Baldy
Help us make our short film!
The Story
In this heartfelt dramedy short film, we meet Travis, a New Yorker whose receding hairline mirrors the distant memories of his childhood. As he navigates the vibrant chaos of NYC, he's haunted by looming thoughts. He has a great network of family and friends around him, but Travis doesn’t know how to open up about the insecurities surrounding his hair loss.
In the age of social media and being more susceptible than ever to ridicule, he fears becoming the punchline of cruel jokes both online and offline. As he grapples with his self-image, he must decide whether to embrace this change in his life by discovering the power of a shiny bald head or continue to measure his experiences by accepting clubs and parties that allow him to keep his hat indoors. Join us on Travis's journey to self-acceptance in a world where vulnerability can be the bravest choice of all.
Why Now?
The foundation for this film comes largely from my own life. I strongly believe that the elements of laughter, community, and honesty can impact other individuals who have gone through or are going through similar situations. In the United States, more than 35 million men and 21 million women are currently experiencing it. The condition can begin as early as age 15 and affects 25% of men before they turn 21 as well as nearly 5% of women by age 30. By age 30, approximately 25% of men and 12% of women have already experienced hair loss, and these numbers increase to 50% for men and 25% for women by age 50. Quite frankly, there is no better time than now to help destigmatize the shame around hair loss.
This is the first film that I plan on creating and releasing for the world to see. For almost half a decade I've spent time on film & TV sets learning the ins and outs of filmmaking first-hand. In the midst of this current Writer’s and Actors (WGA & Sag) strike I want to help put my imprint onto the world of film by bringing together those I’ve grown with both inside and outside of the film & TV industry. I know that we all can continue on to do more but we all have to start from somewhere. I’ve assembled a very diverse set of skilled and talented crew to put this film together and plan on thriving with them on this project and beyond when we are able to shave away our crowdfunding goal.
Over 80 million people are affected by hair loss. This story explores the tribulations of this loss through the lens of Travis, and its harrowing effect on his life, work, and 20s dating experience in New York City.
Current Project Status
Currently, we’re deep into pre-production. In order to make our film we need to shave off $15,000. With this, we will be able to pay our cast and some of our crew + their equipment. We'll also be able to cover the costs for our locations, insurance, a van for our equipment, catering, post-production, festival costs, and general expenses.
In surpassing our budget, we then begin to get into our stretch goals! Stretch goals are where our ambition truly lies and what we ultimately want to accomplish. $15,000 will help us make the film. $25,000 will allow us to pay our entire crew. Additionally, we can enhance the film's production value and extend our outreach capabilities, plan targeted community events, invest in the film's marketing reach, and reach a wide audience via various distributors.
How You Can Contribute
You can help us in many ways! Below is a short list of how you can impact and give life to this film:
Contributing, following, and pledging to our campaign! Every little bit helps with independent filmmaking.
Posting about our film across your social media! The more people who see this page the higher our chances of being greenlit!
Sharing the links to our campaign and social media pages! A quick text in the group chat, your cool cousin, or your barber/beautician would be appreciated!
Sending this to a bald person you know! Let's be honest for a moment...we all know at least 2 bald people. Meaning we probably know more who are balding and haven't brought it up. Sending them this link would be a great way to show them you care and are there for them when they need it.
Praying for us! Nothing wrong with putting some good intentions out into the universe for us so that we get this project greenlit!