What if you could know "the one?" Today. And all it would take is a quick peek at your phone and a sample of your DNA. Sounds pretty simple and exciting - maybe a little terrifying that they'd get all your secrets? Well, before you go signing up for this entirely fictional service, be aware that it would also mean that your soul-mate could be anyone, even someone you've broken up with. If you're a match, you're a match. For better or for worse, as they say.

This is a future that is not too far away from our current reality, which we know is already fraught with swiping, pages-long match-making quizzes, and DNA panels pinpointing the hormones that make us compatible with others. Intense. Looks like the need for connection is high? We think so too. That's why we're telling this story. 

In our world full of masks and walls, when do we let someone in to know all of us? At what point are we fully honest and vulnerable? In developing this story, the idea of two people who knew each other and had a deep relationship but still had secrets they couldn't share struck a deep chord in us. It's human to want to hide parts of us that could hurt someone we love, could hurt us if spoken aloud, or could bring about a painful rejection. Through Linked, we are exploring the courage and honesty needed to pursue a relationship, even when all the guesswork has been taken out of the equation. 

We hope that this story resonates with you and that you'll join us on our journey bringing it to life! Let's all take a look at how we connect with one another, shall we??

We wish art could be totally free and that things like cameras and sound equipment didn't cost money, but they really do, especially when you want to make the art look and sound good. So, with that...Here are the details, folks!

Your donations will go directly to:

• Production equipment (camera, sound, lighting)
• Cast and Crew 
• Post-production (editing, sound mixing, colorists, original score)
• Film Festival Submissions

**For anything past our projected goal ($21,000), we will donate 50% to the Endometriosis Foundation of America. 

1 in every 10 women struggle with endometriosis. That's a lot. So often, it is such a private struggle that even doctors and medical practitioners have a hard time diagnosing it, which is probably why it takes about 7.5 years from the first time a woman begins experiencing symptoms for her to be diagnosed. 

We're not making a PSA piece. There are wonderful documentaries that have already been made that share the specifics of this condition (Check out Endo What). Moreover, the experiences with endometriosis are wide and varied, ranging from moderate to severe, so we can't possibly give a complete picture of this disease in a 30-minute short film.

We believe in telling a story about the vulnerability necessary to pursue love, something that is universal. BUT! If we can also represent a population of people who live out their lives with a condition that daily asks them to contend with their own identity and femininity in relationship to others...well, we think that would be best of all.

With your help, Linked will show that we are much more than our physical circumstances and that human connection runs much deeper. (Get it? We're more!)

We're up against a few obstacles in making this a reality.

While our production company is based out of New York City, we are going back to our roots to film in Los Angeles. This is great because of the network we have out there from our days at USC, but also travel makes everything complicated. Everything will need to be planned meticulously, and we will need our team in LA to have everything squared away before beginning in March.   

This is also our first time making a film of this length. A short film can sometimes be anything from 3 to 40 minutes, so we're leaning into the narrative and giving this the space that it needs, which is 30 minutes. With a longer script, multiple locations, and complex shot sequences, this will be a challenging shoot. 

Not to mention the subject matter that we want to give the care that it deserves. 

With that said, we have a great team and we are ready to face these challenges head on, and we are confident, that furnished with your donations, Linked will succeed! 

Here's the deal, we know that sometimes a monetary donation is just not in the cards. Boy, do we understand that. If that describes you, and if you feel excited by the story and the cause, we'd love it if you would:

• Follow us on our journey: @linkedsoulmate (Instagram & Twitter)
• Give us a shout on your social media! Believe us, when you're Linked in five or ten years, that's gonna look real good for your soul-mate. They'll be all, "Look how involved they are in their artistic community!"
• Tell us your story. Reach out and let us know if you've ever struggled with these issues before. We want our story to align with those we seek to represent. With chronic conditions, not only endometriosis, there can be a pervasive feeling like it must be a private experience, like it is too much to ask other people to hold. We want to give you a platform to speak about it. So please tell us. Hopefully our work will be textured with your voices and your stories.  
• Connect us! You're not in the market for a short film, but you know someone who might be?  Or know of an organization serving the endometriosis community? We'd love to meet them! 

Thanks again! 

- Peter Mitchell and Jennifer Zahlit