A Chance Encounter Short Film

Hi there! I've had quite a few of you ask me about my most recent project and how you can support me in my endeavors, so I thought I’d tell you more about my upcoming short film, A CHANCE ENCOUNTER. Here you can watch a short video, get all the details about my project, and donate. Thank you for your interest and all your love and support. It means more than you know!

Some of you may know me, but for those who don't, I'm Stefanie Butler, an actor/writer/director looking to raise funds for my current short film titled A CHANCE ENCOUNTER.

STORY

The inspiration for this short was simple. I wanted to write something that could be made quickly, beautifully, and affordably while not sacrificing the script's integrity or the project's outcome. The set-up is straightforward: two people who meet one afternoon and uncover something profound and complicated about human relationships.

LOGLINE

While on a day trip up the Northern California coast, a woman who feels trapped by her own choices meets a young traveler who presents her with an opportunity that could change the course of her life forever.

TAGLINE

It's never too late to live the life you want.

SHORT SUMMARY

Leigh Powell has been trapped in an unhappy, untrusting, unfulfilling marriage for the past nine years but desperately longs for a family of her own. When she and her husband get into yet another fight while spending Thanksgiving with his family, she flees to steal a day to herself and spends the afternoon peacefully driving up the coast. On her way back, she meets Bryan, a young traveler with an old soul whom Leigh feels safe opening up to. As they part ways, he reminds her of the importance of not allowing fear to stop her in life, about trusting her gut, about speaking the truth, and that it’s not too late to be happy. During their brief encounter, Bryan teaches Leigh something about herself that could change her outlook forever. The question is, will she let it, or will she allow fear to continue to hold her back?

SYNOPSIS

For the past nine years, Leigh Powell has been trapped in an unhappy, untrusting, unfulfilling marriage. She desperately longs for a family and a career of her own, but she doesn’t trust her husband or herself and has continually allowed fear to hold her back in life; from taking chances, from speaking truthfully about how she really feels, from going after the artistic life she wants. Leigh feels stuck and doesn’t know how to change her circumstances to move forward and live a happy life before it’s too late. When Leigh and her husband Marcus get into yet another fight while spending Thanksgiving with his family, she flees to steal a day to herself and spends the afternoon peacefully driving up the coast. On her way back, Leigh has a panic attack and has to pull over to catch her breath and calm herself down. Bryan, a young traveler far from home, witnesses her panic attack and engages her to ensure she’s okay. Leigh is grateful for his empathy; the more they connect, the more comfortable they feel opening up to each other. She confides in him about her unhappy marriage and why she doesn’t yet have a family. Him about feeling pressure from his own family to have all the correct answers and his need to take a solo journey to figure out what’s best for his future, despite the disapproval of everyone in his life. Leigh realizes Bryan is the braver version of who she always wanted to be. Someone who doesn’t live by the imaginary rules that others believe exist in life. Leigh invites Bryan to spend Thanksgiving with her family, but being the free spirit he is, he graciously declines. As they part ways, Bryan reminds Leigh of the importance of not allowing fear to stop her in life, about trusting her gut, telling her husband the truth, and that it’s not too late to be happy. During their brief encounter, Bryan teaches Leigh something about herself that could change her outlook forever. The question is, will she let it, or will she allow fear to continue to hold her back?

LOCATION

WRITER | DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

We’ve all had an experience in life (no matter how great or small) where we’ve either had a conversation with a stranger or bumped into someone unexpectedly and because of that encounter, it changed us in some way. A CHANCE ENCOUNTER is one of those stories. It’s about being open to the unique individuals that come into our lives and what happens when we allow these individuals to affect us versus shutting ourselves off from those connections and interactions. It’s a story about taking chances, trusting yourself, and realizing that you don’t have to live a life where things happen to you, but you have an opportunity to go out and happen to things to create the life you want. It’s about the lies we tell ourselves, the fears that hold us back, and what we wish we dared to believe, trust, and act on. We so often believe what others tell us but doubt ourselves. But what if you could be braver? Be stronger? Be freer and not held back by the rules and obligations you think you're supposed to live by. Maybe these are things you already know deep down, but you're too afraid to look at them and act on them. I hope this film encourages you to do just that. Look at those things truthfully and act on them in the face of fear.

WHY THIS FILM?

I have two goals in making this film. The first is to use it as a calling card for my career as a writer/filmmaker. The second is to share it with as many people as possible. Once A CHANCE ENCOUNTER is shot, cut, and mixed, I plan on submitting it to as many festivals as possible and hosting screenings for friends! I will also make the link available to donors interested in watching the film on their own time.

MOOD & TONE

The tone of this film is similar to LIKE CRAZY, BEFORE WE GO & NOMADLAND and is influenced by the films of Chloé Zhou, Derek Cianfrance, & Drake Doremus.

PRODUCTION TEAM | WHO WE ARE

Just like raising a baby takes a village, so does making a film. It takes more than just a script and a dream; my producers and cinematographer have been instrumental in illuminating the path and assuaging any concerns I might have about the process. So far, Abbi Butler - my sister and producing partner - and the wiz, Pokey Spears, have come on board as producers on this project. We have the very talented Andrew Bradford as our Director of Photography, lending his years of experience directing to this project, Thomas Propst for our sound mixing, and the lovely Kyle McCuiston, an incredibly gifted composer, who has agreed to create the score for the film. In terms of cast, the dazzling Angela DiMarco is currently attached to play Leigh, Sebastian Ramón will blow you away as Bryan, and the rest of our cast will be rounded out by David Hogan and Abbi Butler.

STEFANIE BUTLER

Writer | Director | Executive Producer

Stefanie Butler is a storyteller in every sense of the word. She is a film and television actor, a stage actor, a proud member of SAG-AFTRA & AEA, a screenwriter, a director, a producer, a children’s book author, and a blogger that resides in Los Angeles, CA. As an actor, Stefanie is known for USS Christmas (2020), The Legend of 5 Mile Cave (2019), Guest of Honor (2019), Stranger Things (2016), Car Dogs (2016), Zula the Infinite (2016), Followed (2015), and I Remember You (2015). As a writer, director, and producer, Stefanie makes up half of the dynamic duo that is the Butler Sisters Productions, an indie bicoastal production company based in Los Angeles, CA and Nashville, TN. Butler Sisters Productions most recent project was STORY, a creative conference by Istoria, where they have served as Co-creative directors for the past seven years. Beyond their live event productions, the Butler sisters have produced their short film SAME (which took home the second place prize for best short at the Christian Worldview Film Festival in 2018) and now A CHANCE ENCOUNTER. A CHANCE ENCOUNTER has been a quarter-finalist and semi-finalist in numerous screenwriting contests thus far. Stefanie has multiple projects in development and currently works as a Creative Executive at Pinnacle Peak Pictures, while she continues to act in, write, and produce her passion projects. Whether working in front of or behind the camera, Stefanie loves collaborating and cares about telling stories that deeply matter with people that matter deeply, because success isn't just about what you accomplish in your life; it's about what you inspire others to do. She's thrilled to bring A CHANCE ENCOUNTER to life with such a dynamic group of filmmakers.

stefaniebutler.com

ABBI BUTLER

Producer | Unit Production Manager | Production Designer | Costume Designer

Abbi is an actor, director & creative producer that resides in Nashville, TN and is the other half of the dynamic duo that makes up Butler Sisters Productions. She is best known for her acting role as “Ember Rockwell” in INSP’s County Line films (2017), opposite Tom Wopat. Abbi earned a Best Actress nomination at the North Hollywood Cinefest for her work in the physiological thriller, The Odds (2018). She made her directorial debut the same year, alongside her sister Stefanie Butler, in the short film SAME. The Butler sisters went on to win second place at the Christian Worldview Film Festival for the film in the Honor Your Father Contest. Abbi continues to creatively direct, produce, and develop content she is passionate about. Butler Sisters Productions most recent project was STORY, a creative conference by Istoria, where they have served as Co-creative directors for the past seven years.

ANDREW BRADFORD

Cinematographer

Andrew Bradford grew up in Dakar, Senegal until he was eighteen and immediately jumped into the world of filmmaking upon his return to the US in 2011. His passion has been in the camera department and finding creative ways to tell stories through the lens. Bradford has worked on 27 full-length features and over 50 short films. As a cinematographer, he is best known for Baptized by Fire (2016), Legal Action (2018), and the upcoming The Channel (2023). He just wrapped production on a film that took him back home to Africa. Andrew Bradford | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4fPvS35ReM

THOMAS PROPST

Sound Mixer | Boom Operator

Thomas is an incredibly gifted sound mixer, audio recordist, and boom operator who has worked on over 40 features and shorts. He is most well known for After (2019), The Tomorrow War (2021), Emergency (2022), as well as the series, Bigger (2019), Sweet Magnolias (2020), and Atlanta (2022). Thomas knows how to bring positivity and humor to any set he is on while also sporting a killer beard.

KYLE MCCUISTON

Composer

Since the age of 8, Kyle has been passionate about creating music. After being trained on violin and playing in various bands with guitar, he soon discovered his true calling as a film and media composer during his senior year in high school. In 2014, Kyle spent a short period working at Remote Control Productions in Santa Monica, CA - a music studio owned by Hans Zimmer, where he learned priceless skills of the trade from some of the biggest names in the film scoring industry. With over a decade of experience, he has accrued work for commercials, over a dozen feature films, and countless short films. His love of storytelling drives every note. kylemccuiston.com

ANGELA DIMARCO

Actress playing LEIGH POWELL

Angela DiMarco is an actor, filmmaker, director and educator. Performing on stage and screen for over 30 years, she is the founder of Mighty Tripod Productions and Mighty Tripod Acting Studio. She is known for the lesbian love story, Together Forever (it’s 7 million views led to the feature film Brides to Be), as well as the hilarious mom, Rosie Finkelstein, in Ira Finkelstein's Christmas with Elliott Gould. Angela's Directorial debut, Always, had an international premiere in the 2018 Short Film Corner in the Festival de Cannes, and it's US premiere in SIFF 2018. Her focus continues to be on producing strong female-led stories.

SEBASTIAN RAMÓN

Actor playing BRYAN LAZARO

Sebastian Ramon was born November 12, 2002, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He is the youngest of three brothers. Sebastian started his acting endeavors at eleven years old after being encouraged to take acting classes at the local community theater. At fourteen, he auditioned for The Fine Arts School of Puerto Rico, where he graduated as a member of the 2020 Drama Division. While there, he was exposed to various opportunities to audition, was cast in independent films on the island, and was allowed to take courses from The University Of Puerto Rico. In 2016 he traveled to Costa Rica to take classes with Casting Director Laura Montero. After returning to Puerto Rico, Sebastian worked on independent theater productions before leaving the island in 2020 to be based in Los Angeles and acting full time.

YOUR ROLE

This is where you come in, my reader! The most crucial part of realizing this vision is having the budget to do so. Pokey has crunched the numbers, pouring over every line item and have come up with the number it'll take to finance and get this film made: about $27,500 total. I have already raised $10,000, so the amount I am hoping to raise here is $17,500. I wouldn't be coming to you if I didn't find it absolutely necessary to make my dreams a reality. There aren't really grants available for narrative short films, so I'm relying on crowdsourcing to reach my budget goal. While I can't offer you a return on investment, consider this an investment in my future self. Instead, I can offer my eternal gratitude, love, and thanks.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

We are currently in pre-production and will shoot in Northern California the first week of November. We need your help in covering the cost of the six days of production and post-production to bring this important story to life. Your donation will cover the hiring of our cast and crew (we love our people and want to be able to pay them what they are worth), travel and accommodations, all meals, permits, insurance, set design, costumes, the renting of gear needed for the shoot, and the funds needed to complete post-production.

For the sake of transparency, I'm including a breakdown of the budget to show where the funds will be allocated:

$2,200 - Location, Equipment & Gear

$6,000 - Cast & Crew

$700 - Production Design (Props & Set Dressing)

$800 - Wardrobe, Hair & Makeup

$1,500 - Permits, Insurance & Fees

$3,800 - Food & Transportation

$6,500 - Accommodations & Travel

$500 - Incidentals

$2,500 - Editing & Post

$2,000 - Festivals & Marketing

Total: $26,500K

That minus the $10,000 already raised brings us to our fundraising goal of $16,500!

RISKS AND CHALLENGES

Unfortunately, a million things can go wrong while making a film. Actors could drop out, equipment can malfunction/disappear, we could go over schedule, over budget -- it's a miracle anything ever gets made! Thankfully, my producer Pokey, who is the star, will keep the ship running smoothly, and having our budget in place will make everything all the easier.

We are trying to be as fiscally responsible as possible without jeopardizing the outcome of our film. We are committed to providing fair wages to our cast, crew, and production team, as well as providing a safe and professional environment while on and off the set.

Every dollar will get us closer to seeing our dream come to fruition! Please spread the word to your friends, family members, co-workers, and even your grandma. And, of course…anyone who appreciates film and loves a good story.

If you have any questions or wanna learn more about me and the film I'm making, please don't hesitate to reach out! Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll contribute to the cause to make our dream a reality.

With so much love and gratitude,

Stefanie