Turnbuckle
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Drama
Turnbuckle is an anxiety-inducing, character-driven drama that follows Nicky Flores, who, following her father’s sudden death during the COVID-19 pandemic, must begrudgingly take the reins of his struggling pro wrestling promotion. Facing loan sharks and locker room unrest, can she stand the test?
Turnbuckle
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | Massachusetts, United States
3 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$120
Goal: $2,600 for production
Turnbuckle is an anxiety-inducing, character-driven drama that follows Nicky Flores, who, following her father’s sudden death during the COVID-19 pandemic, must begrudgingly take the reins of his struggling pro wrestling promotion. Facing loan sharks and locker room unrest, can she stand the test?
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
October 2020. Just months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicky Flores is thrust into a business that she never had any intention of being a part of. When her immigrant father dies of COVID, she must take control of the one thing he left behind for her, his debt-ridden professional wrestling promotion, just for the show to start falling apart around her.
Loan sharks, a locker room in open revolt, and a pestering phone call from a COVID test center threaten to make her crack under pressure, and with the clock counting down until doors open, can she stand the test? Or will her father’s legacy turn to dust in her hands?
Growing up with a father who spent most of his time working to make sure that I had the same chances that he had in his life, there were few things that we really had the time to bond over throughout my childhood. One of these things, however, turned out to be pro-wrestling. He grew up in the heyday of Puerto Rican professional wrestling, a medium that turned our national identity into something to be proud of, with talents like Carlitos Colón who represented our flag on the world stage, even if it wasn’t a "real" sporting event.
When the COVID pandemic hit, we were suddenly faced with an abundance of time to sit together and watch something, anything, just by ourselves; that something turned out to be pro wrestling. Despite all the terrible things going on in the world, this was our respite. The point of Turnbuckle is to act as a catharsis for its audience, just as pro wrestling was for us in those moments, to directly grapple with the non-relenting dread and angst that we all faced during the pandemic and, in holding up a mirror to it, find a way to exorcise its vestiges.
Think of Turnbuckle as a mix between Uncut Gems and The Iron Claw, melding heart-pounding moments of pure anxiety with an impactful story about family and the lengths we’ll go for them. While gritty, the film is ultimately about resilience and hope, about the ways in which we confront the world and its foils despite their seeming insurmountable; this rings especially true within the film itself given that it takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein this dialectic became evident for all of us. In league with many of the other movies that inspired Turnbuckle, the characters and setting of this world are placed front and center so that audiences can create a true connection with these lived-in aspects of the film.
TECHNICAL SPECS:
ORIGINAL TITLE: TURNBUCKLE
GENRE: DRAMA
COUNTRY: USA (BOSTON, MA)
RUNTIME (APPROX.): 15 MINUTES
SHOOTING ON: ARRI ALEXA 35
SHOOTING: OCTOBER 23-25
PROJECT STATUS: PRE-PRODUCTION
If we don't raise a minimum of 80% of our crowdfunding goal, we won't receive any of our funding.
Consider donating and help us out!
In order for Turnbuckle to get made, we're counting on your support! Whether it be a donation, a follow, spreading the word, or sending out this Seed & Spark to others who might be interested, everything counts. For more updates, follow us on Instagram at @turnbucklefilm!
Our team is currently hard at work in the pre-production process, ironing out all the logistical details as well as making sure that we can assemble the best cast and crew possible to tell this story when we shoot in October. Because we are an independent production, comprised mostly of students, we need all the support we can get. The money raised for this film will be put to good use throughout our various departments, ensuring that everything from production design, to crafty, to transportation can run at their very best, so that Turnbuckle meets our expectations as well as yours!
Thank you for the support,
The Turnbuckle Crew
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
The Ring (Production Design)
Costs $400
To cover costs for production design, including the buying of props and materials for set dressing.
The Gear (Wardrobe)
Costs $300
Secure costuming for our main cast, along with extras that will be standing in for professional wrestlers.
The Catering (Crafty)
Costs $1,000
To feed our cast and crew, including a large group of extras that will be coming in to stand in for professional wrestlers.
The Venue (Locations)
Costs $600
To secure our main locations for the film, including the venue's locker room and the office that once belonged to Nicky's father.
The Rock 'n Roll Express (Transportation)
Costs $300
Cover transportation and lodging costs for key cast that will be coming in from out-of-state.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Miguel Nieves Mercado - Writer, Director, Producer
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Miguel's work as a filmmaker focuses on intense, gripping stories that revolve around identity at their core; mixing the personal with the political to center marginalized voices and further discussion and reflection in our fraught world. Aside from writing and directing short films which have gone to tour through festivals internationally, he also works as a producer for scripted content such as films and music videos. At the moment, Miguel is currently finishing up his B.A. in Media Arts Production at Emerson College.
Jasper D. Hughes - Producer
Jasper Hughes is a filmmaker and producer from Washington, D.C, who now lives and studies in Boston. Jasper’s interest in film started from an early age, having always been fascinated by everything that went into the production of one. In high school, he started taking film classes, and got multiple opportunities to work on professional sets during his summers. He currently studies film at Emerson College, with a double minor in Sports Communication and Pre-Law. Jasper spends his time in college working on all kinds of projects, many of which are independently run and funded. This past January he was the head producer on an independent film Hunting Buddies, which had a budget of a few thousand dollars and is currently in Post-production. In addition, he is the host and creative EP for The Box Score, one of Emerson’s longest running and well-regarded productions.
Marcus Joseph - Producer
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, but attended high school in Miami, Florida. During these formative years, Marcus was involved with being his year’s lead editor for his yearbook while volunteering with Film Gate, a nonprofit in Miami, Florida. Marcus’s main strengths in the industry are writing and producing. Directed and wrote his own limited-series program, 3-Step Program, which centers on drug addiction and is currently in post-production. Started his creative journey in film and film writing at Emerson, mostly with script supervision, but gained opportunities by brokering skills and networking to help write and refine other student films. Currently at Emerson with a Visual Media Arts major with a minor in Dramatic Writing. Most recent positions within filmmaking have been an associate producer for two semesters of an E.I.V. (Emerson Independent Video) TV show.
Jonathan Chin - Line Producer
Jonathan is a producer and filmmaker from the California Bay Area pursuing a BA in Media Arts Production at Emerson College, with a focus on producing and development. His interest in storytelling spans development, production, and post-production, and he has built hands-on experience producing numerous short films and music videos. He is especially drawn to stories rooted in lived experience. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue developing and producing stories that center voices and experiences that are not often given the spotlight.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
October 2020. Just months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicky Flores is thrust into a business that she never had any intention of being a part of. When her immigrant father dies of COVID, she must take control of the one thing he left behind for her, his debt-ridden professional wrestling promotion, just for the show to start falling apart around her.
Loan sharks, a locker room in open revolt, and a pestering phone call from a COVID test center threaten to make her crack under pressure, and with the clock counting down until doors open, can she stand the test? Or will her father’s legacy turn to dust in her hands?
Growing up with a father who spent most of his time working to make sure that I had the same chances that he had in his life, there were few things that we really had the time to bond over throughout my childhood. One of these things, however, turned out to be pro-wrestling. He grew up in the heyday of Puerto Rican professional wrestling, a medium that turned our national identity into something to be proud of, with talents like Carlitos Colón who represented our flag on the world stage, even if it wasn’t a "real" sporting event.
When the COVID pandemic hit, we were suddenly faced with an abundance of time to sit together and watch something, anything, just by ourselves; that something turned out to be pro wrestling. Despite all the terrible things going on in the world, this was our respite. The point of Turnbuckle is to act as a catharsis for its audience, just as pro wrestling was for us in those moments, to directly grapple with the non-relenting dread and angst that we all faced during the pandemic and, in holding up a mirror to it, find a way to exorcise its vestiges.
Think of Turnbuckle as a mix between Uncut Gems and The Iron Claw, melding heart-pounding moments of pure anxiety with an impactful story about family and the lengths we’ll go for them. While gritty, the film is ultimately about resilience and hope, about the ways in which we confront the world and its foils despite their seeming insurmountable; this rings especially true within the film itself given that it takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein this dialectic became evident for all of us. In league with many of the other movies that inspired Turnbuckle, the characters and setting of this world are placed front and center so that audiences can create a true connection with these lived-in aspects of the film.
TECHNICAL SPECS:
ORIGINAL TITLE: TURNBUCKLE
GENRE: DRAMA
COUNTRY: USA (BOSTON, MA)
RUNTIME (APPROX.): 15 MINUTES
SHOOTING ON: ARRI ALEXA 35
SHOOTING: OCTOBER 23-25
PROJECT STATUS: PRE-PRODUCTION
If we don't raise a minimum of 80% of our crowdfunding goal, we won't receive any of our funding.
Consider donating and help us out!
In order for Turnbuckle to get made, we're counting on your support! Whether it be a donation, a follow, spreading the word, or sending out this Seed & Spark to others who might be interested, everything counts. For more updates, follow us on Instagram at @turnbucklefilm!
Our team is currently hard at work in the pre-production process, ironing out all the logistical details as well as making sure that we can assemble the best cast and crew possible to tell this story when we shoot in October. Because we are an independent production, comprised mostly of students, we need all the support we can get. The money raised for this film will be put to good use throughout our various departments, ensuring that everything from production design, to crafty, to transportation can run at their very best, so that Turnbuckle meets our expectations as well as yours!
Thank you for the support,
The Turnbuckle Crew
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
The Ring (Production Design)
Costs $400
To cover costs for production design, including the buying of props and materials for set dressing.
The Gear (Wardrobe)
Costs $300
Secure costuming for our main cast, along with extras that will be standing in for professional wrestlers.
The Catering (Crafty)
Costs $1,000
To feed our cast and crew, including a large group of extras that will be coming in to stand in for professional wrestlers.
The Venue (Locations)
Costs $600
To secure our main locations for the film, including the venue's locker room and the office that once belonged to Nicky's father.
The Rock 'n Roll Express (Transportation)
Costs $300
Cover transportation and lodging costs for key cast that will be coming in from out-of-state.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Miguel Nieves Mercado - Writer, Director, Producer
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Miguel's work as a filmmaker focuses on intense, gripping stories that revolve around identity at their core; mixing the personal with the political to center marginalized voices and further discussion and reflection in our fraught world. Aside from writing and directing short films which have gone to tour through festivals internationally, he also works as a producer for scripted content such as films and music videos. At the moment, Miguel is currently finishing up his B.A. in Media Arts Production at Emerson College.
Jasper D. Hughes - Producer
Jasper Hughes is a filmmaker and producer from Washington, D.C, who now lives and studies in Boston. Jasper’s interest in film started from an early age, having always been fascinated by everything that went into the production of one. In high school, he started taking film classes, and got multiple opportunities to work on professional sets during his summers. He currently studies film at Emerson College, with a double minor in Sports Communication and Pre-Law. Jasper spends his time in college working on all kinds of projects, many of which are independently run and funded. This past January he was the head producer on an independent film Hunting Buddies, which had a budget of a few thousand dollars and is currently in Post-production. In addition, he is the host and creative EP for The Box Score, one of Emerson’s longest running and well-regarded productions.
Marcus Joseph - Producer
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, but attended high school in Miami, Florida. During these formative years, Marcus was involved with being his year’s lead editor for his yearbook while volunteering with Film Gate, a nonprofit in Miami, Florida. Marcus’s main strengths in the industry are writing and producing. Directed and wrote his own limited-series program, 3-Step Program, which centers on drug addiction and is currently in post-production. Started his creative journey in film and film writing at Emerson, mostly with script supervision, but gained opportunities by brokering skills and networking to help write and refine other student films. Currently at Emerson with a Visual Media Arts major with a minor in Dramatic Writing. Most recent positions within filmmaking have been an associate producer for two semesters of an E.I.V. (Emerson Independent Video) TV show.
Jonathan Chin - Line Producer
Jonathan is a producer and filmmaker from the California Bay Area pursuing a BA in Media Arts Production at Emerson College, with a focus on producing and development. His interest in storytelling spans development, production, and post-production, and he has built hands-on experience producing numerous short films and music videos. He is especially drawn to stories rooted in lived experience. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue developing and producing stories that center voices and experiences that are not often given the spotlight.