spacejam: Synopsis of spiel: I’m fundraising...

spacejam:

Synopsis of spiel:

I’m fundraising for my short film, Girls Don’t Grumble. It’s about respect and listening and, most of all, my family, who you may have read about here. And it’s in its final stages of production!

All it needs is a liiiiiiittle help to reach completion! If you can find anything at all that you’d like to give to this project that aims to catalogue every ridiculous and ridiculously earnest thing that’s come out of a traditional immigrant parent’s mouth, I would be forever indebted to you. All donations of any kind (dollar, penny, high five) are 100% welcomed, and 200% appreciated.

And I’d argue that since my video is addressed to my family, you are all now a part of my family. I’m sure you’ve read enough about ‘em, anyway!

You guys are awesome. All donators will be heavily thanked in the credits!

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Incredibly long spiel (for those who read things like 2666):

What’s my deal?

Family is great. I don’t know how I would have ever developed a sense of humor without my family, particularly my dad. He doesn’t take nonsense from anyone, and is always looking out for my brother and myself — whether that means saving us coupons for peanut butter or demanding justice when a restaurant’s candle came a little too close to my hair. He knows about turbine engines, cheap airfare, and tax deductions. He loves Seinfeld. He once said, “I always wear pants in the car, just in case.” He wakes up at 7:00 A.M. because he likes it. He could spend five hours on a Stairmaster. He loves CiCi’s Pizza, Pasta, and Salad Buffet. He hates chocolate.

My dive into the entertainment world is my way of honoring everything he has said and done for me.

What’s the project?

On a personal level, Girls Don’t Grumble is an independent short film I made at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. I’ve spent years writing down conversations with my dad, and this film was an effort to remind him of what he’s shared with me — and what my mom and grandparents and brother have shared with me — and thank them all for bringing humor into my life.

On a larger scale, I have a lot of hopes for the film. A few years ago, my dentist asked me what my major was, and when I said “Television and Film,” he laughed. He said he’d never met a non-Shyamalan Indian person in the United States that was pursuing film. Granted, my dentist had never been to an art school in a city, but still — it got me thinking.

This film is my attempt to be a voice in the South Asian filmmaker community. I have always loved comedy, and the way it subtly reminds of us universal understandings we share with each other. And I want to add more diversity to the entertainment community in a way in which I’m not making fun of first generation versus second generation dynamics, but really trying to celebrate them in an honest way.

What stage is it in?

The film is at the “fine cut” stage (meaning we’re not going to be edited it anymore!). All that is needed is a composer and a sound mix. These elements are crucial to the light-hearted, whimsical nature of the film — as it’s doused with experimental sound effects and textures — making the post-production phase the most important part of the process.

Every dollar counts.

This sentiment is the heart of the independent film world. This entire film was paid for out of pocket as an investment, but unfortunately what I scraped together was just not enough to see it to the finish line! Your help — in any amount that you can spare — will give immeasurable mileage to this project that’s so close to my heart (and so close to being finished!).

Thanks everyone!