About this project

Welcome!

My name is Jonathan Ade. Over the past two years, I've had the good fortune of designing and executing two short films based around the simple premise of a reflective examination of everyday life. The goal was to take moments that might pass us by and illuminate them to illustrious heights with the power of cinema. Through this simple premise, the films "Meditations: Man in Water" and "Meditations: Supper" have emerged.

The films themselves have done very well in reaching audiences across the country. The first, "Man in Water" was selected for official screening at the Cinema Lounge in Los Angeles, the 33rd Annual Big Muddy Film Festival in Carbondale, Illinois, the Recession Art's Emerging Filmmakers Showcase in Brooklyn, and the Clifton Film Festival in Virginia, where it won the prize for Best Editing. The second, "Supper", has only just begun the festival submission process, but within only two days, has already been accepted to the New Media Film Festival in San Francisco, where it won Best Film in the "Shot on Red" Category.

Continuing in this line, I'm writing to you today to enlist your help with the third film in Meditations series, "Meditations: ItsOkayItsOkay". Though short and simple, in many ways it's the most ambitious project I'm embarking on to date. And it needs your help in order to be constructed the way it's meant to.

The Third Meditation: ItsOkayItsOkay

"ItsOkayItsOkay" will be the third produced film in this series. It's about a sick little boy who wakes up in the middle of the night in a feverish state. Mustering all the courage he can, he makes the long trek down the hallway to his parents bedroom, where he wakes his father. The father escorts him back to bed and gently pets his back. The boy is gradually comforted until he falls asleep.

Underneath this simple story is the vulnerability of being young, the orientating touch of a father's love, and, ultimately, the shielding comfort brought by an adult to a child. In order to tell this story properly, the filmmakers will build the child's bedroom and hallway as changeable set pieces. To represent the boy's surreal fevered state, we will physically position the walls and ceiling in unsettling, off-kilter ways. When the father's presence returns a sense of normalcy to his surroundings, we will put the set pieces back in harmonious, architecturally sound positions. The ability to manipulate our physical surroundings will give us incredible control in fine-tuning the main character's perspective.

The Series

"ItsOkayItsOkay" will join "Man in Water" and "Supper" as the third film in the Meditations series, keeping our ambitious pace of a short every year. 

You may view the other two films in the series here:

I invite you to watch them as examples of my style, professionalism and emerging artistic viewpoint. I hope that you note the same progression I've noticed in the quality and execution of my work.

As always, each film in the Meditations series features a completely different narrative, but expect, as you'll see with these other two shorts, a close attention to detail, intimate focus and a meaningful humanist perspective. These are the trademarks of the Meditations series.

The Team

Alexander Paul is our returning cinematographer, having worked with Jonathan previously on “Man in Water” and "Supper." He was born in New London, CT and graduated from Emerson College with a BA degree in Film, concentrating in Cinematography. Shortly after graduation, he moved to Los Angeles and began working as a camera assistant on many features and TV shows such as “My Name is Earl” and “The Deadliest Warrior”. Alexander currently works as a union cameraman on Fox's hit show "Raising Hope".

Erika Ann Walters, our production designer, is a Southern California native and comes from a long line of fine artists. She received her B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2002 and her M.F.A. in Production Design from the American Film Institute in 2010. Her thesis film at AFI, "Thief", was the first place winner at the Academy Student Awards this year, for which she built an Iraqi hut in the deserts of the Angeles National Forest. She was the production designer on the previous film in the Meditations series, "Supper."

Ray Chao, our producer, has produced film and theatre projects in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. As an actor, he had a leading role in “Asshole” which was an official short film selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Currently, his short film “Little Buddies” is appearing in festivals across the country.

Final Thoughts

Our team has already laid the groundwork for "ItsOkayItsOkay", researching and visiting several studios that would make an ideal creative space in which for us to work. We're looking to begin the casting process early in December, and then build the sets early next year. Our shooting dates are scheduled for late February 2012.

That's why we need our funding in place as we move into the new year. Any contributions you make will go directly to the building of our set and to the extensive grip, lighting and camera equipment we'll need to bring this vision to life.

I hope that our proposal conveys the possibilities I envision and gives you the confidence to contribute to this worthy artistic endeavor.

My many, many thanks,

Jonathan