The Story

"Waabooz” is a character-driven drama set on a remote northern Wisconsin reservation, centered around a boy and his isolation, imagination and inspiration. 

Twelve-year-old Rabbit spends most of his days collecting comics, keeping his little sister out of his hair and avoiding daily taunts from his peers for being a shy, awkward daydreamer. He keeps busy drawing and perfecting Waabooz: a superhero reflecting Rabbit’s desired self: strong, smart and brave. As the annual powwow approaches, Rabbit’s grandfather uses traditional storytelling and a little something up his sleeve to empower his grandson to be his own superhero.

“Waabooz” is a mixed-media short film, told through live action and comic book animation. Rabbit’s grandfather tells him a story about Waabooz and while Rabbit envisions it, a portion of the film itself will be in comic book format through rich illustrations brought to life. Nicolas Selma, who draws Laura Croft, Tomb Raider for Dark Horse, will create the illustrations drawn by Rabbit as well as the two-minute animated piece that plays midway through the film.

The Team

"Waabooz" has a team comprised of award-winning filmmakers with diverse backgrounds and a passion for the project and the community it embraces. "Waabooz" is a story that will resonate and connect with people both on and off the reservation and needs your support to bring it to life.The story carries themes of family, relationships, culture, bullying and inner strength.

Producers - Amanda Day, Sharyn Steele, Tammy Hollingsworth; Director - Molly Katagiri; Screenwriter - Wenonah Wilms; Cinematographer - Geoff George; Production Designer - Cheri Anderson; Animators - Nicolas Selma and Amanda Aguilar; Assistant Director - Carrie Bush; APOC/2nd AD - Brittny Garrett.

"As a Native American producer, I’m always searching for fresh approaches to Native stories and Waabooz fits the bill.  It not only gives Native Americans their own superhero, but also shows them as a modern-day multigenerational family who are dealing with universal issues such as bullying and not fitting in.  It’s a beautifully written story that young and old alike can relate to"- Sharyn Steele  (Producer, Best Man Down)

What We Need and What You'll Get

"Waabooz" was awarded  partial funding through a grant from The Jerome Foundation. We have been provided with great support from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation and the Legendary Waters Casino. 

We still need to cover costs for PRODUCTION - six days out of town. The money will go towards CAST AND CREW rates; FOOD covering three meals a day; LODGING for a large cast and crew; EQUIPMENT costs; TRAVEL for crew and production trucks; SET DRESSING - including props, wardrobe, regalia  and set design, LOCATIONS fees; and  POST PRODUCTION including animation. 

Making a donation to "Waabooz", will make you a collaborator of this film. Your name or company logo will be in the credits along with the cast and crew. In exchange for your contribution, you will receive perks, such as DVD's of the film, becoming a featured background extra, signed comic books, and becoming a Producer. The gain we all achieve from contributing to the making of this film, is the impact it will have on the audience. 

The Impact

Your contribution will impact and change the way people think about bullying, about children and families with limited resources and your own children, friends and family, in a way that's accessible, entertaining and educational.

While this story is set in the cultural landscape of the modern Native American reservation, the theme is a universal story that children and adults everywhere face. Every child needs a place in his own world and have heroes, mentors, teachers, family and friends to relate to and lean on which will ultimately lead them to find the hero within themselves.

Native Americans are largely marginalized in modern media and what stories do get told are often romanticized, idealized or politicized. We feel that it’s time that the Native American community have its own superhero to empower and support them.

The film will be shot on the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian reservation in northern Wisconsin, which is where Wenonah’s (writer) family is from. The cast as well as some of the crew will be Upper Midwest-tribal affiliated. The script has been reviewed by and has the full support of the tribe and the community and they’re looking forward to having this story told with and by them.

"It's not only going to appeal to the Native American community as a whole, around the country, but I believe this film will go international. It's a storyline that anybody can relate with. It's perfect."  - William Mertig, Chief of Police, Red Cliff.

Risks & Challenges

There are always risks in independent filmmaking. Pre-production usually begins with a blind faith that the resources will come together in time for the shoot. It has been one year plus of working without any funding at all. We continue to add to our team and as each person brings their talent and skill to the project, they are aware that the funding is not guaranteed. 

With decades of experience within the team, we have learned how to identify and draw on resources. We come with kits and tools to donate to the project, we donate our time to the project, we have built trusted relationships with top talented, skilled professionals, which ultimately raises the production value far above the low budget. 

We believe strongly in the script and the talent that will come together to make this film great. We believe that you will see the potential this film has for both entertainment and impact from taking a look at our campaign. We are expecting this to be a successful film and we can't thank you enough for taking this leap with us!

Other Ways You Can Help

We understand that not everyone is able to donate. Spreading the word is also helpful and will make a tremendous difference in the success of this project! Take advantage of the Indie Go GO link and feel free to make some noise!