Help Us Make An Eye-Opening Film!
Donation protected
What has America proven they love time and time again? Watching movies and tv. From drive-ins to Netflix, America's developed a reputation around the globe for being couch potatoes. Although some may view this negatively, it is this fact that has spawned this idea- a film designed to educate, without leaving viewers bored or feeling like they're being educated. And so, "The Price of Beauty" was born.
Now, despite the look of our photographs, "The Price of Beauty" isn't another cheesy chick flick ladies will be dragging their guys to see, or an informative "beauty haul" to convince girls to drop an extra $20 on a foreign cosmetic line over the drugstore stuff. This is a short film to raise awareness of domestic violence, because more often than not, "The Price of Beauty" is more than face value, and sometimes a million-dollar smile can make the most beautiful mask for the truth.
If you've been watching the big sports events and award shows on television so far this year, you'll see that domestic violence is a trending subject with everyone from Katy Perry to President Barrack Obama, and for good reason! In the United States alone, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will be affected by it in their lifetime. Each year, more than 3 million children will witness domestic violence in their home, and of all murders in the United States every year, 1 in 3 female murder victims are murdered by their significant other. Every day in this country, 500 women will be raped or sexually assaulted. It cannot be stressed enough that this is a problem that needs to be resolved.
With that being said, allow me to introduce you to the McGee family. There's Aiden (Adam Shoaf), your cocky high-school jock who has an answer for everything, and his fraternal twin brother, Braeden (Zac Lamothe), who is the polar opposite in personality despite their similarities in looks. Their father, Oliver (to be announced), is a successful fashion photographer who has gained respect through his involvement with the church and community. Last, but not least, you have their mother, Evangeline (to be announced), a former model who opted for the life of a stay-at-home mother after they were born. For the most part, they seem to be a fairly normal, relatable American family. However, behind closed doors, things aren't what they seem. Oliver's enduring his own mid-life crisis, sneaking around with a mistress who could be his daughter (Samantha Comer) and getting aggressive whenever Evangeline starts asking questions.
It is through telling the tale of the McGee family we plan on opening your eyes to what really goes on in a domestic violence situation- showing everything from the thoughts that go through a victim's mind, to how a crime like this can permanently scar a victim and those around them for life.
Why domestic violence? What inspired the writing of this film? Because had I not broken free, I could have easily paid "The Price of Beauty". I, Kaylyn Aznavorian, am a former victim of domestic violence. For the longest time, I put up with a physically and mentally abusive boyfriend, because I believed I wasn't capable of finding better than him. To this day, this is a piece of my past that haunts me, and after watching a friend lose her life after staying silent, I knew I couldn't sit back and watch this happen to someone else. Days before she died, she encouraged me to go out into the world and do what made me happy, and it is because of her friendship and strength in a difficult situation that I've chosen to do this film in her honor, and in honor of victims who have faced and are currently facing a similar fate. Everyone deserves a happy ending to the story of their life. Sometimes victims just need a clear glimpse of what can happen if they never find the strength to go and get it. Through "The Price of Beauty", I plan on giving them the push for a brighter future they need, as well as encouraging bystanders to fight for the betterment of victims, both vocal and silent, in their lives.
We've been in the planning and pre-production phases of this production since September 2014, and have found a lot of success so far. We've got our script registered with the Writer's Guild of America, recieved lots of physical donations for our cast and crew from sponsors in NASCAR to local businesses in the central and southwest virginia areas, and have gotten contracts back from various talent and crew confirming interest in being apart of "The Price of Beauty". So far, our physical funding has been coming from eBay sales and paychecks that have been designated for this production's budget over the past few months. Although it's been helping, we're still coming up short on what we need to bring this story to life.
To get this production where it needs to be, we need your help in getting $30,000 before June 1st. This money will go directly towards everything we need to afford the proper equipment, paying our talent, union fees, paying our crew, editing, film festivals, and finally, making this available for you to view. It seems like a crazy goal, but if God can create the world we live in in seven days, we can get $30,000 in thirty. Every dollar donated is a dollar going towards job creation, artistic expression, innovative advertising, and most importantly, helping someone who feels as though they've got nothing to live for discover just how much they're worth and find the strength to break free of their struggle. No one deserves to feel what I've felt. No one deserves to leave this world like my friend did. With your help, we will be one step closer to giving a lot of victims' stories a happy ending.
Now, despite the look of our photographs, "The Price of Beauty" isn't another cheesy chick flick ladies will be dragging their guys to see, or an informative "beauty haul" to convince girls to drop an extra $20 on a foreign cosmetic line over the drugstore stuff. This is a short film to raise awareness of domestic violence, because more often than not, "The Price of Beauty" is more than face value, and sometimes a million-dollar smile can make the most beautiful mask for the truth.
If you've been watching the big sports events and award shows on television so far this year, you'll see that domestic violence is a trending subject with everyone from Katy Perry to President Barrack Obama, and for good reason! In the United States alone, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will be affected by it in their lifetime. Each year, more than 3 million children will witness domestic violence in their home, and of all murders in the United States every year, 1 in 3 female murder victims are murdered by their significant other. Every day in this country, 500 women will be raped or sexually assaulted. It cannot be stressed enough that this is a problem that needs to be resolved.
With that being said, allow me to introduce you to the McGee family. There's Aiden (Adam Shoaf), your cocky high-school jock who has an answer for everything, and his fraternal twin brother, Braeden (Zac Lamothe), who is the polar opposite in personality despite their similarities in looks. Their father, Oliver (to be announced), is a successful fashion photographer who has gained respect through his involvement with the church and community. Last, but not least, you have their mother, Evangeline (to be announced), a former model who opted for the life of a stay-at-home mother after they were born. For the most part, they seem to be a fairly normal, relatable American family. However, behind closed doors, things aren't what they seem. Oliver's enduring his own mid-life crisis, sneaking around with a mistress who could be his daughter (Samantha Comer) and getting aggressive whenever Evangeline starts asking questions.
It is through telling the tale of the McGee family we plan on opening your eyes to what really goes on in a domestic violence situation- showing everything from the thoughts that go through a victim's mind, to how a crime like this can permanently scar a victim and those around them for life.
Why domestic violence? What inspired the writing of this film? Because had I not broken free, I could have easily paid "The Price of Beauty". I, Kaylyn Aznavorian, am a former victim of domestic violence. For the longest time, I put up with a physically and mentally abusive boyfriend, because I believed I wasn't capable of finding better than him. To this day, this is a piece of my past that haunts me, and after watching a friend lose her life after staying silent, I knew I couldn't sit back and watch this happen to someone else. Days before she died, she encouraged me to go out into the world and do what made me happy, and it is because of her friendship and strength in a difficult situation that I've chosen to do this film in her honor, and in honor of victims who have faced and are currently facing a similar fate. Everyone deserves a happy ending to the story of their life. Sometimes victims just need a clear glimpse of what can happen if they never find the strength to go and get it. Through "The Price of Beauty", I plan on giving them the push for a brighter future they need, as well as encouraging bystanders to fight for the betterment of victims, both vocal and silent, in their lives.
We've been in the planning and pre-production phases of this production since September 2014, and have found a lot of success so far. We've got our script registered with the Writer's Guild of America, recieved lots of physical donations for our cast and crew from sponsors in NASCAR to local businesses in the central and southwest virginia areas, and have gotten contracts back from various talent and crew confirming interest in being apart of "The Price of Beauty". So far, our physical funding has been coming from eBay sales and paychecks that have been designated for this production's budget over the past few months. Although it's been helping, we're still coming up short on what we need to bring this story to life.
To get this production where it needs to be, we need your help in getting $30,000 before June 1st. This money will go directly towards everything we need to afford the proper equipment, paying our talent, union fees, paying our crew, editing, film festivals, and finally, making this available for you to view. It seems like a crazy goal, but if God can create the world we live in in seven days, we can get $30,000 in thirty. Every dollar donated is a dollar going towards job creation, artistic expression, innovative advertising, and most importantly, helping someone who feels as though they've got nothing to live for discover just how much they're worth and find the strength to break free of their struggle. No one deserves to feel what I've felt. No one deserves to leave this world like my friend did. With your help, we will be one step closer to giving a lot of victims' stories a happy ending.
Organizer
Kaylyn Chelsea Aznavorian
Organizer
Lynchburg, VA
