The most important things to talk about in life are also the hardest. One of these things is the terrible epidemic of suicide. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and in the world. People die from suicide every day, it’s a vicerally present problem in our world and one that is still not talked about nearly enough. 

The story of ‘UNMADE’ deals with suicide directly. In the film, a young woman finds herself in the hall of broken mirrors that is severe depression and suicidal ideation. She is so low and truly unwell, that she makes the unmakable decision to end her own life. But when her little siblings get home from school, she is miraculously given a second chance - A chance to unmake her unmakable decision. 

The filmmakers are aware of the incredible responsibility that comes with telling a story about suicide. We are taking great care to preserve an honest and empathetic portrayal of this subject, in terms of both the ethical responsibility of telling this story as well as the obligation we have to strive for the high quality of excellence that this subject truly deserves. 

A word from our director, Micah Streeter:

I believe that art isn’t worth making unless you’re being honest and vulnerable in your art. Therefore I’m okay talking about the personal places where this film came from. A few years ago I had a really rough couple of years. I had lost someone very close to me to suicide and was going through my own downward spiral. It got so bad that I was at a place where I was very close to making an unmakable decision. Luckily I instead reached out for help. I got the help I needed and began a recovery path to a healthier life. 

A few months into that recovery period, I had the idea for this film. As the idea was playing out in my head, I didn’t quite know why this idea felt so important. Then the turn that the film takes came to me, the idea of using the tools of cinema to see that unmakable decision be unmade. And in that moment I knew that this was one of the ideas that I was put on this earth to make. And I knew I would make this film someday. 

Fast forward a few years, I enter my final year at Columbia College and I decide to pitch this idea that I’ve been carrying around for years to my class. And after the pitch one of my classmates asked if they could talk to me after class. After class they told me a very personal story that was very hard to tell. But they felt like they needed to tell it. It was about the same things the film is about. That hall of broken mirrors. And at the end they paused and said “I’ve never told anyone that before.”

We had a conversation about suicide and mental health. It was a needed conversation, and it really made me truly know that the hardest things in life are truly the most important things to talk about. We need to be able to talk about these things. We need to be able to talk about suicide and suicidal ideation. 

On the way home from school that night I thought ‘I guess it’s time to make this film.’ Because I think that it can do what I think is the highest function of art, which is to make someone feel less alone.

I believe that a contribution to the existence of this film isn’t just a contribution to an emerging artist, but also a contribution to a project that I truly believe can make someone feel less alone. A project that can make someone feel that they don’t need to be ashamed of the way they feel, but maybe they should talk about those feelings. Or maybe someone watches this film and realizes that they should talk to their friend who hasn’t been themselves recently, just to see if they’re okay. I think it’s the kind of film that can lead to that kind of change. And that, to me, is worth more than anything.

Our budget for this film is $14,000. This number comes from our unrelenting aspiration to make this film with the quality of excellence that this story truly deserves. In the words of our director, “I don’t want someone to come out of this film and say ‘That was really good for a student film’, I want people watching this film and saying ‘Wow, what a story. That made me feel this way. I need to talk to someone about this film.’ I don’t want people thinking about the practical context in which the film was made. I want them totally immersed in the emotional reality of the character and the story. 

We believe that this amount of immersion means a high standard of excellence. That takes an incredible amount of hard work and a great team - which we have. And it also takes a competent and well-made budget. Which we also have. 

Each and every number in this budget comes from the desire to make this film the right way.

Potential contributors are encouraged to take a look at our wishlist, which includes specific prices for the primary elements in our budget. Namely, our FX numbers are our largest because of the great responsibility we have in depicting suicide in a responsible and empathetic way. We need FX artists who have the needed amount of passion, work ethic, and attention to detail in order to execute that vital balance. 

Another element in our budget is the On-Set Mental Health Counselor. We understand the deep weight that the scenes and images we are putting on screen in this film hold. We want to ensure that our set remains a completely safe place for creative and emotional freedom. Having an On-Set Mental Health Counselor will ensure that safety and give our entire team an active resource to process the story we are telling through the utilization of a licensed mental health professional. 

Can’t contribute to our campaign monetarily? Not to worry. You can still support this film in an extremely important way by sharing our campaign on social media. Consider even not just sharing our campaign video and posts, but also even writing a post telling your followers why it means something to you that this film be made. We want to reach the widest range of people possible with this film both in the crowdfunding stage and most definitely when the film is finished and out in the world. 

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Any questions or comments? Please email us directly at [email protected].

Thank you so much for reading our campaign. Just you taking the time to give us your attention does our film a great service.

Stay healthy and remember - Sometimes the bravest thing a person can do is ask for help.