Hi there! My name is Sebastian Varriano, and I'm the writer and director of my upcoming short film, Primary Colors, produced by Christian Trujillo as our Chapman University Dodge College thesis film. We are looking to raise $10,000 by March 10th, 2026, and we need your help!

A bit about our film...

Primary Colors was born out of a need to feel less alone. While developing this script over the past two years, I have aimed to capture what it was like growing up as a child in the early 2000s, and the stain that poverty leaves on a child’s innocence. But more than that, I wanted to offer a glimpse into the lived reality of millions of women and children who find themselves having to choose between safety and stability.

Those who have been told not to bite the hand that feeds them.

The world can change when it can see the truth. I have lived in fear of speaking my truth, and been given a voice by those who have had the courage to tell their own stories. My goal as an artist is to use my creative voice to uplift those who have yet to see that change. Those who may not even know it’s possible.

The world of Primary Colors takes place in the wake of the 2008 recession, when poverty rates in the U.S. rose to 14.3%, and millions of families were plunged into economic uncertainty. Our film follows a family caught in these struggles, amidst a blistering LA heat wave, from the eyes of an eccentric 9-year-old girl who finds sanctuary in her sketchbook as tensions in her fractured family come to a boil.

Our film, inspired by true events, depicts the harsh reality of domestic violence in a light that is often unseen by those who have not experienced it. It offers a compassionate perspective on dynamics of abuse that are seldom represented, and celebrates the strength and courage it takes to brave uncertainty in the face of adversity. As a way to support our mission beyond what is seen on the screen, we will be donating 10% of the total money raised to domestic violence shelters in Southern California.

The donations would pay for the following:

Thank you for your time and anything you're able to offer! Your support enables us to share our mission as widely as possible, and that means the world to us. We hope you'll join us in empowering the world's survivors and creating a safer, more community-driven world.

Follow along on our journey on this page and our Instagram account @primarycolors.mov