It’s often said that two is better than one. Many of us have found strength in numbers by turning to our friends and families for support, encouragement, and guidance. This month’s crowdfunding picks explore the importance of those who have our backs, whether we’re trying to build our lives in New York City, prevent the future from collapsing (literally), or grappling with trauma after a parent is seriously hurt.
In the new series “Giving Me Life (In The Land of the Deadass),” we meet a group of six ambitious New Yorkers who struggle with the typical aspects of growing up — but through the unique perspective of being young people of color, many of whom are of varying gender identities and sexual orientations.
“The Atavist” follows Jax and Henrietta, two women born over a century apart. The two meet in the present, when scientist Hen is developing teleportation technology. After Jax leaves behind technology from the year 2120, the two must work together to make things right and save the future Jax knows.
The family in “Bring Me an Avocado” suddenly finds itself reeling when mother Robin falls into a coma, leaving father George to take care of his two young daughters with the help of Robin’s sister and best friend. The weight of the grief and trauma eventually forces the family to face the best and worst parts of themselves that emerge when they have to rely on each other.
Here is our latest round of women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks.
“Giving Me Life (In The Land of The Deadass)” (Web Series) — Written and Directed by Dafina Roberts
The upcoming series “Giving Me Life (In The Land of The Deadass)” follows the lives of six friends in New York City striving for happiness in a world that’s unceasingly harsh on young people from marginalized communities. The characters confront the universal difficulties of growing up — building a career, finding love, becoming independent — through a still-unprecedented lens, as they are young people of color, many of whom are queer.
“Although we are living through ‘the television renaissance,’ we can only name a small handful of comedy or dramedy series that star diverse actors, whether it be Black, Latinx, and/or LGBTQ,” reads the project’s description. “Giving Me Life” will feature six young talents whose performances will help generate a discussion about the representation of race, gender, and sexuality in media.
Learn how you can support the series, which is a selection of the New York Television Festival’s Independent Pilot Competition, on its Kickstarter page.
“The Atavist” — Directed by Cameo Wood; Written by Cortney Wright
“The Atavist” introduces us to two young women who connect across time: Jax, a street-smart young woman from the year 2120, and Hen, a scientist from the 2010s. Inadvertently, Jax is transported to Hen’s time, when the latter is working on developing the very first teleportation technology. When Jax leaves behind some technology in Hen’s world, she alters the course of history and places her own time in jeopardy, forcing her to go on a mission to make things right.
Director Cameo Wood is fascinated by the idea of traveling to a time in our past with the insight and perspective that we have today. “I’ve always wanted to make a movie about the cultural and ethical difficulties in time travel,” she says, “and I want to explore a time in the future when a young black woman would want to visit a period in America’s past.” The film combines the themes of time travel and black womanhood to tell a story about hope for our future.
Visit “The Atavist’s” Seed & Spark page to learn how you can back the film’s production.
“Bring Me an Avocado” — Directed by Maria Mealla
In “Bring Me an Avocado,” we meet a charming Bay Area family consisting of two loving parents, Robin and George, and their two daughters. When Robin suddenly falls into a coma after being robbed at gunpoint, her sister Greece and best friend Jada step in to help George try to maintain some normalcy at home for his daughters.
As time goes on and Robin remains incapacitated, the family dynamic shifts, moving away from the glossy distractions that Jada initially brings to the rigid structure that Greece enforces. Together, the family must grapple with the trauma and grief of missing, and possibly losing, Robin as it brings out the worst aspects of their personalities.
Check out “Bring Me an Avocado” on Seed & Spark to learn more.
To be considered for Women and Hollywood’s biweekly crowdfunding feature, please write to womenandhollywoodinterns@gmail.com. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
