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Union Made - A Short Film

Two teen garment workers learn that standing up for each other can inspire greater political action.

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Union Made - A Short Film

Union Made - A Short Film

Union Made - A Short Film

Union Made - A Short Film

Union Made - A Short Film

Two teen garment workers learn that standing up for each other can inspire greater political action.

Two teen garment workers learn that standing up for each other can inspire greater political action.

Two teen garment workers learn that standing up for each other can inspire greater political action.

Two teen garment workers learn that standing up for each other can inspire greater political action.

Claire Norris
Claire Norris
Claire Norris
Claire Norris
1 Campaign |
Austin, United States
$1,000 USD 12 backers
33% of $3,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Overview
You don't expect teen girls to change the world, but that idealistic passion drove the downfall of sweatshops at the turn of the 20th century. Crewed almost entirely by young women, our short film connects the personal and political lives of the American Labor Movement's real-life teenage leaders.

The Story

We meet Pauline and Rose at what appears to be a fun camping trip, but we quickly realize that it’s 1906 and they live here to escape tenement housing. When a union flyer appears at their factory, the girls butt heads over their expectations for the future and must learn to stand up for each other. Pauline risks her job to defend Rose from their creepy foreman, and is surprised when the entire workforce stands with her. Fueled by the realization of their collective power, the girls demand a life worth living.

Young girls rarely get taken seriously. Union Made is a 12-minute historical drama about the power of youthful idealism and female friendship to create lasting political change.

Why It Matters

Pauline Newman. Rose Schneiderman. Clara Lemlich. Fannia Cohn.

Although they would grow apart in their later years as their ideologies split, these four names changed the fabric of American society. Unions, eight-hour workdays, and a living wage were built by the collective action of teenage girls - young women who worked in sweatshops, who dismissed wealthy suffragettes' focus on the vote, and who created a grassroots, multicultural coalition demanding their right to life itself. 

A hundred years ago, 15-year-old girls found the power to change the world in their idealism and friendship with each other. We are living in a particularly turbulent political climate, and still kids are marching and organizing movements. Teenagers fight for the environment and social justice, against school shootings and capitalism. They fight for their very survival and for their future.

The Team

Director, Writer - Rikki Bleiweiss

Rikki is a writer-director from Houston, TX finishing her fourth year in UT Austin’s Radio-Television-Film program. As a former member of the UT debate team, Rikki is a huge nerd and has always had a passion for politics and exploring new sides to history. She originally wrote Union Made as a television pilot before deciding to bring this story to life as her senior thesis project.

Producer - Claire Norris

Claire is a senior Radio-Television-Film major at UT Austin who hails from San Antonio, TX. She has produced over 20 short-form projects, including a half-hour television series and two 48-Hour Film Projects. Claire is a goofball who loves learning and aims to create fun, safe, and inclusive on-set environments for her peers and the next generation of filmmakers.

Cinematographer - Tatiana Roberts

Tatiana is a fourth-year Radio-Television-Film student at the University of Texas at Austin. She is incredibly excited to work closely with Rikki and Claire to visually bring Union Made to life. Aside from cinematography, Tatiana also enjoys acting, boba tea, practicing yoga, and spending time with family and friends. Once she graduates, she plans to travel the world as an actor and cinematographer and help people along the way.

Gaffer - Maria Forsythe

Maria Forsythe is a freelance gaffer and cinematographer in Austin, Texas, and a recent film graduate from the University of Texas. She is so excited to be able to be a part of another fantastic female-led crew and make a film with a community she loves!

Production Designer - Kirsten Wilmeth

Kirsten is an Austin-based production designer from Lubbock, Texas in her junior year at UT Austin. She is a Journalism and Radio-Television-Film double major. Kirsten has worked on many projects ranging from narrative and documentary films to commercials and music videos. She is also a part of DKA, a professional cinematic society, where she has grown in her passion for filmmaking.

Key Wardrobe - Mattison Gotcher

Mattison is a University of Texas undergrad in Textiles and Apparel Design and Radio-TV-Film. Her passion for costume designing came from an early age of sketching clothing from her favorite TV shows as a child. She is passionate about helping people with their film projects, and plans on interning and working in costume designing soon!

Wardrobe Assistant - Ijeoma Chinedo

Ijeoma is a second-year Radio-TV-Film and African & African Diaspora Studies student at UT Austin. Being interested in all forms of creative work, film gives her a chance to try everything. She’s excited to try a hand at costuming for this project.

Props - Valeria Valadez

Valeria Valadez is a Radio-TV-Film Junior at The University of Texas at Austin. Val loves music, movies and filmmaking! She’s super excited to work on this project with her friends and help bring Union Made to life!

Editor - Eboni Ellinger

With an interest in writing, directing and producing, Eboni is a multi-faceted creative from Austin, Texas. Focusing on documentary and thought-proving narratives, Eboni strives to bring more attention to underrepresented experiences and unexplored tales.

DIT - Mariah Espinosa

Mariah Espinosa is a Radio-Television-Film senior at The University of Texas at Austin. Her most recent work is a short film she wrote, directed, and edited called Mirror. She’s excited to help bring this film to life.

Sound - Luisa González

Luisa Maria González is a fourth-year Radio-Television-Film student at the University of Texas at Austin, born and raised in the border area of Juárez, Chihuahua and El Paso, Texas. Luisa aims to create and collaborate on films that touch on the themes of immigration, relationships, identity and Mexicanismo through her work in screenwriting, producing, and sound design. She is excited to contribute to our project through the sound department and to be a part of her first all female-led crew!

    Your Impact

    Although we are lucky enough to have access to UT’s many material resources as a high-level undergraduate thesis project, there are some things that only money can buy. Your donation will make it possible for us to create a fun and uplifting experience for our cast, crew, and for you, the viewer!

    First, we want to honor those young organizers’ legacy by paying our actors. Most of our cast will be real teenage girls trying to get their acting careers started. Because of the scale required to recreate strikes and sweatshops, a large portion of our budget is also dedicated to production design. Finally, your donations will help fund food for our cast and crew, location fees, and any additional equipment that the university does not provide.

    Other Ways You Can Help

    Don’t worry if you can’t contribute a donation today - we appreciate you taking the time to visit our project, and there are other ways you can still help.

    Share our project on any and all social media platforms; tell your friends, tell your family, tell your colleagues, tell everyone!

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    Choose your Perk

    Link to the Film

    Link to the Film

    $5 USD
    Every little bit helps! You will receive a private link to the finished version of our project and see your name in the credits before we reach any festivals.
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Special Thanks in Credits
    Estimated Shipping
    June 2019
    4 claimed
    Social Media Shout-Out

    Social Media Shout-Out

    $10 USD
    You can join the magic even earlier! While we are filming, a crew member will pose with your name and post the image to social media so you can share with your friends.
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Special Thanks in Credits
    • Social Media Shout-Out
    Estimated Shipping
    April 2019
    1 claimed
    BTS Photos

    BTS Photos

    $25 USD
    In addition to your personal shout-out, you will receive a digital behind-the-scenes photo album showcasing the hard work our cast and crew put into this project.
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Special Thanks in Credits
    • Social Media Shout-Out
    • BTS Photos
    Estimated Shipping
    April 2019
    2 claimed
    Digital Poster

    Digital Poster

    $50 USD
    Young movie-lovers like us are big fans of using posters to express our interests and personality. That's why we want to send one to you!
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Special Thanks in Credits
    • Social Media Shout-Out
    • BTS Photos
    • Digital Poster
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2019
    1 claimed
    Digital Flyers

    Digital Flyers

    $100 USD
    In addition to your poster, you will receive digital copies of the actual flyers we used in our production design. These are based on real flyers used by industrial feminists, suffragettes, and their opposition.
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Special Thanks in Credits
    • Social Media Shout-Out
    • BTS Photos
    • Digital Poster
    • Digital Flyers
    Estimated Shipping
    April 2019
    1 claimed
    Signed Script

    Signed Script

    $250 USD
    The crew and cast will sign the front of the script and it will be yours to cherish.
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Special Thanks in Credits
    • Social Media Shout-Out
    • BTS Photos
    • Digital Poster
    • Digital Flyers
    • Signed Copy of Script
    Estimated Shipping
    May 2019
    1 claimed
    Executive Producer

    Executive Producer

    $500 USD
    Whoa! Thank you so much for your generosity. You will be credited as an executive producer of our film.
    Included Items
    • Digital Copy of Finished Film
    • Social Media Shout-Out
    • BTS Photos
    • Digital Poster
    • Digital Flyers
    • Signed Copy of Script
    • Executive Producer Credit
    Estimated Shipping
    June 2019
    0 claimed
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