Help Us Make Our Film: Sunrise
Donation protected
Support Ben Hard, Yessmeen Moharram, Libby Carr, and Brian Molloy in the creation of their undergraduate thesis film sunrise.
This is our last hurrah before we graduate, and we want to make it the best film experience for everyone involved. To do that, we need your help!
THE STORY
sunrise is a film about two 16-year-olds, Evan and Micah, one out and one in the closet, reckoning with the death of their close friend Jacob. Evan would prefer to bypass the grieving process entirely, and Micah is trying to get them to slow down. They learn how to reconcile their relationship, deal with shame, and understand how to grieve.
THE TEAM
Ben Hard (Director) is an actor, director, writer, and cinematographer from San Antonio, Texas. He is most interested in showcasing realism, human connection, and movement in his visual work. Ben’s film credits include writer and cinematographer for the short Swindle, cinematographer for the short Mothman, and director, writer, and cinematographer for the short The Dancer. His acting credits include Chad in the student-written work Land of Opportunity which premiered at the UT New Works Festival in the Spring of 2019 and several roles in other student-directed shorts. Currently, Ben is a 4th-year Performer’s Process and Radio-Television-Film double major with an expected graduation date of May 2021. Afterward, he hopes to teach English abroad.
Yessmeen Moharram (Producer) is a producer, and arts manager based in Texas. Yessmeen cares deeply about community, supporting marginalized creators, and making work that embraces empathy, education, and the human spirit. Some of her previous work includes All the Words Between Us (Assistant Director), Fall for Dance (Stage Manager), Swindle (Producer), and Dear Leo (Producer). Currently, she is also a Fellow at the Arab Film and Media Institute, and the Assistant Producer of The Cohen New Works Festival. Yessmeen is a fourth-year student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Radio-Television-Film Program and the B.A Theatre and Dance program (focus in Stage Management).
Libby Carr (Screenwriter) is a playwright and dance artist born and raised in Houston, TX. Their work explores the intersection between hyperrealism, movement theatre, and devised text. Libby’s plays include sad girl hours (Kennedy Center Undergraduate Playwrights' Workshop), Gay Bootcamp (UT Austin, Cohen New Works Festival; Madison, WI, Express Yourself Arts), TRANSom, co-written with Lane Stanley (Austin, TX, Ground Floor Theatre). Their dance theatre work has been exhibited at UT Austin’s Fall For Dance and Revolve: A Movement Display. Currently, Libby is a fourth-year student at the University of Texas at Austin in the B.A. Theatre and Dance (Playwriting & Directing) program and the B.A. Plan II Honors program.
Brian Molloy (Director of Photography) is a cinematographer originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Texas for an RTF degree at UT Austin and is currently finishing up his final year in the program. He has worked on many different professional and student films and theses in the camera and grip departments. Additionally, Brian has shot several films such as Sister Godiva and Going Up, as well as content for the San Antonio-based band, sleep well. Brian plans to continue to work in films around Austin after graduation.
OUR GOALS
Personal Protection Equipment: $150
Food and Crafty: $500
Locations: $720
Equipment Rentals: $500
Pre-Production Expenses: $200
PD and Wardrobe: $500
Contingency and Platform Fees: $430
OUR PROGRESS
We are currently in Pre-Production with about a month left before we film! We are narrowing down locations, finalizing our script, and our cast, and starting our shooting schedule. We also have a finalized crew (you will get to meet them all soon!)
If you donate to our film, you will be included in the special thanks portion of our credits. Generous donations will also be given an executive producer title. You will also receive a thank-you package and digital access to the film.
If you have any questions about the film or want to learn more, don't hesiste to reach out to us at [email redacted]!
This is our last hurrah before we graduate, and we want to make it the best film experience for everyone involved. To do that, we need your help!
THE STORY
sunrise is a film about two 16-year-olds, Evan and Micah, one out and one in the closet, reckoning with the death of their close friend Jacob. Evan would prefer to bypass the grieving process entirely, and Micah is trying to get them to slow down. They learn how to reconcile their relationship, deal with shame, and understand how to grieve.
THE TEAM
Ben Hard (Director) is an actor, director, writer, and cinematographer from San Antonio, Texas. He is most interested in showcasing realism, human connection, and movement in his visual work. Ben’s film credits include writer and cinematographer for the short Swindle, cinematographer for the short Mothman, and director, writer, and cinematographer for the short The Dancer. His acting credits include Chad in the student-written work Land of Opportunity which premiered at the UT New Works Festival in the Spring of 2019 and several roles in other student-directed shorts. Currently, Ben is a 4th-year Performer’s Process and Radio-Television-Film double major with an expected graduation date of May 2021. Afterward, he hopes to teach English abroad.
Yessmeen Moharram (Producer) is a producer, and arts manager based in Texas. Yessmeen cares deeply about community, supporting marginalized creators, and making work that embraces empathy, education, and the human spirit. Some of her previous work includes All the Words Between Us (Assistant Director), Fall for Dance (Stage Manager), Swindle (Producer), and Dear Leo (Producer). Currently, she is also a Fellow at the Arab Film and Media Institute, and the Assistant Producer of The Cohen New Works Festival. Yessmeen is a fourth-year student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Radio-Television-Film Program and the B.A Theatre and Dance program (focus in Stage Management).
Libby Carr (Screenwriter) is a playwright and dance artist born and raised in Houston, TX. Their work explores the intersection between hyperrealism, movement theatre, and devised text. Libby’s plays include sad girl hours (Kennedy Center Undergraduate Playwrights' Workshop), Gay Bootcamp (UT Austin, Cohen New Works Festival; Madison, WI, Express Yourself Arts), TRANSom, co-written with Lane Stanley (Austin, TX, Ground Floor Theatre). Their dance theatre work has been exhibited at UT Austin’s Fall For Dance and Revolve: A Movement Display. Currently, Libby is a fourth-year student at the University of Texas at Austin in the B.A. Theatre and Dance (Playwriting & Directing) program and the B.A. Plan II Honors program.
Brian Molloy (Director of Photography) is a cinematographer originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Texas for an RTF degree at UT Austin and is currently finishing up his final year in the program. He has worked on many different professional and student films and theses in the camera and grip departments. Additionally, Brian has shot several films such as Sister Godiva and Going Up, as well as content for the San Antonio-based band, sleep well. Brian plans to continue to work in films around Austin after graduation.
OUR GOALS
Personal Protection Equipment: $150
Food and Crafty: $500
Locations: $720
Equipment Rentals: $500
Pre-Production Expenses: $200
PD and Wardrobe: $500
Contingency and Platform Fees: $430
OUR PROGRESS
We are currently in Pre-Production with about a month left before we film! We are narrowing down locations, finalizing our script, and our cast, and starting our shooting schedule. We also have a finalized crew (you will get to meet them all soon!)
If you donate to our film, you will be included in the special thanks portion of our credits. Generous donations will also be given an executive producer title. You will also receive a thank-you package and digital access to the film.
If you have any questions about the film or want to learn more, don't hesiste to reach out to us at [email redacted]!
Organizer
Yessmeen Moharram
Organizer
Austin, TX