Help me go to the American Film Institute!

Hey there!

Thank you for stepping onto this page. If you haven't met me yet, I'm Bonnie, and I'm raising monies for grad school.

 

About me:

I'm one of twelve children who grew up homeschooled and super religious. (I'm also a recovering PK, aka Pastor's Kid. If you get it, you get it). It couldn’t have been any more weird. Having so many siblings with different personalities and interests made it a fun challenge to get everyone on board for an activity. Without his knowledge, I would borrow my older brother’s camcorder to do tiny stop motion animations with the toys around us (Thanks, Brian). To decide the story to tell, animate toys, light shots, I knew I needed help. I would convince my siblings by any means necessary, trade time for candy, schedule playtime with my GameBoy, offer to do chores, and mainly be a cheerleader and excite their pants off into helping me. I was a producer from the very beginning.

 

A short film I produced:

 

Why film:

Remember the religious thing? Oh yeah, well, I wasn't allowed to watch movies or TV because it was "the devil." Funny how that works out. Also, my grandmother, whom I'm named after, introduced all the great films to me (Sorry Ma and Pa, it was our little secret). This is her:

***Side note: My mom has been finding siblings right and left (another story for another day), and it turns out I have a total badass uncle who's a director! He went to AFI, and this is the first feature film he wrote and directed:

Why Producing:

Two qualities I possess that have served me well up to this point are my ability to pull a fantastic team together and my deep interest in understanding the work of my collaborators. One of my favorite memories of my entire life was producing a music video shot in New Zealand. Take a look below to see what we made!

 

What I have to say:

I want to empower those who have gone through sexual trauma and PTSD as I have. It is my passion and calling to tell compelling stories that are survivor-focused. I hope to situate audiences' hearts in the mind and bodies of victims who must learn to become the hero of their own healing. I see a lot of sensational stories out there, but I want to see the complicated, raw, and messy journey that is healing.

 

National Alliance for Mental Illness (Check them out) has been a massive part of my healing journey and has saved my life. If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms of mental illness, this is an incredible resource.

 

What is AFI:

American Film Institute is one of the top schools globally for film, and the acceptance rate for its graduate program is less than 1 percent.

 

This conservatory will allow me to expand my technical skills, grow my film community, and offer training from producing faculty currently working.

 

AFI will give me the platform I need to tell my stories and get them in front of the right people (NETFLIX, ABC, DISNEY etc).

What am I doing:
Remember that bit about being 1 of 12? That's real. So, I'm scouring the internet for every and any scholarship to afford school.  It's almost 70K per year for tuition (that doesn't include living expenses, books, or food, or GAS).

I would love for you to be part of this journey with me!

Anything you can contribute to this dream of mine would mean the world to me.
(Also, if you know good places for scholarships/grants let me know)

 

Thank you so much!

Bonnie

 

 

P.S. Although I grew up in a strict evangelical world, my parents are two of the most supportive humans I know. They have been through hell and back for me. I love you, Mom and Dad.