Truth, Incorporated

New York City, New York | Film Short

Drama, Thriller

Carlotta Summers

3 Campaigns | New York, United States

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This campaign raised $5,015 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.

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In a time where we are witnessing an assault on the truth and the right to freedom of press, "Truth, Incorporated" seeks to show the effects of a media controlled by corporate interests, an authoritarian government, and revels those brave enough to fight against it.

About The Project

  • The Story
  • Wishlist
  • Updates
  • The Team
  • Community

Mission Statement

2 of our 3 leads are actors fighting for their green card or have their 01 Artist visa. The female protagonist is a biracial. The Cinematographer is African American. Our team collaborated on this film out of pocket to propel minority voices being silenced by the current political climate.

The Story

SYNOPSIS:

Truth, Incorporated is a subversive narrative short following Jane Doe, a 20-year-old rebel as she and her companions, ambitious journalism student (“Director”) and street smart hacker (“First AD”), resist a totalitarian regime by illegally reporting the news. When Jane is confronted with her father’s murder at the hands of Truth Corp., she finds herself caught between her own liberal ideology and the need for retribution.

 

 

"When governments lie, people rebel."

-Truth, Incorporated

 

CREATOR STATEMENT:

Truth, Incorporated explores how beliefs can be corrupted in an environment mired in uncontested falsehoods. The beginning stages have arisen in our present era of "fake news," which, in competition with facts, covers up political corruption and mendacity at the highest levels of government. Rather than investigating and exposing these shams, and thus unveiling the corruption behind them, today's corporate media acts as the enabler and refuses to fully engage in its responsibility to find the truth and report it. Our setting in this work is a world where this trend has continued, and the stories are shown from the viewpoint of a small group that opposes it.

 

 

We're almost done, the film has already been shot and is in Post Production! We need your help to move into post production and reimburse for production costs so we can deliver this film to you!

 

 

STRETCH GOALS:

Our $5,000 is the bare minimum we need in order to bring this project to life! We would love to reimburse everyone for money put into the filming and production of Truth, Incorporated!

 

If we raise $5,500 we can cover the cost of Seed and Spark (they take a percentage out too!)

If we raise $6,000 we can pay the artists who donated their time to create this piece!

If we raise $7,000 we can reimburse everyone who put money into the production from props to catering to travel expenses!

 

 

AWARDS:

And as an added bonus, the screenplay for Truth, Incorporated was selected as a Semi Finalist for the prestigious Big Apple Film Festival in January 2019!

 

THE TEAM!

Have a look at our award winning cast and crew below!

 

 

Carlotta Summers as "Jane Doe" (Writer / Producer / Actor)

Truth, Incorporated is the second short film by writer/actress/producer Carlotta Summers, her first Butterflies which was nominated for 5 awards and went on to WIN Best Short Film and Best Actress at Philadelphia Independent Film Festival and Best Screenplay at Kew Gardens Film Festival, all before being licensed to the educational market by Facts on Film! Films she has worked on have gone on to screen at Tribeca, Cinequest, NewFilmmakers LA, Hollyshorts, Anthology Film Archives, Soho International Film Festival, Outfest, Palm Springs International Shorts Fest and many more! (For full bio, click here!)

Carlotta's Website         Carlotta's IMDB          Wild Cat Film Website

 

 

Gabriel Barreto (Director)

Our director, Gabriel Baretto, has also currently directing a feature film, My Cricket and Me, with 13-time Grammy award winner, singer songwriter Willie Nelson, Oscar-nominated actress Amy Irving, and Academy Award Winning songwriter Paul Williams(For full bio, click here)

Gabe's Instagram          Gabe's IMDB

 

 

Charles "C.J." Gates (Cinematagrapher)

Charles "C.J." Gates is an African American filmmaker and cinematographer who has worked on award winning series 12 Steps to Recovery and shot dozens of music videos including: Jay Mula featuring Cardi B, Mike Check, Lexi Gilmore, and Nams, to name a few. (For full bio, click here)

C.J. Instagram         C.J. IMDB

 

 

Mitch McCoy (Fight Director)

Our Fight Director, Mitchell McCoy, whose credits range from Broadway (Aladdin on Broadway, Aladdin Japan, Newsies, Newsies on tour, Wit, Thérèse Raquin, Pretty Woman) to Off-Broadway (Solstice Party, Medieval Play at the Signature Theatre, Suddenly, Don Giovanni at the MET, Carmen at the Met, Sherwood at Cleveland Playhouse, and more!) to Indie Film, was recently interviewed for the Wall Street Journal for his intimacy work on Off-Broadway show Camp Morning Wood(For full bio, click here)

Mitch's Website         Mitch's IMDB        Mitch's Wall Street Journal Interview

 

 

Charles Ouda as "First AD"

Charles has worked consistently in the entertainment industry for over 13 years, beginning his acting career at the Kenya National Theatre in Eric Wainaina's LWANDA, MAN OF STONE. Charles has also worked extensively with The Phoenix Players Kenya: performing in ten plays – playing a lead character in eight and directing two – and hosting two cabaret shows. Charles co-wrote ‘Fire in Your Kiss’ for the Coca Cola PopStars group SEMA on their album ‘Mwewe’, and wrote the song ‘Unconditional’ for saxophonist Jackson Munala Anduuru on his debut album ‘Simply Put’. His work on DISCOVERY +254 earned him a Kalasha International Award for Best TV Host 2015 alongside co-host Sarah Hassan. Charles also had the opportunity to work alongside Blair Underwood while working as a voice talent and ADR Translator for “QUANTICO” in 2016. (For full bio, click here)

Charles Artist Page         Charles IMDB         Charles Daily Nation Interview

 

 

Miles Lobo as "Director"

A New York Based actor from Goa (India), he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Acting at the FLAME school of fine and performing arts and pursued theater in India and Japan. While in Japan he trained in Iai-do, a style of Japanese sword fighting. He proceeded to become the international sword fighting champion (1st Dan division) at the 11th international tournament held in Tokyo 2015. (For full bio, click here)

Miles Website         Miles Instagram        Miles IMDB

 

DIRECTOR STATEMENT

When Carlotta sent me the final draft of Truth, Incorporated I was worried I couldn’t deliver what she needed from a director with this script. It was of a genre and style I had never tackled but a subject matter I am confronted with daily. The erosion of truth these days has been a fly on the wall of my brain for some time now. Louder and quieter depending on the day. This script spoke to a potential deafening loudness that would put us all in jeopardy. I decided to dig in with her and accept the challenge.


Through her work on the script and as a producer, Carlotta created a space where I could get to know our cast and crew and develop this script into something that is not only a work I am extremely proud of, but a collaboration I won’t forget.


In telling this story I was constantly reminded of the job as a director, execution. I don’t pick every frame, set every scene, choose every actor emotion or movement. This set and crew allowed me to play in uncharted territories guided by everyone’s individual want for the product to be great, not just their individual crafts. All I had to do was execute and trust. This was a space and a project in which that was effortless and joyful.


I’m excited for Truth, Incorporated to get into post and we can all see our work on display telling this timely and cautionary tale.

 

Shots from Truth, Incorporated the Short Film!

 

Wishlist

Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.

PR & Festival Submissions

Costs $1,500

We need to pay the wonderful people who are promoting the film and festival submissions!

Cash Pledge

Costs $0

Sound Design & Mixing

Costs $2,500

Sound is a key element to this film!

Color Correction + Editing

Costs $1,000

“Of all God’s gifts...color is holiest, the most divine, the most solemn,” John Ruskin.

About This Team

Have a look at our award winning cast and crew below!

Crew:

Carlotta Summers: (Producer, Writer, Actor) is an award winning Actress, Writer, and Filmmaker currently living in NYC. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, a few of her film and television credits include the role of Saltire in Choice Film’s Big Dogs & Supporting Role in Lupe, which premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival in 2019. She is CEO of her own production company Wild Cat Film. Her first short film Butterflies won Best Short Film and Best Actress for a short film at it’s world premiere at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival as well as Best Screenplay at Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema. As a filmmaker and actor, Carlotta has also received critical acclaim from major online publications including Broadway World, Film Threat, and the Star Democrat. In her spare time, Carlotta is also Associate Producing, Ponyboi, a film Co-Produced by Stephen Fry & Emma Thompson, developing 2 feature films, a series, several shorts, and a Youtube anthology. Her second short film, Truth, Incorporated is a semi finalist in the Big Apple Film Festival and will begin production in the spring of 2019. www.carlotta-summers.com

 

Gabriel Barreto: (Director) is a NYC-based writer/producer/director working to tell inclusive, representative, and biting stories for today's audience. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a BA in Film Theory and Writing. He met Julia Hebner while working at NYFA and has remained a close friend and collaborator. More recently, Gabriel has started work on his first feature, My Cricket And Me, inspired by his time working for Willie Nelson & Family as a roadie (Willie appears in the film). Gabriel also worked for Peggy Siegal as a publicist from 2015-18 working on multiple successful Oscar campaigns for various studios. 

 

Charles "C.J." Gates: (Cinematographer) is an NYU graduate who has also studied at the School of Visual Arts, New York Film Academy and USC. After graduation he worked in development and briefly as a producers assistant before launching his career in cinematography. Charles has worked on award winning web-series: 12 Steps to Recovery, Becoming Recardo, and Crime City. Notable features and shorts include: Blue Underground, King of Chinatown, Harlem, and Blood Mixed. Charles has also shot dozens of music videos: Jay Mula featuring Cardi B, Mike Check, Lexi Gilmore, Nams and many more!

 

Mitchell McCoy: (Fight Director) Mitchell McCoy is a Fight Director, Intimacy Director with Intimacy Directors International, Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors, actor, and Reiki Master based in New York. He has most recently assisted with the violence for Pretty Woman (Broadway), Therese Raquin (Broadway), Aladdin (Broadway), Aladdin (Japan), the first U.S. national tour of Newsies, and Cleveland Playhouse's Sherwood: The Adventures of Robinhood in addition to fight coordinating numerous indie films. Mitch was recently interviewed for the Wall Street Journal in regards to his intimacy direction work on the Off-Broadway play Camp Morning Wood. For more information visit www.brothersmccoy.com/mitch or email [email protected] 

CAST:

Charles Ouda: ("First AD")  

has worked consistently in the entertainment industry for over 13 years, beginning his acting career at the Kenya National Theatre in Eric Wainaina’s LWANDA, MAN OF STONE. He went on to perform in six other musicals with Sterling Quality Entertainment Company Limited, including playing the title character in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, Perchik in Jerry Brock’s FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Onesmus in Nancy Day and Mkamzee C. Mwatela’s MALAIKA, and Oke in Danson Kiundi’s THE SUNBIRDS. Charles has also worked extensively with The Phoenix Players Kenya: performing in ten plays – playing a lead character in eight and directing two –and hosting two cabaret shows. His credits include Ray Cooney’s TOM, DICK AND HARRY, Derek Benfield’s FIRST THINGS FIRST, Lorraine Forrest – Turner’s SEVEN STAGES OF AN AFFAIR and directing the comedy NO DINNER FOR SINNERS. As part of the ensemble cast of the musical revue show OUT OF AFRICA: JOURNEY THROUGH MAGICAL KENYA, Charles has also toured in Europe; performing in Holland, Belgium and Denmark. Adding song-writing to his numerous stage credits, Charles co-wrote ‘Fire in Your Kiss’ for the Coca Cola PopStars group SEMA on their album ‘Mwewe’, and wrote the song ‘Unconditional’ for saxophonist Jackson Munala Anduuru on his debut album ‘Simply Put’. Currently, Charles is working on a musical, based on events in Kenya’s history.


Television work includes leading roles in three of Kenya’s most successful series: Gitau “Tash” Maina in two seasons of BETTER DAYS [Kenya Television Network]; Philip “P.P.” Baraka in twelve seasons of MAKUTANO JUNCTION [The Mediae Company], and Brian in the second season of GROOVE THEORY [Kijiji Entertainment]. His time on MAKUTANO JUNCTION presented Charles with opportunities to train and develop his skills as a screenwriter, director and composer: he wrote screenplays throughout the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh series, and assisted BAFTA award winner Simon Brint in the composition of background music and underscores. He has also developed and diversified his writing styles and abilities; notably, writing with Well Told Story for radio drama CHAKRUOK which will be airing in Nyanza Province. Other writing credits include CHANGING TIMES [KTN], and HIGHER LEARNING, CHANGES, and MALI [NTV].Ongoing film and television work has seen Charles appear in (and write for) shows such as KONA[MNet / Zamaradi Productions] and DISCOVERY +254 [Tattuah Films/ Discovery Learning Alliance]. His work on DISCOVERY +254 earned him a Kalasha International Award for Best TV Host 2015 alongside co-host Sarah Hassan. More recently, Charles also had the opportunity to work alongside Blair Underwood while working as a voice talent and ADR Translator for “QUANTICO” in 2016.


Taking time away from his career to further his training as an actor, Charles completed a 2-Year Conservatory at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, and now lives in New York working as an actor, writer and director. Recent parts have been as Fick in Lanford Wilson’s BALM IN GILEAD (Dir. Jenna Worsham), Mr. Black in Andrew Lippa’s WILD PARTY (Dir. Robert Heller), Vinnie in BEYOND THE SILENT BARS (Dir. Marcel Simoneau), Ernest Everhard in THE IRON HEEL (Adapted from Jack London’s dystopian novel and directed by Edward Einhorn), Charles in READY, SET, GO: RACE (Dir. Reggie Flowers), Tomás in BACK O' TOWN (Dir. DeMone Seraphin), Abdul in SYMPATHY IN C (Dir. Terry Hanson) Brom Dutcher in IMPOSSIBLE BUT TRUE IN A TAVERN (Dir. Cailin Heffermann), and as George Schuyler in BLACK CONFERENCE (Dir. Reggie Flowers)


Among the film credits to his name are THE FIRST GRADER alongside Oliver Litondo and Naomi Harris ,and – since his move to New York –parts in MAD (Dir. Romeo D’Costa), SIENNA’S CHOICE (Dir. Linda Palmer), HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. PRESIDENT (Dir. Cristina Noya), CLOSURE (Dir. Micha Linton) and THE GERMAN KING (Dir. Ade McCormack). Film directing credits include APHRODITE (official selection for the 2011 Kenya International Film Festival and the 2011 Rwanda International Film Festival), WHO ARE YOU?, (Selected for the 2016 Asian American Film Lab’s 72-Hour Shoot Out Final 40, Winner - Best Director), COUNT IT OUT (Awarded Platinum Award at the NYC Indie Film Awards, as well as an Award of Merit at the Best Shorts Competition), WAITING ROOM (Awarded Platinum Award at the NYC Indie Film Awards, Gold Award at the LA Short Awards, as well as an Award of Excellence at the Best Shorts Competition), and BENCH.

 

Charles currently lives in Brooklyn and works with the film company PEACEMAKERS in the primary story development division.

 

Miles Lobo: ("Director") A New York Based actor from Goa (India), he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Acting at the FLAME school of fine and performing arts and pursued theater in India and Japan. After moving to New York, he made the transition to film. He is one of the fortunate few to receive a scholarship from Vincent D’Onofrio and has completed the two year conservatory program at The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute New York. “Film is my passion but Theater will always be my home.” Aside from Acting Miles finds himself quite passionate about martial arts. While in Japan he trained in Iai-do, a style of Japanese sword fighting. He proceeded to become the international sword fighting champion (1st Dan division) at the 11th international tournament held in Tokyo 2015.

 

Carlotta Summers: ("Jane Doe") (See Above)

 

Mitchell McCoy: ("The Enforcer") (See Above)

 

 

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