Crazy 8 Motel is a Chapman University graduate thesis short film that follows a seventeen-year-old boy growing up too fast in a world shaped by poverty, emotional neglect, and violence. Set in a rundown roadside motel, the film explores masculinity, vulnerability, and the dangerous ways love can be confused with responsibility when guidance and safety are absent.

This project is led by a student creative team at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. While the university provides essential academic and production support, your contribution helps us create this film responsibly—supporting our cast and crew, securing authentic locations, and bringing this deeply human story to life.

ABOUT THE STORY

Set in a rundown roadside motel, Crazy 8 Motel follows Mookie, a seventeen-year-old boy who works as a motel clerk while growing up in an environment shaped by poverty, emotional neglect, and domestic instability. As Mookie experiences his first encounter with love, he becomes increasingly consumed by the belief that protection means sacrifice—and that being “brave” requires him to carry burdens far beyond his age.

Rather than glorifying violence or crime, Crazy 8 Motel explores the emotional consequences of growing up without safety or guidance. The film examines masculinity, vulnerability, and the dangerous ways love can be confused with responsibility when a young person is forced to grow up too fast. At its core, the story is about a quiet but powerful moment of choice: whether to repeat cycles of harm or find the courage to break free from them.

WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

While Chapman University provides essential institutional support, thesis budgets do not fully cover the resources required to tell this story responsibly and authentically. Your contribution allows us to:

• Cast actors who can embody these characters with honesty and care

• Secure and dress locations that reflect the lived-in reality of the story

• Feed and support cast and crew during long shoot days

• Supplement equipment and production design to elevate the film’s visual language

• Complete post-production and submit the film to festivals

By supporting Crazy 8 Motel, you are helping emerging filmmakers tell a story that is intimate, difficult, and deeply human—one that might otherwise go unheard.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Xianglin “Lexi” Li | Producer

Earned her undergraduate degree from the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing and is currently pursuing her graduate studies in film production at Chapman University. She has extensive experience across advertising, narrative film, theater, and music production.

As an advertising producer, she has worked on major commercial campaigns including Mengniu Telunsu’s Weibo launch advertisement and Dongfeng Nissan commercials. She has also participated in the production of several television and film projects, including the widely acclaimed series Judge Dee’s Mystery (Da Tang Di Gong An).

As a director, her short films Life Is a Show and Roxie have screened at multiple film festivals. In theater, she has directed and produced stage works such as The Pillowman and Butterfly Lovers, which were successfully staged at venues including Gulou West Theatre and other theaters across China.

In the music industry, Lexi has served as a music producer, organizing and producing the GALA Band 222 Charity Music Festival and the band’s 20th Anniversary Concert, and she is currently producing GALA’s 2025 studio album. She has also collaborated with the Beijing Film Association on the organization of major film awards and international short film festivals.

Her interdisciplinary background informs her storytelling approach—one that centers emotional truth, social context, and the fragile moments when individuals are forced to make defining choices.

Claire Wang |Director

Claire Wang is currently pursuing an MFA in Film Directing at Chapman University. After completing her bachelor’s degree in Film & Media Studies, she decided to fully commit to her true passion—creating stories and bringing them to life through cinema.

Claire has been deeply drawn to storytelling from a young age. Writing and inventing narratives has always been her personal way of processing emotions, releasing stress, and escaping into imagined worlds. Now, as a filmmaker, she aims to translate those inner worlds into visual form. She believes that film has a unique power to make people feel seen, and she hopes to craft stories that resonate emotionally with audiences while exploring the complexities of human nature and connection.

Joseph Tweedy | Producer

Joseph is a film producer based in Orange, California, currently enrolled in the Creative Production MFA program from Dodge College of Film at Chapman University. His film experience includes script-writing, film-editing, casting, camera operation, and critical story analysis.

Joseph prides himself on being reliable and energetic during production, as well as a sincere caretaker of on-set morale. As a former US Marine Corporal and squad-leader, managing teams in high pressure environments is something he thrives on, and he enjoys building collaborative partnerships that span multiple projects.

Joseph is a fervent lover of science-fiction, fantasy, character studies, and slice-of-life narratives, but he is first and foremost a facilitator. You can connect with him or view past work at www.josephtweedy.com

Kaiqi Zhang | cinematographer

Kaiqi Zhang is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He is currently attending the MFA program in Cinematography at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts, and is a proud UCD alum.

Driven by a deep passion for visual storytelling, he draws from his experience across narrative, documentary, and experimental filmmaking, as well as film photography, to explore the subtle emotions and atmospheres that shape each story.

For this project, he aims to step outside his comfort zone, exploring new visual approaches while working closely with the team to creat a film that truly resonates with audiences.

Kuei-An Lin | Production Designer

Kuei An Lin is currently pursuing an MFA in Production Design at Chapman University. With a background in theater design, he transitioned into film, where he found his passion for storytelling through space and environment.

For Kuei, every project is a new world to build — a chance to explore, experiment, and create something unique. His artistic vision is bold and versatile, shaped by a constant curiosity for different aesthetics, tones, and storytelling styles.

We’re so lucky to have Kuei bringing the world of Crazy 8 Motel to life.

Saul Espinoza | Writer

“Hello, I’m Saul Espinoza and I’m pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting at Chapman University. Writing is one of the things I love most — I have a deep passion for telling stories that I hope will entertain, move, and inspire others.”

For our thesis film Crazy 8 Motel, Saul is the creative force behind the story, shaping its heart and soul through his words.

He’s always open to new story collaborations, so don’t hesitate to reach out!

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY THESIS FILM

Crazy 8 Motel is a Chapman University graduate thesis short film developed at one of the nation’s top film schools. This means:

✅ Academic and production support through Chapman University

✅ Access to professional-grade cinema cameras, lighting, and sound equipment

✅ A dedicated, student-led crew trained in industry-standard production practices

✅ Faculty mentorship throughout pre-production, production, and post-production

✅ Access to post-production facilities for editing, sound design, and color correction

✅ Guidance and support for festival submissions and distribution opportunities

Your support amplifies Chapman’s investment, allowing us to bring this story to life with greater authenticity, care, and responsibility.

With your help, we are able to:

• Cast talented actors who can embody these characters with honesty and depth

• Create lived-in motel interiors and environments that feel real and grounded

• Properly feed and support our cast and crew during production days

• Secure the right locations that accurately reflect the world of the story

• Complete post-production at a professional standard

• Submit the film to festivals and share it with wider audiences

PRODUCTION TIMELINE

2025 – Pre-production, casting, and location scouting

2026 February – Principal photography

February–April 2026 – Post-production (editing, sound design, color)

Spring 2026 – Chapman University Thesis Screening

Summer/Fall 2026 – Film festival submissions and screenings

HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS

Every dollar raised goes directly toward bringing Crazy 8 Motel to the screen:

Cast & Talent – Fair compensation for our actors

Locations – Securing and dressing a motel location that feels authentic

Production Design – Props, set dressing, and wardrobe that reflect lived-in spaces

Catering – Feeding our hardworking cast and crew during full shoot days

Equipment – Supplementing school gear with additional lighting and grip support

Transportation – Safely moving cast, crew, and equipment

Post-Production – Editing, sound design, and color correction

Festival Submissions – Sharing Crazy 8 Motel with audiences beyond Chapman

FESTIVAL & DISTRIBUTION GOALS

With your support, we aim to submit Crazy 8 Motel to a range of domestic and international film festivals that champion independent and emerging voices, including:

• Sundance Film Festival

• SXSW

• Palm Springs International ShortFest

• LA Shorts International Film Festival

• Outfest

• Other student and independent film festivals worldwide

Our goal: to bring this story to the audiences who need it most.

WHY CROWDFUNDING?

While Chapman University provides essential academic and production resources, thesis budgets do not fully cover everything required to tell this story with the level of care and professionalism it deserves.

Your contribution ensures that:

• Actors are respected and compensated for their work

• Crew members are properly fed during long shoot days

• Production value matches the emotional weight of the story

• The film can reach festivals despite rising submission costs

Every supporter becomes part of Crazy 8 Motel’s journey—from development to exhibition—helping ensure that quiet, difficult, deeply human stories are told with dignity rather than compromise.

Thank you for supporting student filmmakers and independent storytelling.

A little milestone worth sharing

Our team had the amazing opportunity to pitch our script to Billy Ray — an incredible writer whose work has inspired so many.

It was our very first time pitching this story, and having the chance to hear his feedback and insights was truly invaluable. Moments like this push us to grow as storytellers and dream a little bigger.