Hello, I'm Brandon Piedra, and alongside my friend Jesús Yáñez—who is taking on the role of Director—will be producing an independent short film that we've co-written. With over 5 years of experience each in lighting and production for narratives and commercials, we're now aiming to elevate our careers with this passion project and hoping to inspire others in the process.

Logline: After learning that his father has fallen ill, Felipe returns home to support his distressed mother. Unwilling to face his own father whom he had a troublesome relationship with, Felipe instead uncovers past relationships and soon discovers he is father of an 8 year-old girl. Determined to make up for lost time, Felipe goes to extreme measures to provide her with what he never had, a father.

The short film is a 15 minute drama about fatherhood, delving into the complexities of family bonds and personal growth. With both Jesús and I having experience in this matter, we decided to tell a story that unfortunately, yet in a reflective way fortunately, more people will relate to. With the story crossing all cultural boundaries, one of our purposes is to put into practice what we preach, inclusion. Jesús and I are both Latinos and will be joined by cast and crew that are too. We see this as an opportunity to showcase our skills, tell a unique story, and hopefully inspire and motivate more Latino filmmakers.

The Director: My name is Jesús Yáñez and I am a filmmaker from Mexico City. Influenced by the surrealist art movement and life in the gritty streets of Iztapala, my approach in filmmaking has been to tell real life stories with surreal elements; think Michel Gondry meets Alejandro G. Iñárritu (who did this well in Bardo). This short film is a proof of concept for a feature film where I will be telling my family’s life story through a surrealist lens. Not only will this story be giving a voice to the unheard, but it will contribute to the unique stories this medium gives life to. Below is a pitch deck that gives more insight to the project’s influences.

With the majority of the short taking place outside, emphasis will be placed on maintaining natural aesthetics using the sun as the key source. For scenes inside it will be replicated, if not enhanced, with the use of mirrors and lights.

To immerse the audience even more, we will use 22-50mm lenses to give depth and character to the world these characters live in. To supplement this, we will use longer takes to minimize the element of disbelief, handheld shots when needed, but mainly use smooth and locked off shots to minimize the presence of the cameraman.

Furthermore, in an attempt to capture genuine realism, everyone in the project will be first time actors other than the main character. This is a technique influenced by the movie Batalla en el Cielo and Japón, where everyone is a first time actor.

The main actor: Franco González is a born and raised Mexican actor trained in London’s prestigious school of acting, Guildhall. After finishing his training, he settled in New York and performed in various plays off Broadway and around the country. Television credits include the Good Wife, Person of Interest, Billions, the Blacklist, among others. Film credits include Our Boys, Grand Street, Jane Wants a Boyfriend, Brawl in Cellblock 99, among others.

With many of our friends also in the film industry, some of them have offered their services as a favor, this will help keep the budget low. But of course, there are things we still need to pay full price for in order to produce the project.

Our costs include:

Equipment rental

Meals

Lodging

Crew

Actors

Insurance

Kickstarter fees

We appreciate any amount you can donate no matter how small.

Updates:

For those who donate and follow this page we will be posting updates regarding the progress of the film, including set photos and cast & crew stories. You’ll see in real time what kind of progress we are making thanks to YOUR contributions!

"No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe."