What Departs With Us
Nashville, Tennessee | Film Feature
Drama
People recognize Ethel Rosenberg's name. We know how her story ends. But how much more of her story was not told? Keri and Carolyn are the creative team compelled to bring this whole human to light.
What Departs With Us
Nashville, Tennessee | Film Feature
Drama
1 Campaigns | Tennessee, United States
52 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$8,399
Goal: $24,000 for pre-production
People recognize Ethel Rosenberg's name. We know how her story ends. But how much more of her story was not told? Keri and Carolyn are the creative team compelled to bring this whole human to light.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
We can tell you why this story needs to be told, and why we are the ones to make it happen, but first we invite into our creative vision: Here is the sizzle reel we filmed....
You heard it in our pitch video, we're a "Make it Happen" team. We funded this sizzle reel ourselves. We called in favors and welcomed the generosity of industry associates and friends. We filmed 14 pages in 3 days. Outrageous we know, but we did it. We wanted options for the sizzle reel, and we got them.
We now know important facts, including that Ethel and Julius' attorney advised them to plead the 'fifth,' that her brother lied about her involvement, and the FBI knew about this lie.
We surmise that these truths created a whirlwind in Ethel of doubt, anger, and fear. What could she do but cling to her doting husband, who knew she was innocent? Sure the FBI wanted names, but if she had any to give, would those people receive the same unjustly harsh sentencing? She believed justice would prevail, as it had when she fought for workers' rights in her 20's. But her hope was repeatedly dampened by each legal injustice and the final denial of a stay of execution.
Much of Ethel's story was crafted, reported, and solidified in an era where women's choices or actions were painted with broad, single-color strokes. We invite the audience to see a multi-faceted individual as she faces the most devastating circumstances possible.
We will approach this story with the love, curiosity, and respect it requires.
What Departs With Us has relevance for contemporary audiences as it intersects with issues that are prevalent in today's news cycles. Scholars speak to the influence of propaganda and antisemitism on the public's thirst for the execution of the Rosenbergs. The death penalty still faces scrutiny, especially in light of how many wrongly-accused or wrongly-sentenced persons have been pulled through the system. And women's rights, societal expectations of women and mental health, were all factors, we believe, weighed on Ethel's choices.
We need women's stories, and we need women telling those stories. Our script provides a vehicle for female characters to take a commanding lead of the energy in scenes with a compelling presence on screen through meaningful dialogue.
We've already built an impressive team. And we feel strongly about keeping our team on board.
LUIS MARIN as our talented Cinematographer has a sharp eye, and Keri and Carolyn are thrilled about continuing the work with him.
We have a great PRODUCTION CREW at the ready, and look forward to adding in more skilled team members as we move forward.
We have AMAZING ACTORS already on tap.
Of course, I (Carolyn) am thrilled to be directing the amazing Keri Pagetta in this incredibly demanding role :
And our current roster of on-camera talent includes: Tamara Scott, Bonita Allen, Megan Murphy Chambers, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, Jack E. Chambers, Shane Bridges, Laurie Canaan, Rabbi Phillip "Flip" Rice, and others....
Our Pre-Production goal is $24,000.
This campaign is all about pre-production. Your support will get us to the first day of production of this film feature. Securing our pre-production funds is also the stepping stone to additional funding opportunities.
Carolyn and Keri have extensive experience working with -and within- budgets. We like details. You'll see very specific categories. We know that makes the smartest budget. And of course we have a contingency category that allow us to be prepared for any of those unexpected (but very possible) snags. The Contingent amount can be shifted to any category in our budget that needs it.
We are planning for success by setting some Stretch Goals, so that we are ready to go beyond our original finish line. As we talk to people about our film, we are so encouraged by their enthusiasm for the project, it won't surprise us at all if we can build enough support to reach additional goals which are integral to the project.
Our Stretch Goal will be $30,000 -- This extra $6000 will be dedicated to paying people for our first group of filming days. By securing funding up front, our early days of filming will go smoothly since we will have checks ready to go for production assistants, extras, wardrobe assistants, and more....
Our momentum started with our sizzle reel, and there is nothing that can stop us from telling this story. As we solidify our pre-production budget, we will be sure that our beautiful community of supporters stays in the loop with updates and news from us! And that news will include schedule information when we have everything in place to begin filming. In the meantime, let's keep getting the word out!
FOLLOW our project here on Seed and Spark! This is a fantastic (and simple) way to help us gain visibility on this platform!
SHARE, SHARE, SHARE with your friends and your circles....
(NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY? WE HAVE WORDS TO HELP)
Check out this exciting new project I'm supporting. It's an artistic film about Ethel Rosenberg,
an imagining of what memories may have come to her mind during her final moments.
Here's the link to be part of this project's momentum!
seedandspark.com/fund/what-departs-with-us
And of course, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
We appreciate you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Location Scouting and Deposits
Costs $2,300
We need deposits to book two locations we love (from our sizzle reel). Then we'll be searching for a few other period-specific looks.
Rental Equipment
Costs $4,500
With our sizzle reel under our belt, we know some specialty camera / audio equipment we need to rent before we can roll.
Preliminary Casting
Costs $1,500
Meeting with and securing a casting agent to fill several not-yet-cast supporting roles.
Administrative and Producer Office
Costs $900
Pre-production will require script copies, toner, postage, Zoom subscription, etc...Boring, we know, but it's money we must budget for!
Key Wardrobe
Costs $1,100
We have some great pieces in place, but there are several period-specific items that will likely have to be made for the film.
Rehearsals -Actors/Dir/DP
Costs $5,150
Table time and character development (money-savers on filming days!) and travel/lodging for our DP for these rehearsals.
Key Scenic/Key Props
Costs $2,050
Everything must look right! The chair we made for the sizzle reel needs a repair, and there's a few other key pieces that need to be made.
Insurance and Permits
Costs $2,250
Keeping us and the whole production, cast, and crew protected and covered.
Crafty
Costs $250
Just some healthy food and snacks to keep the creative juices flowing for pre-production meetings and rehearsals
Storyboarding and script rewrites
Costs $2,000
Making final edits and then bringing in the specialist to put the filming flow and vision on paper.
Share this update!
About This Team
Keri and Carolyn have worked professionally in just about every creative capacity.
As a professional actor, Keri's credits include stage (Ethel in The Passion of Ethel Rosenberg, and multiple characters in Almost Maine) the big screen (Embalmer's Gray, The Agents of Fortune) and the small screen (commercials for Tennessee Lottery, Chinet, and many more). Her voice can be heard as Laura Carrot in the hit children's series Veggie Tales. She won the Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Fellowship for Acting in Theater. She also won a "Best of Nashville" Award for the creation of her podcast "The Passion of Ethel Rosenberg: A Radio Play".
Carolyn German is an award-winning producer, writer, performer, and songwriter. She is also a teaching artist and consultant. She is the Producing Artistic Director of Theater Craft Inc. She recently wrote the book The Monologue Method: A Comprehensive Approach to Teaching Acting in the Classroom. Carolyn is on faculty at Nashville Jazz Workshop, teaching her Improv Comedy for the Musical Artist. Her one-woman show Unsolicited Advice was nominated for best Debut Show 2022 by Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC), and she is an award-winning songwriter (MAC 2022). Carolyn leverages her MPS and her extensive creative expertise to bring soft-skills training to corporate teams.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
We can tell you why this story needs to be told, and why we are the ones to make it happen, but first we invite into our creative vision: Here is the sizzle reel we filmed....
You heard it in our pitch video, we're a "Make it Happen" team. We funded this sizzle reel ourselves. We called in favors and welcomed the generosity of industry associates and friends. We filmed 14 pages in 3 days. Outrageous we know, but we did it. We wanted options for the sizzle reel, and we got them.
We now know important facts, including that Ethel and Julius' attorney advised them to plead the 'fifth,' that her brother lied about her involvement, and the FBI knew about this lie.
We surmise that these truths created a whirlwind in Ethel of doubt, anger, and fear. What could she do but cling to her doting husband, who knew she was innocent? Sure the FBI wanted names, but if she had any to give, would those people receive the same unjustly harsh sentencing? She believed justice would prevail, as it had when she fought for workers' rights in her 20's. But her hope was repeatedly dampened by each legal injustice and the final denial of a stay of execution.
Much of Ethel's story was crafted, reported, and solidified in an era where women's choices or actions were painted with broad, single-color strokes. We invite the audience to see a multi-faceted individual as she faces the most devastating circumstances possible.
We will approach this story with the love, curiosity, and respect it requires.
What Departs With Us has relevance for contemporary audiences as it intersects with issues that are prevalent in today's news cycles. Scholars speak to the influence of propaganda and antisemitism on the public's thirst for the execution of the Rosenbergs. The death penalty still faces scrutiny, especially in light of how many wrongly-accused or wrongly-sentenced persons have been pulled through the system. And women's rights, societal expectations of women and mental health, were all factors, we believe, weighed on Ethel's choices.
We need women's stories, and we need women telling those stories. Our script provides a vehicle for female characters to take a commanding lead of the energy in scenes with a compelling presence on screen through meaningful dialogue.
We've already built an impressive team. And we feel strongly about keeping our team on board.
LUIS MARIN as our talented Cinematographer has a sharp eye, and Keri and Carolyn are thrilled about continuing the work with him.
We have a great PRODUCTION CREW at the ready, and look forward to adding in more skilled team members as we move forward.
We have AMAZING ACTORS already on tap.
Of course, I (Carolyn) am thrilled to be directing the amazing Keri Pagetta in this incredibly demanding role :
And our current roster of on-camera talent includes: Tamara Scott, Bonita Allen, Megan Murphy Chambers, Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva, Jack E. Chambers, Shane Bridges, Laurie Canaan, Rabbi Phillip "Flip" Rice, and others....
Our Pre-Production goal is $24,000.
This campaign is all about pre-production. Your support will get us to the first day of production of this film feature. Securing our pre-production funds is also the stepping stone to additional funding opportunities.
Carolyn and Keri have extensive experience working with -and within- budgets. We like details. You'll see very specific categories. We know that makes the smartest budget. And of course we have a contingency category that allow us to be prepared for any of those unexpected (but very possible) snags. The Contingent amount can be shifted to any category in our budget that needs it.
We are planning for success by setting some Stretch Goals, so that we are ready to go beyond our original finish line. As we talk to people about our film, we are so encouraged by their enthusiasm for the project, it won't surprise us at all if we can build enough support to reach additional goals which are integral to the project.
Our Stretch Goal will be $30,000 -- This extra $6000 will be dedicated to paying people for our first group of filming days. By securing funding up front, our early days of filming will go smoothly since we will have checks ready to go for production assistants, extras, wardrobe assistants, and more....
Our momentum started with our sizzle reel, and there is nothing that can stop us from telling this story. As we solidify our pre-production budget, we will be sure that our beautiful community of supporters stays in the loop with updates and news from us! And that news will include schedule information when we have everything in place to begin filming. In the meantime, let's keep getting the word out!
FOLLOW our project here on Seed and Spark! This is a fantastic (and simple) way to help us gain visibility on this platform!
SHARE, SHARE, SHARE with your friends and your circles....
(NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY? WE HAVE WORDS TO HELP)
Check out this exciting new project I'm supporting. It's an artistic film about Ethel Rosenberg,
an imagining of what memories may have come to her mind during her final moments.
Here's the link to be part of this project's momentum!
seedandspark.com/fund/what-departs-with-us
And of course, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
We appreciate you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Location Scouting and Deposits
Costs $2,300
We need deposits to book two locations we love (from our sizzle reel). Then we'll be searching for a few other period-specific looks.
Rental Equipment
Costs $4,500
With our sizzle reel under our belt, we know some specialty camera / audio equipment we need to rent before we can roll.
Preliminary Casting
Costs $1,500
Meeting with and securing a casting agent to fill several not-yet-cast supporting roles.
Administrative and Producer Office
Costs $900
Pre-production will require script copies, toner, postage, Zoom subscription, etc...Boring, we know, but it's money we must budget for!
Key Wardrobe
Costs $1,100
We have some great pieces in place, but there are several period-specific items that will likely have to be made for the film.
Rehearsals -Actors/Dir/DP
Costs $5,150
Table time and character development (money-savers on filming days!) and travel/lodging for our DP for these rehearsals.
Key Scenic/Key Props
Costs $2,050
Everything must look right! The chair we made for the sizzle reel needs a repair, and there's a few other key pieces that need to be made.
Insurance and Permits
Costs $2,250
Keeping us and the whole production, cast, and crew protected and covered.
Crafty
Costs $250
Just some healthy food and snacks to keep the creative juices flowing for pre-production meetings and rehearsals
Storyboarding and script rewrites
Costs $2,000
Making final edits and then bringing in the specialist to put the filming flow and vision on paper.
Share this update!
About This Team
Keri and Carolyn have worked professionally in just about every creative capacity.
As a professional actor, Keri's credits include stage (Ethel in The Passion of Ethel Rosenberg, and multiple characters in Almost Maine) the big screen (Embalmer's Gray, The Agents of Fortune) and the small screen (commercials for Tennessee Lottery, Chinet, and many more). Her voice can be heard as Laura Carrot in the hit children's series Veggie Tales. She won the Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Fellowship for Acting in Theater. She also won a "Best of Nashville" Award for the creation of her podcast "The Passion of Ethel Rosenberg: A Radio Play".
Carolyn German is an award-winning producer, writer, performer, and songwriter. She is also a teaching artist and consultant. She is the Producing Artistic Director of Theater Craft Inc. She recently wrote the book The Monologue Method: A Comprehensive Approach to Teaching Acting in the Classroom. Carolyn is on faculty at Nashville Jazz Workshop, teaching her Improv Comedy for the Musical Artist. Her one-woman show Unsolicited Advice was nominated for best Debut Show 2022 by Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC), and she is an award-winning songwriter (MAC 2022). Carolyn leverages her MPS and her extensive creative expertise to bring soft-skills training to corporate teams.