Hello, friends, family, and generous strangers!
Today's audiences are hungry for fresh voices whose perspectives can shine a new light on so many untapped stories and challenging subject matters. Sexual assault, in all its forms, is a difficult subject to breach. But unfortunately, it is all too familiar for so many women and men whose stories have been stifled and ignored. With the recent beautiful and layered works of Big Little Lies, Unbelievable, and The Nightingale, stories of rape onscreen have been depicted in more complex and nuanced ways than the one-note perspective of the past. Through incredible storytelling and powerful performances, we watched as the women overcame and faced their abusers.
Our team of filmmakers believes that these stories need to be told. In our short film, Completely Normal, we aim to tell a powerful story of a woman confronting her pain and reflecting on the love she felt as we touch on the complex occurrence of rape within relationships. We are inspired by the brave works of Susannah Grant, Jean-Marc Vallée, Jennifer Kent, and many others, as we share our own moving tale like those they have brought to life on screen.
We're a group of passionate female filmmakers that believe in telling genuine, nuanced, and compelling stories. Please find all the information below on the story, our team, and our dream of bringing this project to life. We are humbly asking for your help, because no one can make art alone.
With gratitude,
The COMPLETELY NORMAL Team.
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DONATION CATEGORIES
Executive Producer credit - $2,000
Name in Credits - $750
Early Screening Link - $250
Personalized Thank You Card - $100
Personalized Shoutouts on Social Media - $50
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WHERE THE FUNDS WILL GO
Making movies is an incredibly collaborative process. While our crew members value this as an important story to tell and want to help in any way they can, we want to compensate them for their talent, time and hard work. Our team believes that making a good movie means being good to the people who work on it.
Secondly, locations will be integral to the creative yet realistic portrayal of Hannah's story. In order to film in our ideal environment, we will need to purchase/obtain location permits as well as dress the locations appropriately with various props and necessary decor.
There's lots more, and we're happy to share with you our specific goals for each department. Please reach out to us if you're curious about more details!
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STORY
This gripping drama centers on a woman named Hannah as she reluctantly attends court-ordered therapy. Taking place in Portland, Oregon, the gloomy exterior of the Pacific Northwest encroaches into the office where Hannah meets with Dr. Malig. She is in denial of her emotional instability and must confront her recent rapes, along with the relationship responsible, so she can begin finding a sense of justice and face-off with her abuser in court.
Through Dr. Malig, Hannah explores the toxicity of her relationship as she wrestles with the love, responsibility, alienation, and terror that consume her. She must find the strength to realize that she can take her power back from him and break his stranglehold. But the horror of these events and the resulting trauma threaten to break her completely. Dr. Malig might be the one person who can ignite Hannah out of her solitude and back to life.
Completely Normal is, in structure, a simple and elegant drama. Told through only three scenes with flashback sequences interspersed throughout, this film is intimate yet compelling.
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THE TEAM
KALEIGH SPENCER - Director
An ex-jock and sports enthusiast, Kaleigh can identify almost any hard rock song from the 70's in the first five bars. Her movies, however, she likes more cerebral. She wants to explore ideas that challenge her audiences and question what they know. In 2018, she graduated from the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts with her MFA in film production, and she now lives and works in LA – wishing she could go back in time to tell that young girl growing up in Indiana that it really is possible to live out her dreams.
KELLY McCART - Writer, Actor
Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, Kelly grew up in the theatre. After years of onstage experience, a mentor guided her in the direction of filmmaking. Kelly now works both in front of and behind the camera. She moved to Los Angeles to attend film school at Loyola Marymount University, graduating with a degree in screenwriting and acting. Her writing and storytelling are fueled by a desire to tell stories which have long been overlooked by society. She believes film should reflect all experiences and give a voice to everyone.
JASMIJN VAN BRUGGEN - Producer
Jasmijn van Bruggen, originally from the Netherlands, holds a BA in Film & Television Production from Loyola Marymount University. She consults high-level executives, producers and writers on creative and business development through her company Jasmijn Creative Consultancy. She’s most passionate about connecting talented creatives, and bringing underrepresented stories to life, aiming to spread understanding and compassion.
LAURA M. JOHNSON - Producer
Laura M. Johnson is a producer of socially-minded content. Having grown up straddling two different cultures and belonging to a historically Black sorority in college, she strives to tell stories that remind us we are not alone, but also ones that challenge our own perception of the world. She graduated with a MFA in Film Production from Florida State University and currently resides in Los Angeles.
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WRITER'S STATEMENT
Completely Normal sits very close to my heart, as I hope it will with many people. The summer before my senior year of college, a sexual predator chose me as his next target to coerce into a relationship, and despite being a very strong, independent, and intelligent young woman, I almost let it happen. As I reflected on the experience, I started to doubt myself. Was I really as strong and intelligent as I thought I was? Why did I let him touch me in ways I didn’t want him to? Could it be construed as consensual because of our relationship? These aren’t the questions we see “strong” characters grapple with on screen, we only see how their assault makes them stronger. I didn’t know how to process my experience, so I turned to writing, and that’s how I found Hannah - a resilient, smart, fierce woman learning to cope with trauma.
My journey with Hannah began in a feature length script about the physical and emotional process of reporting her partner for sexual assault, while also examining her personal journey that led her into the relationship to begin with. Her fire blazes in both the past and the present, never portraying her as a weak victim, but rather adding another layer to her inherent strength.
In an effort to gain traction and attention for my feature, I wrote Completely Normal as a shorter, more condensed look at coping with the trauma of sexual and domestic assault. Everybody experiences and processes trauma differently. Hannah’s experience didn’t affect her the way that most people thought it should, but Dr. Malig sees through that and pushes Hannah to use her own voice to express how she’s feeling. Although I didn’t see a therapist after my own experience, I did find my own Dr. Malig who helped me to stop doubting myself. Finally bringing this story to life will be the next big step for me in my own journey of reclaiming my voice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Today's audiences are hungry for fresh voices whose perspectives can shine a new light on so many untapped stories and challenging subject matters. Sexual assault, in all its forms, is something that many have experienced, yet haven’t often seen depicted on-screen in the complex and nuanced ways that it should be. When I first read the screenplay for this film, it was evident to me that this story would, unfortunately, resonate with so many women and men whose own stories closely reflect it, including my own.
The main character, Hannah, is a beautiful representation of these people, across the globe, whose stories have been stifled and ignored. Though my personal situation was slightly different from Hannah’s, I immediately felt connected to this woman who is facing a whirlwind of fury, sadness, pain, longing, and fear - all the while trying to do it alone because her abuser has isolated her from those she loves most. Her journey struck me deeply, and I was drawn to her strength and vulnerability, along with the realness and power of her character. I knew, without a doubt, that her journey would strike a chord with so many others, just like it has within me.
In directing this film, I aspire to share this story of pain, healing, and the power of women with as much care and boldness as possible. I aim to create an environment on set where the actors feel safe and open to express themselves. I am blessed to be surrounded by creatives who believe just as strongly as I do that this story needs to be told, and the team of individuals that we have brought together have the skill, artistry, and work ethic to do so with supreme precision and beauty. It is thrilling to know that, soon, audiences will be able to witness this compelling and moving story on-screen, brought forth by a team of women that is just as kick-ass as Hannah herself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's audiences are hungry for fresh voices whose perspectives can shine a new light on so many untapped stories and challenging subject matters. Sexual assault, in all its forms, is a difficult subject to breach. But unfortunately, it is all too familiar for so many women and men whose stories have been stifled and ignored. With the recent beautiful and layered works of Big Little Lies, Unbelievable, and The Nightingale, stories of rape onscreen have been depicted in more complex and nuanced ways than the one-note perspective of the past. Through incredible storytelling and powerful performances, we watched as the women overcame and faced their abusers.
Our team of filmmakers believes that these stories need to be told. In our short film, Completely Normal, we aim to tell a powerful story of a woman confronting her pain and reflecting on the love she felt as we touch on the complex occurrence of rape within relationships. We are inspired by the brave works of Susannah Grant, Jean-Marc Vallée, Jennifer Kent, and many others, as we share our own moving tale like those they have brought to life on screen.
We're a group of passionate female filmmakers that believe in telling genuine, nuanced, and compelling stories. Please find all the information below on the story, our team, and our dream of bringing this project to life. We are humbly asking for your help, because no one can make art alone.
With gratitude,
The COMPLETELY NORMAL Team.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DONATION CATEGORIES
Executive Producer credit - $2,000
Name in Credits - $750
Early Screening Link - $250
Personalized Thank You Card - $100
Personalized Shoutouts on Social Media - $50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE THE FUNDS WILL GO
Making movies is an incredibly collaborative process. While our crew members value this as an important story to tell and want to help in any way they can, we want to compensate them for their talent, time and hard work. Our team believes that making a good movie means being good to the people who work on it.
Secondly, locations will be integral to the creative yet realistic portrayal of Hannah's story. In order to film in our ideal environment, we will need to purchase/obtain location permits as well as dress the locations appropriately with various props and necessary decor.
There's lots more, and we're happy to share with you our specific goals for each department. Please reach out to us if you're curious about more details!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STORY
This gripping drama centers on a woman named Hannah as she reluctantly attends court-ordered therapy. Taking place in Portland, Oregon, the gloomy exterior of the Pacific Northwest encroaches into the office where Hannah meets with Dr. Malig. She is in denial of her emotional instability and must confront her recent rapes, along with the relationship responsible, so she can begin finding a sense of justice and face-off with her abuser in court.
Through Dr. Malig, Hannah explores the toxicity of her relationship as she wrestles with the love, responsibility, alienation, and terror that consume her. She must find the strength to realize that she can take her power back from him and break his stranglehold. But the horror of these events and the resulting trauma threaten to break her completely. Dr. Malig might be the one person who can ignite Hannah out of her solitude and back to life.
Completely Normal is, in structure, a simple and elegant drama. Told through only three scenes with flashback sequences interspersed throughout, this film is intimate yet compelling.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE TEAM
KALEIGH SPENCER - Director
An ex-jock and sports enthusiast, Kaleigh can identify almost any hard rock song from the 70's in the first five bars. Her movies, however, she likes more cerebral. She wants to explore ideas that challenge her audiences and question what they know. In 2018, she graduated from the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts with her MFA in film production, and she now lives and works in LA – wishing she could go back in time to tell that young girl growing up in Indiana that it really is possible to live out her dreams.
KELLY McCART - Writer, Actor
Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, Kelly grew up in the theatre. After years of onstage experience, a mentor guided her in the direction of filmmaking. Kelly now works both in front of and behind the camera. She moved to Los Angeles to attend film school at Loyola Marymount University, graduating with a degree in screenwriting and acting. Her writing and storytelling are fueled by a desire to tell stories which have long been overlooked by society. She believes film should reflect all experiences and give a voice to everyone.
JASMIJN VAN BRUGGEN - Producer
Jasmijn van Bruggen, originally from the Netherlands, holds a BA in Film & Television Production from Loyola Marymount University. She consults high-level executives, producers and writers on creative and business development through her company Jasmijn Creative Consultancy. She’s most passionate about connecting talented creatives, and bringing underrepresented stories to life, aiming to spread understanding and compassion.
LAURA M. JOHNSON - Producer
Laura M. Johnson is a producer of socially-minded content. Having grown up straddling two different cultures and belonging to a historically Black sorority in college, she strives to tell stories that remind us we are not alone, but also ones that challenge our own perception of the world. She graduated with a MFA in Film Production from Florida State University and currently resides in Los Angeles.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WRITER'S STATEMENT
Completely Normal sits very close to my heart, as I hope it will with many people. The summer before my senior year of college, a sexual predator chose me as his next target to coerce into a relationship, and despite being a very strong, independent, and intelligent young woman, I almost let it happen. As I reflected on the experience, I started to doubt myself. Was I really as strong and intelligent as I thought I was? Why did I let him touch me in ways I didn’t want him to? Could it be construed as consensual because of our relationship? These aren’t the questions we see “strong” characters grapple with on screen, we only see how their assault makes them stronger. I didn’t know how to process my experience, so I turned to writing, and that’s how I found Hannah - a resilient, smart, fierce woman learning to cope with trauma.
My journey with Hannah began in a feature length script about the physical and emotional process of reporting her partner for sexual assault, while also examining her personal journey that led her into the relationship to begin with. Her fire blazes in both the past and the present, never portraying her as a weak victim, but rather adding another layer to her inherent strength.
In an effort to gain traction and attention for my feature, I wrote Completely Normal as a shorter, more condensed look at coping with the trauma of sexual and domestic assault. Everybody experiences and processes trauma differently. Hannah’s experience didn’t affect her the way that most people thought it should, but Dr. Malig sees through that and pushes Hannah to use her own voice to express how she’s feeling. Although I didn’t see a therapist after my own experience, I did find my own Dr. Malig who helped me to stop doubting myself. Finally bringing this story to life will be the next big step for me in my own journey of reclaiming my voice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Today's audiences are hungry for fresh voices whose perspectives can shine a new light on so many untapped stories and challenging subject matters. Sexual assault, in all its forms, is something that many have experienced, yet haven’t often seen depicted on-screen in the complex and nuanced ways that it should be. When I first read the screenplay for this film, it was evident to me that this story would, unfortunately, resonate with so many women and men whose own stories closely reflect it, including my own.
The main character, Hannah, is a beautiful representation of these people, across the globe, whose stories have been stifled and ignored. Though my personal situation was slightly different from Hannah’s, I immediately felt connected to this woman who is facing a whirlwind of fury, sadness, pain, longing, and fear - all the while trying to do it alone because her abuser has isolated her from those she loves most. Her journey struck me deeply, and I was drawn to her strength and vulnerability, along with the realness and power of her character. I knew, without a doubt, that her journey would strike a chord with so many others, just like it has within me.
In directing this film, I aspire to share this story of pain, healing, and the power of women with as much care and boldness as possible. I aim to create an environment on set where the actors feel safe and open to express themselves. I am blessed to be surrounded by creatives who believe just as strongly as I do that this story needs to be told, and the team of individuals that we have brought together have the skill, artistry, and work ethic to do so with supreme precision and beauty. It is thrilling to know that, soon, audiences will be able to witness this compelling and moving story on-screen, brought forth by a team of women that is just as kick-ass as Hannah herself.
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