PaliHi Grads Seek Funding for Their Film

If you’ve always wanted to call yourself a movie producer, two Palisades High graduates—Nic Mora and Lorin Doctor—are offering you a chance to acquire that credit in their upcoming movie, “Roadies.”
The independent film, a dark comedy focusing on six college seniors, is currently budgeted at only $7,000, thanks to the fact that the actors, film editor and director are working for free. To date, $2,506 has been raised through Indiegogo (an international crowdfunding site where funds can be raised for film, music, art, charity, small businesses and theater). If you contribute $1,500, you not only become a producer on “Roadies,” but also receive three tickets to the premiere, a signed DVD and a Skype message from the cast.
The film is about a group of friends who made a pact as college freshmen to go on a road trip after they graduate. Even though some of the six are no longer friends, they abide by their pact. During the road trip, the film documents the youths’ growth as they start the transition into adulthood.
“Roadies” will be shot over two weeks in Los Angeles, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, starting August 6.
“Lorin [class of 2009] and I met at PaliHi when we were in the drama department,” said Mora (class of 2008), who was the student director of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and head of costuming. The two also worked together on Pali senior shows and in drama festival scenes.
After graduating, Mora attended Santa Monica College before transferring to USC and the Annenberg School of Communications and the School of Cinematic Arts, where she created and worked on school television shows such as “’Scribes” (an MTV spoof), “Propaganda” (which highlighted upcoming Hollywood actors) and “Platforum” (patterned after “The View”). She graduated last December.
Doctor, who had a major part in Pali’s “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” attended the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU for acting and graduated in May. Now living in Brooklyn, she met with Mora in June and showed her the script for “Roadies.”
“I’d love to do this,” Mora told her, prompting a renewal of their arts collaboration in high school.
“This is a movie I’ve wanted to make for years,” Doctor said. “Hopefully it will be the first of many that I can direct and act in.” She will have only a cameo in “Roadies,” playing Cameron’s sister (played by Dennis Quaid’s son, Jack), so she can focus on directing.
In addition to Quaid, who played Marvel in the “Hunger Games,” the young women have also persuaded actress Eve Hewson (Bono’s daughter), who was in “This Is the Place” with Sean Penn, to be in the film.
“Our base cost $7,000 will take care of renting a van, two cars and the gas,” Mora said. “If we have any money left over, it will help pay for housing and feeding the cast.”
She said this is a passion project for the cast and everyone is helping to raise money and donated supplies. For example, a London company, Le Crib Furniture, will provide water bottles and props.
Another 2013 NYU graduate, Natalie O’Moore, who has her own camera, be director of photography. Brittany Fields (PaliHi class of 2009), who now does stand-up comedy, is currently editing the script and will have a small role. Former Pali student Riley Strom has convinced her father Greg Strom (a documentary producer, director and editor) to edit the film, which will run about 90 minutes.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to enter it in film festivals and get a distribution deal,” said Mora, who knows that this is hardly the way most movies are created. But as she points out, “There are so many outlets to be an artist. We are young and passionate, and we are ready to make a difference in the world of cinema.”
Visit: indiegogo.com/projects/roadies.