Wellesley High School Teacher Hopes to 'Kickstart' Film

A Wellesley High School teacher is hoping to Kickstart something: a film made in and around the Boston area. 

Drama teacher Stephen Wrobleski launched the project "Seeing Signs" (which is a working title) on Kickstarter earlier this month, and has already raised over $6,000 of the $10,000 goal--with less than a week to go.

Kickstarter is a crowd-funding website where users can browse various projects from hopeful producers, and pledge money toward that project. User money is not taken unless the project reaches its funding goal. If funded, Wrobleski will take that money and use it to turn "Seeing signs" into a short film.

The film follows a young woman who hears a mysterious transmission over a CB radio, and sets out to discover its source. Already an outcast, her quest makes her more prone to bullying as she tries to find a shadowy resistance organization.

Many of the cast and crew are already picked--their pictures appear on the Kickstarter page. Wrobleski tells Patch in an email he will be working with Wellesley High students in the film, and he's talking to a WHS alumni about doing cinematography. He hopes start to filming in June.

"I think Kickstarter is fantastic way to support artists who want to produce new work. You can donate any amount you like, so anyone can help produce new work. I think Kickstarter is more beneficial to unknown artists," said Wrobleski.

He added that he has backed two projects, of which one went through successfully. The success of Kickstarter campaigns run by actor Zach Braff and "Veronica Mars" creator Rob Thomas, and the press about those projects, was a factor in choosing to create a Kickstarter campaign.

A portion of the funding goal will go to buying equipment to make the film on, entry fees for film festivals and to Kickstarter itself, which charges a nominal fee to use its services. 

Rewards include "thank you" shout-outs on Facebook, chats with the cast, a grilled cheese prepared by the director, production credits, and T-shirts. Should anyone put down the full $10,000 for the film, they will also be entitled to a live fire-eating demonstration. 

To future filmmakers, Wrobleski has this advice: "Don't wait, gather your friends and make the film you want to make. Start small and work your way to the bigger stuff. "

When Wrobleski was in middle school, he tells us, he and his friends would make films on a PXL 2000 camera, making grainy cassettes in black and white. Since then, he has spent much of his time working in theatre--including writing for and teaching WHS students as he does now.

With this film, he says, "I want to explore a new area of story telling and get back to the passion from my youth." 

Among Wrobleski's influences, he lists the Cohen Brothers first, saying, "They are amazing with clear, well-told stories, and a range of types of movies." He also lists names as diverse as Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Sidney Lumet, Buck Henry, Steve Martin, Jim Henson, Quentin Tarantino and Woody Allen.

See the project video and rewards on the Kickstarter page.