AN AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE THESIS FILM
SYNOPSIS
One afternoon NIKA, a scrappy but self-doubting tomboy, begins to question her world when she hears a rumor from her best friends that her Mother might be a Stripper. Shocked & angry, NIKA realizes she has never asked herself why her Mother acts the way she does, where her Mother goes each night, and how her Mother actually puts food on the table. So, NIKA decides to investigate. But only when she sneaks inside the local strip club, DELILAH'S DEN, does she find the truth that will change her relationship with her Mother forever.
This film is a gritty and raw coming of age story, centered on the strained but paradoxical relationship between NIKA and her Mother, CHRISSY. While their everyday lives are worlds apart, their hearts are in the same place as both long to be better understood by the other.
One afternoon NIKA, a scrappy but self-doubting tomboy, begins to question her world when she hears a rumor
from her best friends that her Mother might be a Stripper. Shocked & angry, NIKA realizes she has never asked
herself why her Mother acts the way she does, where her Mother goes each night, and how her Mother actually
puts food on the table. So, NIKA decides to investigate. But only when she sneaks inside the local strip club,
DELILAH'S DEN, does she find the truth that will change her relationship with her Mother forever.
This film is a gritty and raw coming of age story, centered on the strained but paradoxical relationship between NIKA and her Mother, CHRISSY. While their everyday lives are worlds apart, their hearts are in the same place as both long to be better understood by the other.
Development/Pre-Production
August 13th, 2019 - November 4th, 2019
Deadline for Budget Fundraising
November 1st, 2019
Filming Principal Photography
November 5th, 2019 - November 14th, 2019
Reshoots for Additional Photography
January 16th, 2020 - January 23rd, 2020
Picture Lock
February 8th, 2020
Project Delivery
April 11th, 2020
PRODUCTION
Development/Pre-Production: August 13th, 2019 - November 4th, 2019
Deadline for Budget Fundraising: November 1st, 2019
Filming Principal Photography: November 5th, 2019 - November 14th, 2019
Reshoots for Additional Photography: January 16th, 2020 - January 23rd, 2020
Picture Lock: February 8th, 2020
Project Delivery: April 11th, 2020
Completion of this Thesis Film is required in fulfillment of the AFI Conservatory Program
FILMMAKERS
FUNDRAISING + DONATIONS
We are seeking monetary support for our Production Budget, as well as In-Kind Donations of Equipment, Services, and Other Goods to our Thesis Film.
We are seeking monetary support for our Production Budget,
as well as In-Kind Donations of Equipment, Services, and Other Goods to our Thesis Film.
We adhere to a strict set of Production Guidelines established by the AFI Conservatory. While we are rising Independent Filmmakers, we are not allowed to be Guerrilla Filmmakers at the AFI Conservatory. Everyday, we learn at AFI how to become better storytellers, and your support is both an investment our film and in us as filmmakersWe are all very excited to be making this film, and cannot wait to watch it with all of you all on the big screen!
We adhere to a strict set of Production Guidelines established by the AFI Conservatory.
While we are rising Independent Filmmakers, we are not allowed to be Guerrilla Filmmakers at the AFI Conservatory.
Everyday, we learn at AFI how to become better storytellers, and your support is both an investment our film and in us as filmmakers.
We are all very excited to be making this film, and cannot wait to watch it with all of you all on the big screen!
OUR GOAL
$65,000
DEADLINE TO DONATE: November 1st, 2019
Anything Helps, Thank You!
Thank You To All Our Donors! We Are Able To Make This Film Only Because Of You!
PLEASE NOTE
All donations to our film must be submitted directly to the AFI Conservatory. AFI is a 501(c)(3) organization, which means any contribution can be considered as a charitable gift in the United States & Canada. If you would like to make a wire transfer donation, or potentially qualify for an In-Kind Donation please see the documents below.
All donations to our film must be submitted directly to the AFI Conservatory.
AFI is a 501(c)(3) organization, which means any contribution can be considered as a charitable gift in the United States & Canada.
If you would like to make a wire transfer donation, or potentially qualify for an In-Kind Donation please see the documents below.
AFI Wire Transfer Donations
AFI In-Kind Donation Form
AFI Canadian Donations
Thank You Again For Your Support !
You've Helped Us Reach Our Goal!
DAVID LYNCH (Directing)
Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, Dune
AMY HECKERLING (Directing)
Clueless, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
TERRENCE MALICK (Directing)
Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, Tree of Life
DARREN ARONOFSKY (Directing)
Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan
STEVE GOLIN (Producing)
Babel, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine
DANA LUSTIG (Producing)
Brick, Dancing at the Blue Iguana, Kill Me Later
WALLY PFISTER (Cinematography)
Inception, The Prestige, Memento, Batman Begins
ROBERT RICHARDSON (Cinematography)
Kill Bill, The Aviator, Inglorious Basterds
JANUSZ KAMINSKI (Cinematography)
Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Munich
MATTHEW LIBATIQUE (Cinematography)
Cowboys and Aliens, Black Swan, Iron Man
STEVEN ROSENBLUM (Editing)
Braveheart, X-Men, Blood Diamond, Defiance
VICTOR DU BOIS (Editing)
The Last Samurai, Profiler, Roswell
SUSANNAH GRANT (Screenwriting)
Erin Brockovich, Unfaithful, Everafter, 28 Days
PAUL SCHRADER (Screenwriting)
Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Bringing Out The Dead
TODD CHERNIAWSKY (Production Design)
Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Armageddon
JOE GARRITY (Production Design)
Sunshine Cleaning, Waiting for Guffman, My Girl
ABOUT THE AFI CONSERVATORY
At the world-renowned AFI Conservatory, a dedicated group of working professionals from the film and television communities serve as mentors in a hands-on, production-based environment nurturing the talents of tomorrow's storytellers. The Conservatory is consistently recognized as one of the world’s top film schools.
With an emphasis on narrative visual storytelling and personal expression, each class breaks into teams that mirror a real production environment. Those teams collaborate on and produce more films than any other graduate level film program.
Established in 1969, the two-year Master of Fine Arts program provides training in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. Admission to AFI Conservatory is highly selective, with a maximum of only 140 graduates per year.
DAVID LYNCH (Directing) Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, Dune
AMY HECKERLING (Directing) Clueless, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
TERRENCE MALICK (Directing) Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, Tree of Life
DARREN ARONOFSKY (Directing) Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan
STEVE GOLIN (Producing) Babel, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine
DANA LUSTIG (Producing) Brick, Dancing at the Blue Iguana, Kill Me Later
WALLY PFISTER (Cinematography) Inception, The Prestige, Memento, Batman Begins
ROBERT RICHARDSON (Cinematography) Kill Bill, The Aviator, Inglorious Basterds
JANUSZ KAMINSKI (Cinematography) Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Munich
MATTHEW LIBATIQUE (Cinematography) Cowboys and Aliens, Black Swan, Iron Man
STEVEN ROSENBLUM (Editing) Braveheart, X-Men, Blood Diamond, Defiance
VICTOR DU BOIS (Editing) The Last Samurai, Profiler, Roswell
SUSANNAH GRANT (Screenwriting) Erin Brockovich, Unfaithful, Everafter, 28 Days
PAUL SCHRADER (Screenwriting)Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Bringing Out The Dead
TODD CHERNIAWSKY (Production Design )Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Armageddon
JOE GARRITY (Production Design) Sunshine Cleaning, Waiting for Guffman, My Girl
NOTABLE ALUMNI INCLUDE...
CONTACT
If you have questions, comments, would like to get in contact with us, or want join our mailing list for updates on the progress of our film please send us an email anytime!
If you have questions, comments, would like to get in contact with us,
or want join our mailing list for updates on the progress of our film please send us an email anytime!