Snapdragon
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
A deeply personal story based on the director's own experiences with hospitalization, Snapdragon is a fresh and nuanced take on a psych-ward drama. It aims to paint an honest and unflinching portrait of both a young woman in crisis and the place that is supposed to help her heal.
Snapdragon
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,049 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
104 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
A deeply personal story based on the director's own experiences with hospitalization, Snapdragon is a fresh and nuanced take on a psych-ward drama. It aims to paint an honest and unflinching portrait of both a young woman in crisis and the place that is supposed to help her heal.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY
Snapdragon follows Jo, a fifteen year old girl who has been placed in an inpatient psychiatric ward following a suicide attempt. When she is told by the ward psychiatrist, Dr. O'Malley, that she can only go home when she stops lying, she embarks on a quest to figure out what she’s hiding.
Joanna sets out to find out what her “lie” is through O’Malley, her parents, the other patients, and a sympathetic nurse named Michelle. As her friendship with Michelle grows, Jo discovers the painful truth about O’Malley’s request, and the harsh realities of the place that is supposed to help her heal.
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DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
This film is based on what happened to me in a psychiatric unit when I was 15. Even though the story has shifted and been dramatized, the emotional truth in the film is something that I am dedicated to maintaining. After grappling with this experience for years, I am ready to turn it into something meaningful - partially because my own experience felt so devoid of purpose or meaning.
I thought that I was alone in this bizarre, traumatic experience. However, as I was doing research for this film, I found multiple accounts from queer and trans people about their experiences with mistreatment in psychiatric care. I was one of the lucky ones, and I feel compelled to share the story for not only myself but for others who have been harmed by the system.
Snapdragon aims to address the complexities of youth mental health care in America - particularly its relationship with LGBTQ+ youth and psychiatric bias. This film is not simply a PSA or a call to action, but is intended to be a nuanced look at emergency mental health care and those who are impacted by it.
This project already recieved an equipment allotment as well as a competitive "Producer's Grant" from the Film & TV department. However, if there is one thing that I've learned in school, it's that filmmaking is a hugely expensive undertaking. We need your help to get this story on the screen.
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WHY US?
This is my final film that I will be making at Tisch as part of the BFA program. It is a massive undertaking, and is one that I have been working towards throughout my college career. Since joining this program in 2016, I have worked on dozens of sets, directed several of my own projects, and collaborated with some incredible artists along the way. This film is the culmination of my studies, and I am lucky to have the insitiutional support behind me in making it.
In directing this narrative, and there are a lot of nuances to explore, as well as a lot of potential pitfalls. What makes this story so hard to tell is also what makes it necessary. As someone who has lived this, I am committed to making an engaging narrative while also being aware of where to bring sensitivity.
Though this may be my capstone project, I am far from the only one working on it. Filmmaking is a highly collaborative medium, and every crew member brings something to the table. We have an incredible and diverse team of young filmmakers working on this project in every single department. Our team is our greatest assest. For me, this is truly the "dream team," and it includes some of the best and brightest artists coming out of Tisch's program. Check out our "Team" section for more in-depth biographies!
If we reach our funding goal, I intend to screen the film on the festival circuit before releasing it publically. Ideally, I would like coordinate the public release with an outreach organization like Art With Impact, which works to destigmatize issues surrounding mental health and wellness
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How You Can Help
1) Follow this campaign: The easiest thing you can do to help us is hitting the blue FOLLOW button at the top of this page. Following the campaign is FREE and helps us immensely with getting the project noticed on Seed & Spark. If we get enough followers, we can even get free stuff! It's a win-win!
2) Get the word out: If you can't make a monetary contribution, you can still support us by sharing the campaign across your social media platforms. Someone that follows you might be our next donor! This is super easy - just copy and paste this link www.seedandspark/fund/snapdragon to your socials.
3) Make a contribution: If you make a contribution to the film, you will be directly helping the project come to life. Sharing is amazing, but a monetary contribution will do the most to help us make this film a reality. Every dollar counts, and we have some great incentives for certain contribution amounts. Check out our Wishlist and Incentive pages for more information!
THANK YOU!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Hospital Location
Costs $5,000
Without this location, we don't have a film! For the rooms we need, we expect to pay $1000 a day.
Props, Costumes, and Set Dressing
Costs $3,000
We need to create a children and teens' psychiatric ward within our hospital location.
Transportation
Costs $2,000
We will need to rent a truck for equipment, and cover personnel transportation to and from location.
Meals & Crafty
Costs $1,000
Feeding a cast and crew for five days is expensive, even if our spreads won't look this fancy.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $1,500
While we get an equipment package from the school, we will need to rent additional G&E equipment.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director - Laine Elliott
Laine is a NYC-based director and production designer. Originally
from Yorktown, Virginia, Laine is currently pursuing a BFA in Film & TV
Production from NYU Tisch. They have led production design and/or
costuming on over a dozen shorts both in and outside of NYU.
Laine's directorial work has been featured at festivals such as Tribeca,
and NFFTY. Their short I’m Glad It Was You won Best Experimental
Film at Tribeca Film Institute’s ‘Our City, My Story’ showcase in 2019.
You can view their portfolio here.
Producer - Elias ZX
Since arriving at NYU, Elias ZX has produced more
than eleven student projects and one series commissioned by Snapchat.
His own films have screened around the world. Most recently his film
Your Security was an honorable mention for best experimental film at
NFFTY in Seattle and will be playing at the Queens World Film Festival
in March.
Producer - Fangda Cao
Fangda is a junior at NYU Tisch studying Film and Television with a
minor in Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology at Stern
School of Business. She has produced multiple short films working with
award-winning directors, cinematographers and alumni from NYU,
Columbia University and University of Southern California. She also
worked as a Production Intern at Big Indie Pictures, founded by
producer Declan Baldwin.
Associate Producer/Location Manager - Madeline Schumacher
Madeleine is a producer currently studying Film and Television at
NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Madeleine has produced a number of
short films both independently and at NYU and has worked for
companies such as Bleecker Street. She is the co-founder (alongside
Harrison Allen) Arachnid Films which is currently producing two
independent feature films, Verde and The LastThing Mary Saw, both
currently in post-production.
Cinematographer - Kevin Yu
Kevin is a cinematographer from Queens, NY. He’s shot one
feature and over fifteen short films and music videos. He
embraces heightened realism in his cinematography. He loves
using light to create truthful images. He’s dedicated to working
with directors and other filmmakers to find the frames that would
most effectively and emotionally tell their stories.
Production Designer - Sophia Uehara
Sophia is a Japanese American production designer and graphic
designer based in New York City. She dedicates herself to providing
accurate representation of diverse individuals through the use of color,
pattern, texture, and in-depth research.
Sound Mixer - Hala Cunningham
Hala has worked as a sound mixer on both NYU student sets as well
as some outside projects for about two and a half years. She started
out working in sound by being a boom operator for several sets when
she was a freshman, and now has mixed for many films.
Assistant Director - Amelia Boscov
Amelia, originally from Philadelphia, is a senior at NYU majoring in Film
and TV. She enjoys assistant directing for short films and TV shows, as
well as directing her own projects. Her work often focuses on the
LGBTQ community. She spends most of her free time as a co-director
for Fusion Film Festival, a festival for women in film, TV, and new media.
Casting Director - Natalie Jasmine Harris
Natalie is a senior in Film & TV at NYU. Her film work often focuses on
representations of various identities such as Blackness, queerness,
spirituality, and womanhood. Her film, Metamorphosis screened at BFI
Future Film Festival, NFFTY, and more. Natalie has held internships
with Elizabeth Warren's Presidential Campaign, Park Pictures, and
C-SPAN. She has also been a part of fellowships such as The Emma
Bowen Foundation and the Warner Bros. Access To Action Program.
Editor - Nicolas Recalde
Nicolas is a film editor (and occasional gaffer) at NYU’s
Tisch School of the Arts. He has edited multiple award winning
undergraduate shorts and web series and has been on the post-
production team for two HBO documentaries. Prior to this, he
and Laine collaborated on the editing for their intermediate level
film: Together. He is currently wrapping up editing on a senior
thesis film and a documentary short.
Sound Designer - Kat Iossa
Kat is a recent graduate of NYU. She’s sound designed a multitude
of projects during her time there, and was also an ADR/foley engineer
and a mixer for the Post Production Center.
Art Director - Sequoia Sherrif
Sequoia is a Canadian filmmaker, published author, and current
sophomore at NYU for Film and Television. As a high school student,
three films she directed premiered at Sony Studios, and she is a
recipient of the National YoungArts award for Cinematic Arts 2018. As a
college student, she particularly enjoys production design and stop
motion animation.
Gaffer - Samon Siripanichgon
Samon is a New York City based grip and electric from Thailand. She
has worked on a number of Intermediate and Advanced student
productions in California, Michigan, Tennessee, and New York. She also
works freelance in New York City on commercials, music videos, and
short films all within the G&E and camera departments.
Assistant Camera - Jaylyn Quinn
Jaylyn is a senior at NYU Tisch studying film and tv. She is an
interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker with a focus in cinematography
and passion for immersive storytelling and stories centering people of
marginalized identities.
Boom Operator - Griffin Cubero
Griffin is an NYC based filmmaker in her senior year at NYU
Tisch where she focuses on writing, directing, and production design.
As a musician, she understands the importance of sound and is excited
to further branch into that area of film production.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY
Snapdragon follows Jo, a fifteen year old girl who has been placed in an inpatient psychiatric ward following a suicide attempt. When she is told by the ward psychiatrist, Dr. O'Malley, that she can only go home when she stops lying, she embarks on a quest to figure out what she’s hiding.
Joanna sets out to find out what her “lie” is through O’Malley, her parents, the other patients, and a sympathetic nurse named Michelle. As her friendship with Michelle grows, Jo discovers the painful truth about O’Malley’s request, and the harsh realities of the place that is supposed to help her heal.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
This film is based on what happened to me in a psychiatric unit when I was 15. Even though the story has shifted and been dramatized, the emotional truth in the film is something that I am dedicated to maintaining. After grappling with this experience for years, I am ready to turn it into something meaningful - partially because my own experience felt so devoid of purpose or meaning.
I thought that I was alone in this bizarre, traumatic experience. However, as I was doing research for this film, I found multiple accounts from queer and trans people about their experiences with mistreatment in psychiatric care. I was one of the lucky ones, and I feel compelled to share the story for not only myself but for others who have been harmed by the system.
Snapdragon aims to address the complexities of youth mental health care in America - particularly its relationship with LGBTQ+ youth and psychiatric bias. This film is not simply a PSA or a call to action, but is intended to be a nuanced look at emergency mental health care and those who are impacted by it.
This project already recieved an equipment allotment as well as a competitive "Producer's Grant" from the Film & TV department. However, if there is one thing that I've learned in school, it's that filmmaking is a hugely expensive undertaking. We need your help to get this story on the screen.
WHY US?
This is my final film that I will be making at Tisch as part of the BFA program. It is a massive undertaking, and is one that I have been working towards throughout my college career. Since joining this program in 2016, I have worked on dozens of sets, directed several of my own projects, and collaborated with some incredible artists along the way. This film is the culmination of my studies, and I am lucky to have the insitiutional support behind me in making it.
In directing this narrative, and there are a lot of nuances to explore, as well as a lot of potential pitfalls. What makes this story so hard to tell is also what makes it necessary. As someone who has lived this, I am committed to making an engaging narrative while also being aware of where to bring sensitivity.
Though this may be my capstone project, I am far from the only one working on it. Filmmaking is a highly collaborative medium, and every crew member brings something to the table. We have an incredible and diverse team of young filmmakers working on this project in every single department. Our team is our greatest assest. For me, this is truly the "dream team," and it includes some of the best and brightest artists coming out of Tisch's program. Check out our "Team" section for more in-depth biographies!
If we reach our funding goal, I intend to screen the film on the festival circuit before releasing it publically. Ideally, I would like coordinate the public release with an outreach organization like Art With Impact, which works to destigmatize issues surrounding mental health and wellness
How You Can Help
1) Follow this campaign: The easiest thing you can do to help us is hitting the blue FOLLOW button at the top of this page. Following the campaign is FREE and helps us immensely with getting the project noticed on Seed & Spark. If we get enough followers, we can even get free stuff! It's a win-win!
2) Get the word out: If you can't make a monetary contribution, you can still support us by sharing the campaign across your social media platforms. Someone that follows you might be our next donor! This is super easy - just copy and paste this link www.seedandspark/fund/snapdragon to your socials.
3) Make a contribution: If you make a contribution to the film, you will be directly helping the project come to life. Sharing is amazing, but a monetary contribution will do the most to help us make this film a reality. Every dollar counts, and we have some great incentives for certain contribution amounts. Check out our Wishlist and Incentive pages for more information!
THANK YOU!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Hospital Location
Costs $5,000
Without this location, we don't have a film! For the rooms we need, we expect to pay $1000 a day.
Props, Costumes, and Set Dressing
Costs $3,000
We need to create a children and teens' psychiatric ward within our hospital location.
Transportation
Costs $2,000
We will need to rent a truck for equipment, and cover personnel transportation to and from location.
Meals & Crafty
Costs $1,000
Feeding a cast and crew for five days is expensive, even if our spreads won't look this fancy.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $1,500
While we get an equipment package from the school, we will need to rent additional G&E equipment.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director - Laine Elliott
Laine is a NYC-based director and production designer. Originally
from Yorktown, Virginia, Laine is currently pursuing a BFA in Film & TV
Production from NYU Tisch. They have led production design and/or
costuming on over a dozen shorts both in and outside of NYU.
Laine's directorial work has been featured at festivals such as Tribeca,
and NFFTY. Their short I’m Glad It Was You won Best Experimental
Film at Tribeca Film Institute’s ‘Our City, My Story’ showcase in 2019.
You can view their portfolio here.
Producer - Elias ZX
Since arriving at NYU, Elias ZX has produced more
than eleven student projects and one series commissioned by Snapchat.
His own films have screened around the world. Most recently his film
Your Security was an honorable mention for best experimental film at
NFFTY in Seattle and will be playing at the Queens World Film Festival
in March.
Producer - Fangda Cao
Fangda is a junior at NYU Tisch studying Film and Television with a
minor in Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology at Stern
School of Business. She has produced multiple short films working with
award-winning directors, cinematographers and alumni from NYU,
Columbia University and University of Southern California. She also
worked as a Production Intern at Big Indie Pictures, founded by
producer Declan Baldwin.
Associate Producer/Location Manager - Madeline Schumacher
Madeleine is a producer currently studying Film and Television at
NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Madeleine has produced a number of
short films both independently and at NYU and has worked for
companies such as Bleecker Street. She is the co-founder (alongside
Harrison Allen) Arachnid Films which is currently producing two
independent feature films, Verde and The LastThing Mary Saw, both
currently in post-production.
Cinematographer - Kevin Yu
Kevin is a cinematographer from Queens, NY. He’s shot one
feature and over fifteen short films and music videos. He
embraces heightened realism in his cinematography. He loves
using light to create truthful images. He’s dedicated to working
with directors and other filmmakers to find the frames that would
most effectively and emotionally tell their stories.
Production Designer - Sophia Uehara
Sophia is a Japanese American production designer and graphic
designer based in New York City. She dedicates herself to providing
accurate representation of diverse individuals through the use of color,
pattern, texture, and in-depth research.
Sound Mixer - Hala Cunningham
Hala has worked as a sound mixer on both NYU student sets as well
as some outside projects for about two and a half years. She started
out working in sound by being a boom operator for several sets when
she was a freshman, and now has mixed for many films.
Assistant Director - Amelia Boscov
Amelia, originally from Philadelphia, is a senior at NYU majoring in Film
and TV. She enjoys assistant directing for short films and TV shows, as
well as directing her own projects. Her work often focuses on the
LGBTQ community. She spends most of her free time as a co-director
for Fusion Film Festival, a festival for women in film, TV, and new media.
Casting Director - Natalie Jasmine Harris
Natalie is a senior in Film & TV at NYU. Her film work often focuses on
representations of various identities such as Blackness, queerness,
spirituality, and womanhood. Her film, Metamorphosis screened at BFI
Future Film Festival, NFFTY, and more. Natalie has held internships
with Elizabeth Warren's Presidential Campaign, Park Pictures, and
C-SPAN. She has also been a part of fellowships such as The Emma
Bowen Foundation and the Warner Bros. Access To Action Program.
Editor - Nicolas Recalde
Nicolas is a film editor (and occasional gaffer) at NYU’s
Tisch School of the Arts. He has edited multiple award winning
undergraduate shorts and web series and has been on the post-
production team for two HBO documentaries. Prior to this, he
and Laine collaborated on the editing for their intermediate level
film: Together. He is currently wrapping up editing on a senior
thesis film and a documentary short.
Sound Designer - Kat Iossa
Kat is a recent graduate of NYU. She’s sound designed a multitude
of projects during her time there, and was also an ADR/foley engineer
and a mixer for the Post Production Center.
Art Director - Sequoia Sherrif
Sequoia is a Canadian filmmaker, published author, and current
sophomore at NYU for Film and Television. As a high school student,
three films she directed premiered at Sony Studios, and she is a
recipient of the National YoungArts award for Cinematic Arts 2018. As a
college student, she particularly enjoys production design and stop
motion animation.
Gaffer - Samon Siripanichgon
Samon is a New York City based grip and electric from Thailand. She
has worked on a number of Intermediate and Advanced student
productions in California, Michigan, Tennessee, and New York. She also
works freelance in New York City on commercials, music videos, and
short films all within the G&E and camera departments.
Assistant Camera - Jaylyn Quinn
Jaylyn is a senior at NYU Tisch studying film and tv. She is an
interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker with a focus in cinematography
and passion for immersive storytelling and stories centering people of
marginalized identities.
Boom Operator - Griffin Cubero
Griffin is an NYC based filmmaker in her senior year at NYU
Tisch where she focuses on writing, directing, and production design.
As a musician, she understands the importance of sound and is excited
to further branch into that area of film production.