Kickstarter

UPDATES!

We reached our Kickstarter goal and WHY should you still pledge for Tsuyako?

Our original goal was much higher but giving the time we had, we decided to mark our kickstarter goal for $5,800. With your generous extra support, we can submit TSUYAKO to EVERY FILM FESTIVALS around the WORLD so that YOU can see  TSUYAKO on a big screen with your name on the credit as a supporter!  Let's cross our fingers for me to visit the festival in your city and I can give your a thank you HUG!!

5/2/2011 - Post Production

Skywalker Sound at Lucas Film ltd. has watched our film and generously, they have donated their facility to do out final sound mixing!!  Academy Award winning sound mixer (Inception, Tron, Social Network) is assigned to mix TSUYAKO!

4/2/2011, WHERE YOU'LL GET SEE TSUYAKO

With this unfinished version, we have already been invited as an official selection to the Palm Springs International Short Fest in Southern California, the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo. They are both Academy qualifying film festivals so you might see our film at the Oscars next year - crossing our fingers!  We need your help to get TSUYAKO to screen at the best quality standards available to us!

ABOUT

TSUYAKO's journey has been one of great passion and effort. What started as a simple gesture of "thank you" to my grandmother blossomed into an incredibly moving short film that I was inspired to write, direct and produce throughout the course of the past two years. After having traveled to Japan to shoot the film in the most authentic and meaningful locations that I could get my hands on, it became clear that this would be no ordinary USC thesis project, but a testament to my enthusiasm for filmmaking and my long-standing wish to give my grandmother the little ounce of freedom she herself was never allowed to have.

Please visit www.TsuyakoTheFilm.com, where you can hear our theme song, see our cast and production team photos, watch the trailer and even read the script.

Come Join our group on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tsuyako/254079806577

And check out our blog to see our journey throughout making this film!

http://tsuyako.blogspot.com

THE STORY

In Post-War Japan, Tsuyako lives a demanding life as a mill factory worker, obedient wife and loving mother. When a past lover, Yoshie, pays a surprise visit, she reignites a passion in Tsuyako - one that she had kept hidden since their separation. After Yoshie witnesses how Tsuayko's new family mistreats her, she begs Tsuyako to join her in her travels to Tokyo, where they would be able to live the life that they had always dreamt of, together. Tsuyako must choose between her duties as a woman and the promise of freedom, while struggling to maintain the Japanese traditions of culture and family.

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

Filming this short was no easy task. The producers and I flew out to my home town in Japan and had to bring together a team of volunteers who would make up our crew. Up until this point, we've got support from our family and friends who have donated their time and money, and also my credit card to get us to this point.  Now that we've picture-locked and orchestrated our score, we still have a ways to go. We need to finish the following before our film will be totally complete, so you can see it at its best!

1. Color Correction

2. Final Sound Mixing

3. Transfer to HDCAM/DigiBeta (for those of you who don't know, this is the "final print" version of digital media that will be used to screen at festivals)

DELIVERY OF INCENTIVES

Once TSUYAKO is funded, our post-production process should take all of one month. As soon as that is completed, if you've pledged $35 or more, a DVD of the finished film will be mailed to you, along with all other physical rewards (Soundtrack, Production stills photo album, Poster and Behind-the-Scenes DVD). IMDB credits will be posted within one month of funding.

The first step is raising all the funds necessary to get us through the post-production of our film! If our goal is not met, you will not be charged for your pledge.

Thank you so very much in advance for your support!

Sending Love an Lights,

Mitsuyo

"May Peace Prevail on Earth"