Withdrawal
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Feature
Drama, Romance
WITHDRAWAL is a raw, unflinching story of two star-crossed lovers battling heroin addiction in Athens, GA. Facing rehab, they dream of NYC, but must first survive a harrowing 24-hour withdrawal. Their journey tests love and resilience, highlighting the power of the human spirit.
Withdrawal
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Feature
Drama, Romance
1 Campaigns | Georgia, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $22,630 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
230 supporters | followers
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WITHDRAWAL is a raw, unflinching story of two star-crossed lovers battling heroin addiction in Athens, GA. Facing rehab, they dream of NYC, but must first survive a harrowing 24-hour withdrawal. Their journey tests love and resilience, highlighting the power of the human spirit.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A passionate singer-songwriter and her rebellious boyfriend must withdrawal from heroin, to keep her conservative parents from sending her to rehab, dashing her dreams of musical notoriety and her tumultuous romance.
Yearning to break free of the bourgeois life of her parents, she drops out of Law School to pursue her artistic dreams. But has turned to heroin to relieve her anxiety and gain the authenticity she so desperately craves.
Desperate to see the world beyond his small southern town, Jay tries to squeeze every last drop of fun out of life. But beneath this swashbuckling gusto is a tender and naive heart, looking for love and security.
A young professional lawyer seeking status from his peers and longs to rekindle his past romance with Viv, who is now living a lifestyle which he cannot understand.
Artistic lovers, Viv and Jay, have become trapped in a vicious cycle of codependent heroin addiction. But when Viv’s wealthy parents hire an interventionist to take Viv to rehab, the couple decides to set off on their own... all they have to do is kick their habit. Over twenty-four hours, they go on a harrowing journey through drug withdrawal testing the limits of their endurance and love.
Withdrawal is currently in POST-PRODUCTION as principal photography completed on 11/5/2023. In other words: The film is NEARLY complete!
We have an initial investment of $40,000 plus 15-days contributed to the production of the film by our wonderful cast and crew. We are seeking to raise $27,000 that will cover the remaining costs of post-production and finishing which include; color editing, sound mixing, scoring and final master as well as costs associated with festival submissions and film distribution.
Upon completion of Post-Production, our plan is to dive into a festival run followed by distribution, targeting TIFF, SXSW, Tribeca and Slamdance for the film’s premiere (as well as subsequent screenings) along with other festivals specializing in unique stories dealing with addiction.
"Back in 2010, I was on the brink of success. Twenty years old, I had just starred in an Off-Broadway New York Times Critics Pick, I received a degree in drama from NYU Tisch, and spent every night working at the coolest nightclub in New York, The Box.
But I had a secret...I was addicted to opioids.
Within three years I lost everything. Homeless and going through withdrawal, I crawled back to my hometown of Athens, Georgia as just another failed casualty of the opioid epidemic.
Getting sober was the hardest thing I'd ever done. Far removed from the clubs and theaters I had considered home, I turned to movies as a means of understanding what had happened to me. Watching films about addiction gave me hope that I wasn't alone and reignited the artistic spark that had been extinguished by drugs and alcohol.
I have spent the last eleven years pursuing that hope and am incredibly grateful to be in post-production for my first feature-length film, Withdrawal.
Inspired by lived experience, the film aims to humanize the opioid epidemic, framing this pressing subject within the genre of a tragic love story; star-crossed lovers fighting a battle against addiction.
I am humbled by the diverse group of independent artists that have come together and embraced the ethos of DIY filmmaking. Through our BTS features, our podcast, and testimonials we hope you not only enjoy our film, but also feel inspired and empowered to make your own."
Yours in Cinema,
Aaron Strand
- Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark! It’s free, and once we hit a certain number of followers we’ll get access to a ton of perks, products, and services that could really help us as we finalize the film.
- Stay connected and spread the word. Follow and share our social media posts on Instagram and Facebook. Not sure what to say? Feel free to use this:
"Join us in helping Withdrawal become a reality. Show your support @seedandspark www.seedandspark.com/fund/withdrawal"
- Send this campaign out to someone you know. Text, email, anything you can do to get our film out there is VERY helpful. Let’s do this together.
One last reminder to FOLLOW us here on SEED & SPARK and check back for updates!
We are so excited to make this film and share it with you! From the entire team joining us on journey to Withdrawal:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Sound Design, Mix and Master
Costs $10,000
Filling in the world and creating a theatre quality mix
Share this update!
About This Team
Aaron Strand has performed Off-Broadway in The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller (New York Times Critics Pick) and Caligula Maximus and in The Threepenny Opera at 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta, GA. He has acted on screen in feature films Irresistible, directed by Jon Stewart, and Richard Jewel, directed by Clint Eastwood, and TV Shows NCIS: New Orleans, Manhunt, Dynasty, and Containment. He spent years working at NYC’s most notorious nightclub, The Box. In 2015 he founded the production company Stranded Entertainment. His films have screened at the Manchester Film Festival, the Oxford Film Festival, San Francisco Indie Fest, New York Indian Film Festival, Chicago South Asian Film Festival. His writing has been featured in script competitions at Austin Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and Final Draft's Big Break. In 2022 he launched a film history podcast, Behind the Slate which has charted in the top-10 film history podcasts in the US.
Jonathan Walls is an Atlanta based filmmaker with BFAs in Film and Entertainment & Media from the University of Georgia. He began working in broadcast and streaming television at The Weather Channel, ESPN+, and Jacob's Media. In 2023 he was selected for the spring internship class at Third Rail Studios, where he made his directing debut with the short film, Best Wishes, which was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2023 Peachtree Village International Film Festival. He is the producer of the horror-comedy short film, Blondie's. He is a regular volunteer at the Sundance Film Festival, the screening committee for the Atlanta Film Festival, and was a mentee at Roger Ebert’s Ebertfest in 2022.
Millie Rose Evans is an Atlanta based actress who has appeared in commercials, feature productions, and independent films. She played a nurse in the Paramount Pictures production of The InBetween starring Joey King. And will appear in the upcoming feature film, The Uglies, directed by McG. She doubled for Millie Bobby Brown as "Eleven” in seasons 3 and 4 of, Stranger Things. She co-majored in Film and Women’s Studies at Georgia State University and has continued her training at the Alliance Theater, Drama Inc, and Dad’s Garage. She wrote, directed and plays the lead in the upcoming short film, 9 Lives.
Brent Michal is a wildboy. He’s a rascal. He’s a writer and actor. He’s a Mickey Rourke type - pre plastic surgery. He’s the host of LIVE AF with Brent Michal. He’s appeared in a community theater production of A Streetcar Named Desire. He’s an after school teacher. He’s a writer of bios.
Julian Green is an Atlanta based actor and artist. He has performed in multiple television series including Queens, Manhunt, Lovecraft Country, and Will Trent. He has trained extensively in the Chubbock Technique at Drama Inc, an Atlanta-based acting studio. In addition to acting, Julian enjoys channeling his creativity into writing, music, and physical exercise.
Jeanne Heaton has written and starred in the plays Methadonia and Sober in the City which were developed at Studio Dante with Francine Volpe and the Naked Angels Theatre Company. Heaton also has wrote the screenplays Piper and Nikki, Methadonia, and new TV project, The Divine Rascal. As the script consultant for John Fugelsang's Off-Broadway one-man show, All the Wrong Reasons, she also dramturgied and directed his show, Junk Male, winning the 1995 and 1997 Mac Awards. Jeanne also directed comedian Vanessa Hollingshead’s one-woman show, Flashback, winning the 1999 Aspen US Comedy Arts Festival's best show award, and Vanessa's DVD, Because I’m a Lady. Jeanne studied at New York University’s theatre program with Stella Adler at the Stella Adler Conservatory, at the Wooster Group with Willem Dafoe, the Michael Howard Studios with Michael Howard, and at Studio Dante with Michael Imperioli. In the early 90s, she had a record deal with her band, Head For Tall Trees, at Chrysalis Records and starred as Katherine in the 1999 film The Dream Catcher, written and directed by Ed Radtke; produced by Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar. Originally from Western Pennsylvania, Jeanne currently lives in Athens, GA.
Emily Marquet is an emerging cinematographer based in London, UK. She is a graduate of London Film School and her work has screened at festivals all over the world such as CineQuest, BronzeLens, and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. Previous DOP credits include Snowfall, Wildman, Shanidar, a documentary series with Bill T. Jones and various music videos. She is the Owner & Creative Director of the production company Mudroom Films, which produces branded content, music videos and original narrative works. She is a proud member of BECTU, Women in Film and TV and CineGirl.
Kristina Arjona (She/Her, They/Them) is proudly certified as an Intimacy Coordinator through Intimacy Professionals Association and received her BFA in Acting and BA in Theatrical Design and Production from Elon University. She has worked in the southeastern film industry for over 10 years on both sides of the lens and uses her unique skills and training to increase effective communication and safety for everyone involved.
CREDITS: George & Tammy (Showtime), The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon), Welcome To Flatch (FOX), Miller's Girl (2023), One True Loves (2023)
Scout Smith - Assistant Director
Spencer Poole - Sound Recordist/Post-Production MIxer
Lex Valerio - Cam Op/1st AC
Jade Fernandez/Rayna Sklar/Kaley Maier - 2nd AC
Nadir Baaset - Gaffer
Riley Krill - Key Grip
Anastasia Brady - HMU/Production Designer
Christopher White - Wardrobe
Ashley Daubert - Makeup Assistant
LeeAnn Peppers - Art Department/PA/Music Supervisor
Jenny McGinley - PA
Mollie Robertson - BTS Photographer
Jaxon Ray - BTS Videographer
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A passionate singer-songwriter and her rebellious boyfriend must withdrawal from heroin, to keep her conservative parents from sending her to rehab, dashing her dreams of musical notoriety and her tumultuous romance.
Yearning to break free of the bourgeois life of her parents, she drops out of Law School to pursue her artistic dreams. But has turned to heroin to relieve her anxiety and gain the authenticity she so desperately craves.
Desperate to see the world beyond his small southern town, Jay tries to squeeze every last drop of fun out of life. But beneath this swashbuckling gusto is a tender and naive heart, looking for love and security.
A young professional lawyer seeking status from his peers and longs to rekindle his past romance with Viv, who is now living a lifestyle which he cannot understand.
Artistic lovers, Viv and Jay, have become trapped in a vicious cycle of codependent heroin addiction. But when Viv’s wealthy parents hire an interventionist to take Viv to rehab, the couple decides to set off on their own... all they have to do is kick their habit. Over twenty-four hours, they go on a harrowing journey through drug withdrawal testing the limits of their endurance and love.
Withdrawal is currently in POST-PRODUCTION as principal photography completed on 11/5/2023. In other words: The film is NEARLY complete!
We have an initial investment of $40,000 plus 15-days contributed to the production of the film by our wonderful cast and crew. We are seeking to raise $27,000 that will cover the remaining costs of post-production and finishing which include; color editing, sound mixing, scoring and final master as well as costs associated with festival submissions and film distribution.
Upon completion of Post-Production, our plan is to dive into a festival run followed by distribution, targeting TIFF, SXSW, Tribeca and Slamdance for the film’s premiere (as well as subsequent screenings) along with other festivals specializing in unique stories dealing with addiction.
"Back in 2010, I was on the brink of success. Twenty years old, I had just starred in an Off-Broadway New York Times Critics Pick, I received a degree in drama from NYU Tisch, and spent every night working at the coolest nightclub in New York, The Box.
But I had a secret...I was addicted to opioids.
Within three years I lost everything. Homeless and going through withdrawal, I crawled back to my hometown of Athens, Georgia as just another failed casualty of the opioid epidemic.
Getting sober was the hardest thing I'd ever done. Far removed from the clubs and theaters I had considered home, I turned to movies as a means of understanding what had happened to me. Watching films about addiction gave me hope that I wasn't alone and reignited the artistic spark that had been extinguished by drugs and alcohol.
I have spent the last eleven years pursuing that hope and am incredibly grateful to be in post-production for my first feature-length film, Withdrawal.
Inspired by lived experience, the film aims to humanize the opioid epidemic, framing this pressing subject within the genre of a tragic love story; star-crossed lovers fighting a battle against addiction.
I am humbled by the diverse group of independent artists that have come together and embraced the ethos of DIY filmmaking. Through our BTS features, our podcast, and testimonials we hope you not only enjoy our film, but also feel inspired and empowered to make your own."
Yours in Cinema,
Aaron Strand
- Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark! It’s free, and once we hit a certain number of followers we’ll get access to a ton of perks, products, and services that could really help us as we finalize the film.
- Stay connected and spread the word. Follow and share our social media posts on Instagram and Facebook. Not sure what to say? Feel free to use this:
"Join us in helping Withdrawal become a reality. Show your support @seedandspark www.seedandspark.com/fund/withdrawal"
- Send this campaign out to someone you know. Text, email, anything you can do to get our film out there is VERY helpful. Let’s do this together.
One last reminder to FOLLOW us here on SEED & SPARK and check back for updates!
We are so excited to make this film and share it with you! From the entire team joining us on journey to Withdrawal:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Sound Design, Mix and Master
Costs $10,000
Filling in the world and creating a theatre quality mix
Share this update!
About This Team
Aaron Strand has performed Off-Broadway in The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller (New York Times Critics Pick) and Caligula Maximus and in The Threepenny Opera at 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta, GA. He has acted on screen in feature films Irresistible, directed by Jon Stewart, and Richard Jewel, directed by Clint Eastwood, and TV Shows NCIS: New Orleans, Manhunt, Dynasty, and Containment. He spent years working at NYC’s most notorious nightclub, The Box. In 2015 he founded the production company Stranded Entertainment. His films have screened at the Manchester Film Festival, the Oxford Film Festival, San Francisco Indie Fest, New York Indian Film Festival, Chicago South Asian Film Festival. His writing has been featured in script competitions at Austin Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and Final Draft's Big Break. In 2022 he launched a film history podcast, Behind the Slate which has charted in the top-10 film history podcasts in the US.
Jonathan Walls is an Atlanta based filmmaker with BFAs in Film and Entertainment & Media from the University of Georgia. He began working in broadcast and streaming television at The Weather Channel, ESPN+, and Jacob's Media. In 2023 he was selected for the spring internship class at Third Rail Studios, where he made his directing debut with the short film, Best Wishes, which was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2023 Peachtree Village International Film Festival. He is the producer of the horror-comedy short film, Blondie's. He is a regular volunteer at the Sundance Film Festival, the screening committee for the Atlanta Film Festival, and was a mentee at Roger Ebert’s Ebertfest in 2022.
Millie Rose Evans is an Atlanta based actress who has appeared in commercials, feature productions, and independent films. She played a nurse in the Paramount Pictures production of The InBetween starring Joey King. And will appear in the upcoming feature film, The Uglies, directed by McG. She doubled for Millie Bobby Brown as "Eleven” in seasons 3 and 4 of, Stranger Things. She co-majored in Film and Women’s Studies at Georgia State University and has continued her training at the Alliance Theater, Drama Inc, and Dad’s Garage. She wrote, directed and plays the lead in the upcoming short film, 9 Lives.
Brent Michal is a wildboy. He’s a rascal. He’s a writer and actor. He’s a Mickey Rourke type - pre plastic surgery. He’s the host of LIVE AF with Brent Michal. He’s appeared in a community theater production of A Streetcar Named Desire. He’s an after school teacher. He’s a writer of bios.
Julian Green is an Atlanta based actor and artist. He has performed in multiple television series including Queens, Manhunt, Lovecraft Country, and Will Trent. He has trained extensively in the Chubbock Technique at Drama Inc, an Atlanta-based acting studio. In addition to acting, Julian enjoys channeling his creativity into writing, music, and physical exercise.
Jeanne Heaton has written and starred in the plays Methadonia and Sober in the City which were developed at Studio Dante with Francine Volpe and the Naked Angels Theatre Company. Heaton also has wrote the screenplays Piper and Nikki, Methadonia, and new TV project, The Divine Rascal. As the script consultant for John Fugelsang's Off-Broadway one-man show, All the Wrong Reasons, she also dramturgied and directed his show, Junk Male, winning the 1995 and 1997 Mac Awards. Jeanne also directed comedian Vanessa Hollingshead’s one-woman show, Flashback, winning the 1999 Aspen US Comedy Arts Festival's best show award, and Vanessa's DVD, Because I’m a Lady. Jeanne studied at New York University’s theatre program with Stella Adler at the Stella Adler Conservatory, at the Wooster Group with Willem Dafoe, the Michael Howard Studios with Michael Howard, and at Studio Dante with Michael Imperioli. In the early 90s, she had a record deal with her band, Head For Tall Trees, at Chrysalis Records and starred as Katherine in the 1999 film The Dream Catcher, written and directed by Ed Radtke; produced by Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar. Originally from Western Pennsylvania, Jeanne currently lives in Athens, GA.
Emily Marquet is an emerging cinematographer based in London, UK. She is a graduate of London Film School and her work has screened at festivals all over the world such as CineQuest, BronzeLens, and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. Previous DOP credits include Snowfall, Wildman, Shanidar, a documentary series with Bill T. Jones and various music videos. She is the Owner & Creative Director of the production company Mudroom Films, which produces branded content, music videos and original narrative works. She is a proud member of BECTU, Women in Film and TV and CineGirl.
Kristina Arjona (She/Her, They/Them) is proudly certified as an Intimacy Coordinator through Intimacy Professionals Association and received her BFA in Acting and BA in Theatrical Design and Production from Elon University. She has worked in the southeastern film industry for over 10 years on both sides of the lens and uses her unique skills and training to increase effective communication and safety for everyone involved.
CREDITS: George & Tammy (Showtime), The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon), Welcome To Flatch (FOX), Miller's Girl (2023), One True Loves (2023)
Scout Smith - Assistant Director
Spencer Poole - Sound Recordist/Post-Production MIxer
Lex Valerio - Cam Op/1st AC
Jade Fernandez/Rayna Sklar/Kaley Maier - 2nd AC
Nadir Baaset - Gaffer
Riley Krill - Key Grip
Anastasia Brady - HMU/Production Designer
Christopher White - Wardrobe
Ashley Daubert - Makeup Assistant
LeeAnn Peppers - Art Department/PA/Music Supervisor
Jenny McGinley - PA
Mollie Robertson - BTS Photographer
Jaxon Ray - BTS Videographer