - "Jax”
Sam King is an actor based in Los Angeles who developed a passion for performance at a young age through theater and attending a performing arts magnet school. After studying and working in IT, they made the decision to fully pursue acting, returning to a craft that had always felt most authentic to them. They have trained at AMAW Acting Studio and gained on-set experience through background work. They continue to grow as a performer while collaborating with other creatives on meaningful projects.
BEN BERNARD - Producer & Director
Ben Bernard is a writer, director, producer, and editor based in Los Angeles, California. Co-founder of the production company CB Studios, he is a graduate of Emerson College’s prestigious film program and has been the creative force behind award-winning narrative and documentary shorts, music videos, and both corporate and educational videography.
SARAH LIPPSTREUER - Associate Producer
Sarah Lippstreuer is a longtime collaborator with CB Studios, working across multiple productions as a Second Assistant Director and Associate Producer, as well as contributing to the development of Thriving. By day she works as a producer helping bring Thriving to life, and by night she serves as an ICU nurse, balancing two demanding worlds with dedication and care.
ELLIE CARLIN - Associate Producer
Ellie Carlin has experience spanning development, production coordination, and on-set support. Currently based in Houston, Texas, she is also producing an original web series and feature. She has previously worked in television
development, performing script coverage and pitch deck creation.
ELLA CONWAY - Associate Producer
Ella is a producer and assistant director based in Los Angeles. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a BA in Visual and Media Arts. With a year of internship experience at production and distribution company Buffalo 8, Ella brings that experience with her to independent projects. Ella’s main goal is to tell new and young stories with up-and-coming directors, mainly focused on the film and television space.
LIDYA SEZER - Production Manager
Lidya is a Los Angeles-based director, writer and producer, and a graduate from Emerson College. Her projects often explore the awkwardness of growing up as well as dark, dramatic themes with an emphasis on delving into the strange and otherworldly.
JENNA REILLY - Director
Jenna Reilly is a Writer/Director and freelance filmmaker from Long Island, New York. In the projects she creates, she loves to explore queer stories from a sensitive perspective. She wants to see the media landscape evolve past the purely melancholic and toward the stories that celebrate the complex human existence. As a freelancer, she works in assistant directing and the lighting department. And she is currently based in Los Angeles.
ANTON ISAAC LEE - BTS Videographer
From the stars in the sky to the ants in the grass, Anton believes that stories are all around us, and for him, stories are a powerful reminder that we are not alone in life’s journey. They inspire us to be kinder, better versions of ourselves, and that lasting change can be created through emotionally resonant depictions of everyday life. It is Anton’s purpose to make the world a better place, one story at a time.
OLIVIA NEIL - Director of Photography
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Olivia has loved being behind the camera since she was a child. She primarily shoots short form narrative work and music videos. She also enjoys printmaking, painting, and dance. She is so excited to work on a series centered around female friendship!
LOGAN STEENBERGEN - Director of Photography
Logan is a Director of Photography from Chicago, IL, and an Emerson College Graduate. Currently based in Los Angeles, Logan’s work spans feature film, documentary, TV, and variety of big brand creative production. In their free time, they enjoy photography, watching the same TV shows over and over again, and daydreaming to an extensive Spotify playlist.
JETT BOWMAN - Production Sound Mixer
Jett is a Los Angeles based Sound Mixer. He graduated from Cal State Northridge in May 2025 with a Bachelors in Film and Cinema Arts. Jett works hard to provide the cleanest and most consistent sound as possible. He is very excited to be in this crew with such talented individuals.
ETHAN FISKE - Post Production Sound Mixer/Composer
Ethan Fiske is a musician and an audio engineer based in Connecticut. He graduated from Western Connecticut State University with a BS in Audio & Music Production with a minor in Communication. Being a long-time collaborator with CB Studios, Fiske brings his passion for auditory storytelling to every CB project.
CHESTER DEOROCKI - Stunt Coordinator
Chester Deorocki is excited to work as the stunt coordinator on Thriving! He is a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and just moved to Los Angeles at the start of the year. He currently works as a stunt actor and coordinator, and specializes in tricking and parkour.
CAROLINE NISBET - Animator
Caroline Nisbet was born and raised in central Connecticut and moved to Boston to study Nursing at Northeastern University. After graduation, she moved to New York to start her career as a nurse in the city that never sleeps. When she is off the clock, she loves spending time with her dog, drawing and lettering, and playing retro video games. Caroline is beyond excited to join the amazing Thriving team in her role as Animator!