OVERVIEW

My Day is romantic comedy short film produced and directed through Regis University-Colorado Film School.  Through the process of pre-production, production (7 days of shooting, May 1-10), post-production, and distribution/exhibition we are gaining invaluable professional-level experience. Our goal is to produce a quality, engaging film that will be screened locally in the fall, entered into film festivals across the country, and pitched as a feature-length film. 

OUR STORY  

After planning her entire wedding, a young woman is only days from the big day and her boyfriend has yet to propose… How did she get in this situation? What will she do?  

This is the dilemma of the zany main character of Khidija Rivera’s short romantic comedy, My Day.  Every year, an average of 2.4 million weddings are performed in the United States. Ninety-nine percent of grooms do the proposing.

While countless romantic comedies have explored the comedic and dramatic possibilities of wedding planning, writer-director Rivera set out to explore something more fundamental:  the wedding day dream and its effect on relationships.    

 Rivera’s curiosity was peaked when she heard the story of a woman who planned her whole wedding to a man across the country, whom she had never met in person.  Was this, she wondered, the inevitable result of new social media connections or perhaps something more enduring:  the power of the dream of a fairy tale wedding? My Day explores this question through the character of Zoe, a 27 year old bride-to-be, as she plans her dream wedding. 

 “Almost every bride today has had a vision of their wedding day since childhood. She sees only the beauty and the glamour of being ‘Queen for a Day’ in her vision.”  That  “perfect wedding day,” however, “can take between 100 and 200 hours of planning,” warns one event planning service.

OUR PRODUCTION TEAM

With an underlying story idea in place, Rivera wrote several drafts of the script with the help of fellow Colorado Film School students Karen Ross and Maggie Hart, and the feedback of her screenwriting class.  

Once the script was green lit, she began to assemble her vision of a primarily female crew, with women serving in the key producing and department positions.   In most Colorado Film School classes and on production sets, men strongly outnumber women.  Rivera hoped to do her part in countering that trend, by offering women an opportunity to gain leadership experience.  

The team includes Tori Olson (director of photography), Karen Ross (associate producer), Fola Akinyemi (production designer) and Jaime Marshall (production manager).   Talented men round out the crew, including Quentin Holleman (editor). 

Mary Beth Callie serves as Producer.   Callie, a media studies professor looking to gain more experience in film producing (and a longtime romantic comedy fan), was impressed with the screenplay’s clever, funny dialogue, heart and core truth. 

OUR CAST

My Day stars Meghan McMahon as "Zoe," the bride-to-be, with Jeff Richardson as "Riley," her childhood friend, and Sean Moynihan as "Chance," her boyfriend/fiancé. Ten-year-old Cassidy Johnson, of Littleton, and 11-year-old Ryan Callie, of Tucson, Arizona, make their film debuts as young Zoe and Riley.

 McMahon has been featured in numerous films, including "Amanda" in Derek, a short film and "Claire" in P.M., a feature film. Favorite musical theater credits include Cats at Carousel Dinner Theater, White Christmas at Town Hall Arts Center, and Will Rogers Follies at Boulder's Dinner Theater. She has also done commercial, industrial, and modeling work. 

Richardson most recently played the "Evil Prince" in the 2009 feature INK and won an audience choice award for his monologue performance at the 2011 Tri-media Festival in Ft. Collins.  Richardson will be tying the knot on 11/11/11.

 Audiences may recognize Moynihan from his several years on daytime’s One Life to Live and other TV appearances, including Caroline in the City, Pacific Blue, and as "Prince Phillip Mallory" in Sliders. He has also acted at the New Jersey Film Festival, Trinity Repertory, and regional theater.   Moynihan currently serves as deputy district attorney for the City of Denver. 

IMPACT & CHALLENGE 

My Day offers the invaluable opportunity for crew and cast to “learn-by-doing”—drawing on theory and skills learned in the classroom (and previous sets) to collaborate in realizing the screenplay’s vision.  Ultimately, our goal is to work together, as professionals, to produce an original, high quality narrative film that moves and engages audiences.  The challenge is to create a film that honors the romantic comedy tradition and audience expectations, while offering a twist of new insight and truth.   

To fully realize the potential of the story, and provide audiences with a realistic experience that rings true emotionally, the team has been working to assemble the most authentic locations, set dressing, props, and wardrobe.  Cherokee Ranch and Castle, Highlands Garden Café, Little White Dress Bridal Shop, Brilliant Blooms, Mulberries Cake Shop, Crate & Barrel, & Squeeze Inn have been highly supportive of the educational value of the My Day filmmaking experience.

RESOURCES

Although camera, lighting, sound, and editing equipment are provided by Colorado Film School, funds are needed to underwrite all other costs of production: locations, set dressing, props, wardrobe, transportation, accommodations, catering, small stipends for cast and production team members, music/score, marketing, and distribution/exhibition fees.  We hope to raise $1800, at a minimum, to cover these costs.  

THE $1800.00 GOAL WILL GO TOWARD OUR TOTAL BUDGET COST OF $5900.00.

$400 Location Expenses (deposits, fees)
$1000 Talent expenses (salaries, travel expenses)
$2000 Props, Production Design, Set Dressing, Wardrobe, Makeup
$1500 Catering and food services (for 7 days of filming.)
$500  Post Production cost
$500 Festival Circuits