I am producing a short that I wrote and plan to star in as the title character. I am very excited to have an amazingly talented director signed onto the project. Layne Marie Williams is an award-winning director, producer, and writer based in Los Angeles. With a shoot date scheduled in mid-November, I am now looking for additional funding to fully be able to bring this idea to life.
BLANCHE is inspired by one of the most significant plays of the past and reimagined in the mad absurdity of our present. The short features Blanche, inspired by Tennessee Williams’ character of the same name inA Streetcar Named Desire. The flighty and feverishly vivacious woman suffers from a similar mental anguish and shares many of the same insecurities and traumas - but reimagined in 2020. This five-minute short aims to demonstrate one night Blanche plays host, and unfolds when her fantasies meet reality. I believe the content is extremely valuable at this present moment and connecting it to a play of the past demonstrates how issues of mental illness and injustices against womxn have persisted throughout history.
Given the nature of the short, the direction, cinematography, and editing will all be crucial to impart the themes of mental illness, loneliness, insecurity, and self-doubt that I plan to address in BLANCHE. I have seed money already to adequately compensate the crew, actors, and also ensure that we film under COVID safety guidelines set out by the SAG union. I am looking for additional funding to enhance the quality of camera, lights and sound equipment that we can purchase. Additional contributions will also allow us to submit this short to festivals in America and internationally.
I am so incredibly humbled by all of the support so far from friends, family, and colleagues and feel so grateful to have such a supportive community surrounding me. Thank you!