Through storytelling I discovered curiosities, dreams, and wonder that brought the world to life with endless possibilities. As a result, I learned to reframe my perspective, viewing each day as an opportunity to learn, explore, and meet new people. Now the world is beautiful and vibrant, full of potential and adventure. Me and a small team of majority woman, queer, and BIPOC creatives are working to show this brighter version of the world through films like this one.

Tomás has auditioned for the last five years to become the broadcaster for the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team. But on the day of the results, he faces past rejections and the opinions of coworkers that shake his sense of self. Will he give into the 9-5 reality or persevere in blind faith?

A film about chasing your dreams and identity, Tomás Is Not a Clown combines surreal clown visuals, immersive soundscapes, and humorous corporate-life satire into a kaleidoscope of high quality cinema. What defines us? Our past, our dreams, our fears? Watch as Tomás struggles to hold onto his dreams while discovering the young man he’s becoming.

Underneath it all, this film is encouragement. Small businesses, creatives, future leaders, non-profits, Forbes Listers, and so on - each of you has a little flame to hold onto - to fan and watch grow. If you don't keep your fire going how will you provide light and warmth to yourself or others.

The decision Tomás has to make is one many of us will face or have faced. This is my hope letter, my adoration letter, my respect letter, and my little flame letter to all of you. 

Major films referenced: Sandlot, It, and The Pursuit of Happiness

Please join us in supporting this project. Our fundraising goal is $25,000 and your donations will play a crucial role in not only bringing things to life, but in an ethical way. Each bit helps us achieve the following:

• 40% of the budget goes to fairly compensate all cast and crew for their hard work and talents.  We're thankful to each member for months of planning, sourcing, meetings, writing, rehearsals, and more. Fair compensation is something that many are fighting for right now in the Film and Entertainment industry, many of us take projects at low rates (or for free) because there's not much choice. Help us help them on this and lead the way in fair wages for everyone.
• 30% of the budget goes to the cost of actual production. Equipment rental, wardrobe, props, locations, insurance, transportation, permits, rehearsals, legal fees quickly stack up.
• 20% of the budget goes to post-production. This means all the wonderful editors, sound engineers, musical composers, and VFX specialists won't have to remain the unsung heroes.
• 10% of the budget goes to sharing the film with you and the rest of the world. Festival fees, private screenings, streaming platforms, and marketing all help the film impact those outside the immediate NYC area.  

This film is a message for everyone like Tomás and I. Whether you're unsure of who you are or chasing after a dream you would do anything to achieve. This is something you can hold onto, see yourself in, and more importantly FEEL yourself in. It's one unassuming, brown-skin young man representing the dream chasers in each of us: floating between elation and despair of a goal that's so close, but always so far; while bearing the opinions of others and burden of financial pressures.

And if that isn't you anymore, if you've made it to where you were trying to go then this film is a reminder. A moment to celebrate how far you've come. Or to awaken those of us asleep to our dreams; who've buried them because we saw them as unattainable while others saw them as childish.

And well, if you aren't any of those people, then I promise you'll be entertained by Tomás' beautiful jumble of internal turmoil externalized through a surreal dreamlike rollercoaster of sights, sounds, and emotions.

Sometimes you just can't donate, but that doesn't mean you can't help! You can share this campaign with people you know or on social media. Here is an easy copy-and-paste blurb you can use for captions:

• Having officially kicked-off fundraising, you can support an amazing story by visiting the writer-director's Instagram @jrdn_doesfilms to learn more.