About this project
A provocative drama about a gay African-American teenage boy in California who grapples with his young identity on the night of the 2008 election. CHANGE explores the irony of Prop 8 passing on the very day that Barack Obama broke historic barriers to become our first African American President.
It's a beautiful, heartbreaking story that is sure to reignite the frustration and disappointment that so many Californians felt that next morning.
CHANGE is a narrative drama not a documentary. Documentaries let viewers observe stories from the outside, narrative film lets them feel stories from the inside. African Americans are acutely aware of the discrimination facing them every day, but many are blind to the manner in which they discriminate against those of differing sexual orientation. CHANGE hopes to show how subtle and insidious the specter of discrimination is.
CHANGE will be promoted via film festivals at home and abroad and specifically to those with an African American and GLBT audience.
Please feel free to read the script which has claimed great praise at www.afilmforchange.com
We are currently in the throws of pre-production and are gearing up to shoot on June 5th 2010. We have raised almost enough to make this is a truly stunning production but you could make all the difference.
Funding will go towards a two our locations – a high school classroom for the opening scene of the film and the family home location.
Thank you for helping this important film.
Praise for the Script:
Cali T. Rossen, Actress | Film maker | Artist 2010.5.8 16:54
Your characters struck a chord deep within my soul. . .that I pray ripples out to others hearts after reading your script or seeing this film to cause harmony in the differences of human kind. I experienced a brief glimpse of the excitement of Candace, the overwhelm & awe of Grandma, Ivan's gripping fear and the heart wrenching ache it felt to walk in Jamie's shoes. . .Thank you for taking me to a place that shook my senses. . .You are an extraordinary writer indeed!!! CTR*
Amaala EL-Amin (actress, writer, screenwriter) 2010.3.24 13:31
Read the script and loved it. The story is very relevant and honest. Its wonderful to see talented Female artist trying to make a statement through one of the most powerful outlets ever MEDAI & Film. I wish Bridgettea and Melissa the best in all their endeavors. Keep on keeping it Real, ladies.
Freddy Robinson 2010.3.13 10:33
Love the script! From page one to eighteen you nailed down solid characters, storyline and premise. Solid work.
Truly,
Freddy Robinson
Christine Lucas, Writer 2010.2.24 04:22
I just finished reading your short...WOW! Very well done! Perfectly executed. In 18 pages, you manage to create a dozen unique characters. Not only can I envision each one, but I can hear their unique voice.
Michelle Konrad, Screenwriter 2010.2.24 04:21
Your story is stunning. I loved it. Good job on contrasting the two events, the bitter/sweet feel of that day. Your characters are real and three-dimensional, and I care about them. You have a real talent. I hope you are writing other things, and intend to continue.
Matt Ragghianti, NBC writer and producer 2010.2.24 04:21
I just finished reading your work. Aside from reigniting my anger at the bigotry, ignorance and hate behind this absurd proposition, I was surprised at how well you are able to write. I hope that’s not insulting, I certainly don’t mean it to be. It’s just that… well, I get a lot of these things. And most are not good. I wish you the very best, Melissa. And congratulate you. Nice job.
Jessica Leventhal, Jinks/Cohen Company (Milk, American beauty) 2010.2.24 04:19
I'm so impressed by your writing. I think you really captured this moment in history and effectively showed not only the juxtaposition of the election results, but also how the victory of the principles represented by Obama made the passing of Prop 8 even sadder. You brought me into Jamie's world and I was genuinely moved. The characters were subtle, but very real. Well done.
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Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on June 1, 2010.
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Project By
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Melissa has just finished the Professional Producing Program at UCLA where she learnt a hell of a lot but not as much as this film will teach her. She’s been was interning at GROUNSDWELL - that’s one of the production companies that bought you MILK and the execs there were pretty impressed with the script for CHANGE. She's now interning at THE DAN JINKS COMPANY / BRUCE COHENPRODUCTIONS (MILK, AMERICAN BEAUTY)
In 2007, she made her first short film NOTHING (check out the trailer on IMDB) and has just finished her first feature script SHADES OF GREY that she wrote with writer/director Jeff McCutcheon. In 2005, whilst working in London, Melissa set up a theatre company called Stand Up Drama for which she won Best Producer at the London Fringe Awards. Stand Up Drama, recently re-branded as the ACTORS PLATFORM, is still going strong.
I’ll stop talking in the 3rd person now. I’m really passionate about making this film. I’m British, straight, and happily married so maybe that means I shouldn’t care, right? - Wrong - this is an issue that affects anyone who is human.
I am going to make this film and get it shown in every God damn place I can to draw attention to the cause and HOPEFULLY change people’s hearts and minds.
