MaricellaEspinosaBlohm

18March2015
Unit3Proposal
ContextNote
ThepurposeofthisproposalistogetfundingfromtheFordFoundationJustFilmsGrant.
TheaudienceforthisproposalistheOfficeoftheSecretaryattheFordFoundation.TheFord
Foundationhasbeengivingoutgrantssince2011todifferentdocumentaryfilmmakersallover
theworld.Theybelieveinshowcasingnewandmodernissues.Thepersonaisprofessional,
motivated,andcreative.

Mixed Feelings
Logline:
ShootingwilltakeplaceinBoston,Massachusettsatvariouscollegecampuses,including
NortheasternUniversity,BostonCollege,andBostonUniversity.Thewomeninterviewedwill
beattendingthesecollegesorwillhaveattendedcollegeinthepast.Themissionistoshowto
thegeneralpopulationwhatitmeanstobeawomanwhoisconfusedabouthersexualityand
takestheliberalenvironmentofcollegeasanopportunitytodiscoverherselfandherfeelings.
Summary of Topic:
IntheUnitedStatestoday37stateshavemadegaymarriagelegalandgayandlesbian
cultureisallovermassmedia.However,bisexualrelationshipscontinuetobeundertheradarto
ourmillennialgeneration.Thisdocumentarywillshowcasethestrugglesbisexualfemalesgo
throughandinturnthiswillhelpourculturetodaybecomemoreawareoftheserelationships.If
societyknowsmoreaboutaboutasubgroupwithintheLGBTcommunity,morebisexual
individualswillfeelcomfortablebeingwhotheyare.Thisiswhyourgenerationneedsthis
documentary.Iamcurrentlyincollegeandhavetheperspectivetoshowcasethistopic
appropriatelyandfluidly.Ihavemoreaccesstofemalesoncollegecampusesandwillbeableto
makethesewomenfeelcomfortabletellingtheirstories.Thiswillbemyfirstdocumentary
whichwillgivemyworkafreshandmodernfeelthattheyoungergenerationwillrespondwell
to.
Narrative Synopsis:

Manypeopleseecollegeastheirfirststepsintotheadultworld.Aworldwheretheydo
nothavetolistentowhattheirparentssayandtheycandowhatevertheywant.Manycollege
campusespromoteexperimentationinallaspectsoflifeandthiskindofattitudecanpotentially
changeorinspireaperson.Thisenvironmentcanaffectsmallaspectsofoneslifeormajorones,
likewhatgendersomeoneisattractedto.ApollwrittenbyTheGuardian,detailedthatmostgay,
lesbianandbisexualpeopleintheirthirtiescameoutaroundage21.21intheU.S.ispartofthe
peakofthecollegeexperience.Howdoesthecollegeenvironmenteffectlesbianrelationships?
Doesthecollegeenvironmentpromotebisexualorlesbianrelationships?Andwhathappensafter
awomangraduatesfromcollegeandisthrownintoanewenvironment?Isshealesbian,orwas
italljustaphase?
ThesearethequestionsIamhopingtoanswerthroughmydocumentary.Iwillinterview,
follow,andrecordwomenoncollegecampuseswhoareeitherthinkingaboutpursuingalesbian
relationshiporarecurrentlyhavingalesbianexperience,womenincollegewhoconsider
themselvestobelesbians,andfinallywomenwhoaregraduatedfromcollegebuthadlesbian
relationswhiletheywereinschool.Iwantthisdocumentarytoshowthatabisexualwomancan
eitherbesororitysisteroranartmajor.Iwillfollowthesewomenforoneyearwhileatthesame
timeconductinginterviewswitholderwomenwhohavegraduatedcollege.Byfollowingthese
womenforthislongIwillbeabletogetawellroundedlookintotheirexperiencesandhow
thingschangeastimegoeson.
Iwantthenarrativearcofmydocumentarytocenterarounddiscoveryandprogress.I
wantthisdocumentarytoleavethoseinvolvedwithanswersandwiththefeelingthatthereare
manywomengoingthroughthesamechangestheyare.Artistically,Iwantthisdocumentaryto

benoninvasiveandstructuredaroundanethnography.ThismeansthatIwillencouragethe
womeninthedocumentarytopretendthatthecameraisnotthereIwantthedocumentaryto
haveanartisticrawness.Itwillbeverypersonal.WhenIamexclusivelyinterviewingwomen,I
wanttogointotheirhomesandshowthemintheirownenvironment,inascomfortableasetting
aspossible.AlltheseelementsputtogetherwillgivemyworktherawandpersonalfeelingthatI
hopetoconvey.
Status of Film and Brief Completion Timeline:
CurrentlyIamworkingwithmyteamtomakeanartisticoutlinetobeusedandtweaked
duringpreproductionsothatisreadytobeaguideforproduction.
May2015Preproduction:casting
July2015July2016Production:filmingandplanningforpostproductionmarketing
August2016September2016Postproduction:editingandkickoffmarketing
campaign
September2016distributiontofilmfestivalsandcontinuedmarketingcampaigns
Fundraising, Distribution, and Marketing Strategy:
Ihaveorganizedafundraisingteamthatwillbrainstormwaystogarnerfundsthroughout
theentiretimeline.Thiswaytherewillbesupportfloodinginaswefilmandinpreparationfor
postproductionexpenses.ThefundraisingteamandIwillalsohosteventsforpotentialpartners
togetinvolved.WewillalsohavealargesocialmediapresenceonFacebook,Instagram,and
Twitter,alongwithawebsite,withthepromiseofteasersthroughoutfilmingthatwillgetpeople
interestedanddonatingduringproduction.Thesocialmediaaspectisthemainfocusofour

marketingstrategyaswell,asasocialmediapresenceisbecomingoneofthemostimportant
marketingstrategies.Iwillalsodistributethedocumentarytovariousfilmfestivalsthroughout
thecountryincluding,TheMargaretMeadFilmFestival,SouthbySouthwestFilmFestival,and
theTrue/FalseFilmFestival.
Total Budget:
860,000USD
Condensed Line Item Budget:

CategoryDescription

Value

ProductionTeam

200,000

ProductionEquipment

200,000

PreProductionExpenses

100,000

ProductionExpenses

200,000

PostProductionExpenses

100,000

TravelExpenses

10,000

Miscellaneous

50,000

Total:860,000USD

MaricellaEspinosaBlohm

March262015
Unit3
ResponseLetter
DearAlex,Kyle,andProfessorEnos,
ThefeedbackIgotfromeveryonewasverywellthoughtoutandextremelyhelpful.Alexand
Kylebothaskedmeimportantquestionsthathelpedmetoaddmoredetailsintomypaper.I
wasabletoaddmorespecificslikewhatschoolsIwouldbefilmingat,andwhatfilmfestivalsI
wouldbeapplyingto.Thismademyproposalsoundmoreprofessional.Ialsochangedthe
awkwardphrasingthateveryonepointedoutincertainsentences.Thiswillensurethatmy
paperdoesnotseemunorganized.IalsolikedthatProfessorEnosencouragedmetochange
theheadingstoadifferentfontorstyleinordertomakemyproposalmoreeasytofollowand
fluid.IalsoappreciatedwhatAlexandProfessorEnossaidaboutclarifyingthediversityofthe
peopleIwouldbeinterviewing,becauseatthismomentIdonotknowwhowillvolunteertobe
apartofthefilmmaking.IdecidedtotakeoutanythingthatIdonotknowyet,besidesmy
estimatesforfundingandfortheschedule.Thiswaymypaperwillnotseemforced.Ialso
reallyappreciatedthepositivefeedbackIreceivedformyideaandmademefeelmore
confidentaboutmywork.
Thankyouall!
Best,
Mari