Guidance
Synopsis: A woman (Nicky Lowney) is going to a funeral. Her friend (Julia Tutko-Balena) stops by to offer a sympathetic ear. What does one think about while in the depths of grief?
Written & Directed by Julia Tutko-Balena.
Currently in festivals. Public premiere Christmas 2024.
In the midst of mourning, sometimes what you need most is a friend to talk to. This is a story about loss, self-reflection, commitment to friends and family vs. self-care, and hope for what comes next. What kind of impact do we want to make in our lives?
There was a special premiere exclusive to our Kickstarter Backers. It has done very well on the Festival Circuit, garnering many awards and nominations. The public release is slated for December 2024.
BTS
Most of the photos and videos are available exclusively as a Kickstarter Backer perk. Here are a few sneak peek photos for public consumption!
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![Nicky Lowney and Julia Tutko-Balena smile in front of a very beefed out film camera.]()
Nicky and Julia shamelessly take a selfie in between takes.
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![Cheyenne, Jim, and Mike setting up.]()
Jim and Cheyenne set the massive camera rig on a dolly while Mike sets up one of about 1000 stands we needed.
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![Julia sits while Geanny does makeup on her.]()
The talented Geanny Infante works her HMUA magic on Julia, who may or may not be asleep.
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![Close up of the camera rig we used for "Guidance"]()
For anyone interested in such things, we filmed on a Blackmagic Ursa using anamorphic lenses and pro-mist filters. Very very fancy.
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![Nicky and Cheyenne smiling at camera while holding a bigger camera.]()
Nicky and Cheyenne are having fun setting up for the first few shots of the day.
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![Cheyenne and Mike take test footage of Nicky during rehearsal.]()
Cheyenne and Mike take test footage of Nicky during rehearsal.
Shout-Outs
Thanks to our amazing Kickstarter backers for making this project happen. This was a long labor of love and took many hands to make. Special thanks to each and every person on this list!
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Robert Marsella
Jen Lewy & Family
Marc Standaert
Nathan Suher
Debbie Major
Leah Demers
Siobhan
Christine Altan
Carlyne Fournier
Fiona Moore
Chris Esper
Colleen Colby
Beth Helfter
Michelle Mail
Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora
Uncle Biz -
Mary LaRusso
Michelle Gomes
Daniela V. Poles and Nikita Sujan
Anonymous
George Z.
Kayla Mayse
Kenneth Lawrence
José B. Padilla -
Simon Best
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Best/Gonsalves Family
Waldemar Świercz
Marie Potter
Jenifer Stockdakle
Suchismita Hazarika
The Rego Family
Sarah Webb
Clive Barriffe
The Thomas Family
Helen Page -
Karen Ann Piotrowski
Susan Wickenberry
Edward Michaels
Michelle Ihasz -
North Of The Border Friends!
Jim Skowyra
JL Major
Wendy Balena
Andrew Sularz
Luisa Dutra
Robin Barnett -
Sandra Best
Amber Va