Short Film: B.P.M.
Donation protected
WHAT IS THIS FOR?
Hello! My name is Monisha and I'm a graduate student getting my MFA in film directing at Brooklyn College.
My wonderful crew and I are making a short film this year! B.P.M. (Beats Per Minute) revolves around a young man with OCD who must grapple with the effects of his mental illness on himself and his relationship.
This project is incredibly important to me as I have close friends and family members who struggle with mental illness, including OCD. I feel passionate about portraying these topics with empathy and as much accuracy as possible on screen. Although this is just one story and does not speak for everyone, I hope that it can allow a few people to feel connected and a little more understood.
Here are just a few reasons to support this project:
- OCD manifests differently for every person, and there are so many different types of OCD. Yet, we often get fed the same (and often inaccurate) depictions of OCD in media. It’s important to see stories with nuanced and diverse portrayals of mental illness on screen.
- All relationships are different as well - they can be complicated and messy. This film takes a look at the dynamics at play when two people who love each other do not necessarily understand one another.
- You would be supporting a South-Asian American female director and a team of incredibly talented yet underrepresented creatives (both in front of and behind the camera). See the team below!
WHAT WE NEED:
Okay, so we've gone through the why, now we want to look at the what. We all know films can be costly, even on a small scale, but what exactly is your money going towards if you donate? Here is a breakdown of what we will be using the money for:
- Location Rental
- Paying Cast
- Van/Truck Rental (for transporting equipment)
- Meals for Cast & Crew (for 4 days)
- Art Department (props, set dressing, etc.)
- Miscellaneous Hardware Costs (SD cards, hard drives, etc.)
Every little bit counts! Please feel free to donate as little or as much as you are able to. If you cannot donate, we would love for you to share our post with others. We truly appreciate all forms of support.
THE TEAM:
Meet some of the core members of our team!
Director: Monisha Roychoudhury
Monisha (she/her) is a graduate film student from Queens, NYC who is studying directing at Brooklyn College. She has a background in human development and tries to incorporate the human condition in everything she makes.
Producer: Tyler Cino Maradiaga
Tyler Cino Maradiaga (he/they) is a Nicaraguan American independent filmmaker, based in Brooklyn, New York. Tyler has been passionate about social justice issues since their undergraduate years at UC Berkeley, and after almost a decade of working in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professional space, he transitioned into the film and videography field. Combining both his professional and personal interests, alongside comedian Spencer Simpson, Tyler founded the BABESONCAMERA Productions, whose work combines comedy and fantastical genres to explore themes of identity and social issues.
Director of Photography: Louis Obioha
Louis (he/him) is a director and cinematographer born from Nigerian parents and raised in the Bronx, NY. Louis has made a career shooting music videos, commercials and films over the last 15 years.
(Edit: The lovely and very talented Sarah Schultz will be filling in as DP).
Editor: Andrea Dorlhiac
Born and bred in Brooklyn, Andrea (she/her) is currently a graduate student working towards an MFA at Brooklyn College's Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema with a focus on picture and sound editing, as well as 2-D animated visual effects. Most recently, she's been an editor on Signs of Life which was accepted into the 2022 Brooklyn Sci-Fi Film Festival, and Where the Light Enters which was a 2022 Katra Film Festival Honorable Mention.
Composer: Gillian Orwoll
Gillian Fox Orwoll (she/her) is a composer, songwriter, lyricist, pianist, orchestrator & arranger based in Brooklyn, NY. She's signed to Rexius Records as a solo artist and is currently pursuing her Master's in Media Scoring from Brooklyn College. She feels personally connected to the message of the film and is excited to be adding some of her music.
Cast Member: Saige Rodriguez
Saige (she/they) is a Caribbean-American actress from the Lower East Side of New York. She studied Theater in undergrad but she’s been acting for over a decade. She loves the art of storytelling in all its aspects and hopes to be a part of projects (like this one) that inspire empathy and understanding.
Cast Member: Stanley Rosario
Stanley (he/him) is a Dominican American grad student a Baruch college currently studying mental health counseling. In his spare time he dabbles in all sorts of expression through art using different mediums like painting, fashion and acting. This will be his first production he is acting in since taking a hiatus after he graduated high school.
+ many more!
We are so excited to be making this film and truly appreciate the support. Even if you cannot contribute monetarily, sharing this post with others is equally as helpful. Thank you so much!
Organizer
Monisha Roychoudhury
Organizer
New York, NY