Kickstarter

Writer/Director: Antonia Grilikhes-Lasky
Producer: Rammy Lee Park
Director of Photography: Hillary Spera

TRY A LITTLE HARDER is a short film about taking risks. It’s about the messy line between art and life. It’s about a guy named Tracy who really screws up.

ABOUT THE FILM

A major component of my thesis portfolio, this film represents the culmination of my writing and directing studies at Columbia University’s Graduate Film Program. This project engages with the issues of progress and change from a perspective that I’ve come to over the course of my life as a member of a family of artists, but that I believe are relevant to everyone.

TRY A LITTLE HARDER is a dark comedy that explores what happens when problems in an artist’s work bleed into his life. It tells the story of Tracy, a young sculptor living with his quirky, successful girlfriend Wendy. Emotional, testy and full of self-doubt, Tracy allows himself one secret, subversive act to momentarily boost his pride. But the transgression creates a serious predicament with Wendy, a predicament that only gets bigger, worse, and uglier the more Tracy tries to fix it. The tension builds throughout their day to a final, ridiculous confrontation at a dinner party later that night, snowballing to the potential destruction of Tracy's relationship, career, and very identity!

ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED

Making a movie is a lot of work, and takes a long time – even a short film! It takes equipment, locations, art direction and props, and most importantly, cast and crew working together over several long days. The shoot itself will take place over five days in early November. Post-production (editing, sound design, color correction and music) will continue into the Spring. The funds raised will be used to cover the costs of production and post-production, from hiring crew and renting equipment, to sending the completed work to film festivals around the world.

ABOUT YOU

We’re particularly excited to be raising funds with Kickstarter because it provides us a forum in which to build a community around the film. Many of the giving levels include ways in which you can become engaged with the creative process of the film from start to finish. We look forward to staying connected with you throughout this journey, and to keeping you up to date at each stage of the project!

Thank you so very much for being a part of our community, and for your support! We can’t make this film without you!

Yours,
Antonia Grilikhes-Lasky and the TRY A LITTLE HARDER team.