A Film Already in Motion, Now We Need Your Support

We are currently in pre-production for our independent film, and thanks to a $3,000 grant, the project is officially underway. Our cast is locked, our core crew is secured, and our filming location is confirmed.

This film is happening.

Now, we are raising $10,000 to ensure we can complete production at the highest possible level and deliver a professional final product through post-production.

We are asking for your support to help us cross the finish line.

About the Film

“#Stop Asian Kate” follows our upbeat, determined hero Sunny as she auditions for her dream role of Kate Monster in the musical “Avenue Q”. The problem: Since Sunny is usually the only Asian actor at the auditions, she’s always cast in the Asian role of Christmas Eve. That ends today!

At today’s community theatre audition, Sunny’s plan to win the role of Kate escalates from bringing a puppet “to paint a picture”, to making sure more Asian girls show up, and even as far as to get rid of all the white girls auditioning. At each turn, Sunny faces real-life challenges and micro aggressions that this writer has faced in auditions.

Come cheer Sunny on as she defeats every obstacle in #StopAsianKate!

Intention of the Film

This film is based on my very real-world experiences of auditioning for, and producing community theatre in Los Angeles. Heightened using humor to point to the problems and challenges in authentic casting, #StopAsianKate turns yellowface on its head.

Context

Authenticity in casting has become an incredibly hot topic in every part of entertainment - from theatre, to film and TV, and even VO and audiobooks. However, sometimes that can mean performers being pigeonholed to only play their ethnicity, when they may be better suited for a different role.

For Asian-Americans in particular, there is a long and painful history of yellow face in theatre (the practice of white performers playing Asian characters) dating back to the 1800s. Jonathan Pryce’s 1990 portrayal of The Engineer in Miss Saigon caused a huge controversy within the Broadway community, with Actor’s Equity fighting the casting decision. He put on prosthetics and played the role anyway. Even though that was 25 years ago, yellowface is still an ongoing issue on Broadway.

Why Now?

Currently there is criticism surrounding the casting of (white) actor Andrew Barth Feldman to replace (Filipino) actor Darren Criss in the Tony-Winning Korean musical “Maybe Happy Ending”, a musical for which Criss also won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Helperbot Oliver. This is still an incredibly relevant optic in theatre.

In “#StopAsianKate” I turn this issue on its head and look at the opposite end of the spectrum - now our Asian hero Sunny is ONLY permitted to play a Japanese character, and won’t even be considered as a puppeteer. It is a satirical love letter to the community theatres trying desperately to do the right thing, and to the Asian performers relegated to white theatre’s wishes.

Tone

Mockumentary-style single-cam sitcom (“Parks and Rec” / “Modern Family” / “The Office”) meets the absurdity of “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”.

This is a story we believe needs to be told…

...for more than $3,000.

Where We Are Now

This project is not an idea. It is fully in motion.

We have built a strong foundation and are prepared to begin filming. The final step is securing the additional funds needed to execute and complete the project professionally.

Why We’re Raising $10,000

As production developed, it became clear that to maintain quality and safety on set, we needed to hire additional crew members. We are also preparing for the critical phase of post-production where the film will truly come together.

EXAMPLE:

The $10,000 will go directly toward:

We are committed to compensating our collaborators fairly and ensuring the finished film meets professional standards suitable for festival submission and distribution.

Why Quality Matters

Independent films succeed when they are executed with care and precision.

Strong sound design, thoughtful editing, and professional color grading are not extras, they are essential to telling this story the way it deserves to be told.

Your support ensures we can complete this film at a level that reflects the talent and dedication of everyone involved.

And frankly, have you seen a cheap looking indie film? You question whether you want to watch it or not, we have high quality in every other step of the process and need some extra help getting over the finish line.

Quality Matters!

A well finished film communicates professionalism and generates trust in the audience and film festival panels.

Timeline (Overview)

We are set to shoot April 11th & 12th, 2026!

Post-production will begin immediately after filming wraps, with a target completion date of May 30th, 2026.

Once complete, we will be screening at Sony Studios as part of the first Elon in LA Film Festival in July 2026. After that exciting premier, we plan to submit the film to other festivals and pursue distribution opportunities to bring the story to a wider audience.

How You Can Help

Every contribution directly impacts the success of this project.

If you’re unable to donate, sharing this campaign with your network makes a meaningful difference.

Independent films are powered by community. We are incredibly grateful for any support whether financial or through sharing our story.

Thank you for helping us bring this film to life.