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Tryst Web Series

You can have it all, or you can play by the rules. A USC web series.

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Tryst Web Series

Tryst Web Series

Tryst Web Series

Tryst Web Series

Tryst Web Series

You can have it all, or you can play by the rules. A USC web series.

You can have it all, or you can play by the rules. A USC web series.

You can have it all, or you can play by the rules. A USC web series.

You can have it all, or you can play by the rules. A USC web series.

Lizz Mullis
Lizz Mullis
Lizz Mullis
Lizz Mullis
1 Campaign |
Los Angeles, United States
$180 USD 3 backers
1% of $10,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

We're a couple of  film students and recent graduates from the University of Southern California wanting to step outside of the limits of classroom filmmaking and create something with longevity. Ultimately looking to be the creators of an opportunity to say something more than what goes on in a face to face exchange and create a series of meaningful visual pieces.


This means taking to heart the often redundant (but true) words heard at the many filmmakers' panels we have attended. The people whose success stories came about because they were constantly creating, creating, creatingsome sleep then back to "doing" and maybe some more creating. . .

We know that a certain type of filmmaking can be done for free, but for this particular project, we feel the best way to achieve our goal of creating a stunning web series will require additional funding. This will allow us to really fine tune our talents (while discovering some new ones).

Watch the video below (in HD) to get a feel of the kind of "Tryst" we want to share with you.


The Story...

A drama that revolves around Lukas, a new face in Los Angeles who just became the assistant to a well known talent agent. His goal: work his way to the top of MTA, one of the most competitive talent agencies in Hollywood. Evelyn, Lukas's new boss, uses Lukas for more than just answering phone calls and setting up meetings. She uses him as a saboteur, sending him out to ruin people's careers, create scandals, and manipulate people to benefit her. Lukas obliges, but eventually he realizes there's no growth in it for him, which leads him to believe that the only way to get out of his situation is to use these newly learned techniques of manipulation against his boss.

This will be a 5 part web series, this current campaign covers funding for the first three episodes.

Lukas (Joey Stromberg)
​Tall, charming, and striking 25 year old man. Has southern manners, therefore his politeness comes easy. Witty & clever, but has a quiet intensity to him that can often be confused for insightfulness. Smart, because he learned to be that way. He understands what people need and always knows what to say.

Evelyn (Currently being cast)
 Has the kind of aura that seethes with an aloof intimidation that hinders a lot of people from looking her in the eye for more than a few seconds. Her fashion sense is a further reflection of her confidence. Effortless and chic. Maintains a calm and cool demeanor—rarely do we see her lash out— although much of it is a facade, ultimately she has self-serving intentions. 


Who we are...

Matthew Ramirez-Davis (Creator, Executive Producer)

Matthew grew up in Glendale/Burbank, California surrounded by the art of filmmaking from a very young age. Providence High School Media Focus Program was his initial start at creating pieces of his own and is now in his final year at USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Since the 9th grade, he's had the pleasure of producing, directing, and crewing on video vignettes, music videos, short films, documentaries, public service announcements, radio broadcasts, and print publishing.
Lizz Mullis (Executive Producer, Editor)

Lizz comes from Arizona and Colorado but has spent the last two years in Los Angeles finishing her degree at USC. While you will find most of her experience is in editing and photography, she has produced various USC shorts and even directed, shot, and produced a documentary about race and identity that has received attention from various community outreach organizations and festivals. She also just gave up eating inhumanely treated meat... so you know for sure she's very nice and considerate.

J.R. Thal – Writer

Although he was born in Southern California, J.R. was raised in Texas. Movies and television were always an important part of his life, probably starting with his love of Toy Story. Current inspirations include Jim Rash and Nat Faxon (The Descendants and The Way Way Back), Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul), and Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre and True Detective).

J.R. is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California, where he minored in Screenwriting. When he is not writing, you can usually find him watching baseball or checking baseball statistics should there be no games at that particular time.



What We Need

We want to be able to really pay our crew so this is not just another student job for the people involved, and this way it becomes a project that isn't an inconvenience for them to work on.  You'll notice this is one of the bigger chunks of our budget. As film students who have had a couple of years of experience in production, we have gathered up our own equipment over time.  But we do need some help in making that equipment the best and also being able to focus on a high quality production design.     
         

So the way for you to help us get there, is by sending money our way. Also...

DID YOU SEE THOSE PERKS? Check them out, we want you to be a part of this project just as much as we are. I would donate my own money to the project just for the perks, but, that'd be sad.

If we don't reach our goal...we're too far along to just stop here. We really feel that these funds are exactly what we need to make the project we want, so no matter the donation amount we will see this through to an end, as unpredictable as that will be.

That being said, we really need your help to give this project a solid footing.

Risks & Challenges

The thing with web series' is that there are so many of them. Literally, go on youtube and type in "web series" and you get almost 6 million results. 

That's intimidating.

However, we feel that we have the creative vision that can really distinguish us from the other 6 million web series. We've had countless brainstorming meetings with our writers, all ending on the note that this is to be a series that creates a story that may sound familiar, but it hasn't been told in this way before.

We want to create a diverse cast who can express their talents, but also make a  representation of how a relentlessly changing society can be in this new age. Not only do we want to challenge ourselves creatively, but also on a social and political scale; we're about creating a new realm for representation.

We've gone through what feels like hundreds of drafts all rewritten and tweaked in order to produce a story that holds creative depth. A story that is real. One that takes you through each episode and leaves you surprised to have reached the end. We're pushing for quality just as much as we're pushing for that uniqueness to set us apart.

Exposing what may be perceived as ordinary for what it really is.


Other Ways You Can Help

We know not everyone can afford to contribute even a small amount. Really, we know, some of us are those "poor college students" you're always hearing so much about.

But you can help by simply sharing the campaign. Whether that means talking about it to all your cool friends and family, or even better, digitally "sharing" it through any and all social media. 

Help us get this project out there!

It starts with a campaign like this, but once we get going we're relying on you to help inflate the HYPE.

For now, stay tuned to this campaign to see additional video and updates on the progress and new people we add on to our team.

And...THANK you. From all of us. We really are more than grateful for your help in starting this project.

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Choose your Perk

A thousand thanks

$10 USD
You receive our gratitude for getting this project started and a personalized thank you e-mail that may or may not include us thanking you a thousand times.
0 claimed

We can say we're exclusive...

$20 USD
In addition to our gratitude, you will receive an invite to an exclusive Facebook group with updates on the production process, in addition to special video shout outs.
0 claimed

Let us decorate your home

$30 USD
Adding onto everything mentioned before, you will now get an awesome poster signed by the cast. A poster!? With real signatures!?
Estimated Shipping
August 2015
0 claimed

Originality & more signatures

$50 USD
Everything listed above + a copy of the pilot script signed by all important parties involved.
0 claimed

Hipsters in the making...

$100 USD
Everything above + early online access to each of the episodes. That means you see this before everyone else does. You can say you were the first. So hip. Plus, we will send you a link to download the original soundtrack for the whole season and officially list your name in our participation credits.
0 claimed

Now we're talkin'. . .

$200 USD
Once again, you get everything listed above, but this time you get to talk to one of us. We will schedule a video chat session with one of your favorite cast members. You are welcome to talk with them as long as time permits. Talking isn't required. You are free to sit in the silence of each other's digital presence.
0 out of 10 of claimed

We want to see you. . .

$300 USD
You get our thank you notes, our exclusive updates and a shout out, a signed poster AND script. . . now we think it's also time to meet. This donation qualifies you for an invitation to the screening of our first episode followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew. And we won't say no to photos and/or selfies together.
Estimated Shipping
September 2015
0 out of 15 of claimed

We throw parties too. . .

$500 USD
Come to the screening, take some photos, and with this you get to stay for the wrap party afterwards. I don't get invited to many parties, so, I personally wouldn't say no. Also who would turn down a chance to hang out with "FILMMAKERS?!"
0 out of 20 of claimed

We love to eat, and you do too

$600 USD
Come check in on our progress. This perk gives you a free pass to enjoy lunch with the cast and crew on set, and visit the set for a little while during production. Also, food.
0 out of 10 of claimed

Everyone will want to see you

$750 USD
Now you have an even bigger reason to be invited to the screening/wrap party, this donation gives you a cameo somewhere in the series. Whether it's a quick line of dialogue, or your beautiful face in the background, you get some screen time to add to your reel. And just a fun day to hang out with people trying to make some art.
0 out of 10 of claimed

We'll remember you forever...

$1,000 USD
Everything above, but now you get a special title card that names you as an associate producer and commemorates your support of our project. It's like us thanking you for the rest of our life, quite the upgrade from a thousand thank you's. This is. . . forever.
0 out of 10 of claimed
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