Short Summary
My name is Sammie Peña, I am a Chicana filmmaker originally from Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas.
At the Ballet is my first film outside of college, and I am very eager to make it come to life. It shares a very relatable story of a young BIPOC woman who reminisces on her past life as a ballet dancer with a new friend.
By drawing from some of my own experiences as a former dancer, my hope is that the themes of the film resonate with many dancers and artists alike who have ever felt like they do not belong in their passions.
What We Need & What You Get
Our overall budget for this film is $20k, and we know that that’s a lot to come by in this economy! However, whatever money we make is all going towards the making of this short.
We will use what we gain for labor costs, equipment rentals, rehearsal space, and eventually help pay costs for when the film goes through the festival circuit.
The Impact
At the Ballet will have an ALL MINORITY cast and crew. Your donation is not just supporting the making of this project- it is going towards paying EVERY crew member for their efforts. Our team is set to create an opportunity for creatives who often are overlooked in the film world.
It’s quite common that small budget shorts are not always able to pay their crews. This frequently leads to the team being “paid in experience”. Our biggest goal is to avoid this pattern for our team and ensure that every crew member is paid for their hard work and dedication. Your contribution will make a big difference in ensuring this is achieved.
Risks & Challenges
Our biggest risk is not being able to pay our crew nor pay for major equipment and spaces that are needed for making this project.
At the end of the day, we want to create this beautiful story and we will always try to make due with what we have got. It’s in our best interests to avoid any out of pocket fees from the director and producer.
Other than this crowdfunding page, we are looking into different grants that are made for projects such as our own to reach our goal.
Other Ways You Can Help
We are also accepting in-kind donations for costumes, location spaces, and raffle items (i.e.: gift-certificate, bottles, other merchandise). If you would like to learn more about items we are accepting please email alt164productions@gmail.com!
Please share! Fortune favors the bold! If you know anybody please share our campaign with them. The At the Ballet team and I know that our projects’ story is one that can hit close to home for many former dancers and artists. This is for them and for you! Post on your social media about us and re-share our posts on Instagram @alt164productions. The best way to secure our goal is getting the word out as much as possible!
