Donation protected
What We Were is a feature-length film that follows 22-year-old college graduate, Lee Wallace, as she warily navigates a hometown stopover before entering the competitive East Coast literary world.
Over the course of two emotional and ultimately calamitous weeks, Lee, motivated by nostalgia and her fear of an uncertain future, agrees to reconnect with her insular, high-school friend group of spirited outsiders.
After four years apart, one wild night of drinking and reminiscing inspires the group to enter into a pact to re-create their most memorable high school experiences.
What begins as a simple yearning for nostalgia soon becomes an addictive obsession as they explore the boundaries of young adulthood, and ultimately attempt to return to a quixotic past, with dire consequences.
I was raised in El Paso and remember being intrigued from a young age by our city's vast skyscapes and high mountain desert vistas, as well as how the untamed landscape shapes and affects the lives of those who grow up in its thrall. I'm completing this film as part of my undergraduate thesis through the Plan II Honors Program at UT Austin and have spent the past nine months writing the screenplay and working on pre-production details. In addition to both writing and directing the film, I'll also be shooting and editing the film for a planned December 2016 release.
The entirety of What We Were will be shot in the kaleidoscopic cultural oasis that is El Paso, spotlighting the wild desert, incomparable sunsets, and the unique melting pot of the international border with Mexico. All of the cast and crew are El Paso residents, showcasing the incredible local talent our city has to offer.
I am extremely confident in my crew of innovative creators and film veterans, and have been overwhelmed by our actors who have worked tirelessly to embody and engage with these complex characters. The cast, crew, and I would love nothing more than to share updates on the progress of this film, as well as information on release events in both El Paso and Austin.
Even a low-budget student film such as this incurs numerous, mounting costs along its path to completion. Our fundraising goal represents only a portion of the film's costs, but we hope to engage as many El Pasoans as possible in the making of this film.
Please give what you can to make What We Were
a reality! Your donation will help cover production and post-production costs such as cast and crew salaries, effects software, and the services of a colorist, sound mixer, and visual effects editor.
Thank you for your support!
Katherine
Over the course of two emotional and ultimately calamitous weeks, Lee, motivated by nostalgia and her fear of an uncertain future, agrees to reconnect with her insular, high-school friend group of spirited outsiders.
After four years apart, one wild night of drinking and reminiscing inspires the group to enter into a pact to re-create their most memorable high school experiences.
What begins as a simple yearning for nostalgia soon becomes an addictive obsession as they explore the boundaries of young adulthood, and ultimately attempt to return to a quixotic past, with dire consequences.
I was raised in El Paso and remember being intrigued from a young age by our city's vast skyscapes and high mountain desert vistas, as well as how the untamed landscape shapes and affects the lives of those who grow up in its thrall. I'm completing this film as part of my undergraduate thesis through the Plan II Honors Program at UT Austin and have spent the past nine months writing the screenplay and working on pre-production details. In addition to both writing and directing the film, I'll also be shooting and editing the film for a planned December 2016 release.
The entirety of What We Were will be shot in the kaleidoscopic cultural oasis that is El Paso, spotlighting the wild desert, incomparable sunsets, and the unique melting pot of the international border with Mexico. All of the cast and crew are El Paso residents, showcasing the incredible local talent our city has to offer.
I am extremely confident in my crew of innovative creators and film veterans, and have been overwhelmed by our actors who have worked tirelessly to embody and engage with these complex characters. The cast, crew, and I would love nothing more than to share updates on the progress of this film, as well as information on release events in both El Paso and Austin.
Even a low-budget student film such as this incurs numerous, mounting costs along its path to completion. Our fundraising goal represents only a portion of the film's costs, but we hope to engage as many El Pasoans as possible in the making of this film.
Please give what you can to make What We Were
a reality! Your donation will help cover production and post-production costs such as cast and crew salaries, effects software, and the services of a colorist, sound mixer, and visual effects editor.
Thank you for your support!
Katherine
Organizer and beneficiary
Ann Branan Horak
Organizer
El Paso, TX
Katherine Horak
Beneficiary