Wildfire: An Intimate Look at Domestic Violence

*Names have been redacted in this campaign for the safety of all involved. This abuser is still at large and is allegedly still abusing women.*

Dear friends, family, and our film community,

This year we are filming a documentary to help raise awareness and enact meaningful change for a cause we are deeply passionate about and believe audiences will be all too familiar with. Domestic violence is an issue that affects more than 10 million women and men in America each year, and that number only reflects reported cases. By making this project and bringing this story to a larger audience, we hope social and political reform can be enacted. Through these conversations, we can remove the taboo nature of speaking out against abusers. Please consider helping fund our documentary to help spark dialogue and change.

Thank you for taking the time to read about the three women who will be telling their stories and for your support.

Chlo, Nic, and Jake.

*Funding will cover the costs of equipment, crew pay, travel for cast/crew, permits, and general production needs.*

SYNOPSIS

This year we are filming a documentary to help raise awareness and enact meaningful change for a cause we are deeply passionate about and believe audiences will be all too familiar with. Domestic violence is an issue that affects more than 10 million women and men in America each year, and that number only reflects reported cases.

Our documentary centers around four women from rural communities telling their stories of how they were all victimized by the same man. He beat them, allegedly plotted their murders, threatened their loved ones, held guns to their heads, branded them with his initials, and has attempted to sue them in an effort to silence them over seventy times. He has been convicted nearly two dozen times of crimes related to the abuse of several women, and yet is still able to walk free today. Despite numerous charges and claims against him, he was released on parole after serving just fourteen months out of a ten-year sentence. All four women have personal protective orders (PPOs) against him, and yet none of them were notified of his release -which is a direct violation of their PPOs and the law.

These women are continuing to actively seek justice, despite our legal systems failing them time and time again. Our documentary will follow their multi-state fight to pursue justice for themselves and challenge local, state, and federal laws that allow thousands of abusers to evade justice every day.

Our documentary poses questions such as: Who does domestic violence affect and how does it start, what tactics do abusers use to prey on their victims, why do people go back to these relationships and what makes someone leave for good, and how do we as a country help protect our communities?

Through normalizing these conversations, we can all remove the taboo nature of speaking out against abusers. We hope our documentary sparks both a local and nationwide dialogue that empowers victims to reclaim their stories.

CREATIVE TEAM

Chloé

Chloé is an ambitious, young storyteller with a love of people. She is curious about the world and approaches her work with the same attitude. An actor, writer, and director for both stage and screen, she has produced several works of her own as well as recently worked on shows for networks such as Hulu, Disney, Showtime, FX, and Wonderama. Chloé has written, directed, and performed shows in collaboration with the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center and Polaris North Theatre NYC and has trained with several artists from the Broadway community. Her recent works center on the deep and specific relationships that exist between women.

Nicole

Nicole is a passionate filmmaker with a history of diverse projects highlighting social justice issues, rich and complex characters, and themes that inspire audiences to dream of what’s beyond the horizon. From 2012-2015, she served as co-owner, Editor in Chief, and reporter for the online entertainment news site musicholics.com. In 2016, her first narrative feature film SORTA LATE, in which she served as writer and producer, premiered at the Traverse City Film Festival. Over the last ten years, Nicole has developed and produced projects domestically and internationally for Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, and various nonprofit organizations.

Jacob

Jacob is a freelance filmmaker from the Kansas City area. After graduating from The University of Kansas in 2020, Jacob began working as an editor and cinematographer on a variety of projects ranging from music videos to documentaries. Jacob’s passion is in visual storytelling which led to his interest in the camera department and the role of cinematographer. While working as a cinematographer, Jacob has created content for clients such as the Kansas City Chiefs, TechN9ne, and the Chicago Fire. With each project, Jacob creates a detailed plan and bespoke visual style that will match any client’s needs.