On the heels of the #Metoo movement, mass shootings, COVID, racial profiling and other traumatic events, it is urgent for people to understand PTSD isn’t just something Veterans have and that observed “undesirable” behavioral traits may be trauma response.

There are currently no documentaries about PTSD that do not focus on military veterans. We find this to be a huge gap in today’s needs for the healing of trauma response.

We will spread awareness of what living what PTSD and help available can be like in three phases:

Phase 1 (Halfway finished and this fundraising campaign will aid in completion): A traveling augmented reality art installation that features the voices of women with PTSD with multimedia vignettes that summarize what each woman's trigger is like, the type of treatment she's had and what she does when triggered. Created by a cast and crew of mostly women from Kentucky. (All women who were interviewed about their PTSD remain anonymous and are portrayed by actresses.)

An augmented reality installation means viewers will aim their mobile device at printed trigger images to elicit a multimedia experience on their screen. (The title “Triggered” refers to two things: the triggers that people with PTSD respond to that sends them into panic, defense and/or depression and 2) the photographs and objects that cause the multimedia experiences to display, which are referred to as “triggers” in augmented reality development.)

Trigger images will be spaced around the exhibit location and viewers will use mobile devices to view the placed items. When they do, they will experience flashes of video and audio that will pop up and come to life on screen in the way that unwanted thoughts, images, and memories can pop up within the mind of someone with PTSD.

We have already raised and utilized about $7000 through a grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women and personal contributions toward expenditures, which has allowed the pre-production phase (identifying participants, research, interviews, scriptwriting, casting, etc). Funds raised here will be applied toward production and post production, the augmented reality programming. Any excess will be applied toward Phase 2.

Phase 2 (Planned, partially funded): The goal is to use footage from the installation to create a proof of concept mini doc short to submit to Cannes and other festivals to raise funding for a feature length documentary.

Phase 3 (Planned): A feature length documentary about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

While phases 2 and 3 will be dependent upon funding, phase 1 will be completed and traveling by spring 2022.

Want to help support in other ways such as volunteering or in kind contributions? Just want to stay up to date?

Sign up for updates here: https://mailchi.mp/8b02df5ea216/triggered-stories.
Join our Facebook community here:  triggeredstories.com

About the Creator/Executive Producer Jessica Mathis (AKA Divinity Rose):

A  writer, performer and producer/director from Louisville, Kentucky whose PTSD stems from time in foster homes as a child and experience with multiple types of abuse. Since then, she’s dedicated her  life to pursuing storytelling “by page” and “by stage.” Her stand-up comedy and acting have afforded her minor awards and many great experiences like performing on Broadway with Lisa Lampanelli or sharing the screen with Nora Dunn or other notables.  Her video and media production experience includes working on network productions like “Dead Files,” “American Idol,” and “Investigation Discovery” as well as many others. She’s worked for hire in various roles for projects seen on Syfy, Espn, Discovery, ABC, HGTV and Travel Channel in addition to freelance work for clients across the globe. Her  leadership experience includes creating and directing programs for disadvantaged youth, media and technology projects, and serving as Editor-in-Chief for publications like Food & Dining Magazine. Over the last 20 years, her writing has been seen in stage shows, interactive exhibits, on screen and in published articles and short stories.  Her slate of original TV pilots with strong leading females have landed her in the finals for Sundance Episodic Labs, and Imagine Impact Accelerator for Ron Howard and the semi-finals for the Disney/ABC fellowship.

Installation Director of Photography: Melody Peace

Melody Peace went to University with the intention of studying Creative Writing. She added Media Communications and fell in love with film and cinematography. After she graduated, she started working as a Production Assistant and soon was offered an Assistant Camera position on a micro-budget film in Indiana. She has worked on feature films, documentaries, reality shows, and commercial content and is continuing to perfect her craft.
 

View her reel here: https://www.themelodypeace.com/work/dp. 

Where do the funds go?
The funds will be applied to the production and post production for 10 video vignettes and photographs that will be used in the augmented reality experience.

Production Crew Salaries:
Director of Photography
Production Assistants
Director

Post Production:
Editor
Animator
Audio Professional
Augmented reality programming

Rentals and Other:
Gear rental (We have most of what we need and have had some generous gear offers from supporters, but we still need a few things such as a couple specialized lights and it's far more economical to rent than to buy)
Food on set
Marketing / Announcements for installation
Printing and installation hardware for trigger images
Music licenses

Any excess or leftover funds will be applied toward phase 2, the mini-documentary.