Support a Bruin's Thesis Film Journey

2nd GOAL DEADLINE: Aug 1st, 2025 (POST!)

-The location let us know 4 days ahead of our shoot that they'd need $1K in order for us to use the location. Please help us get to this. We're currently at $1635.

1st GOAL DEADLINE: JUNE 20th, 2025 (PRODUCTION)

Hello, my name is Laura Colbert. I graduated Cum Laude from UCLA in 2021, and I’ll be honest, I am a very proud Bruin. Sometimes maybe a little too proud. Which makes this one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do: reach out and ask for help from many people I don't even know.

Right now, I’m pursuing my MFA in Film and Television Production at one of the top schools in the country (USC). But like many programs, when it comes to financially supporting students, they fall short. I have reached out to the school only for my requests to fall on deaf ears. I am currently working on my thesis and so very close to the finish line, but I am in need of some assistance.

My thesis is a short film called Black Seeds Continue to Grow. It follows a teenager in the foster care system who forms an unexpected bond with her new public school teacher. Through their connection, a quiet mentorship begins, one that ends up transforming both of their lives.

This story was born from a moment of reflection. I started thinking about all the times we cross paths with someone who could change our lives, or whose life we could change, if only we stopped long enough to see them. Black Seeds Continue to Grow is about those moments. It is about how kindness, even in its smallest form, can echo through time. It is about connection. Between generations, between strangers, between past wounds and future hope.

This film is a labor of love. I’ve been extremely blessed with an incredible cast and crew who have donated their time and talent. We’ve secured locations, rehearsed scenes, had countless meetings, and are ready to bring this story to life. But over the last few weeks, life has thrown more at me than I could have expected.

My only working car broke down in the middle of the street. Right after I found out I was named a Top 100 Finalist in Tyler Perry’s Dreamers’ Collective competition, my computer completely crashed. That laptop held every piece of pre-production material for my thesis and my competition submission. At a time when I should be celebrating a major career accomplishment, I've been unable to find joy. Monetarily, I've spent what I had on the unexpected increased cost of the actual thesis course, car repairs, and tech support. What little savings I had in place to complete this film has been wiped out.

Without additional help, I won’t be able to secure the final essentials: equipment, props, permits, and food for the cast and crew. Even basic things like coffee that keep a set running and morale high come at a huge expense when you have to provide it for multiple days.

I’ve done everything I can to hold this together on my own. But no one creates alone. And I’m at the point where I must ask for support.

This film is my baby, but it is also a thank-you. To the mentors who stayed when they didn't have to. To the young people who keep going despite the heavy burdens they carry. To the people who choose compassion even when it’s not required. Black Seeds Continue to Grow is my way of honoring them. And if I can get this film across the finish line, I believe it will speak to anyone who has ever needed someone to see them.

If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll consider helping my team and me bring this project to life.

With deep gratitude,

Laura