Measuring Up Short Film

Hi, my name is Jelian!

I am a recent graduate from the writing program at VFS, and since then I have been working on various sets to learn more about filmmaking. I have been wanting to produce "Measuring Up" since I wrote it in school in September 2022, and I decided that it's finally time to do so!

Anything helps! Since this is a volunteer project, your contribution will go towards food for the cast and crew, set decoration, props, etc.

Logline: After familial pressure causes her body dysmorphia to reach an all time high, a Filipino teenager takes it upon herself to damagingly lose weight.

Measuring Up is a commentary on weight discrimination in the Filipino community; it is an amalgamation of experiences that my friends and I have had over the years. Talking about another person’s weight in a negative, or what they believe is a positive, manner is very common in Filipino culture. Greetings are often centred around the individual’s weight: “tumaba ka!” [”you’ve gotten fatter“] or “payat mo na, ah. sexy!” [”you’re so skinny now. sexy!”] this unfortunately begins within the family, and at a very young age. One is often seen as sensitive or dramatic if they attempt to stand up for themselves.

The purpose of this film is to demonstrate that some people are incapable of change no matter how hard you fight to be heard.