Support Carlie's Graduate Thesis Film Journey

Hello! My name is Lexie Mosby, and I am the producer of "In the Wild of Changing Things" - a graduate thesis project written and directed by Carlie Crabtree. Carlie and I are super excited to be bringing this project to life, BUT we cannot do it without your help! This project is so close to both of our hearts and we cannot thank you enough for even taking the time to look at this page! This is one of the only Graduate Thesis projects made through the University of Central Arkansas that will take place outside of the state of Arkansas, as we will be filming on location at a hostel in South Lake Tahoe, California! Meeting our goal of $16,000 means we can not only make this film happen, but take it above and beyond what we ever thought it could be! Your donation will go towards plane tickets for cast and crew, lodging for cast and crew, food for cast and crew, and so much more! You can read more information about the film below!

Logline:

Living her dream lifestyle at a hostel in Northern California, twenty-three year old Kat weighs the decision of returning home to Arkansas.

Short description:

The story starts with Kat finishing up her work day at a ski hostel while receiving bad news over the phone from her mother, who is two-thousand miles away. Slowly caving under the pressure to return home to her parents, Kat spends the day at the beach with her coworkers. Ending the day with a staff dinner at the hostel, Kat is confronted with the strong opinion of a drunk coworker against moving back home. Shortly after, Jodi confronts Kat on the hostel’s balcony and asks her if she’s leaving– which Kat confirms to be true.

The next day, Kat prepares for her cross-country drive home from California to Arkansas. While doing last-minute laundry, the hostel manager, Pete, reveals that Kat has inspired him to go home later that fall. Upon her departure, Kat is given a letter from Jodi as everyone wishes her goodbye. After reaching the bottom of the mountain, Kat pulls over and reads Jodi’s letter, which motivates her to finish the trip home.

Once reaching Arkansas, Kat calls Jodi– only to be sent to voicemail. After completing the final stretch of her journey, Kat arrives at her family home and opens the gate to the front yard.

Directors Statement:

This script holds a special connection to my own experience with returning home. It’s a retelling of my final few days of living at a hostel in South Lake Tahoe, California before returning to Arkansas for grad school. Leaving was strange. I felt as though I was returning for reasons that weren’t my own– and yet, I was happy at the thought of being home again. Readjusting to my life in Arkansas was tough, but returning to the South gave me a new appreciation for my roots after running away from them for so long.

The purpose of In the Wild of Changing Things is to serve as a goodbye to my time in California while functioning as a love letter to the South. I want this film to be an anchor to those who have decided to stay back or return to their roots despite pushback and uncertainty. This is a film that is fueled by themes of nature, human connection, familial responsibility, and feelings of being out-of-place. In a world of media that encourages us to leave, this is a coming-of-age story about coming home.

Movie and Overall Vibe Reference:

AFTERSUN (Dir. Charlotte Wells)

NOMADLAND (Dir. Chloé Zhao)

OLD JOY (Dir. Kelly Reichardt)

LOST IN TRANSLATION (Dir. Sofia Coppola)