Petals & Stems
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, Shorts Program
Pamela Paek, an Asian-American actress, takes the lead in this romantic-comedy-of-errors with a feminist twist. Join us as we raise finishing funds to take this film to festivals this fall.
Petals & Stems
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Romantic Comedy, Shorts Program
2 Campaigns | Texas, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,553 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
66 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Pamela Paek, an Asian-American actress, takes the lead in this romantic-comedy-of-errors with a feminist twist. Join us as we raise finishing funds to take this film to festivals this fall.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
SNYOPSIS
PETALS AND STEMS is a delicate narrative short film that touches on life’s many ups and downs. The story follows Julie, a modern florist, on her quest to find love in a bittersweet comedy-of-errors with a feminist twist.
While setting up the flowers for a Chateau-inspired wedding, Julie meets a dashing gentleman who invites her to join in the celebrations later that evening. With her hopes raised for a romantic encounter, she returns to the party to find those hopes dashed. Instead, an unexpected stranger becomes a catalyst for change in her life. The encounter reminds her that nothing in life is permanent and pushes her to find happiness for herself.
DIRECTOR’S INTENT
These days, I find that I look to the past, more and more, for ideas and inspiration. PETALS AND STEMS was one such story, inspired by memories I have of growing up in my mother's flower shop in Hawaii. I still have vivid memories of the colors, smells and textures of some of the flowers we played with as
kids.
To me, the hidden meanings and symbology of flowers are fascinating. Protea have always been one of my favorite flowers. So, as I was digging a little deeper into their meaning I discovered that they represent change and hope. I felt like this would be an interesting dynamic to explore for a florist already struggling with the idea that nothing lasts forever. Even though this story is fictional, my goal was to approach it with a certain level of authenticity.
ABOUT PRODUCTION
In January 2017, we went into production and shot over three days, here in Austin, TX. An amazing crew pulled together for a smooth shoot on very little budget. It wouldn't have been possible without them. We had some intense ups and downs during our months of pre-production and I almost called off the entire production after a family emergency. However, we remarkably pulled together to stay on schedule and I couldn't be happier with the results.
Our core team included: producing extra-ordinaires Lauren Christensen and Joe H. Lee, Tom Suhler as my assistant director, Amy Bench as director of photograph, Josh Verduzco as our chief electrican and Leah Pipes-Meltzer as our florist/production designer.
All our actors and actresses, including extras, were exceptional. Everyone put in extra time for rehearsals and time to block, which helped us get more creative and have fun on set.
We were able to shoot at two dreamy locations. Brooke, the owner and floral designer of "Pollen" was generous enough to lend us her working studio for our shoot. The space reminded me so much of my mom's shop as a kid, it was incredible.
Chateau Bellevue was our other location. It's a goregous event space run by the Austin Women's Club in downtown Austin. We had some crazy requests, which they generously accomodated. For example, to stage our fake wedding reception, we asked if they would leave the used event materials from the day before for our production designer. There were cups with lipstick on them, and dirty forks and napkins we happily picked from to stage an "after-party" scene. It was perfect. It saved us a ton of time and added an extra layer of authenticity, which I loved.
For more fun stories from production, follow us here and on our social media!
NOW
After a successful production, we are excited to take the next steps towards finishing this film. I've taken a short hiatus on the project to focus on family and other work that's come up this year.
The finishing funds raised here will go towards our post-production team, our next team of creative professionals, and take what we have to a whole new level.
I'll be announcing more about that in future updates, so again, follow the project and see what more is in store!
DIGITAL REWARDS EXPLANATION:
We've created a list of digital rewards you can choose from as a thank you for contributing to our campaign. We are trying to avoid the added cost of printing posters or manufacturing other goods to focus on raising the necessary funds needed for post-production.
As each tier increases in price, it will include all the rewards below it. For example, the perk of donating $500+ includes everything listed on the side: a fresh box of flowers shipped anywhere in the US to friends or family, a visual/written treatment for a feature length version of the story, a lei-making demo, an online screening party, the original script and BTS photos, and special social media shout out online.
We'll have some special perks and giveaways to announce throughout the campaign, so keep your eye out for those, too!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Hard Drives
Costs $300
Back, back, back it up! (x3)
Editor
Costs $1,500
Because coffee as currency only goes so far.
Post-Sound
Costs $500
Whiz, bing, bop!
Composer
Costs $500
See: Cassie Shankman (www.cassieshankman.com)
Colorist
Costs $750
For the notorious RBG! (or red, blue, green)
Graphic Designer
Costs $250
Title cards, credits, and poster design. Oh my!
Location Fee
Costs $1,500
The most elegant fake wedding you'll ever see required a little extra... (See Chateau Bellevue Austin)
Festival Submission Fees
Costs $700
Festival submission fees are a kicker...
Equipment
Costs $2,000
Not just C-Stands or C-47s here!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
MEET THE CAST
Pamela Paek as "Julie"
Pamela Paek was born in Torrance, California and grew up in Fountain Valley. Pamela has her Bachelor of Arts in creative writing (poetry) and applied mathematics from the University of California, San Diego, and both a Masters and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. Her focus in life is to deeply connect with herself and others through every instance of communication, which is why acting is such a passion of hers.
Frank Mosley is an actor and filmmaker from Texas. As an actor, his performances have been seen at festivals such as Cannes Semaine de la Critique, Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, New Directors/New Films, AFI, Viennale, BAMcinemafest, Slamdance, and the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland. Frank's leading role in Cameron Bruce Nelson's 2014 IFP Narrative Labs feature Some Beasts has been called "one of his best performances to date" (Hammer To Nail), "a subtle, quiet miracle...a career making performance with physical choices that leap off the screen" (Truth On Cinema), and won him the Independent Visions Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance at the 2016 Sarasota Film Festival.
Jonathan Flanders as "The Gentleman"
Chris Humphrey as "The Grandmother"
Shawna Lander as "Marie"
MEET THE CREW
Writer/Director/Producer: Alison Week
Alison is currently a freelance field producer. This year she’s produced for a variety of commercial, narrative and award-winning documentary filmmakers from New York, LA, Japan and Austin where she is based. She is also a Production Manager with Issue Television, a local non-profit that makes media for education. She has several feature documentaries in production and post-production that are being prepared for television broadcast and film festivals later this year and next spring.
PETALS AND STEMS is Alison’s sophomore effort as a narrativedirector. Previously she wrote and directed the narrative short film PUSHING OUT DAISY.
Producer: Lauren Brown-Christensen
After receiving her Masters in Producing at The International Film School of Paris, Lauren Christensen relocated to Austin, Texas where she is now based as a Producer and Production Manager. While in France she worked as a Production Manager, Assistant Director and Producer primarily for commercials and narrative short films.
Originally from Oklahoma City, she is thrilled to be back and working in the states where previously she’s worked as an editor for RabenWolf Entertainment and Spin the Bottle, Inc. She has produced for Sparkle Motion Pictures with THE WORLD TODAY and GANGNAM MISERY. She also produced the award-winning short films, L’ETRANGER and TWO LATE.
Director of Photography: Amy Bench
Amy took a circuitous path to filmmaking, first working as an engineer for Eastman Kodak before pursuing an MFA in directing at University of Texas, Austin (2010). After obtaining her MFA, Amy spent a few years in New York, working on a number of projects with Maysles Films, camera assisting on “30 Rock,” shooting for MTV’s high school reality series “MADE,” and studying photography with documentary photographer Amy Arbus. Most recently, Paste Magazine named her a “DP on the Rise." (http://amybench.com/)
Other exceptional crew members include:
Associate Producer: Joe H. Lee
Assistant Director: Tom Suhler
Production Designer: Leah Pipes-Meltzer
Gaffer: Josh Verduzco
A full cast & crew list can be found on IMDB (linked).
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
SNYOPSIS
PETALS AND STEMS is a delicate narrative short film that touches on life’s many ups and downs. The story follows Julie, a modern florist, on her quest to find love in a bittersweet comedy-of-errors with a feminist twist.
While setting up the flowers for a Chateau-inspired wedding, Julie meets a dashing gentleman who invites her to join in the celebrations later that evening. With her hopes raised for a romantic encounter, she returns to the party to find those hopes dashed. Instead, an unexpected stranger becomes a catalyst for change in her life. The encounter reminds her that nothing in life is permanent and pushes her to find happiness for herself.
DIRECTOR’S INTENT
These days, I find that I look to the past, more and more, for ideas and inspiration. PETALS AND STEMS was one such story, inspired by memories I have of growing up in my mother's flower shop in Hawaii. I still have vivid memories of the colors, smells and textures of some of the flowers we played with as
kids.
To me, the hidden meanings and symbology of flowers are fascinating. Protea have always been one of my favorite flowers. So, as I was digging a little deeper into their meaning I discovered that they represent change and hope. I felt like this would be an interesting dynamic to explore for a florist already struggling with the idea that nothing lasts forever. Even though this story is fictional, my goal was to approach it with a certain level of authenticity.
ABOUT PRODUCTION
In January 2017, we went into production and shot over three days, here in Austin, TX. An amazing crew pulled together for a smooth shoot on very little budget. It wouldn't have been possible without them. We had some intense ups and downs during our months of pre-production and I almost called off the entire production after a family emergency. However, we remarkably pulled together to stay on schedule and I couldn't be happier with the results.
Our core team included: producing extra-ordinaires Lauren Christensen and Joe H. Lee, Tom Suhler as my assistant director, Amy Bench as director of photograph, Josh Verduzco as our chief electrican and Leah Pipes-Meltzer as our florist/production designer.
All our actors and actresses, including extras, were exceptional. Everyone put in extra time for rehearsals and time to block, which helped us get more creative and have fun on set.
We were able to shoot at two dreamy locations. Brooke, the owner and floral designer of "Pollen" was generous enough to lend us her working studio for our shoot. The space reminded me so much of my mom's shop as a kid, it was incredible.
Chateau Bellevue was our other location. It's a goregous event space run by the Austin Women's Club in downtown Austin. We had some crazy requests, which they generously accomodated. For example, to stage our fake wedding reception, we asked if they would leave the used event materials from the day before for our production designer. There were cups with lipstick on them, and dirty forks and napkins we happily picked from to stage an "after-party" scene. It was perfect. It saved us a ton of time and added an extra layer of authenticity, which I loved.
For more fun stories from production, follow us here and on our social media!
NOW
After a successful production, we are excited to take the next steps towards finishing this film. I've taken a short hiatus on the project to focus on family and other work that's come up this year.
The finishing funds raised here will go towards our post-production team, our next team of creative professionals, and take what we have to a whole new level.
I'll be announcing more about that in future updates, so again, follow the project and see what more is in store!
DIGITAL REWARDS EXPLANATION:
We've created a list of digital rewards you can choose from as a thank you for contributing to our campaign. We are trying to avoid the added cost of printing posters or manufacturing other goods to focus on raising the necessary funds needed for post-production.
As each tier increases in price, it will include all the rewards below it. For example, the perk of donating $500+ includes everything listed on the side: a fresh box of flowers shipped anywhere in the US to friends or family, a visual/written treatment for a feature length version of the story, a lei-making demo, an online screening party, the original script and BTS photos, and special social media shout out online.
We'll have some special perks and giveaways to announce throughout the campaign, so keep your eye out for those, too!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Hard Drives
Costs $300
Back, back, back it up! (x3)
Editor
Costs $1,500
Because coffee as currency only goes so far.
Post-Sound
Costs $500
Whiz, bing, bop!
Composer
Costs $500
See: Cassie Shankman (www.cassieshankman.com)
Colorist
Costs $750
For the notorious RBG! (or red, blue, green)
Graphic Designer
Costs $250
Title cards, credits, and poster design. Oh my!
Location Fee
Costs $1,500
The most elegant fake wedding you'll ever see required a little extra... (See Chateau Bellevue Austin)
Festival Submission Fees
Costs $700
Festival submission fees are a kicker...
Equipment
Costs $2,000
Not just C-Stands or C-47s here!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
MEET THE CAST
Pamela Paek as "Julie"
Pamela Paek was born in Torrance, California and grew up in Fountain Valley. Pamela has her Bachelor of Arts in creative writing (poetry) and applied mathematics from the University of California, San Diego, and both a Masters and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. Her focus in life is to deeply connect with herself and others through every instance of communication, which is why acting is such a passion of hers.
Frank Mosley is an actor and filmmaker from Texas. As an actor, his performances have been seen at festivals such as Cannes Semaine de la Critique, Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, New Directors/New Films, AFI, Viennale, BAMcinemafest, Slamdance, and the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland. Frank's leading role in Cameron Bruce Nelson's 2014 IFP Narrative Labs feature Some Beasts has been called "one of his best performances to date" (Hammer To Nail), "a subtle, quiet miracle...a career making performance with physical choices that leap off the screen" (Truth On Cinema), and won him the Independent Visions Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance at the 2016 Sarasota Film Festival.
Jonathan Flanders as "The Gentleman"
Chris Humphrey as "The Grandmother"
Shawna Lander as "Marie"
MEET THE CREW
Writer/Director/Producer: Alison Week
Alison is currently a freelance field producer. This year she’s produced for a variety of commercial, narrative and award-winning documentary filmmakers from New York, LA, Japan and Austin where she is based. She is also a Production Manager with Issue Television, a local non-profit that makes media for education. She has several feature documentaries in production and post-production that are being prepared for television broadcast and film festivals later this year and next spring.
PETALS AND STEMS is Alison’s sophomore effort as a narrativedirector. Previously she wrote and directed the narrative short film PUSHING OUT DAISY.
Producer: Lauren Brown-Christensen
After receiving her Masters in Producing at The International Film School of Paris, Lauren Christensen relocated to Austin, Texas where she is now based as a Producer and Production Manager. While in France she worked as a Production Manager, Assistant Director and Producer primarily for commercials and narrative short films.
Originally from Oklahoma City, she is thrilled to be back and working in the states where previously she’s worked as an editor for RabenWolf Entertainment and Spin the Bottle, Inc. She has produced for Sparkle Motion Pictures with THE WORLD TODAY and GANGNAM MISERY. She also produced the award-winning short films, L’ETRANGER and TWO LATE.
Director of Photography: Amy Bench
Amy took a circuitous path to filmmaking, first working as an engineer for Eastman Kodak before pursuing an MFA in directing at University of Texas, Austin (2010). After obtaining her MFA, Amy spent a few years in New York, working on a number of projects with Maysles Films, camera assisting on “30 Rock,” shooting for MTV’s high school reality series “MADE,” and studying photography with documentary photographer Amy Arbus. Most recently, Paste Magazine named her a “DP on the Rise." (http://amybench.com/)
Other exceptional crew members include:
Associate Producer: Joe H. Lee
Assistant Director: Tom Suhler
Production Designer: Leah Pipes-Meltzer
Gaffer: Josh Verduzco
A full cast & crew list can be found on IMDB (linked).