Under The Same Sky follows Adam, a young, hungry amateur boxer from Newark, who finds himself at a crossroads. In the wake of his parents passing, Adam has lost his edge as a fighter, losing his last two fights while struggling to make weight for his next fight — a fact he has hidden from his loyal boxing Coach, Don. Additionally, as the oldest of his siblings, he has become the man of the house, and struggles to navigate a complex relationship with his problematic brother, Zeke, while also taking care of their younger sister, Zariah. Still, the locals in town such as bodega owner, Mr. Gonzalez, continue to root for Adam, as they proudly see him as an extension of themselves.

Inspired by the culture of boxing, Under The Same Sky tells a story of human struggle, from the grind of everyday life to the turmoil we face internally. We all dream of who we may be able to become one day, as we search for the road to success and glory. But the unpredictability of life creates roadblocks to our dreams, causing us to doubt whether we truly have what it takes to get to the finish line. In a world built on grandiose perception, this is an honest tale of strife and hardship, as the characters navigate their path to a better life for themselves and one another.

The visual tone of this film blends raw, grounded realism with a heightened cinematic edge — stylistically echoing Creed or Southpaw but fully anchored in Newark’s authentic texture. Our approach relies on dynamic handheld work, naturalistic lighting, and controlled bursts of stylized imagery to place the audience inside the emotional and physical world of our characters. We want viewers to feel the weight of every punch, the tension in every room, and the heartbeat of the city itself.

Newark isn’t just a location — it’s a living, breathing character. We plan to capture its industrial grit and neighborhood warmth through wide establishing frames, long tracking shots through real streets and gyms, and intimate close-ups that highlight the humanity within these environments. The city’s architecture, color palette, and ambient sound will inform the film’s visual and sonic identity.

Our cinematography will favor rich contrast, textured shadows, and warm skin tones, using a blend of practicals and motivated lighting to maintain authenticity. The camera will move with purpose — sometimes fluid and balletic during boxing sequences, other times still and observational during vulnerable moments. We’ll integrate slow-motion selectively to emphasize emotional beats, and employ tight coverage and rhythmic editing to heighten the sense of internal conflict.

Ultimately, our goal is to portray Newark with honesty and dignity, using craft to elevate its beauty, struggle, and resilience. Through carefully composed frames, immersive sound design, and a disciplined visual strategy, we aim to create a film that feels both artistically bold and deeply rooted in the reality of the community we’re representing.

Our goal of $20,000 isn’t just about funding a film—it’s about giving a powerful story the chance to be seen. Every dollar helps bring real faces, real struggle, and real redemption to the screen, allowing us to honor the people and places this story represents. This budget lets us make the film with honesty, heart, and cinematic quality, proving that stories rooted in truth deserve the same spotlight as any blockbuster.



Our initial goal of $20,000 isn’t just about funding a film—it’s about giving a powerful story the chance to be seen. Every dollar helps bring real faces, real struggle, and real redemption to the screen, allowing us to honor the people and places this story represents. With this base budget, we can make the film with honesty, heart, and cinematic quality—proving that stories rooted in truth deserve the same spotlight as any blockbuster.

But if we’re fortunate enough to go beyond our goal, here’s how we’ll use additional support to elevate the project even further.

STRETCH GOALS

• $25,000- If we reach this goal we will use the funds for better equipment for crew, enhanced sound design and mixing and more festival submissions.
• $30,000- If we reach this goal we will use the extra funds to secure better locations, better day rates for crew and fight choreography.
• $40,000- With this goal reached we will use the extra funds to hire out a post production house, further our marketing outreach and host more in person screenings in around NJ/NYC.

Every stretch goal is designed to strengthen the heart, the truth and visibility of this film. Your support doesn’t just help us make a movie—it helps us elevate a story born from real people and real struggle, giving it the cinematic quality and platform it deserves.

We’ll spend 2–3 months in pre-production refining the script, scouting Newark, casting, rehearsing, and locking locations, permits, and equipment so production runs efficiently.

We’ll then shoot for 7–10 focused days in Newark, using real locations and a tightly coordinated crew to capture the authenticity and cinematic style the film deserves.

Post-production will take 2–3 months for editing, sound design, score, color, and final mix to bring the emotional and technical vision together.

Finally, we’ll spend 2–3 months on festival submissions, promotional materials, and release strategy to ensure the film reaches the widest possible audience. Every dollar will be used strategically and transparently — all of it going directly into making this film at the highest level.

Under The Same Sky is a film rooted in real people, real struggle, and real culture. This is not a glossy Hollywood boxing movie. This is Newark. This is family. This is a story that honors the young men and women who wake up every day choosing to fight for a better life. When you support this project, you are helping bring authentic representation to the screen — shot in Newark, using local talent, small businesses, real gyms, and real voices. Your donation directly fuels opportunity: it puts young creatives to work, keeps production dollars in New Jersey, and helps build a platform for a feature-length film that can travel even further. You’re not just donating to make a film — you’re investing in a community, in independent filmmaking, and in the underdog spirit that defines this story.