Two women wait in excited anticipation for their first baby to be born. Carol is a young mother-to-be in 1953. Kelsey is her modern counterpart. The film follows each woman (and their husbands) through a few important, intimate moments in the last few weeks before the birth of their respective babies. As the story alternates between their two realities; attending baby showers and researching childbirth, cravings and sickness, excitement and joy, the sharp contrasts between the resources available and the expectations of women in each time period become obvious. What begins to show underneath, however, is that the hopes and fears of bringing new life into this world may not have changed as much as one might think in the last 72 years. And those of us in the present can draw strength from what those in the past were able to overcome and accomplish.

What We've Accomplished So Far

The modern portion of this film has already been filmed. We wanted to prove the concept by just doing it and so, funded the first portion of the production out of pocket. We are so pleased with what we have gotten so far, which included Mariah's real pregnancy and portions of her real birth as part of an effort to include authentically pregnant women on film and embracing all the perfect imperfection that comes with that. As such, we have already cast our Carol, who will be 7 months pregnant at the time of the shoot. Shooting what we have has also given us the chance to find the look and feel of the film which will guide our approach as we take on the much more complicated (and expensive) task of transporting the audience to another time period.

We have the majority of the cast and crew set for the next stage of the film. We are pleased to bring together a team that combines people with lots of experience and those that are still just beginning, so that we can learn from each other. We are finalizing locations, costumes, and set dressing and are eager to set our shoot dates and finish what we've started.

What the Funding Will Facilitate (That We Can't Do Without it)

One of the messages that we most hope people will take from this short film is that the people that lived in the past were real people not just the caricatures that we see in vintage ads and movies. In fact, they were not just people, they were our people; our mothers, our grandmothers, our great aunts, our cousins. That hope is guiding the aesthetic of the film, which we want to feel like a look into someone's real life, not a look into a magazine from the 50s or an episode of I Love Lucy. The inspiration pictures below are all taken directly from Mariah's actual family pictures. To capture that world with honesty and subtlety means finding the best production design help, costumers, set dressers, and locations. These things do not come cheap. Not only that, but we want our cast to be the best talent and we want to pay them wages that reflect that.

If We Meet Our Funding Goal:

• We will be able to pay for cast and crew and design help at passion project wages.
• We can get the costumes and props that set the baseline for the world of this story.
• We can afford a dynamite, authentic looking 1950s shooting location.
• We will be able to have the rented lighting and camera equipment we need.
• We will have some help in post-production effects and a minimal original score.
• The film will be able to be submitted to about 10 festivals, but we will have no funding to attend them if it is accepted.

If We Surpass Our Funding Goal:

• We would be able to give our cast, crew, and design help a well-deserved bump in pay.
• We could elevate the costumes and props for the world of this story. We could have a real 8mm projector or a real 50s stove in the shot instead of filming around what's missing.
• We would have much more access to lighting and the additional crew to go with it.
• We could afford much more help in post-production editing and effects.
• We could afford a much more immersive original score.
• The film could be submitted to many more film festivals, reaching more eyes and touching more hearts and we might be able to be there in attendance as well.

Other Ways You Can Help

• FOLLOW OUR SEED & SPARK PAGE - If you don't have much to donate, but still love this project, show it by clicking on that little heart at the top near the countdown clock. Once we have 250 followers that are as excited about what we're doing as we are, it not only increases our visibility on this page, it also unlocks benefits like film festival waivers, assistance with digital marketing strategy, and even production gear. It's also a great way to stay in touch and get updates on each stage of the project!

• SHARE THIS PAGE WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW - Crowdfunding only succeeds when you've got a crowd. If you like this idea, share it with your friends and family. Share this page on your Facebook or text it to your mom friends who want to see real pregnant bodies on the big screen for once or who want to know that they aren't the only one who eats pop-tarts and cries when the rollercoaster of hormonal emotions are getting to them. If you can think of someone who would like this film, give them a chance to join in supporting it.

• DONATE GIFTS IN KIND - Do you own an equipment rental company or a catering business and want to offer a discount or goods to this production? Do you have airline miles that might get the team to an out-of-town film festival down the road? You can message the team using the "contact" button at the top right corner of the page to let us know that you're interested in a different kind of contribution.