The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop Begins July 15th!
First, we are again saying thank you to all the amazing people who supported our crowdfunding campaign. We would not be here without you! We are now busy getting all our ducks in a row to ensure the production runs smoothly. We are constructing sets, formulating shot lists, purchasing costumes. renting equipment, attaching final crew, and getting all legal paperwork and contracts in place.
Synopsis:
Set in 1974 rural New England, this live-action family drama is about Cecily, a 7-year-old girl who, following the death of her baby sister, lives in a world with no music, no color, no laughter, no love. That is, until a magical imaginary friend shows up and joins Cecily on the quest to save her family from the grief that is destroying them.
Crew Updates
We are welcoming some new additions to our crew.
Katherine Castro
Director of Photography
After studying architecture and photography while living in the Dominican Republic, Katherine Castro returned to Boston in 2008 to continue her studies in photography. She began working in film and TV, gaining a love for visual storytelling and invaluable experience on productions of all size and scale. Her love for architecture, design, and photography lend to a unique style and viewpoint.
Evan Schneider
Audio Mixer/Boom Operator
Evan is the founder of Hop Top Films. Known for his versatility on and off set, he has worked professionally in the film and videography industry for the past eight years following his graduation from Boston University with a Certification in Digital Filmmaking. Currently producing large quantities of business promos for Yelp & Zillow and gathering independent filmmaking awards at Film Festivals across the nation, he has big plans for Hop Top Films. Putting his all into his craft, Evan has built up his company arsenal of professional gear and loyal, talented casts and crew.
Sam Robinson
Gaffer
Sam is a Massachusetts-based filmmaker and graduate of Emerson College. In addition to working in Boston, Sam has worked on projects around the world, including Beijing, China, and Lima, Peru. He is fiercely dedicated to all things lighting/grip.
Cast Updates
Molly McCarthy (Amanda Jane) and Colbi Gannett (Cecily Blinkstop) bonded at a cookout.
This duo will certainly melt hearts!
Commitment to New England:
We are committed to hiring 80% of our cast and crew from the New England region. Paid film jobs in the New England region are hard to come by. We are working hard to provide employment to local filmmakers.
Commitment to Women:
We are committed to building a cast and crew with at least 50% women. Women represent 50% of the students graduating from film school and, therefore, our set will reflect and honor that statistic.
About Jennifer Potts:
Jennifer Potts is an independent Massachusetts-based filmmaker who proves that life does not need to slow down when you reach the middle. After receiving her BA in Theatre Arts, she spent years directing and producing theatre. At the age of 41, she returned to school to study Film and Video Production at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the past five years, Jennifer has written and directed three short films. Her last short film, Charlie & Poppy, screened at 16 film festivals around the world and won three best of category awards. Jennifer wrote The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop during her first semester in graduate school and is shooting this short as a proof of concept for the feature film. The feature film script won the Grand Prize of the New England Spotlight section of the 2016 Rhode Island International Film Festival’s Screenplay Competition.