Trip Upstate!
New York City, New York | Film Short
Comedy, Horror
Trip Upstate! is a comedic-horror short film about a group of friends who take off on a [psychedelic] weekend getaway, when they meet an unwelcome guest.
Trip Upstate!
New York City, New York | Film Short
Comedy, Horror
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,339 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
154 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Trip Upstate! is a comedic-horror short film about a group of friends who take off on a [psychedelic] weekend getaway, when they meet an unwelcome guest.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
UPDATE: As of Saturday, Jan 14th we hit 100% of our initial $10,000 goal! Thank you so much to our supporters thus far!
**Since then we've introduced secondary goals to jumpstart our next project! **
At $10,500: we’ll be able to host a private screening this spring for friends & family!
At $11,000: we’ll be able to offset travel costs for the Trip Upstate! cast & creative team at upcoming film festivals, near and far! Where ever they are!
Help us jumpstart our next project! A queer rom com short film set in Manhattan’s Upper West Side!
At $12,000: we’ll be able to cast & kick off production for our next project!
At $13,500: we’ll be able to cover production costs (including cinematographer) for another short film!
At $15,000: we’ll be able to pay for editing costs for our next short film!
At $16,500: we’ll be able to complete post production for our next short film!
At $18,000: we’ll be able to cover film festival submission costs for our next short film!
Your continued support means so much to us! Thank you!
Trip Upstate! is inspired by a dear friend of mine who told me a story about a solo camping trip he went on and how he met a group of friends getting high in the woods. He mischievously befriended them, and when he told me about it afterwards said, “they probably woke up the next day wondering if I was real or not…”
And I was like - “THAT would be a hilarious short film!” After early drafts I realized I was writing a ghost story!
In September 2022 we secured the perfect location in Tivoli, NY and shot Trip Upstate! in just two days. We have an amazing creative team lined up for post-production including colorists, sound designers, graphic designers, and visual effects artists; all of whom share our goal of amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices with this story.
With your help, we will be able to onboard this team and move forward with the post-production process. Your contribution to the campaign will go far beyond simply finishing this film. It will help us cover costs as we submit to national and international festivals over the coming months, ensuring that Trip Upstate! reaches as broad an audience as possible.
In 2020 my short film Go Crazy With Crazy which I wrote and produced played many film festivals in person and virtually at the start of the pandemic. This is the next step for me as a filmmaker and my short film directorial debut!
Once we complete our project our goal is to take Trip Upstate! to film festivals in order to procure future: creative, collaborative, partnerships, to complete more large scale projects.
I look forward to sharing larger projects that expand on my previous work. But in the meantime I wanted to share a story that will give an audience a good laugh. :)
We are so excited to have you on this journey with us. We welcome you to share our Seed & Spark page with your personal and professional networks, and if you're able to contribute financially, it would be greatly appreciated!
We only have 30 days to raise funds; there is no amount too small or too large!
Thank you for your support!
Stretch Goals! - Should we surpass our initial goal
At $10,500: we’ll be able to host a private screening this spring for friends & family!
At $11,000: we’ll be able to offset travel costs for the Trip Upstate! cast & creative team at upcoming film festivals.
Help us jumpstart our next project! A queer rom com short film (approx 5-7 min)
At $12,000: we’ll be able to cast & kick off production for our next project!
At $13,500: we’ll be able to cover production costs (including cinematographer) for another short film!
At $15,000: we’ll be able to pay for editing costs for our next short film!
At $16,500: we’ll be able to complete post production for our next short film!
At $18,000: we’ll be able to cover film festival submission costs for our next short film!
Content content content <3
Synopsis:
A group of friends take off for a [psychedelic] weekend getaway, when they encounter an unwelcome guest.
The Vision:
Trip Upstate! has been inspired by TV shows like Search Party and Broad City and childhood favorite, Scooby Doo.
Future Plans:
This is a project the creative team is interested in expanding. With your help we will have means to develop Trip Upstate! into to a feature film! Classes, workshops and feedback sessions all inform the process that your contribution would help us toward.
** Please check out "The Team" tab to learn more about everyone's incredible work! **
Trip Upstate! is written and directed by me, Justin Garascia - I also make a quick cameo in the film.
I’m so proud of the artistic team who has come together for this project. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure to work with all of them either through the New York Film Academy, Filmshop or in various productions throughout NYC.
On-screen the project features: Allison Buck, Connor Bond, Savannah DesOrmeax & Barron Anthony Myers.
In the past few years the world has felt increasingly high stakes. Empathic storytelling is more important now than ever.
I look forward to sharing with you future stories, ones that expand upon previous work.
But in the meantime my goal is to share with an audience a short film that is funny, nostalgic and even identifiable!
Follow our Seed & Spark page - This expands our reach on the platform and helps us unlock different incentives (like film festival waivers) along the way.
Contribute & Pledge - Your monetary help is incredibly useful. If you're unable to contribute consider sharing with a friend who may be able to.
Spread the Word
Please feel free to Copy & Paste (and adapt) the below quote to share on your social media pages!
Help filmmaker @justingarascia by supporting his hilarious comedic horror short film Trip Upstate! It’s a story about a group of friends on a [psychedelic] weekend getaway when they meet an unwelcome guest. Join them on @seedandspark [LINK]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post Production
Costs $4,000
Hire editor, colorist, and VFX artist!
Post-Production Sound
Costs $1,500
Help us hire: sound designer and obtain original music
Film Festivals
Costs $2,500
Film Festival Costs
Music
Costs $750
We would like to commission an artist to help with the score!
Premiere Party!
Costs $500
This is not 1st, but the *2nd* short film I would love to screen with friends, fam & colleagues!
Development
Costs $750
As, we expand Trip Upstate! cash on hand for consultations, feedback and classes are so helpful!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Allison Buck (JACQUI) has premiered plays with The LFea Theater, terraNOVA collective, Ensemble Studio Theater as well as participated in developing new works at New Georges, NAATCO, The Lark, TFANA, among many others. Regionally, she's worked at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and The McCarter Theatre Center. Recent work includes "The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin (Indiana Repertory Theater) and Funnie, Or, The Most Lamentable Comedie of Jane the Foole (Powerhouse Theater).
Connor Bond (JONES) is an actor/educator living in the Hudson Valley. He teaches acting and improv at Serious Comedy Theatre in Beacon, NY where he is also on their house improv team. Connor has acted in shows on HBO, Amazon, CBS, Comedy Central and more. In NYC he has appeared most notably in The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park. Currently, you can see him in Partner Track on Netflix. He was so grateful to be a part of this film!
Savannah DesOrmeaux (EVA) (pron: dis-ARM-oh) is an actor, stand-up comedian and writer. She was a writer and producer for The X Change Rate hosted by Drag Race winner Monét Xchange. She’s done stand up for the New York Comedy Festival, She Makes Me Laugh Fest and Refinery29’s Gender Equality Comedy Night and acted in laugh-out-loud hilarious shows like American Horror Story, NCIS, The Purge and the indie horror film You Might Be The Killer on Shudder. She moved to New York from Louisiana to attend NYU Tisch.
Savannah hosted a monthly stand up comedy show in Brooklyn called Ghost Town where one comedian from the line up chats with Savannah about a time they were ghosted. Savannah’s co-hosting a monthly comedy show at Soho House NY called Household Names and launched a new digital series with the Rizzle app called BOMB DOT COM where she interviews comedians about their worst bomb on stage. She recently shot a national commercial for Nathan’s Hot Dogs opposite Andy Cohen and joined the cast of Meet Cute podcast for its second season of “That Summer: 2000.” Follow her at @savannahdeso for other updates!
Barron Myers is a New York based actor originally from Myrtle Beach, SC. He got his start by attending The Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology where he majored in theater. The school gave Barron the opportunity to compete in theatrical competitions across the south eastern region.
Barron Anthony Myers (FELIX) can be seen as a recurring character on the show Doomsday which is the winner of numerous awards across the county and qualified for the 2017 Emmy Awards. Doomsday can be seen on Amazon. Barron also has a co-starring role in the film Phantom Images (Official Selection: Hoboken International Film Festival) which was distributed by Ariztical Entertainment and Ovum (Best Picture: Big Apple Film Festival). Barron's New York theater credits include originating the starring roles in the productions of "Beware Bernadette" and "Richmond! A Musical Fantasia."
Justin Garascia (DIRECTOR & WRITER) His short film Go Crazy With Crazy premiered at the 2020 Big Apple Film Festival and subsequently went on to receive top mention at multiple international film festivals both virtually and in person. Justin currently co-leads the Manhattan Chapter of Filmshop.
His short film Go Crazy With Crazy serves as a proof concept for a feature film which is currently in development. Other film/TV credits include: Doomsday (streaming on Amazon), Nick & Nicky, The Upside, GAYS: The Series and Park Day.
Previously he has worked for the Acting for Film Department at New York Film Academy and during that time studied at UCB Theatre in NYC. His short plays have been produced by Mastodon and AMIOS Co. Originally from Detroit, MI he received his BA in Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University.
Junting Zhou (CINEMATOGRAPHER & EDITOR) is originally from Guangzhou, China and now lives in Queens, New York City. He graduated with an M.A in Media Studies from The New School in 2018 and is also a self-taught digital cinematographer. Zhou has done freelance work for different production companies and brands including Calvin Klein, Private Policy, Plane-Site, Dakoit Pictures, Ellemen China, Harper’s Bazaar China, and others. In addition to his commercial work, Zhou also collaborates on numerous independent narrative and documentary projects. His short documentary Coronavirus: Spring Festival at Home was published by the New York Times on March 2020.
Before moving to New York City in 2015, Zhou was a writer and editor for the Chinese lifestyle magazine Modern Weekly in Guangzhou and previously worked as an assistant at Leo Xu Projects, a defunct renowned contemporary art gallery in Shanghai. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the South China University of Technology in 2013.
Kahley MacLeod (PRODUCER & ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2012 with Bachelor of Art degrees in English and Theater. She moved to NYC in 2013 to begin in her career in film. Since then, she has written and produced several short films and series, including the original ten-episode web series, "Broke." In 2017, Kahley joined The Artist’s Sandbox as the online entertainment’s division director. In her time with ASB, she produced and distributed podcasts, webseries, and commercials. “Trip Upstate!” is her first project in a directorial role.
Julian Safford (PRODUCER) works in sales, born entrepreneur, but loves the "people" business the most; getting to know, grow, and communicate with both experienced and new members of the business and entertainment world.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
UPDATE: As of Saturday, Jan 14th we hit 100% of our initial $10,000 goal! Thank you so much to our supporters thus far!
**Since then we've introduced secondary goals to jumpstart our next project! **
At $10,500: we’ll be able to host a private screening this spring for friends & family!
At $11,000: we’ll be able to offset travel costs for the Trip Upstate! cast & creative team at upcoming film festivals, near and far! Where ever they are!
Help us jumpstart our next project! A queer rom com short film set in Manhattan’s Upper West Side!
At $12,000: we’ll be able to cast & kick off production for our next project!
At $13,500: we’ll be able to cover production costs (including cinematographer) for another short film!
At $15,000: we’ll be able to pay for editing costs for our next short film!
At $16,500: we’ll be able to complete post production for our next short film!
At $18,000: we’ll be able to cover film festival submission costs for our next short film!
Your continued support means so much to us! Thank you!
Trip Upstate! is inspired by a dear friend of mine who told me a story about a solo camping trip he went on and how he met a group of friends getting high in the woods. He mischievously befriended them, and when he told me about it afterwards said, “they probably woke up the next day wondering if I was real or not…”
And I was like - “THAT would be a hilarious short film!” After early drafts I realized I was writing a ghost story!
In September 2022 we secured the perfect location in Tivoli, NY and shot Trip Upstate! in just two days. We have an amazing creative team lined up for post-production including colorists, sound designers, graphic designers, and visual effects artists; all of whom share our goal of amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices with this story.
With your help, we will be able to onboard this team and move forward with the post-production process. Your contribution to the campaign will go far beyond simply finishing this film. It will help us cover costs as we submit to national and international festivals over the coming months, ensuring that Trip Upstate! reaches as broad an audience as possible.
In 2020 my short film Go Crazy With Crazy which I wrote and produced played many film festivals in person and virtually at the start of the pandemic. This is the next step for me as a filmmaker and my short film directorial debut!
Once we complete our project our goal is to take Trip Upstate! to film festivals in order to procure future: creative, collaborative, partnerships, to complete more large scale projects.
I look forward to sharing larger projects that expand on my previous work. But in the meantime I wanted to share a story that will give an audience a good laugh. :)
We are so excited to have you on this journey with us. We welcome you to share our Seed & Spark page with your personal and professional networks, and if you're able to contribute financially, it would be greatly appreciated!
We only have 30 days to raise funds; there is no amount too small or too large!
Thank you for your support!
Stretch Goals! - Should we surpass our initial goal
At $10,500: we’ll be able to host a private screening this spring for friends & family!
At $11,000: we’ll be able to offset travel costs for the Trip Upstate! cast & creative team at upcoming film festivals.
Help us jumpstart our next project! A queer rom com short film (approx 5-7 min)
At $12,000: we’ll be able to cast & kick off production for our next project!
At $13,500: we’ll be able to cover production costs (including cinematographer) for another short film!
At $15,000: we’ll be able to pay for editing costs for our next short film!
At $16,500: we’ll be able to complete post production for our next short film!
At $18,000: we’ll be able to cover film festival submission costs for our next short film!
Content content content <3
Synopsis:
A group of friends take off for a [psychedelic] weekend getaway, when they encounter an unwelcome guest.
The Vision:
Trip Upstate! has been inspired by TV shows like Search Party and Broad City and childhood favorite, Scooby Doo.
Future Plans:
This is a project the creative team is interested in expanding. With your help we will have means to develop Trip Upstate! into to a feature film! Classes, workshops and feedback sessions all inform the process that your contribution would help us toward.
** Please check out "The Team" tab to learn more about everyone's incredible work! **
Trip Upstate! is written and directed by me, Justin Garascia - I also make a quick cameo in the film.
I’m so proud of the artistic team who has come together for this project. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure to work with all of them either through the New York Film Academy, Filmshop or in various productions throughout NYC.
On-screen the project features: Allison Buck, Connor Bond, Savannah DesOrmeax & Barron Anthony Myers.
In the past few years the world has felt increasingly high stakes. Empathic storytelling is more important now than ever.
I look forward to sharing with you future stories, ones that expand upon previous work.
But in the meantime my goal is to share with an audience a short film that is funny, nostalgic and even identifiable!
Follow our Seed & Spark page - This expands our reach on the platform and helps us unlock different incentives (like film festival waivers) along the way.
Contribute & Pledge - Your monetary help is incredibly useful. If you're unable to contribute consider sharing with a friend who may be able to.
Spread the Word
Please feel free to Copy & Paste (and adapt) the below quote to share on your social media pages!
Help filmmaker @justingarascia by supporting his hilarious comedic horror short film Trip Upstate! It’s a story about a group of friends on a [psychedelic] weekend getaway when they meet an unwelcome guest. Join them on @seedandspark [LINK]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post Production
Costs $4,000
Hire editor, colorist, and VFX artist!
Post-Production Sound
Costs $1,500
Help us hire: sound designer and obtain original music
Film Festivals
Costs $2,500
Film Festival Costs
Music
Costs $750
We would like to commission an artist to help with the score!
Premiere Party!
Costs $500
This is not 1st, but the *2nd* short film I would love to screen with friends, fam & colleagues!
Development
Costs $750
As, we expand Trip Upstate! cash on hand for consultations, feedback and classes are so helpful!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Allison Buck (JACQUI) has premiered plays with The LFea Theater, terraNOVA collective, Ensemble Studio Theater as well as participated in developing new works at New Georges, NAATCO, The Lark, TFANA, among many others. Regionally, she's worked at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and The McCarter Theatre Center. Recent work includes "The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin (Indiana Repertory Theater) and Funnie, Or, The Most Lamentable Comedie of Jane the Foole (Powerhouse Theater).
Connor Bond (JONES) is an actor/educator living in the Hudson Valley. He teaches acting and improv at Serious Comedy Theatre in Beacon, NY where he is also on their house improv team. Connor has acted in shows on HBO, Amazon, CBS, Comedy Central and more. In NYC he has appeared most notably in The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park. Currently, you can see him in Partner Track on Netflix. He was so grateful to be a part of this film!
Savannah DesOrmeaux (EVA) (pron: dis-ARM-oh) is an actor, stand-up comedian and writer. She was a writer and producer for The X Change Rate hosted by Drag Race winner Monét Xchange. She’s done stand up for the New York Comedy Festival, She Makes Me Laugh Fest and Refinery29’s Gender Equality Comedy Night and acted in laugh-out-loud hilarious shows like American Horror Story, NCIS, The Purge and the indie horror film You Might Be The Killer on Shudder. She moved to New York from Louisiana to attend NYU Tisch.
Savannah hosted a monthly stand up comedy show in Brooklyn called Ghost Town where one comedian from the line up chats with Savannah about a time they were ghosted. Savannah’s co-hosting a monthly comedy show at Soho House NY called Household Names and launched a new digital series with the Rizzle app called BOMB DOT COM where she interviews comedians about their worst bomb on stage. She recently shot a national commercial for Nathan’s Hot Dogs opposite Andy Cohen and joined the cast of Meet Cute podcast for its second season of “That Summer: 2000.” Follow her at @savannahdeso for other updates!
Barron Myers is a New York based actor originally from Myrtle Beach, SC. He got his start by attending The Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology where he majored in theater. The school gave Barron the opportunity to compete in theatrical competitions across the south eastern region.
Barron Anthony Myers (FELIX) can be seen as a recurring character on the show Doomsday which is the winner of numerous awards across the county and qualified for the 2017 Emmy Awards. Doomsday can be seen on Amazon. Barron also has a co-starring role in the film Phantom Images (Official Selection: Hoboken International Film Festival) which was distributed by Ariztical Entertainment and Ovum (Best Picture: Big Apple Film Festival). Barron's New York theater credits include originating the starring roles in the productions of "Beware Bernadette" and "Richmond! A Musical Fantasia."
Justin Garascia (DIRECTOR & WRITER) His short film Go Crazy With Crazy premiered at the 2020 Big Apple Film Festival and subsequently went on to receive top mention at multiple international film festivals both virtually and in person. Justin currently co-leads the Manhattan Chapter of Filmshop.
His short film Go Crazy With Crazy serves as a proof concept for a feature film which is currently in development. Other film/TV credits include: Doomsday (streaming on Amazon), Nick & Nicky, The Upside, GAYS: The Series and Park Day.
Previously he has worked for the Acting for Film Department at New York Film Academy and during that time studied at UCB Theatre in NYC. His short plays have been produced by Mastodon and AMIOS Co. Originally from Detroit, MI he received his BA in Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University.
Junting Zhou (CINEMATOGRAPHER & EDITOR) is originally from Guangzhou, China and now lives in Queens, New York City. He graduated with an M.A in Media Studies from The New School in 2018 and is also a self-taught digital cinematographer. Zhou has done freelance work for different production companies and brands including Calvin Klein, Private Policy, Plane-Site, Dakoit Pictures, Ellemen China, Harper’s Bazaar China, and others. In addition to his commercial work, Zhou also collaborates on numerous independent narrative and documentary projects. His short documentary Coronavirus: Spring Festival at Home was published by the New York Times on March 2020.
Before moving to New York City in 2015, Zhou was a writer and editor for the Chinese lifestyle magazine Modern Weekly in Guangzhou and previously worked as an assistant at Leo Xu Projects, a defunct renowned contemporary art gallery in Shanghai. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the South China University of Technology in 2013.
Kahley MacLeod (PRODUCER & ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2012 with Bachelor of Art degrees in English and Theater. She moved to NYC in 2013 to begin in her career in film. Since then, she has written and produced several short films and series, including the original ten-episode web series, "Broke." In 2017, Kahley joined The Artist’s Sandbox as the online entertainment’s division director. In her time with ASB, she produced and distributed podcasts, webseries, and commercials. “Trip Upstate!” is her first project in a directorial role.
Julian Safford (PRODUCER) works in sales, born entrepreneur, but loves the "people" business the most; getting to know, grow, and communicate with both experienced and new members of the business and entertainment world.