Short Summary
Find Your Place is a comedic story of trial, tribulation, and triumph told through Gluten's perspective. With her new friends Dairy and Nuts, Gluten goes on a quest to figure out where she belongs in the world. Where is it that she can make a positive impact and difference? Through this journey, she faces the mean girls, Kale, Quinoa, and Heirloom Tomato, and overcomes obstacles that are incredibly relatable to those we all combat in everyday life.
Your contributions give us the amazing possibility to bring this story to life and more laughter to the world! We fully intend to submit the short film to festivals on both the West and East Coast. Collaboration is key; we cannot do this without you! As the creator of this project, Laura cannot even begin to express the magnitude of what your contributions and support mean to her.
What We Need & What You Get
Our budget has been carefully constructed so that we are making the most of the money we receive. It'll go to the following:
- Camera, Lighting, and Sound (20% of budget)
- Location Fees/Permit Fees (20% of budget)
- Art Department (10% of budget)
- Insurance (20% of budget)
- Festival Fees (10% of budget)
- Post Production (4% of budget)
- Craft Services (8% of budget)
- Contingency (8% of budget)
We have perks for you if you donate! Depending on your donation, you get a shout out on social media, a fun pin with the film's logo, a completed link, and/or even producer credits! Also, if you contribute an amount that isn't exact to the ones we've listed, that's all right! We will figure out perks for you as well!!
Meet the Team
Laura Lee Walsh / Writer & Actor (Gluten)
Laura Lee Walsh is a lanky, bubbly, and artistic Studio City
native. She’s been steadily pursuing a career as a comedic actress in Los
Angeles since she graduated from Hofstra University’s BFA Theatre Performance program
in 2014. She has been
extremely fortunate to work on a plethora of mediums including web series,
commercials, improv, sketch comedy, and film. She is thrilled to have recently
signed with TGMD Talent for commercial representation, in addition to working
with her manager Ann Devaney for almost a
year. To continuously flex her acting muscles, she has taken class with the
Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop, Lesly Kahn, the Actors Comedy Studio, Toby Lawless, and Jaret Sacrey at
Killian’s Workshop. She's also worked with directors such as Mary Lou Belli,
Michael Lembeck, and Fred Savage. Currently,
she’s performing sketch with TMI Hollywood, launching her own improv
character’s show “Meg Baylor Does a Thing,” and filming three different web
series! She is eternally grateful to Brett and Tanner for their hard work, vision, perseverance,
and desire to make this film a success!
Tanner Alvarez / DirectorTanner Alvarez is a filmmaker, New Jersey native, and gluten lover who works in Los Angeles and New York City. He is a proud alumnus of Hofstra University where he received his B.F.A in Theatre Production and minor in Television in 2015. Tanner has worked consistently across television, film, and theatre for the past 5 years. Recently, he has worked on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”, Audience Network’s “Undeniable with Joe Buck” and “Audience Music Show”. Tanner has directed performances in NYC and his films have been featured in the Jersey Shore Film Festival. Tanner cannot wait to begin working on
Find Your Place and help bring the story of gluten to the world.
Brett Takeshita / Producer
Brett Takeshita is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker who received his B.A. in Film and Television Production, and a minor in Film, Television, and Media Studies from Loyola Marymount University in 2015. In the past four years, he has worked on over 60 features, music videos, short films, and web series, primarily as a producer and casting director. Brett wrote, produced, and directed two comedic shorts: the slapstick-centric Intrusion and the raunchy Truth or Dare. Most recently, Brett served as the 2nd Assistant Director of the Alexander Skarsgard-produced It’s Supposed to Be Easy, script supervisor for the HBO comedy presentation Cyrus, and as the 1st Assistant Director of The Room Actors, the spin-off mockumentary series of the cult classic film, The Room. He currently serves as a writer and producer on the quirky comedic web series, Hard Medicine, which is currently in production in Atlanta and slated for distribution this year.
The Impact
By personifying LA food trends, we intend to bring laughter and lightheartedness back into our lives. Recently, times have become unnecessarily divided, so we think it's important to not only laugh at ourselves and at LA's screwed up priorities, but also to come together to acknowledge that we all want support and we all yearn to find our place!
Risks & Challenges
It's always a risk and a challenge to put your own work out there, but we know with your support, we can spread some laughter in this world! The obstacles we may be facing through this process include:
- Locations! They are difficult to book and expensive, but they're pivotal to tell this story.
- Scheduling! Always a challenge when working with a group of artists. But if we have the backing, everyone can, as Tim Gunn says, "Make it work!"
Other Ways You Can Help
If you cannot contribute financially, we understand (that whole starving artist thing is VERY real). But we would appreciate if you could spread the word to your close networks so we can share Gluten's story!
Thank you SO MUCH!!!