POCKET DREAM
is FISCALLY SPONSORED BY bREAKING THROUGH THE LENS,
a 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization (EIN: 88-3840078).
HOVER OVER PHOTOS FOR TEAM BIOS AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION
JULIA BAYLIS & SAM GUEST | Writer / Directors (she/her)
Julia Baylis and Sam Guest wrote and directed the short film WIGGLE ROOM which premiered at Sundance in 2021 and was acquired by Searchlight Pictures. Their lead actress also won the Special Jury Prize at the festival. In addition to currently writing a feature for a filmmaker set in the underground poker world of Los Angeles, they also have a production company, Anarene Films, through which they often produce work for other emerging filmmakers. They produced the short film WALK OF SHAME which premiered at Sundance in 2022. They are currently in prep on their directorial debut, POCKET DREAM.
Project Type: Feature Film
Status: Pre-Production
Genre: Drama
Production Country: USA
Writer/Directors: Sam Guest and Julia Baylis
Producers: Ani Schroeter, Kathryn M. Moseley, Devon Young, Gia Rigoli
Language: English
Logline: When a mysterious socialist enlists a young cater waiter to chauffeur her to a wealthy enclave of Eastern Long Island, he seizes the opportunity to fulfill his high ambitions at any cost.
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ANI SCHROETER | Producer (she/her)
Ani is a New York based producer and filmmaker. Recent credits include Kit Zauhar's second feature, THIS CLOSENESS, which premiered at SXSW 2023, and BETWEEN THE TEMPLES, starring Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane, which premiered in-competition at Sundance 2024. She just wrapped shooting BUNNYLOVR starring Katarina Zhu, Rachel Sennott and Austin Amelio. Additional credits include the short film WIGGLE ROOM (co-producer), directed by Sam Guest and Julia Baylis which was acquired by Searchlight after premiering at Sundance 2021, the short film GOOD GRIEF (line producer) directed by Nastasya Popov which premiered at Palm Springs 2021, and GIANTS BEING LONELY (1st Assistant Director) which was nominated for the Orizzonti Competition (Horizons) at the 2019 Venice Biennale. Working independently, Ani has produced countless other short films, music videos, commercials and campaigns for brands such as Expedia, Nike, A24, Universal
Kathryn M. Moseley | Producer (she/her)
Kathryn is an entrepreneur and filmmaker living in Southern California. After graduating Cum Laude from Pepperdine University with a degree in Economics, Kathryn worked for Price Waterhouse before turning her attention to social change and storytelling. Kathryn is the founder of One Two Twenty Entertainment whose mission is to seek out diverse filmmakers and brilliant stories.
GIA RIGOLI | Producer (she/her)
Gia is a Los Angeles-based Mexican-American film producer who made her producing debut at the age of 20 with the feature film, Rock Steady Row. The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and won both the Narrative Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for Best Narrative Film. Gia holds a BFA in Creative Producing from Chapman University and was mentored by Michael Apted. Her senior thesis film was a Student Academy Award Finalist. Gia has been recognized for her talent by various film industry programs including Berlinale Talents, Project Involve Producing Fellowship, Sony Pictures Entertainment Fellowship, NALIP Producer’s Incubator Lab, PGA Create, and Rotterdam Producing Lab Fellowship. She is currently an inaugural fellow of Film Independent's Imaginar Producer's Residency. She founded Discordia, a production company, in 2020 with her frequent collaborators. Their work has received support from Locarno, Film Independent, The Gotham, Tribeca, PGA, and SFFilm.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION / ARTIST STATEMENT:
Theo is a young, ambitious 23 year old who moved to New York with his long time girlfriend Andi and dreams of success. After three months of struggling to make ends meet as cater-waiters, they finally find themselves on their last dime, facing the imminent reality of moving home. Until, Theo meets Margaret, a 35 year old self-proclaimed writer and socialite on the balcony of a fancy gala uptown. In an effort to avoid scandal, she hires Theo to drive her out to the wealthy enclave of eastern Long Island the following day. Although soon after arriving, Theo finds himself trapped, forced to navigate his ideas of the “American dream,” which are slowly being turned upside down as Margaret pulls him further from Andi and any reality he’s ever known.
Pocket Dream is a doomed fable - a twisted love story with a dose of pulp, ambition and a window into the dark side of the American Dream. As first-time filmmakers, we choose to work within a genre where we could showcase our unique point of view while still maintaining the commercial elements that already appeal to large audiences. We set out to make a personal story that is wholly contemporary, examining the American Dream as it stands today, oscillating between a fervent determination and a cunning manipulation. Can the pursuit of your dream be morally right? Or does the chase to succeed pull you further from the core of one’s self? These are questions we want to leave our viewers as they journey with Theo through the hardships of making it in America today.
Artistically, we discovered film as outsiders, both studying art our whole lives with Sam attending college for photography and Julia, fashion. We first started making small art films together, creating worlds that were an exploration of wonder, play and joy. We believe in the freedom to make your own rules, and we apply this philosophy in every aspect of our work, especially when it comes to selecting collaborators. By hiring first-time actors and working with new talent in our key creative positions, we embrace the power of authenticity and originality.
Our collaboration was truly solidified when we began writing together. It is through the writing that our films are born, and the process of crafting Pocket Dream took over a year. Through our collaboration we aim to rewrite the history of film as a ‘hierarchical, one man driven medium” and believe the true essence of storytelling starts with collaboration between us and reverberates outward into every aspect of filmmaking. With a focus on character-driven narratives, casting is everything. We take a hands-on approach, personally finding most of our cast and building lasting relationships with our actors. For us, casting isn't just about finding the right fit—it’s about enabling our actors to have agency over their roles and a sense of ownership over their characters. This creates a deeper connection to the material and helps us discover the actors who are truly in sync with the story we’re trying to tell.
As we began our pre-production process, it has been imperative to create a safe and creative space for every member of the team to feel like this was their film as well. One of the many ways we have created this ethos around Pocket Dream is by following the MFN model (Most Favored Nations) - everyone from the Producers to the Production Assistants are paid the same amount. This creates a unified crew with shared creative intentions and no financial discrepancies.
Our film is led by a team of seven female producers and we wanted that number to be reflected in the below the line team as well. As we have started to build our crew, it has been a priority for us to ensure equal representation between both men and women on set. Most of our departments, including G&E, Sound, Wardrobe and HMU are all led by women.
The industry is always shifting and evolving but as first time filmmakers entering into the film world, our intention is to set the stage for the standards we should all be pushing for when it comes to representation both behind and in front of the camera.
Project Goals: Pocket Dream is slated to start shooting for 27 days in February 2025. As of now we have casted Spike Fearn as THEO, Stacy Martin as MARGARET and Scott Cohen as Margaret's husband, ANTHONY. We have our hero location - a sprawling mansion in Long Island confirmed along with the majority of our other locations. Our plan is to immediately dive into post production after wrap in March 2025. Our goals with the film have always been simple -- tell a provocative, emotional story, coated in genre but rooted in character that sets a bar for how films can be made as we approach a new era in modern American filmmaking. We always set out to make a ‘low budget’ film but never have that be a deterrent from the quality of story and technique that will be alive on screen.