Mermaid Feature Film

LOGLINE:  A nine - year old boy struggling with his true gender crosses paths with an unraveling but lovable Drag Queen.

DIRECTOR’S MISSION STATEMENT:

 

As a filmmaker I was deeply moved to write a film about the plight of our LGBTQ youth in this country after researching countless stories and speaking to several trans teenagers who spoke openly about their fears and struggles to find acceptance with their own bodies, in their families, communities and faith based groups.  I was stunned to hear that many of these kids as young as 8 years old are driven to take their own lives as a result of great shame, bullying and persecution from their peers, family members and religious groups. After speaking with the parent’s of several trans children, I was also struck with how isolated they too feel as they often face this transition with their children alone and at odds with many members of their community and peer groups. My wish is to create a raw gem of a film in the vein of “Moonlight” and “The Danish Girl” that can help illuminate the plight of these at risk LGBTQ youth and their parent’s living in more conservative rural communities and help them live a life of peace, acceptance and happiness knowing that they truly matter.

PRODUCTION TEAM

CAST includes; George Eads ( NCIS, MacGyver, ) Mary Birdsong ( The Descendants, Reno 911, Generation HBO, more names TBA 

 

▪    DIRECTOR / WRITER:  FIA PERERA

Award winning director and writer FIA PERERA has pulled from her years of experience in front of the camera as an actor to hone her skills behind the camera as a director.  She has appeared in films with Harrison Ford and Ashley Judd and written over fifteen plays produced off Broadway in NYC in venues such as Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Labyrinth Theater Company and Don’t Tell Mama’s.  

 

In LA, her works have premiered at the HBO Workspace, Hyperion Theater, Comedy Central Stage and Hudson Theater to sold out crowds and crucial acclaim.  She won both a Kids First and a Telly award for her animated kids show, Seafun for kids and has written and produced several TV series, including, Inappropriate Fairy Tales, Ghost Shrink as well as the award winning TV pilot Do The Voice.  In January 2019, Fia directed the hilarious comedy pilot Baby Steps. Fia has also written several feature films and TV projects that are in various stages of development. Fia is currently on the Board for anti-poaching organization, VETPAW. She has has raised over one million dollars in the last few years alone for multiple charities.  

Fia is a creative, results driven communicator and strategic thinker who now brings both her her leadership and collaborative style to her passion project MERMAID. Fia is deeply committed to bringing real awareness and real change to world culture supporting the LGBTQ community through her artistic work.

▪    PRODUCER:  HILLIARD GUESS

Born in Detroit, raised in the ‘hood near San Francisco, youngest of five in a family pegged “The Cosby Show in the Ghetto.” Hilliard’s a fun, 80s style MOD/Afro Punk with a knack for writing underdog/ redemption stories in the bio, music, horror or murder-death-kill world. 

Hilliard was recently staffed on the Russo Bros action SYFY series DEADLY CLASS.  He serves on the following WGAW Committees: Vice Chair - Committee of Black Writers, Acting Chair - The Education Committee and he’s also a member of the LGBTQ+, Latino and Genre Committees. He keeps the lights on as an “assignment writer” and is in and on the cover of the iTunes book “The Top 100 Indie Writers In The World”.  Through Hilldog productions, he produces TV pilots, Films, Web Series and Music Documentaries.  Hilliard moderates screenings at the WGAW theater, 3rd & Fiarfax Podcast and “Screenwriter’s Rant Room!” [email protected]  323-377-9585.

 

▪    PRODUCER:  RYAN LACEN

Ryan is an award winning producer who works out of the Los Angeles based production company NORMAL FILMS.  He has produced a variety of national commercials for brands like Marriott, TNT, Intel, and T-Mobile as well as music videos for artists that range from The Head and the Heart, Matthew Morrison (‘Glee’), Becky G, Juicy J to London based sensation Louisa Johnson. In the recent years he has produced alongside director Joss Whedon (‘The Avengers’) as well as overseeing production on a dozen feature films including The Dust Storm which was acquired by Hulu. He currently has two films in festivals, She’s Allergic to Cats and Burning Kentucky, with both of them having won Grand Jury prizes.
 

▪    EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:  SKYE DRYNAN

Skye Drynan wears multiple hats ranging from Wall street biotech investor to fashion designer, inventor, content creator and producer. After graduating from Wellesley College on an academic scholarship, Skye worked investing in finance focused on biotechnology while assisting Francois Gaudet at the Whitehead Institute in oncology research. Currently Skye vets new technologies at medical meetings, speaks on panels, and designs clothes for Hollywood’s top talent. 

Her designs have been featured in magazines ranging from Bazaar to Cosmopolitan as well as Fashion TV. In addition, Skye’s fashion lines have been featured in music videos and on album covers for artists including Avril Lavigne, Carrie Underwood, Lexy Panterra and Ally Brooke.

In 2020 Skye will launch her new Dulce Bestia lines that incorporate high tech to high fashion in novel ways. She will unveil her women’s & men’s intimates line (Bareback) which includes her globally patented backless bra plus her new winter wear line (Snow Beast). In addition to helping raise capital for “ Mermaid”, Skye’s designs will also be featured in the film. 

 

 

▪    DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: SHANE COLLINS

 Shane Collins is an award-winning director of photography who’s known for his mastery of the craft, with his work screening at major festivals including Sundance and Cannes. Shane has lensed four feature films as well as hundreds of hours of television for networks including MTV, BET, VH1, Discovery, TLC, Lifetime, and TVOne. On the commercial side, brands including Bud Light, Acura, and Ritz-Carlton have trusted his eye on 150+ commercial spots. His dedication and mastery of lighting make him second to none. 

 

Some of his awards include: 

·      Cannes Silver Lion (2019) – Payless “Palessi”

·      Adweek Experience Award (2019) – Payless “Palessi”

·      Adage Small Agency Campaign of the Year – Experiential (2019) – Payless “Palessi”

·      Adweek Experience Award (2019) – Adidas “747 Warehouse Street”

·      Studio City International Film Fest Best Comedy (2019) – Electric Love

·      San Diego Film Festival Best World Premiere (2018) – Electric Love

·      Sundance Film Festival U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award For Editing (2017) – Unrest

·      New England Area Emmy, Short Form (2014) – Misfortune

 
Mermaid plans to be shot in Georgia fall of 2021 and will be utilizing the significant tax and diversity incentives provided there.

ROI: 110% return plus 50% of all all Net Receipts dependent on % of investment.  By way of example only, if Investor contributes seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) and the final Budget Cost is seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000), then Investor will have contributed ten percent (10%) of the final Budget Cost. Accordingly, Investor will be entitled to ten percent (10%) of the Investor Share. If the Picture's Profit equals nine hundred thousand dollars ($900,000), then investor will receive a sum equal to fifty percent (50%) of nine-hundred thousand dollars ($900,000) multiplied by ten percent (10%) to arrive at a total amount to Investor of forty five thousand dollars ($45,000).

▪     FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Mermaid is a coming of age drama.  A nine year old boy struggling with his gender identity, crosses paths with an unraveling but lovable Drag Queen.  

 

This is an extremely timely genre that has a wide reach.  This film also has civil rights issues that are sought after by film festivals.  

 

·      Budget: $600,000 

It is difficult to make projections in the independent movie industry. Our immediate focus is to ensure that our investors make 110% return of their capital contribution. 

The Equity Investors shall collectively own 50% of the Percentage Interests in the LLC, pari passu, and the Producers shall collectively own 50% of the membership interests in the LLC, pari passu..

Distributions of Available Cash Flow: 

A.          First, 50% collectively to the Equity Investors pro rata in accordance with their Initial Capital Contributions, and 50% collectively to the parties who are entitled to Deferred Fees, pari passu, until all permissible Deferred Fees have been paid.

B.          Thereafter, 100% collectively to the Equity Investors pro rata in accordance with their Capital Contributions until the Equity Investors have collectively recouped 110% of their Initial Capital Contributions. 

C.         Thereafter, to the Equity Members and Producers in accordance with their 
         Percentage Interests in the LLC.   

 

 

We would like to show three ranges of potential: 

 

On the low end, a smaller distributor has conservatively estimated $850,000.00 in sales if the film meets a basic professional standard with no recognizable box office talent. These sales would be mostly VOD and TV.  We will also focus on film festival support to bolster recognition.

 

Another sales agent has estimated up to $1,000,000 with his buyers if we secure one recognizable box office talent, also with a focus on VOD, Internet, and TV. 

 

Thank you for being part of this valuable project. 

 

      Fia Perera

 

      Director,
      Mermaid