What Have I Been Up To?
It’s been a wild few years to say the least. Life has thrown equally as many opportunities my way as it has obstacles and for that I am grateful. Looking back, I’ve accomplished more than I could have ever imagined — I took my music artistry to new heights while working creatively under the name Clarence The Kid, learning the ins and outs of songwriting, collaboration, performance, visual media, and rollout strategy. I’ve had the chance to become a voice for the voiceless with my CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? and CYHUN 2 projects, performing at demonstrations across Los Angeles and inspiring people far and wide during an uncertain time in our country. I’ve worked with A&Rs and managers at both Interscope Records and Top Dawg Entertainment, helping heroes I grew up taking inspiration from with their next creative ventures, all while getting an inside look at the inner workings of the music industry I’ve come to love. And after working extensively as a dressing room coordinator for acts like Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Hudson, Tyler The Creator, Lil Baby, and Smokey Robinson in stadiums across the city, I decided to temporarily pull away from the music world and embark on my next creative adventure: film. The process of this transition has already been underway… I rebranded my persona and became Jasper Ross, had my voice featured on network television, and started working as an assistant for a Hollywood writer/director/producer to learn more about the big budget movie and television industry. On independent productions, I had my first major role in a short film titled “Good Grief” and even tried my hand at production and direction on the music video for my song “sometimes”. With all of that being said, each new opportunity has presented me with lessons and learning experiences which have prepared me for my greatest project yet - my new short film, “Game Night”.
Tell Me About The Film
Co-written by Ellis Sutton and myself, “Game Night” is a story about a budding young couple who are forced to figure out what their potential future relationship could look like during an exciting game night amongst close friends. The story is full of vulnerability, tense moments, and big reveals - there are takeaways for everyone to enjoy! But in order to pull this movie off, we will need your help.
If you are able, we would gratefully appreciate any financial contribution you are able to make. Every dollar counts! Your generous donation will help cover the costs of cast & crew, location, meals, camera equipment, marketing, and more (see the full cost breakdown below). Additional materials can also be found below, including a pitch deck, our team members, donation tiers, and our campaign video. We are extremely excited to get this thing made, thank you for being a part of our journey!
Our Team.
It really takes a village. Here's a look at some of the bright, young minds behind our film.
Ellis J. Sutton is a writer, director, and producer. He has produced and directed several short films and music videos under his All of a Sutton Productions banner. His most recent short film Good Grief, written and produced alongside Areeta Asgharzadeh, placed as a Quarterfinalist for WeScreenplay and Outstanding Screenplays screenwriting competitions. Good Grief also saw its online premiere through FilmShortage and went onto to receive nominations for Best Actress, Best Romantic Comedy, and Best Producer. Before that, his film "Little Drummer Boy," highlighting homelessness and gentrification, played at the San Francisco Black Film Festival and the Canadian screen award-qualifying Toronto Black Film Festival. Currently, Ellis works in Feature Film Development at Warner Bros Pictures and looks to make feature length films in the industry as a producer, director, and or executive.
Joshua Smith, artistically known as Jasper Ross, is a multidisciplinary creative who’s passion for the craft shows in every aspect of his artistry. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a B.S. Music Industry degree and a minor in Cinematic Arts, Jasper sought to diversify his portfolio, aspiring to add acting, modeling, and screenwriting to his already extensive songwriting, recording, and creative directing background. Having previously been involved in various aspects of film production, Jasper accumulated an impressive rap sheet - from tackling music video direction to background acting work, from putting together film soundtracks to recording music for network television, from working as an on-set production assistant to assembling footage as a post production video editor. Most recently, he had his acting debut as a supporting role for the independent short film Good Grief, and he is excited to return as a co-writer, producer, and actor in his next creative venture - Game Night.
Areeta is an Iranian-American actress, filmmaker, and journalist based in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from USC Annenberg and the School of Dramatic Arts. While pursuing her studies there, she got cast in shows such as "Men on Boats" by Jaclyn Backhaus, and "Fuente Ovejuna: A Disloyal Adaptation" by Cusi Cram. Her most recent film, Good Grief, which she wrote and produced alongside Ellis J. Sutton, has placed in numerous screenwriting competitions such as WeScreenplay and Outstanding Screenplays, and was nominated in categories for Best Actress, Best Producer, and Best Romantic Comedy in the Indie Shorts Fest. She continues to act and produce, and is now directing her first documentary "Woman. Life. Freedom." shedding light on Iranian women's experiences.
Abeil Mehari is a co-producer and line producer of "Game Night." A frequent collaborator with Ellis, he has also co-produced other short films such as "Good Grief," "Little Drummer Boy," and "Krystal and Rae." Currently, he is finishing working on attaining his accounting degree at San Jose State University.
Our Approach.
Take a look at our pitch deck below! In it, we break down some of our main characters, story goals, budget items, and plot points.
