Moon in The Daytime (A Student Film)

About the project:

The film Moon in the Daytime is a 12 minute comedy that follows 15 year-old Lexie, a cheeky yet determined young female who has been given the chance to perform her first solo at a dance competition this year. As the only black dancer at the studio, six feet tall with a muscular build, she is trying to navigate the dance world where all the students around her are under 5’3 and move like swans. As she tries to cope with the insecurities of self image, she does what one can only do, she talks to herself, i.e. talks to the camera. When she meets the only teacher willing to work with her Mr. Q, he comes with a different approach. Mr. Q takes the time to get to know Lexie and tries to understand how she views the world. He encourages her to be herself and not be ashamed of who she is. The film ends with Lexie going on stage, dressed as Barry Manilow from Copacabana complete, with wig and moustache. Proving to herself and everyone that she is an entertainer.

 

Why it is important to us:

Writer/Director Alex Morris says:

"My time at Sheridan and in this program have been such an experience. But since this pandemic I find myself internally wanting to hide more often than choosing to face the music. This continues to bring me back to my teenage self. As much as I found my teens years to be hurtful and sometimes triggering I wouldn’t be the person that I am today if it wasn’t for my younger self. That determined human had been six feet since she was 12 years old and being mistaken for a male was part of her daily routine. Even though I dreamed about being an amazing dancer, the dance environment I was in didn't have many tall, muscular, or even any black people. Once I took a moment to establish that there was no else I knew like me I had to ask myself, how do I fit in?"

 

Why we need funding:

As students we are responsible for funding our entire projects. This film takes place in a dance studio and theatre which we have found suitable locations for, but the cost of renting the locations, transportation, and production design are an obstacle to our production. We hope to enter this film into festivals. In hopes of this dream coming true we would appreciate all the help we can get.

 

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our story!