We couldn't be more grateful to our supporters.  This campaign is over - but the Fractured Atlas one continues! Head over there if you'd like to donate, and to our YouTube channel to see the show itself!

Let’s talk about redheads.

Have you ever thought about how you never see more than one of them as the leads in a TV show or movie?  Brunettes, yes.  Blondes, sure.  Redheads… nope.  (And we promise, it’s not because we’re too busy hiding from the sun.)

How about two female leads in a comedy, talking to each other about something other than guys?  While more common, it’s still really rare — just ask any actress whose casting inbox is inundated with notices for “gorgeous,” “topless,” “love interest,” or “girlfriend” roles.

That’s why there’s a movement afoot: women who want to have intelligent, funny roles are taking the reins and crafting characters for themselves and others.  We're riding this wave and creating a comedy series on the web called REDHEADS ANONYMOUS, which will have three redheaded female leads (oh, yeah, and a male lead, too!). 

But we need your help to make this TV-series-for-the-internet a reality.  And if you’ve landed on this page, we’re guessing you know what that help is… so, we're here to answer your questions!

Does the Show Have a Plot?

Why, yes!  In fact, we’ve been writing it since 2012, and it just keeps getting better and better.

When Molly needs to find a way to pay for school, she discovers the Redhead Scholarship, which requires a video essay on “what it means to be a redhead.” She leads a colorful cast of unique gingers to create it: Amy, a quirky, small-town girl finding new adventures in the big city; Sam, an awkward guy trying to embrace his hair and become more than “just a friend”; and Jessica, a vivacious and empowered woman who ponders the collapse of the identity she’s so carefully constructed when she finds a lone white hair.

Through the lens of “gingerism” (a real term!), the series will also explore stereotypes, tokenism, and the way superficial qualities change how we treat each other and ourselves.  While all in good fun, we're also going to spark meaningful discussions about bullying and melanoma.

Will I Be a Valued Part of the Team?

Absolutely — and to prove it, we’ll give you perks!  Feast your eyes (to the right) on the fun rewards we've set up for you at various levels of giving... everything from visits to the set, to access to secret videos!  Choose your favorite historical redhead, go forth, and conquer.

Oh, and also: we’ve teamed up with Fractured Atlas, a 501(c)(3) arts organization fiscal sponsor, so that your contribution is tax-deductible.  Everyone wins!

What Do You Need?

So glad you asked.  In order for our professional cast and crew to spend over 9 days shooting five 8-minute episodes for the REDHEADS ANONYMOUS web series’ first season — in New York City, no less — we need a lot of dough. (And not just the delicious kind, although that would be helpful, too.)

Note: That’s even with the (fully-professional) union cast donating their time on a SAG New Media contract.  New York City is expensive…

Now, let’s be honest: $14,000 doesn't actually cover the cost of this whole shebang, especially since crowdfunding fees eat up 7% of the contributions.  We'd be overjoyed to go beyond that goal, because then we could afford:

We'd love to raise $25,000, pay our actors and all of the rest of the production crew and staff, and float in a dream world filled with rainbows and ginger kittens; but until then, we will be super-psyched if you help us reach our Indiegogo goal of $14,000.  Every little bit counts!  Speaking of which...

Will My Contribution Have an Impact?

We can't do this alone; whether your hair is red, blonde, purple, or gone... your contribution is welcome!  Your generosity, no matter the amount, will make a huge impact.  

$25 gives us a roll of gaff tape (which, like duct tape, can be used for just about anything, by-the-by).  $100 allows us to rent a 15-passenger van for a day. $1000 covers the cost of our entire crew, on set, for a full day of shooting.  And $10,000 is over half of our budget.  Any way you slice it, your help makes a big difference.

When you donate, you’re helping not only us, but the kids and adults across the world who will finally get to see a cast of characters who look like themselves, deal with issues they face, and share their sense of humor.  So really, you’re contributing to world peace.

Can I Help In Other Ways?

Absolutely!  If each person who read/watched this sent it to three redheads in their life, then we would make our goal three times over.  Or something.  (We’re web series creators, not mathematicians.) 

Point being, if you know any redheads, they’re going to personally be mad at you if you don’t forward this to them.  Email/message a link to them saying, “Thought of you!”  or, “Redheads rock!” or, “I just donated $1,000 in your honor!”  (Only say that last one if you actually did it, though.  Redheads can sniff out a lie a mile away.) (That might be a lie.)

Indiegogo also has some pretty cool ‘social media share’ capabilities.  A leprechaun told us that if you use them, good luck follows you for a day.  It may just be hearsay - but how do you know until you try?

My Company Does ‘Matching Contributions’. Can I Apply That Here?

Good thinkin’!  Please let your company know, so they can match your generous contribution.  Not to brag, but Fractured Atlas received four stars on Charity Navigator.

Okay, I guess we just bragged.

Who Are These Crazy Kids?

This production team has over 60 years of combined experience!  (A meaningless number, but it certainly sounds impressive.)  They’ve won everything from Best TV Pilot at the NYCIFF, to Tellys and Auroras, to Best Baked Ziti (no small feat).

  Creator, Producer, Writer, Actor ("Molly"): Elisabeth Ness

Elisabeth co-founded Good Porpoise Productions, LLC, where she produces, casts, writes, and edits videos for non-profits such as the Grace Institute and CBSBB, in addition to other screen projects. As an actor and singer, she performs onstage, on-camera, and in voice-over; her work has been called “especially funny” (New York Times), “razor-sharp” (Washington Post), and “hilarious” (Times Herald-Record, Catskill Chronicle, and her mom). She associate produced and acted in NYCIFF ‘Best TV Pilot’ award-winner The Grid.  As a creative entrepreneur, the Yale alumna runs a salon for women entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry; edits performers’ demos; writes song parodies; and conducts a ninety-person choir.  More at www.elisabethness.com!

  Director: Daniel Seth

Daniel is the co-founder of BCS Productions, and has directed The One Named Leo, This Game for Two, Hang Up, and an election-themed viral video for the Broadway production of Avenue Q.  As an assistant or associate, he's worked with luminary writers and directors, including: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Sam Buntrock, Christopher Gattelli, Sheryl Kaller, and John Tartaglia. As Creative Aide, he worked closely with Forest Whitaker on a range of films, including Lee Daniels' The Butler. Daniel graduated with honors from NYU, where he studied at Tisch School of the Arts’ Kanbar Institute of Film and Television.  Additionally, you may have seen him as a green dot on your television during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, where he has proudly served as a balloon handler for Kermit the Frog.

  Writer and Actor ("Amy"): Juliet Brett

Juliet Brett made her Off-Broadway debut in Beth Henley's critically-acclaimed The Jacksonian at The New Group.  She comes from a family of visual artists, has a percussion and dance background, and studied screenwriting at The New School. Film: Admission, Untitled Noah Baumbach Project, A Most Violent Year.  TV: CSI:NY, Law & Order: SVU.  Training: Sheila Gray.  Upcoming: Beth Henley’s Laugh at New York Stage & Film and In The Summerhouse at the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival.

  Writer, Associate Producer, Media Imagery Specialist: Kevin Sebastian

Kevin is the producer, writer, and one of the leads of the NYCIFF Best Pilot award-winning The Grid. Other writing and directing adventures include the films Julie & Riley, Sunday Times, Itch, and Mark’s Film in NJPAC’s production of RENT; as well as the NJ stage premieres of Fall of Squirrel, The Four Horsemen(c), and staged readings/workshops at The Theater Project. As an actor, he participated in one of the first Writers’ Guild series made for the internet, Issues: The Series, and is a series regular in Streamy-winner Tina Cesa Ward’s Producing Juliet.  Kevin’s work has appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, NYC Opera at Lincoln Center, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Tribeca VisionFest, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Saturday Night Live, the American Globe Theatre and many others. AEA Member. @KevSebastian

  Co-Producer: Natalie Neckyfarow

Natalie is an actor, dancer, and singer who has built her life around her Dad’s advice to “never put all her eggs in one basket”. She’s been a Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer, Web Designer, Entrepreneur, Marketing Assistant, Grant Writer, and bonafide Girl Friday. Natalie has played a range of characters on stage and screen, including: a vindictive kindergarten teacher in the Comedy Central pilot Time Trumpet, a surprisingly forward “good” girl in the indie Sci-Fi High: The Movie Musical, a jovial Jacquenetta in Love’s Labours Lost, and a shy wallflower in Junior Varsity.  Natalie’s choreography has been seen in Hitgirls: The Musical, Ninja Motorcycle Babes, and Aggrippina.  For more, visit www.natalieneckyfarow.com

  Director of Photography: Ed Nescot

Ed Nescot is a co-founder of Good Porpoise Productions, LLC, and is the manager of Ventana Productions’ New York office.  In more than a decade of shooting and producing video, Ed has helped Dr. Oz tackle his fear of heights atop the Woolworth Building 800 ft. above Manhattan, experienced Zero Gravity aboard the so-called “Vomit Comet”, fought the paparazzi on the red carpet with stars such as Scarlett Johansson, Mark Wahlberg and Steve Carell, checked up on international relations at the United Nations General Assembly, made visual music with maestros Joshua Bell, Marvin Hamlisch, and Wycleff Jean, discussed the future of Extra-Terrestrial Tourism with Virgin Galactic Founder Sir Richard Branson, and even scrubbed in for brain surgery.  He’s garnered five Telly Awards, three Aurora Awards, and numerous Videographer, Aegis, Clarion, and New York Festival awards. But perhaps most impressively: his Metro Soccer League team won last year’s championship!

  Associate Producer: Samantha Northart

Samantha was a founding member of the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts ROAR acting company under the direction of David A. White III. She has traveled the world as the Lead Vocalist on the MV Century, MS Volendam, and MS Voyager, and was part of the opening cast of Walt Disney's ENCORE! (a musical revue) at Tokyo Disney Sea. Samantha was in the World Premiere casts of The Gospel According to Tammy Faye (Tammy Faye Bakker), A Christmas Carol (Belle), and War Games (Lead Woman) at the Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, and can be heard on the original cast recordings. She just wrapped a short and a feature, and has been known to dabble extensively in stage management. www.samanthabnorthart.com

  Social Media Manager Extraordinaire: Beth Benge

Beth is a telecommunication major and business administration minor at the University of Florida. She co-founded and executive produced UF's premiere TV production company "ChomPics Productions". In six months, ChomPics created a 5 episode broadcast TV style webseries titled Off University, 22 commercials, 3 webisodes for a spin-off series, and 10 behind-the-scenes videos. This fall, ChomPics will create a new webseries, with Beth producing. She also works every day in UF's television equipment room, interns for musical theatre composers Carner & Gregor, serves as secretary of the student union's film committee, and is the Vice President of the National Broadcasting Society. As a proud pale ginger, Beth is excited and grateful to be working on Redheads Anonymous.

  Social Media Maven: Lynn Jia

Lynn is a Communications and Global Cinema Studies double major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She is also an active member of UNC’s Model United Nations, Fencing, and Quidditch teams.  Like many students, she is particularly skilled at binge eating Cheez-Its, making instant noodles, and pretending to be extremely occupied on her phone when people try to pass her flyers.  Although she’ll never admit to it aloud, Lynn is a huge fan of K-Pop, having memorized entire songs in Korean.

  PR Associate and General Ginger Gopher: Lesley Mealor

Lesley graduated from Oklahoma City University, with a degree in Dance Performance.  She has danced around the world with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, aboard the Vision of the Seas and the Voyager of the Seas; and toured North America with productions of The Music Man and Sweet Charity.  In addition to performing, she teaches master classes in jazz and musical theatre, and adjudicates for top dance competitions across the country.  She owns several "Redheads Have More Fun" t-shirts and is always on the lookout for fellow gingers to snap pictures of during her travels (yes, she realizes this is creepy). www.lesleymealor.com

  Assistant Editor : Sarah Jacobson

Several years after moving to Spain to teach, Sarah decided it was time to come back stateside and explore her longtime interest in film production. Since her return she has produced, edited and assisted on a number of incredible projects. Her recent work includes her role as associate producer on the award-winning documentary We Could Be King, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this year.  Sarah has always wanted to be a redhead, and has mistakenly become a purplehead on several occasions in her efforts to join the redhead community.

Are Those 'Historical Redheads' Really Redheaded?

We figured you might ask that, so just for you, we did some painstaking research.  It’s sometimes hard to tell (those old black & white photos are mighty confusing), but here are our citations and footnotes:

$10-$25: Vincent Van Gogh

$50: Antonio Vivaldi "The Red Priest"

$75: Florence Nightingale

$100: Mark Twain

$250: Napoleon Bonaparte

$500: Redbeard the Pirate

$1,000: Lucille Ball (not natural, but that's ok!)

$2,500: Thomas Jefferson

$5,000: Queen Elizabeth I

$10,000: Aphrodite

Can I Fill Out Your Hair Survey?

Gosh, we thought you’d never ask!  We’re discovering how people feel about their hair... and true to form, redheads are very passionate about theirs.  Please, tell us about your relationship to yours!

Survey for Redheads:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J57NT2R
Survey for Non-Redheads: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DTPQFMB

I’ve Got A Question, Request, or Compliment!

Great — feel free to email info@redheadsanonymous.com .  We look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Many thanks to Aaron Ballard, Leif Oleson-Cormack, Lance Olds, Staci Jacobs, Hilary Fingerman, Taylor Coriell, Anthony Pastore, Amanda Stern, Smyth Campbell, Tyler Marinello, Schuyler Costello, Jim Wolan, Derek Vintschger, Dave Mangels, and Meg Loughran for appearing in our Indiegogo video!

"Fluffy orange kitten with blue eyes"  footage appears courtesy of Miss Aww.  Watch the whole video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnQWZ14jTWc