The Fish Husband
Mission Statement-Extended
The Mission for those who choose to accept it!- Is to incorporate and showcase the artistic talent and know how of Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latino, and African Americans into the spotlight of creative spaces. Specifically in this case into film. African history and folklore should be apart of the 'Norm" such as European agendas are. Audiences deserve to be exposed to new and exciting material. Not just over saturated with remakes, and movies that not everyone can identify with. I am starting the journey by asking for your help in putting together a teaser trailer for my feature that I can show to investors. I can NOT do this without you. Will you help bring a vision to mainstream media?
Logline
An unlikely romance sparks between a beautiful princess, and a charming fish who has the ability to become human out of water.
Synopsis
Long Ago, in what is now known as Osun State, Nigeria; a young princess named Adazee would fall in love with a handsome stranger. The stranger, Omo-Odo upon meeting Adazee ,instantly knows that she is the one who he is destined to marry. Omo is no ordinary man however. He happens to be a merman, from the enchanted river at Idunmaibo. The two would marry and live happily but only briefly. The love between the two was seen as an indecent thing by the Yoruba people. Having shamed her father, Adazee is sent away. Upon her return she is horrified to learn that her father has betrayed her and cost her-her happiness. Adazee, feeling extremely hurt feels she has no choice but to take a drastic course of action, that will lead her to a new beginning.
Funding
All contributions to this campaign will be used to hire professional crew members and actors to help produce a high quality teaser to showcase to financiers, and investors to help secure funding for the feature.
The funding for this teaser will assist in financing a green screen studio OR and LCD wall studio rental space with a water tank, This will be essential in capturing the realistic feel of the film and creating a “real space” for our actors.
The costumes will consist of silicone mermaid tales and traditional Nigerian clothing. The financial support achieved by the public and their pledges will help pay for these things as well as hair and makeup services by professional artists.
The majority of the budget will go to editing. As VFX /CGI and SFX will be a huge part of the creative vision of this teaser and the feature. Should we achieve our goal and acquire “Stretch funds” those additional funds will go into scoring the teaser and marketing to gain a larger following via social media to help create a fanbase for the feature.
Additional Information
The Fish Husband is a Nigerian folktale that is also told throughout different parts of the Caribbean. I took on the challenge to bring this folktale to the forefront via my screenplay. The screenplay is the WINNER of multiple international awards and was NOMINATED three times in separate competitions as Screenplay of the year in 2020! It is my hope that the love and desire to learn more about Africa and African folklore will be increased to the fact that it will be the norm when new ideas for film and tv are introduced!
The Nitty-Gritty
Some Challenges that I have faced is that many people believe that if a film is about Africa or Africans it is a “Nollywood” film and does NOT deserve the attention and respect that American or European films get. While I am a fan of Nollywood and respect their stories and actors, this is NOT a "Nollywood" film. This is a film highlighting AFRICANS and their stories.
I am trying to break free of the box that I have been put in suggesting that anything to do with AFRICA is not deserving of creative funding, or mainstream attention.
Thank You
I sincerely appreciate your attention and your support with this endeavor. Please help me spread the word and bring our stories to life on the big screen! I can NOT do this without you! Thank you again!
Lourvey Bourdan is a filmmaker residing in Los Angeles, CA. Having an undeniable urge to work in entertainment at a young age, Lourvey would often write short stories that she would present to her class to entertain them. As an adult she would use this charismatic charm to reel in audiences within community theater. When the time came she later relocated to California. There in Cali is where she would obtain experience acting for film, and gain some insight on casting through the student films she helped cast.
This screenplay was in part inspired by more than a century's old Nigerian folktale of the same name. A story of tragedy, heartbreak, and forbidden love. Lourvey has four completed feature screenplays, and three completed short screenplays. She is always in a state of creativity. She hopes to use her gifts to inspire others to "Keep going, keep the dream alive!"
Thank You so much to the person who got the ball rolling with the first pledge! Thank You so much ☺️
