TO DONATE: FROM PHONE: Select a PERK from the list or scroll all the way to the end to make a custom donation of your choosing ("contribution"). FROM COMPUTER: Select a PERK from the list or click the "BACK IT" button next to the trailer. You can choose a perk or a custom donation ("contribution"). Thank you!
IF WE RAISE EVEN A SMALL CHUNK OF OUR GOAL that will help us get grants, loans, and investors! Help us get started :) by reaching 20-25k!
IT IS TIME.
After many almost-but-not-quite film deals, we decided that we’re meant to film this ourselves! With full creative control and a kick-ass FEMALE-LED team!! And of course, our army of rad supporters, who we could not do any of this without!
Help us be a voice for first-generation-ers everywhere. It’s our time! Time to laugh :)
Check out the fun perks that come with your donation! CLICK THEM FOR DETAILS! → → →
Take a look at the budget breakdown below to see where the funds go!
THE STORY
Three first-generation girls sneak out to an all-American house party in 1999.
Based on the director’s experience growing up first-generation Syrian-American in Los Angeles. Cause (immigrant) parents just don’t understand :) But we love them anyway <3
Logline:
Frustrated with their strict parents, Mariam (Lebanese), Naya (Indian), and Cho (Korean) decide to sneak out to an all-American house party and get the real high school experience they deserve – and soon realize they have no idea what they’re doing, or where they fit in.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - firstgensmovie.com
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MEET YOUR TEAM
Female-led and ready to rock! Check out this power team!
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NAHREEN TARZI - Writer, Director, Producer, Dance Party Starter
Nahreen served as Head Writer of CBS Diversity Showcase 2018, was Head Writer at Frederator Networks for two years, and won BEST DIRECTION for directing the one-man-show "Fat, Gay, and Indian" at Crazy Woke Asians Festival 2019 (and the show won the entire festival and NBC Mentorship). She directed the 2-woman show "M.E So Funny" (Middle-Easterns So Funny), which featured in L.A. Weekly, showcased at Comedy Central Stage, was selected 3 years in a row at The Second City Diversity Festival, and was booked to perform at UC Riverside. She has also done freelance writing work for NICKELODEON, was an in-house writer for Moonbug Entertainment, and while there, was the studio's creative director for the animated show "Little Ruby Roo".
Nahreen's parents are immigrants from Aleppo, Syria, and this film is based on her experience growing up in Burbank. It is what she imagined WOULD HAVE happened if she had the guts to sneak out. She did not. Her dad had a 6th sense and she would have been caught! She did help another friend sneak out once, though.
More info on nahreentarzi.com
CARRIE DOUGHERTY - Producer, Diplomat, Headhunter, Hilarious Commentator
Carrie has worked on multiple feature-length films, including The Art of Murder (2018) and Only Mine (2019), both produced by MarVista Entertainment. She brings vast production knowledge and is excited to produce this independent film. Additionally, Carrie comes with a deep-rooted career of studio-television production, with her most notable shows including: Who Wants to be a Millionaire (2020), Master Minds (2020), and Whose Line is it Anyway? (2019). These projects [and more] have influenced her mission to conduct highly-ethical and safe production, as well as, provide an unshakeable, business-minded spirit.
Carrie was born into a military family and spent her early childhood growing up in towns all across the United States, until settling in LA in 2015. From her exposure to the many unique and wonderful cultures within our vast country, she brought with her the vision to create passionate and intentional storytelling. "First Gens is a film that carries a deep and illuminating purpose: To bring us together by celebrating our differences."
MAGDOLEEN MELEKA - Story Consultant, Wicked Hoop-Wearer
Magdoleen has served, worked, and supported immigrant communities for over 15 years. While her career contexts have mainly comprised of the non-profit sector and educational institutions, she has always engaged in her love for people and the arts in her spare time. In every context, she is deeply committed to helping others articulate their true narrative and identify opportunities for thriving.
She also has over 30 years of first-hand experience growing up in L.A. with Egyptian parents. She grew up speaking broken Arabic, listening to church hymns, and singing Mariah Carey - none of this has changed. As a first-gen herself and as a new parent, she is excited about the story and message that are shared in this silly-yet-sweet film. Oh, and, she has an unwavering appreciation for “gypsy earrings.”
VERONICA SMITH - Director of Photography, Great at Camera Jigs (see Instagram)
Veronica Smith is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who has worked in the industry for 5 years. She has DP’d on a wide range of projects including several award winning short films, music videos, and commercials. She currently has two 2020 projects, "Madness" and "The Letter", running in festivals, with "Madness" already winning multiple awards. Veronica's true love is working on narrative films and she is constantly looking for new and exciting challenges. She is very excited to work with this incredible group of filmmakers!
Veronica grew up mainly in Northern Virginia and came to LA in 2016. She has family all across the country and has been lucky to travel to different places around the world. First Gens shows how we all value love and care deeply about the people in our life, no matter the background.
More info on veronicapsmith.com
MAGGIE HART - Co-Producer, Female Empower-er, Rockstar Multiple Hat Wearer
As a self-starter in the indie film world, Maggie Hart loves working with passionate female filmmakers. While attending film school and working full-time as a production manager, Maggie also wrote, directed, produced, and edited what would become her first feature, Impressions. After moving to Los Angeles, she did the same thing with a comedy web series called, “The Romantic Method,” and produced another feature film, Instructions For Living, which won the audience award at the Twin Cities film festival. In 2019 she relaunched Farsighted Creative, a production company dedicated to telling stories that empower women to make a cultural difference.
WHERE THE FUNDS GO
If you haven’t heard yet, making movies is EXPENSIVE. It takes a village, and we need to pay that village for their work :)
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DEVELOPMENT – Legal fees, contract setup for all cast/crew, Casting Company, script clearance & rights clearance (rights for any lovely 90s references we are trying to show)
CAST – All cast members, from lead roles to one-liners to non-speaking roles!
PRODUCTION CREW – This is a big story with a lot of characters, so naturally, we need a lot of crew to help! Line Producer, Assistant Director, Script Supervisor, Production Designer, Production Assistants, Sound Mixer/Boom Operator and equipment, Music Supervisor, Makeup/Hair, Wardrobe, and the most important part – the Camera Department! Which includes the Director of Photography, Camera Operator, Grips, Gaffers, Lighting, Camera Assistants, and all the camera equipment rentals.
PRODUCTION EXPENSES – All the stuff we need to buy for production! Set décor, props, wardrobe, any makeup/hair purchases, food catering, craft service snacks, location permits, hard drives for footage, script and schedule printouts (if not totally digital), and film liability insurance to cover safety and equipment.
PAYROLL – Basically the payroll taxes and fees! Since the new AB5 law in California no longer allows films to hire people as freelance, we must put all cast and crew on payroll, and therefore pay a hefty amount in payroll taxes.
COVID-19 EXPENSES – Cause yes, it’s still here! This covers all the extra expenses related to COVID-19 safety measures – we need to make sure our cast and crew are safe and that we take proper precautions to protect everyone’s health. This includes PPE, sanitizing sets, hiring a Covid Compliance Officer, and making sure every single person gets tested properly for COVID-19.
POST-PRODUCTION – and this is low for post! It takes at least a couple of months (usually more) to edit a feature film. Then it takes even LONGER to do all the other stuff needed. So this covers: Editor, Music Composer, Music Rights Licensing fees, Audio Editing & Mixing, Sound Effects purchases, Stock Footage purchases, Color Correction, and Closed Captioning.
MARKETING/DISTRIBUTION – Let’s get this film out!! Set Photographer, movie poster, Film Festival fees, marketing & distribution fees, Errors & Omissions insurance required for distribution.
And there’s probably some stuff we forgot to include. So much goes into making a film, and we’d love to make this one for you all to see!
Stay tuned for updates, and can’t wait to make this in 2021!
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE - firstgensmovie.com
