Innocence is a short film that explores the loss of innocence of an eleven-year-old Black boy over the course of one afternoon as he witnesses various instances of microaggressions and racial biases.
NOTE FROM DIRECTOR
Hello all! My name is Marcella Taylor. I am the writer and director of "Innocence." Over the past few years we’ve all seen numerous instances of Black people being accosted or killed, for seemingly just daring to be Black, play out all over this country. From being harassed for “loitering” in a Starbucks to being denied access into their own dwellings, being Black in America is exhausting!
As our country experiences a cultural “awakening” of sorts, many people have been trying to reconcile their own racial biases and preconceived notions about other racial groups.
People of all racial backgrounds have taken to the streets to protest the many killings of unarmed Black men and women at the hands of the police as well as to demand systemic change. But what about our youth?
Who is stopping to think about how these racial events are shaping the lives of our Black children? With my own 14-year-old nephew in mind, I decided to write a film that examines racism through the eyes of a child. It's a story about the ways in which racism permeates the daily lives of Black people.
This film is not meant to be an indictment against any one group of people. It's asking that we pay attention to the ways in which our words and actions are shaping the futures of our children.
Thank you!
SYNOPSIS
Eleven-year-old E.J.’s world is filled with video games, sports, and hanging with his friends. He is oblivious to the ways in which his father has to move about the country as a Black man.
Over the course of one afternoon, E.J.’s worldview will forever be changed as he witnesses several instances of racist and prejudicial treatment toward various Black men and teens while walking home from baseball practice with his two best friends, Jordan and Daniel.
Witnessing men that look like him and his father being prejudged and treated with suspicion gives E.J. a newfound respect for his father as he sees how hard life can be for Black men and envisions his own future in the men he encounters.
GENRE & TONE
Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, the overall tone of the film is lighthearted and hopeful. The juxtaposition of the racial tensions just under the surface and the boys’ carefree world is where the tension comes in.
The subtle way in which the film plays out will be effective/impactful for both adults and children alike who may not have ever experienced or even noticed the scenarios presented. Hopefully it makes people stop and think about how their behavior can have lasting effects on others...
Inspiration: Coming of Age Movies & TV Shows - The Sandlot / Stand By Me / Stranger Things
![]()
![]()
![]()
VISUAL STYLE
While this is a low-budget short, we'd like the film to have a high-end look. We will achieve this by shooting in HD on either the Sony Venice with Cooke S7 lenses or on the Alexa Mini with Cooke S4 or K35 lenses to give it that cinematic look, while still being grounded in reality.
We want the audience to feel a real connection to these characters.
We will incorporate the use of steadicam to move smoothly through the convenience store as well as for the group walking scenes with our main trio. We will also make use of a drone to capture overhead shots of the city and for our driving sequence.
![]()
CASTING
Casting will be key for this film. We’ll look for actors with authentic looks to fill each of the roles. They should look and feel like real people that you might encounter on any given day. We don’t want anyone to feel like a caricature, no over the top performances, particularly the police officers.
Our hero, “E.J.”, needs to have expressive eyes as most of his reactions are subtle and silent. He observes and absorbs in a quiet, thoughtful way. Think Lonnie Chavis from “This is Us” or Miles Brown from “black-ish.”
![]()
LOCATIONS
We'll be shooting in Los Angeles, CA. The beautiful weather here will allow us to take full advantage of our exterior locations. We are planning on shooting in an area of Los Angeles that is rarely seen on television. Ladera Heights is a predominantly African-American community in the heart of Los Angeles. Culver City lies to its west, the Baldwin Hills neighborhood to its north, and the Westchester neighborhood to its south and southwest. Ladera Heights ranks #3 among the top 10 richest black communities in the US. This is where E.J. lives. The goal is to show that no matter where you live in this country, as a Black person, you can experience racism anywhere.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
OUR AMAZING TEAM
We have assembled a top-notch team of industry professionals to help bring this film to life. Many of us have worked together for years and are excited to work on a project that we feel passionate about. We're looking forward to sharing this film with the world!
WRITER/DIRECTOR - MARCELLA TAYLOR
![]()
Marcella Taylor is a filmmaker from Northern California. More specifically, Fairfield, home of the Jelly Belly Factory. She moved to Los Angeles in 2001 to finish her undergraduate film studies and pursue her dream of working in the entertainment industry. She then went on to pursue her MFA in Film Production from Loyola Marymount University, graduating in 2006. Since then she has worked on a multitude of feature films, music videos, TV shows and commercials in various capacities. She currently works as a Production Supervisor in TV commercials, where she successfully manages budgets up to $2m.
She was a semi-finalist in the 2017 Disney-ABC Writing Program for which she submitted an original sitcom pilot as well as a spec of ABC’s “black-ish.”
PRODUCER - DENNIS BEIER
![]()
Dennis Beier has produced and supervised hundreds of TV commercials for 20+ years as well as award winning short films and music videos. He has worked with some of the world’s top directors and brands with shooting locations across the globe.
His work has been recognized at the Cannes Lions, Grammy’s, Epica, Webby’s, TIFF and SXSW festival. His latest short film “The Attache” can be seen on his website. https://www.dennisbeier.com/
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - LUDOVICA ISIDORI
![]()
Ludovica Isidori is a celebrated Cinematographer who has filmed numerous short films and three feature films to date. Her latest feature film, Test Pattern, shot in 2018, was acquired by Kino Lorber and released in 2021.
Her films have premiered and won prizes at numerous film festivals including SXSW, Slamdance, HBO, Outfest, Diversity in Cannes and many more. https://www.ludovicaisidori.com/
PRODUCTION DESIGNER - TIM FORD
![]()
Tim Ford has worked professionally in the film industry since 1999. He has worn many hats, including those of Director, Producer and Production Manager. In 2012 Tim shifted his focus to the art department crafts. He currently works as a Production Designer. He is always on the lookout for interesting projects and interesting environments. https://www.timford.art/
1ST AD - ROBERT WEBB
![]()
Robert Webb is a father and a screenwriter from Kansas City, MO. He moved to Los Angeles as a child, and spent his formative years learning and growing in Watts, California, where he found a love for words and all things creative. After shepherding his youngest child into adulthood, he has since spent his time focused on honing his craft, and working behind the scenes on numerous commercial, film, and music video productions.
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR - MADALYN LAWSON
![]()
Madalyn Lawson is a screenwriter from Catherine, AL. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2008, to break into the entertainment industry, she has worked on numerous commercials, short films, features, and television shows as a background actor as well as in production.
Since Madalyn always loved watching television growing up, she decided to focus her efforts on becoming a writer. In 2017, she landed a production assistant position on a network show for CBS. After four seasons, she worked her way up the ladder and currently serves as one of the writers’ assistants.
BUDGET
With an anticipated cast and crew size of 39 people and 7 locations over the course of 3 days, including post-production and festival costs, we are targeting a budget of $25,000. With your contribution, we will be able to do this story justice and ensure the production value and quality it deserves.
![]()
Please Follow & Share
1. FOLLOW US ON ALL OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Be sure to follow us here on Indiegogo and also on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Encourage your friends to follow us too!
2. SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT #innocencefilm
Share our posts, campaign page, and our backer updates! Tell your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors.
3. KEEP FOLLOWING OUR CAMPAIGN!
Regular visits to our Indiegogo page keep you in the know AND increase our chances of being featured on the site!
Sharing our campaign on your social media is very helpful to us. Joining our team by contributing is SUPER helpful. Doing BOTH goes a long way to help bring "Innocence" to life!
Twitter - https://twitter.com/InnocenceFilm21
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/innocence_film/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/innocencefilm2021
![]()
