Sam's World Feature Film

Lily Lady (she/they) is a writer and artist from New York City. This is their feature film debut as the writer, director and lead actor.

 

Sam's World will be shot by Matt Harvey (he/him), a Brooklyn-based cinematographer and producer. Matt has recently shot Tourmaline's "Pollinator in the Pleasure Garden " (MTV x Brooklyn Museum) and "United We Stand " (Unilever), as well as Anne Fleitas's "Spinner" (premiering at Fantaspoa 2022), and he is a producer on John Krokidas's forthcoming feature ANGELS IN EAST TEXAS. Prior to producing, Matt was an executive at Sony Pictures Classics, involved in acquiring such films as CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHIPLASH, AMOUR, and INSIDE JOB.

The trailer for Sam's World can be viewed here.

It features Liara Roux, who starred in the workshop version of the trailer but is not associated with the feature-length film.

 

ABOUT THE FILM

 

Mid-20s non-binary sex worker SAM navigates the complexities of their social milieu throughout one weekend in New York City.

 

Sam's World spotlights a character who hasn't been seen enough in mainstream cinema: a non-binary sex worker who glides between butch and femme, party kid and recluse. This story provides a window into a niche friend group while evoking the universal desire to be understood.

 

Sam's World is a collaborative effort between actors & non-actors, between film industry lifers & relative newbies. An update to Harmony Korine's "Kids" but with a different, queerer social group, Sam's World is about a particular set of people but offers something for everyone.

 

WHY NOW, WHY US?

 

Sam's World is a unique story that needs to be told. America is ready for a mainstream movie that centers itself around the life of a queer sex worker, with a cast of mostly nonprofessional actors. The script was inspired by writer/director Lily Lady's life growing up in New York City and their experiences in sex work.

 

The plan is to shoot Sam's World in August 2022. The set will follow the strictest union COVID-19 protocols, meaning only essential crew will be on set, everyone off-camera will be masked, and we will all be tested regularly. After shooting, we'll edit over the course of 2-3 months, submit it to the festival circuit (Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, SF Queer Film Fest, Berlinale, SxSW...) and eventually seek distribution. 

 

This campaign is to fund production. Any additional funds--if we should surpass our goal--will go towards post-production editing and scoring as well as funding pickup days in case we need to do any reshoots. Any contributions are more than appreciated! 

 

The fundraising goal will cover crew compensation, location rental, van rental, production insurance, COVID safety protocols, props, cast/crew meals, wardrobe, camera & grip rentals, and computer hardware.

 

INCENTIVES

 

Contributors of $200 and above will receive BTS footage during rehearsals or filming.

 

Contributors of $500 and above will receive an invitation to the wrap party after filming (in NYC)

 

Contributors of over $1,000 will receive a producer credit.

 

MORE DETAILS

 

 

Set in the present-day, main character Sam questions their identity and navigates a gate-keeping social scene. Sam is a mid-20s sex worker in a lackluster relationship with Rex, their 10-years-older partner. Over the course of a weekend in New York City, we see Sam face the demands of performative queerness and dissatisfaction with life. Will this weekend serve as a turning point for Sam? Or will they continue to do more of the same? 

 

Major scenes include Sam and Rex running into one of Sam's clients in the park, meeting up with a group of friends at a diner, and going to karaoke. The culmination of the film is an extended take on Riis beach. 

 

SETTING

 

This film has its heart in New York City; it couldn't take place anywhere else. Through the chaos, we find a microcosm of young adulthood. New York is the background through which these characters self-actualize over the course of the weekend.

 

 

One of the early scenes takes place in McCarren Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, when Sam is out with their partner, Rex, and runs into one of Sam's clients. McCarren Park embodies the tension of gentrification and class dynamics inherent in some forms of sex work.

 

McCarren is that weekend spot where New Yorkers of a certain ilk know they're bound to run into at least one person they've slept with.

 

 

The final scene takes place at the classic queer cruising spot, Riis beach. It'll be an extended take of Sam, Rex and all their friends, with layered conversation to create a languid, gauzy vibe, punctuated by moments of romantic tension and insecurity.

 

DEMAND

 

Given the popularity of shows like Sort Of , Work in Progress and Eastsiders (streaming on HBO Max, Showtime and Netflix, respectively), it's clear there's a mass demand for niche, queer stories. Think Harmony Korine's 1995 film, Kids , and the way it perfectly captures a moment against the backdrop of New York. Sam's World has a similar aspiration: presenting a hyper specific story to as broad an audience as possible   

 

FASHION

 

 

Although set in the present day, the costume design will harken to an earlier skater-infused age. Think XXL everything: thrifted tees, distressed clothes, stuff your dad wore in high school that's cool to wear again for a week straight without washing. 

 

LOOK BOOK/VIBE

 

Films such as Thirst Street , El Planeta , Daddy Longlegs , and Tangerine are references in terms of scope, palette and overall feel. 

 

The vibe is a languid meander, punctuated by moments of domestic tension, accomplished by longer takes, close-ups and an original score. 

 

 

From Heaven Knows What (2014). This Safdie brothers film is a reference for Sam's World insofar as it offers a meander in New York through the eyes of its main character. The main character in Heaven Knows What is a young heroin addict, and drug users--like sex workers--are often stigmatized and portrayed in mainstream films in overly broad strokes. However, Heaven Knows What is different and offers a successful example of a truer-to-life representation of reality. 

 

 

From Kids (1995). Kids is a reference with regards to the 'day in the life' feel, as well as the ad-hoc style of dialogue that feels at once improvised yet intentional. 

 

 

 

Although a crime thriller shot in a continuous take, Victoria (2015) builds tension in a similar way to Sam's World: through moments of accumulated micro-tension and dialogue-free party scenes.