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Fund PTSD Short Film "Not Here"

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Everyday, 22 veterans take their life. Everyday, 50% of the soldiers coming home from deployment have some form of PTSD. Let's do something, so that the men and women keeping us safe aren't left feeling abandoned and alone.




Not Here

"Some Moments In Life You Just Can't Shake"

www.notherefilm.com

My name is Sarah Laine Smith; I am a production assistant on House of Cards in Baltimore, MD. We wrapped production on season 5 in February, and I have been working hard to produce and direct my first film ever since. I've been deeply inspired by the awesome storytellers I work with; this is my first attempt to bring together my theatre degree from USC  and my 10+ years of experience on other people's passion projects in order to make my own. 




Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very real and potent example of a stigmatized mental disorder that, with a little awareness and education, can easily be treated and calmed. I hope that by telling the story of a soldier who deals with the horrors of war, we can bring the audience into the mind of someone dealing with PTSD, and then generate awareness, empathy, and understanding.




Dani, our lead character, is the perfect vehicle. She is a former US Marine who has  volunteered for the Ukraine National Guard in defending their eastern front against Russian separatists. She embarks on a routine surveillance mission, her trusted spotter Mateo guiding her via radio. When a high value target appears, Dani is under orders to shoot on sight… no matter what. Her life or death situation leaves her with a shock to the core, one that she is still dealing with today.




We need your help to tell this story, and to do it justice. I can't go into this short film half-baked, we would lose the immersive experience necessary to affect the audience the way we need to. So, we need to rent the best equipment and hire the best Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, D.C. has to offer. 85% of our crew has volunteered their time and energy for this cause, and we need help covering the costs to feed these volunteers, to make the film look and feel realistic, and to fund the distribution of this short film to festivals around the world. The more people see it, the more they will learn about what soldiers around the world are dealing with, and what they are bringing home with them. Then, hopefully, there will be that much more more healing in relationships, and in life, for those who have served their country, who have given their everything. 

Yes, Dani is a female soldier. But she is a soldier first. My goal in gender bending this storyline was to show that females and males are both dealing with PTSD , and that a female actress can step in as a relatable everyman character, if given the opportunity. 



We have it all! Women in film, a female director and cinematographer, and a mission to destigmatize mental health issues. Please, please help us make this happen, it will mean the world. You will literally be responsible for launching not only my career, but the careers of all the young Baltimore filmmakers involved in this project. I have big dreams and high hopes for where this film will go, and we cannot make it without your financial support. Please share, please spread the news, and please visit our site, www.notherefilm.com for more information. 

Thank you, from the bottom of my soul.

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Donations 

  • Lambda Kappa Tau
    • $100 
    • 6 yrs
  • Michael Peddicord
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 7 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 7 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 7 yrs
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Organizer

Sarah Laine Smith
Organizer
Annapolis, MD

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