THE PROJECT

Day of Youth is a parable about the dangers of nostalgia, and a portrait of a generation stuck in neutral.  It's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets The Graduate, plus a good number of jokes about brain damage.  It's about being young and feeling old--it's about having your whole life ahead of you, but fearing that your dreams might never come true. 

The film follows Rhee Irving, who is 26 and recovering from a bike accident.  She's forgotten the last three years of her life (no, she wasn't wearing a helmet), but amnesia is the least of her worries.   Rhee still has the same dead-end job, is still living at home, and worst yet, hasn't made good on any of the dreams she's had. 

If she's forgotten the last few years, though, her exes are free to present their own version.  It's isn't long before they come knocking:  Aran, the terminal barista; Nat, street-musician and radical; and Birdo, the trust-fund traditionalist.  

Hilarity ensues as Rhee finds her way around town and around her exes, and fights her own fears to figure out how to get her life on track.

...and she should probably start wearing a helmet.

THE PROCESS

Day of Youth completed 9 days of shooting in February of 2012.  Our team included professionals, film students, acting teachers, and those making their film debut.  The process has truly been a remarkable collaboration among artists and actors here in Boston.  

We plan to return for our final 4 days of shooting this summer.  We’ll re-unite to wrap shooting, and we're psyched to bring this project home.

The whole production thus far has been an exercise in micro-budget film-making.  From using scrap materials from past projects to borrowing props and clothes from family and friends, we've amassed substantial production value at pennies on the dollar.  

We mean to keep this same frugal mentality, but unfortunately, we are headed into a stage that does not lend itself to as much begging and borrowing.  The $7,000 that we are looking to raise is a little more than we've already spent on the film.  These funds will be necessary to edit, color grade, sound edit, mix and obtain music rights.  Additionally, there will be costs in getting the project seen:  promotional materials and festival submissions alone will cost thousands of dollars.  

We've done what we can with a dedicated crew and limited resources, but we're going to need your help to get us the rest of the way!

HOW ELSE CAN I HELP?

In indie film, friends are just as important as funds!  Even if you can't give, please like us on facebook (facebook.com/dayofyouth) or follow us on twitter (twitter.com/dayofyouth)!  We promise a healthy mix of behind-the-scenes progress, articles on indie film, links to other projects our cast and crew are working on, and plenty of shameless self-promotion.

You can also help by sharing, tweeting, or e-mailing our kickstarter and other pages to your friends.  We can't afford a major publicity campaign, but with your help, we can raise awareness of our project!

Finally, make indie films a part of your entertainment menu.  Our film doesn't count for much if there's no market for truly independent film, so help show distributors and decision-makers that people love indie films!  Go visit your local film festivals--and if they're not in season, track down last year's selections on iTunes, Amazon, VOD or DVD/Blu-Ray.  And check out Kickstarter's other indie films to fund!  

Thank you all so much, and expect more updates to come!