OUTDOORING - THE FILM

ABOUT MAXWELL ADDAE & THE FILM
Making this film makes me anxious. I know the way homophobia can sever connections between family and friends. I don't have many close ones, but the ones I do have, I cherrish. This film, this crowdfunding, may crush some long held relationships as my authorship over this narrative "out's" me. I'm choosing to make this story because I really believe in the power of storytelling. It's unimaginable how much a 15 year old version of myself needed a film like this. I never got that film, but someone else will. I would not risk, what I am potentially risking, if I didn't feel as if this film was worth it.

-Previous work from the director-


SYNOPSIS OF THE FILM "OUTDOORING"
An "outdooring" is a traditional Ghanaian ceremony in which a baby is officially introduced to the community. It's a celebration of life and the promise of support and protection from their community.  

In the film Outdooring, Kobby attends his new nephew's ceremony with the intent of stealing money gifted to the newborn. The money will finance a new life, far away, with a boyfriend and an identity he's kept hidden from his family but an unexpected shift of plans changes the trajectory of his night and his life. Told in the tone of "Dog Day Afternoon" we want to use the conceit of a crime, in this case a heist, to explore deeper character motivations.

WHY MAKE THIS FILM?
Limited voices get limited opportunities and receive limited resources.  Black films, films about immigrants, and LGBTQ films are often marginalized. This says something to those who fit into those categories. This film is a bold cross section of experiences told in a creative entertaintaining way. You may be able to feel the biggotry on the rise in this country, but films like this remind about why our fight for equality is vital.

OUR TEAM
Our team is comprised of Maxwell Addae (Writer/Director), our uber-talented Sam Chatterjee (Director of Photography), the meticulous Xiaoyao (Andy) Shen (Editor) and our powerhouse Mis Loe (Producer).   We are all second year fellows at the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles, CA - one of the World's premiere film schools. 

We are also fortunate enough to have two amazing Executive Producers to help champion us through this process. Jason Brotman, President of this year's PrideFest in Seattle as well as Patrisse Cullors, a founding member of the Black Lives Matter movement.

WHAT WE NEED FUNDS FOR
Your donations will be used to rent camera equipment, lights, secure locations, feed our volunteer crew,  pay for post and to help promote the film. Movies are expensive - even the short ones. Neither the team nor our Executive Producers are being paid to make this movie. It's a labor of love. It will be screened in Los Angeles for industry leaders and then travel the festival circuit.

If you work for a company that does matches grants and you'd like to qualify, we are 501(c)(3) non-profit. Donate through the AFI website. Click here.

You can donate anonymously.  No amount is too small or insignificant and it ALL makes a difference.

If you'd like to help even more, please 'share' this campaign with friends through facebook, instagram, twitter, specialized webpages, or any of these platforms. We need it, and we need you!

*some stats
We have our work cut out for us. According to a recent study published by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism of the 900 most popular films released in 2016, less than 6% were Directed by Black or African American Directors, only 21% were Produced by Women and of the 4,544 characters appearing in those movies only 51 were LGBTQ. That's some really disturbing math. Our film seeks to change those statistics by making a quality project with filmmakers who are at the height of their artistry.

want more info? www.outdooringthefilm.com