MY SITUATION

My name is Luke Cooper-Escobar, an award-winning Ecuadorian filmmaker and photographer with a strong interest in conservation and social work. Currently, I’m in the United States pursuing a four-year Film degree at the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

I am reaching out to all of you because I need your help to be able to complete my final year of university.

First of all, I can’t believe we managed to get $21.000 in the last fundraiser! Now I am re-releasing this fundraiser because I need $28.000 more (summing up into a total of $49.054) to be able to finish my degree.

I am infinitely grateful for the endless support and love I have received from everyone that donated, shared and came along to help me in this journey. Every day I am living my dream thanks to you! And oh my, I have gotten SO far!

I am here again, because even though we crowdfunded so much together, I now need your help again to finish my senior year.

All the funds from the previous fundraiser were enough to barely cover 13 months of expenses, but with hard work, being careful, and borrowing money from my friends in times of need, I made every dollar count and stretched all the money for the past two years, but now I am in a tough place again where all my funds have dried up.

Without this fundraiser, I quite simply cannot carry on my studies, as I don't have the funds needed to live in Savannah while completing my degree. I’ve been working so hard doing everything possible to sustain myself, but there is that much I can do coming from little Ecuador to the States. I looked into working here, but unfortunately I cannot work legally in Savannah and it wouldn't pay enough to sustain me.

Sadly Ecuador’s economy and politics has been struggling a lot lately and my family's economical situation has not improved. I ask you in all humbleness and sincerity for any support—be it financial or by helping share my story—to help me reach my dreams.

I have gotten so far against all odds (from wayward little Ecuador!), and it would be tragic to not make it to the finish line—when I already have the $160 000 for tuition covered by my scholarship—and all I need is a way to finance my living expenses!

I believe that I have a unique—and direly needed—voice, and I would deeply appreciate it if you could help it be heard.

Since I went to SCAD I’ve worked different roles on more than 30 films (some of them winning awards and going to festivals) but I have still made time to try and work in environmental and social causes outside of SCAD, here’s a few highlights of the varied films I have worked on since I made my last fundraiser:

(And if you are interested in seeing all the other environmental and social work I had done before coming to SCAD, you can find it below under: “MY WORK”)

Thanks to all that help, I am now in my senior year, working in films that I could only dream about before, here is my latest reel that showcases a snippet of the work I have been doing.

Thanks to all my hard work I have the honor to have been chosen to be the Director of Photography at the 2026 SCAD Actors Showcase, an hour long film produced by the best filmmakers at SCAD to showcase the best talent of the School in? film and Acting (link to the 2025 and 2024 Showcase). For this film I will also have the incredible opportunity to be working closely with a really experienced film professor from SCAD that is an ASC Cinematographer with decades of experience.

For my senior thesis, I am taking up the challenge of writing and directing my own short film in the Ecuadorian Amazon, coming with an experienced crew of my SCAD friends and merging both worlds to go back to my voice as an environmentally and socially responsible artist, to tell a story about how the oil industry has affected the physical and spiritual health of the indigenous people and the forest in the Amazon.

Writing, Directing and helping Produce this film will be the biggest challenge I have faced; I will have so little time to work that I probably won't be able to do it unless I get the help and support from this fundraiser.

BREAKDOWN OF FINANCES

The breakdown above represents the most frugal living expenses in the US, focused solely on essentials.

I know it is a large sum, but any donation is greatly appreciated no matter the amount—it all adds up, every cent buys me more time to work on alternate options!

(I must also remind you that donations are tax-deductible, and it's important that you understand that GoFundMe only retains 2.9% of all funds received)

Most of you already know my story as you have been part of my hero-group of funders that got me through the first 3 years, but for any newcomers it goes like this:

In 2021, I was one of just a few students awarded a merit-based full-tuition scholarship from SCAD—the top scholarship they offer. SCAD has one of the best Film programs in the world, so this was an offer I couldn't refuse! But the problem is that, although I had my tuition covered, I still needed the funds for my living costs. Thanks to our family savings and some generous help from a small fundraiser, I managed to cover my living costs for the first year, then I created this fundraiser and I was overwhelmed with gratefulness and happiness from all the people that donated and helped me get enough funds to barely cover 13 months of expenses; with hard work, being careful and borrowing money from friends, I managed to stretch out all that money for the past two years, but now those funds are all gone.

Without this fundraiser, I quite simply cannot carry on my studies, as I don't have the funds needed to live in Savannah while completing my degree.

My parents and I have always been focused on conservation and decreasing their carbon footprint through non-consumerism—a lifestyle that does not exactly engender financial wealth! They helped to establish a 21,000-acre nature reserve in Ecuador, living 8 hours by mule from the nearest sign of civilization with no electricity, for 10 years! But after I was born my parents changed their whole life mission, moving to a farm closer to the city, my dad created a successful wildlife photography business to be able to raise his two children, and becoming a key in the wildlife and conservation photography movement in Ecuador.

From 2011, my father invested his savings into a coffee farm, but unfavorable market forces caused him to sell it at a loss in 2019, and so I lost all my university savings! Then Covid hit, drastically affecting his business, and our family.

There was still hope though, in early 2023 my father secured two large book contracts with the Colombian government, and with that money I had at least two more years of university covered. That was the plan at least, until the Colombian economy weakened further and those contracts were thrown out the window; and suddenly I found myself in a bit of a financial pickle with just two months of funds left!

When we had no idea of how I was going to finish college, I created this fundraiser in the last hopes of finding ways to sustain myself, and was amazed by the kindness and love I received from everyone. I couldn’t believe that in two weeks we had almost enough money for a whole year! Thanks to all the donations that came after, I’ve been able to focus on my art and studies here at SCAD, learning and expanding my knowledge up to industry standards, and creating the art that I had dreamt of my whole life. But now after two years of stretching that money out as much as possible, my funds are dry again.

MY LIFE MISSION

To call this a lifelong dream is no exaggeration! I have worked on getting to where I am now as a filmmaker since I was 8 years old—I’ve literally had a camera in my hand for as long as I can remember! Growing up in Ecuador with a wildlife conservation photographer father and a wildlife artist mother in both the Amazon and Choco Rainforests; nature and documenting wildlife are engraved in the very core of my being.

Filmmaking, and its use as a tool for conservation or social change, is my passion. My dream is that, through the knowledge and the professional platform that SCAD will empower me with, I can use film to make a positive impact on the world!

MY WORK

Even if I have to work countless days, travel thousands of kilometers, or carry more than 20kg of equipment at 2 am through mud up to my knees; my passion keeps me going, because I know that through my work I can help others, and expand people's view on life.

I am passionate about exploring every art form I can to help push my work beyond the traditional. I was mostly interested in photography, which soon evolved into a love for motion pictures. Then over the years I experimented with many different types of filmmaking; from documentaries, narrative films, experimental films, music videos, to commercials; so I could deepen my understanding of the totality of filmmaking—to be able to use its various forms to help us humans better understand this crazy world of ours.

Here’s a summary of my work, with links.

Please take the time to check some of them out, as I know you will be moved and inspired by what this little Ecuadorian jungle-kid managed to pull off!

At 18 I:

These experiences have fueled my dedication to storytelling and promoting environmental awareness and cultural understanding.

WHY SCAD? WHY $28.000

After these no-budget to low-budget filmmaking experiences described above, I realized that a formal education was crucial to further elevate my innate talent in filmmaking. I chose to study at SCAD, a top-tier film school, as it offered unparalleled opportunities: amazing professors, cutting-edge equipment, industry connections, and a nurturing environment for growth.

My experience at SCAD this past year has confirmed the value of this choice—it's a whole new level.

SCAD boasts unmatched resources, including two LED volumes (only university in the world to have two of these!), a backlot, and industry-leading equipment—all accessible to students for free. Furthermore, the presence of exceptional professors with unparalleled expertise allows me to engage in meaningful one-on-one discussions and forge friendships enriched by decades of filmmaking wisdom—an experience that’s critical to my craft. This abundance of resources and wisdom wildly surpasses what I could access in Ecuador, and enables me to become a true professional and showcase films more effectively on a world forum.

In one year I’ve learned what would’ve taken a decade back home. Even on weekends I gain practical experience on film sets of other students or my own. Interacting with peers from diverse backgrounds has expanded my worldview and deepened my self-understanding, all while inspiring me to be able to get better at telling my story. And not only have I grown in the technical, but I have also grown so much as a filmmaker, artist, and as a person discovering the world in a way I never even thought possible.

I couldn’t be putting more dedication and focus into ensuring that this dream turns into reality: I’ve finished the past three years with straight A's, and have been on the Dean's List for Excellence in each semester. Additionally, I have been working on film sets of other students and personal passion projects in my spare time, to make the best out of the opportunity and resources I have in university.

I can give all I have to my studies, but unfortunately, my financial situation is something I cannot do much about—coming from a developing Ecuadorian economy it was never going to be an easy one to pull off, and recent setbacks in my father's business seriously threaten my chances of continuing. Plus I have been working and saving for years, but there is only so much I can save up on my own…

So I am left with no option but to put my future into your hands!

I ask in all humbleness and sincerity if you have any way of helping me reach my goal, thus securing the stories and expressions of a unique voice in the world.

I understand that not everyone can help by donating, but there are other ways of helping my dreams come true: you can share this on your social media, or share the link with friends through WhatsApp or Email… the idea is to get my story out there to as many people as possible.

I have traveled so far using only my raw talent, but I need your help to complete the journey…

Thank you from the depths of my heart for taking the time to read this and being a part of my journey!

#LaunchingLuke

(Samantha Adler, a very close friend of Luke's is organizing this fundraiser on his behalf, as Luke, being a foreigner, does not have the Social Security number that is required in the US to manage a GoFundMe)