Trial Separation
New York City, New York | Film Short
Comedy, Horror
Borne from our love of the Faustian myth and Jungian psychodrama, we seek to create a story with equal parts pathos and absurdity. Trial Separation is an unhinged and hilarious story that asks: can, and should, a relationship transcend the boundaries of time, space, and logic?
Trial Separation
New York City, New York | Film Short
Comedy, Horror
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
45 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$5,755
Goal: $13,000 for production
Borne from our love of the Faustian myth and Jungian psychodrama, we seek to create a story with equal parts pathos and absurdity. Trial Separation is an unhinged and hilarious story that asks: can, and should, a relationship transcend the boundaries of time, space, and logic?
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Toxic exes…with a Faustian twist.
Dr. Paloma Foster is a star on the rise, a scientific luminary quickly gaining world recognition for her work in theoretical physics. When an old business associate comes out of the woodwork, however, the good doctor will discover public acclaim isn’t all that she bargained for. Imagine the tempestuous romantic drama of "Scenes from a Marriage" meets "The Tragedy of Dr. Faust."
In essence, Trial Separation is our own take on a time-worn trope: the unwise human and the demon with whom they make a bargain for their heart's desire. We use the backdrop of a relationship that’s run its course to illustrate the messier, more domestic elements of a Faustian figure and their personal Mephistopheles. These characters are larger than life, but their pain and dysfunction are grounded in the very real ways we fall apart.
Trial Separation is bizarre, fantastical, and darkly comedic.
It initially features a tense, atmospheric tone with a slow-burn reveal that catapults the story from your average psychological horror to a world of absurdity. It is finding pathos and perverted tenderness in “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.”
Location-wise, our film begins in a claustrophobic, buzzy late-night talk show studio. It then pivots to the presumed quiet intimacy of Foster’s city apartment, where the majority of the film’s action occurs. The overall look is influenced by the lighting and design of 90s horror.
Dr. Paloma Foster will be played by the film's writer, Kara Michelin. Kara is known for her work in films such as The Plague (2025), Bavardage (2024), and The Taxidermist (post). She also works in the film industry as an art director, set decorator, and screenwriter.
Our Clock will be played by Jordan Chin, a New York-based actor, singer, and artist. She hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up pursuing dramatic training from an early age, eventually touring with a professional theater company as a teen. She studied drama at NYU/Tisch and discovered a passion for film during advanced training at Stonestreet Studios. Jordan recently completed a 3-week run of the new play Until at the historical Theater for the New City. She has performed off-Broadway, in experimental theater, and behind many bars. Recent film credits include Harvard (2024/Stonestreet Studios), Cool Me Down (2023/Ladytrap Productions), and Method Man (2024/Always Write Productions).
The Talk Show Host will be played by Rigo Garay. Rigo Garay is a writer/actor/director from Long Island, NY. Since 2015, he has been working at Glass Eye Pix, a film production company in NYC founded by horror auteur Larry Fessenden. After small roles in indies and shorts, he was cast as the lead role in CRUMB CATCHER, directed by his long-time collaborator and friend Chris Skotchdopole. Since then, he's appeared in multiple feature films, shorts, and television guest spots.
Director Aimee Kuge’s previous film Cannibal Mukbang has screened and competed at more than 20 film festivals worldwide, including Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, and Chattanooga Film Festival. Praised by audiences and critics alike, the film has won awards at the Atlanta Horror Fest and Screamfest New Orleans, and was nominated for Best First Feature and Best Streaming Premiere at Fangoria. After a successful festival run, Cannibal Mukbang was sold to Jackrabbit Media for worldwide distribution.
Producer Daniel Pravit Fethke recently produced The Nature of Dogs, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and went on to win the award for Best Screenplay at the Singapore International Film Festival. He is also a lead producer for Boy Harsher’s cult classic The Runner, which had a limited worldwide theatrical release before being sold domestically to Shudder for domestic distribution and Mandolin for international streaming services.
Trial Separation’s screenplay has been selected by Chicago Horror Film Festival, FilmQuest, HorrorFest International, and ZedFest, all of which are IMDb qualifying festivals. It has also won the New York Screenwriter Award.
Our lead characters are cast, and our department heads are secured. We just need to raise the funds to get this production party started!
We're looking to raise 13k over the next 30 days through donations, sponsorships, and kind folks lending us equipment and supplies. Every dollar counts, no matter how big or small, and we are forever grateful for any contributions we receive.
We have stretch goals for post-production as well as festival submission fees.
If your finances aren't in a place to support us, please spread our campaign and story!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Paying our Crew!
Costs $6,600
For a 3-day shoot, we'll be paying everyone on the crew the same rate of $200/day.
Paying our Cast!
Costs $1,600
For a 3-day shoot, we'll be paying everyone on the cast the same rate of $200/day.
Paying our Above the Line!
Costs $1,400
Fees for our Writer, Director, and Producer who have been working on this project behind the scenes for months (years even).
Production Expenses
Costs $3,400
To cover the cost of meals, crafty, and other set operations, including equipment, location fees, and transportation.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kara Michelin is an actor, screenwriter, and former cognitive neuroscience researcher based out of New York and New Jersey. With competing interests in absurdist, da-da style comedy and gothic romance, Kara seeks to portray nonsense earnestly. The winner of several international competitions, “Trial Separation” marks her first screenplay.
Aimee Kuge is a Japanese-American independent filmmaker passionate about crafting thought-provoking independent films that explore the human experience. Her diverse credits include writing, directing, and producing Cannibal Mukbang, producing Brian Won't Wear Condoms and Doom Scroll, co-producing Black Eyed Susan, and serving as a story producer for MTV's Teen Mom franchise. Aimee holds a BFA in Filmmaking and a BA in Studio Art from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is based in New York and New Jersey and continues to push creative boundaries in her storytelling.
Daniel Pravit Fethke is an independent film producer and founder of the Brooklyn-based Biology Productions. Having cut his teeth in the NYC film industry since 2013, he has produced fiction and documentary works that have screened at international festivals including the Locarno Film Festival, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma Montréal, and the Singapore Film Festival. Recent producer credits include Pom Bunsermvicha’s critically acclaimed The Nature of Dogs, Chloë Bass’s multichannel we turn to time, as well as
Boy Harsher’s cult classic The Runner.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Toxic exes…with a Faustian twist.
Dr. Paloma Foster is a star on the rise, a scientific luminary quickly gaining world recognition for her work in theoretical physics. When an old business associate comes out of the woodwork, however, the good doctor will discover public acclaim isn’t all that she bargained for. Imagine the tempestuous romantic drama of "Scenes from a Marriage" meets "The Tragedy of Dr. Faust."
In essence, Trial Separation is our own take on a time-worn trope: the unwise human and the demon with whom they make a bargain for their heart's desire. We use the backdrop of a relationship that’s run its course to illustrate the messier, more domestic elements of a Faustian figure and their personal Mephistopheles. These characters are larger than life, but their pain and dysfunction are grounded in the very real ways we fall apart.
Trial Separation is bizarre, fantastical, and darkly comedic.
It initially features a tense, atmospheric tone with a slow-burn reveal that catapults the story from your average psychological horror to a world of absurdity. It is finding pathos and perverted tenderness in “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.”
Location-wise, our film begins in a claustrophobic, buzzy late-night talk show studio. It then pivots to the presumed quiet intimacy of Foster’s city apartment, where the majority of the film’s action occurs. The overall look is influenced by the lighting and design of 90s horror.
Dr. Paloma Foster will be played by the film's writer, Kara Michelin. Kara is known for her work in films such as The Plague (2025), Bavardage (2024), and The Taxidermist (post). She also works in the film industry as an art director, set decorator, and screenwriter.
Our Clock will be played by Jordan Chin, a New York-based actor, singer, and artist. She hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up pursuing dramatic training from an early age, eventually touring with a professional theater company as a teen. She studied drama at NYU/Tisch and discovered a passion for film during advanced training at Stonestreet Studios. Jordan recently completed a 3-week run of the new play Until at the historical Theater for the New City. She has performed off-Broadway, in experimental theater, and behind many bars. Recent film credits include Harvard (2024/Stonestreet Studios), Cool Me Down (2023/Ladytrap Productions), and Method Man (2024/Always Write Productions).
The Talk Show Host will be played by Rigo Garay. Rigo Garay is a writer/actor/director from Long Island, NY. Since 2015, he has been working at Glass Eye Pix, a film production company in NYC founded by horror auteur Larry Fessenden. After small roles in indies and shorts, he was cast as the lead role in CRUMB CATCHER, directed by his long-time collaborator and friend Chris Skotchdopole. Since then, he's appeared in multiple feature films, shorts, and television guest spots.
Director Aimee Kuge’s previous film Cannibal Mukbang has screened and competed at more than 20 film festivals worldwide, including Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, and Chattanooga Film Festival. Praised by audiences and critics alike, the film has won awards at the Atlanta Horror Fest and Screamfest New Orleans, and was nominated for Best First Feature and Best Streaming Premiere at Fangoria. After a successful festival run, Cannibal Mukbang was sold to Jackrabbit Media for worldwide distribution.
Producer Daniel Pravit Fethke recently produced The Nature of Dogs, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and went on to win the award for Best Screenplay at the Singapore International Film Festival. He is also a lead producer for Boy Harsher’s cult classic The Runner, which had a limited worldwide theatrical release before being sold domestically to Shudder for domestic distribution and Mandolin for international streaming services.
Trial Separation’s screenplay has been selected by Chicago Horror Film Festival, FilmQuest, HorrorFest International, and ZedFest, all of which are IMDb qualifying festivals. It has also won the New York Screenwriter Award.
Our lead characters are cast, and our department heads are secured. We just need to raise the funds to get this production party started!
We're looking to raise 13k over the next 30 days through donations, sponsorships, and kind folks lending us equipment and supplies. Every dollar counts, no matter how big or small, and we are forever grateful for any contributions we receive.
We have stretch goals for post-production as well as festival submission fees.
If your finances aren't in a place to support us, please spread our campaign and story!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Paying our Crew!
Costs $6,600
For a 3-day shoot, we'll be paying everyone on the crew the same rate of $200/day.
Paying our Cast!
Costs $1,600
For a 3-day shoot, we'll be paying everyone on the cast the same rate of $200/day.
Paying our Above the Line!
Costs $1,400
Fees for our Writer, Director, and Producer who have been working on this project behind the scenes for months (years even).
Production Expenses
Costs $3,400
To cover the cost of meals, crafty, and other set operations, including equipment, location fees, and transportation.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kara Michelin is an actor, screenwriter, and former cognitive neuroscience researcher based out of New York and New Jersey. With competing interests in absurdist, da-da style comedy and gothic romance, Kara seeks to portray nonsense earnestly. The winner of several international competitions, “Trial Separation” marks her first screenplay.
Aimee Kuge is a Japanese-American independent filmmaker passionate about crafting thought-provoking independent films that explore the human experience. Her diverse credits include writing, directing, and producing Cannibal Mukbang, producing Brian Won't Wear Condoms and Doom Scroll, co-producing Black Eyed Susan, and serving as a story producer for MTV's Teen Mom franchise. Aimee holds a BFA in Filmmaking and a BA in Studio Art from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is based in New York and New Jersey and continues to push creative boundaries in her storytelling.
Daniel Pravit Fethke is an independent film producer and founder of the Brooklyn-based Biology Productions. Having cut his teeth in the NYC film industry since 2013, he has produced fiction and documentary works that have screened at international festivals including the Locarno Film Festival, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma Montréal, and the Singapore Film Festival. Recent producer credits include Pom Bunsermvicha’s critically acclaimed The Nature of Dogs, Chloë Bass’s multichannel we turn to time, as well as
Boy Harsher’s cult classic The Runner.