Our Story
My name is Tianna Strickland, I am in my final year at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, and the writer/director of "Grasp".
First let me say how excited I am for this film! I was just 10 years old when I starting getting into filmmaking. This short is very special to me and as my thesis film, I'm excited to launch from it and continue a dedicated and driven career in film.
I have always been inspired by people's stories; Everyone has their own story and they all deserve to be heard and understood. I like to make films about the stories you wouldn't normally hear, and help create a universal understanding, that I believe we all have. You can say my real goal is trying to bring people together and show that we aren't all that different after all.
For the making of this short film I will be working with many people I trust and love. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort and everyone involved is my film family. As a director I love input from all directions, and working in a very open dialogue environment is essential to gaining depth for my characters. That said, I have a vision for this project and we will work together to get it.
"Grasp" is the story of Regina, a young African America woman living in Brooklyn with her Mother and two younger siblings. When Regina's girlfriend, Christine, comes to stay for the weekend, Regina struggles with keeping the true nature of their relationship a secret. Emotions run thin as Regina tries to show Christine how much she cares for her, while struggling with the reality of their relationship.
The Future
I will be submitting "Grasp" to serval different film festivals throughout the country (LGBTQ and others). Though it tells the story of an African American girl and her struggle with balancing her sexuality and life, it also represents people from all over the world, of whatever color or creed and the various struggles they face.
What We Need
A breakdown of where the money you so generously donate can be found below:
$3,000 of the funding will go to renting an apartment space in Brooklyn, where the majority of scenes will be shot.
$1,300 will go to equipment.
$1,000 of the funding will go to our fabulous 7 actors, the youngest of which is a very talented 4 year old!
$700 to wardrobe and set design (has to be believable!)
$500 will go to meals and travel for the cast and crew during shooting days. Since we will be shooting full days I want to make sure the cast and crew are well fed so everyone can give 100%.
Pre-production has begun and the budget is pretty locked. We sincerely hope to hit our goal and get this story out there! Any donation is a significant one!
Any money we raise above our goal will go towards renting out a theater to screen the short and/or the various give-backs we offer to those who donate.
Other Ways You Can Help
You can also help by sharing this page with your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else who might be interested in helping finance this film. Can't give? Spread the word. Everything helps and we greatly appreciate any and all publicity.
