NABRA'S ANKLET trailer

My Project Proposal - OverviewI will rehearse Nubian Stories, a one person show with my mother as the actor, while capturing footage of the process (while in Egypt and Los Angeles) to be made into a short film. This grant will fund the short film, which we will shoot while we are visiting Egypt in early November and edit by the end of the month. The timing of this 30-day challenge is perfect for this project, since it takes advantage of the opportunity for us to shoot on-location in Egypt and to film an already ongoing rehearsal process for the play version of the script. As my first short film, this project would mean a huge opportunity for artistic growth and launch me into the next stage of my career as a multi-disciplinary artist. The fund makes it possible for me to undertake this ambitious project, by supporting film professionals with the technical skills to help bring my vision to life within 30 days. The Playbook Imagination Fund would support stipends for the director, actor, videographer, and editor of the short film, as well as a public screening and distribution costs.

My Project Proposal

Imagination Fund Project BriefProject name:Nubian StoriesProject description:'Nubian Stories' is an ambitious multi-modal project that brings Nubian heritage and cultural preservation to life through film and theatre. Years of preparatory work has led up to this moment, when creator Nabra Nelson will travel to Egypt to capture on-location footage of actor Mona Sherif performing segments of the one-woman show 'Nubian Stories,' as they simultaneously prepare the play for a U.S. tour. The resulting product of the 30-day process will be a short film about Mona's Nubian culture and displacement story that is able to tour with the play, and have a life of its own through screenings and festivals.Creator name:Nabra NelsonTotal requested amount$6,000Budget breakdownSee excel sheet for budget breakdown in "Details &amp; Budget" BoardLink to your round 1 application:<a href="https://www.playbook.com/s/nubian-stories/nabra-nelson" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-link-auto="" target="_blank">https://www.playbook.com/s/nubian-stories/nabra-nelson</a>

Imagination Fund Project Brief

Director and Star

Nubian Stories staged reading at 18th & Union Seattle

Week 2 UpdateAccomplishments:<ul><li>Finished a rough cut of the film</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>Editing is very tedious. I collaborated with a professional editor, who edited about half of it. But I was able to edit the voiceover portions, so I did that myself since I had a very specific idea of where to put our shots (and he wasn't at the shoot).</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>More about color correction</li><li>Editing techniques in Premiere Pro</li><li>Where to find festivals to submit to</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Review the first cut and send edits to the editor</li><li>Finish the second draft of my edits</li><li>Figure out which is the best software to use to house the film as I am submitting it</li></ul>

Artistic GrowthThis film project will be my first, drawing from knowledge gained via collaborations with filmmakers in previous theatre projects. It is an important step in continued preservation of Nubian culture, and builds from my previous theatre and multi-disciplinary work. This would be an important next step in my growth as a multi-modal artist.The play version of the piece has been worked on for many years, so this process is the end of a longer development of the piece as an evening of theatre. The focus of this grant will be the short film element of the project for that reason.

Artistic Growth

Nubian Stories World Premiere Tour Production Photo

My Past Work - OverviewI am a multi-disciplinary performance creator, with a background in writing and theater. My writing, directing, and producing work all focuses on increasing representation of marginalized identities. Here I highlight my work with my Nubian-Egyptian heritage, as the leader of the Nubian Foundation for Preserving a Cultural Heritage and my production of Nubian Stories, both of which lead into my proposed short film project.<a href="https://nabranelson.wordpress.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-link-auto="" target="_blank">https://nabranelson.wordpress.com/</a>

My Past Work

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The TeamI am so lucky to be able to work with so many members of my family for this short film project. Since it is about my family's heritage, it is special to have grown up with such incredible artists and be able to combine each of our disciplines through this project.Director - Nabra NelsonWriters - Mona Sherif-Nelson and Nabra NelsonStoryteller - Mona Sherif-NelsonCinematographer - Michael Bennion NelsonProduction Designer - Shamseddiin NelsonEditors – Nabra Nelson and Shamseddiin NelsonWardrobe - Esraa SalehLocation Services – Hanane Saleh Gamal, Karen-Sophia Grobler

The Team

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Weekly OverviewWeek 1 (11/4-11/10):Goal: Rehearse the play and gather all footage for the short film.Week 2 (11/11-11/17):Goal: Edit the short film footage.Week 3 (11/18-11/24):Goals: A) Color corrections &amp; sound mixing. B) Performance inquiries.Week 4 (11/25-12/2):Goals: A) Final touches on the short film to complete post-production. B) Schedule a public screening in Los Angeles.

<blockquote>"The flood washed away the paintings on our houses. It covered our gold in algae and sand. It drowned the spirit of our culture that breathed the Nile air through the leaves of our palm trees. But it cannot wash away our stories. It cannot drown us out." - Nubian Stories</blockquote>

Quote from 'Nubian Stories'

Week 4 UpdateAccomplishments:<ul><li>Submitted to film festivals!</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>Figuring out which festivals to submit to</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>How to submit to film festivals</li><li>How to choose which ones to submit to</li><li>The software for submitting to festivals</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Submit to more festivals!</li></ul>

Story Board - Nubian Stories

Kunafa and Shay

Lead Production Team

All Weekly UpdatesWeek 1Accomplishments:<ul><li>Shot the film</li><li>Finished daily rough cuts</li><li>Recorded voiceover audio</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>Everything about making a new film!</li><li>Recording live audio is very tricky</li><li>Managing a much smaller budget than anticipated</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>How to shoot a film</li><li>A little bit about color correction</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Finish a rough cut of the film</li></ul>Week 2Accomplishments:<ul><li>Finished a rough cut of the film</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>Editing is very tedious. I collaborated with a professional editor, who edited about half of it. But I was able to edit the voiceover portions, so I did that myself since I had a very specific idea of where to put our shots (and he wasn't at the shoot).</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>More about color correction</li><li>Editing techniques in Premiere Pro</li><li>Where to find festivals to submit to</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Review the first cut and send edits to the editor</li><li>Finish the second draft of my edits</li><li>Figure out which is the best software to use to house the film as I am submitting it</li></ul>Week 3Accomplishments:<ul><li>Finished the final cut of the film!</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>The final edits are very small and require a lot of time and thought</li><li>Some of my collaborators are in Egypt, so that makes it harder to communicate in a timely manner</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>More about editing software</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Submit to festivals!</li></ul>Week 4Accomplishments:<ul><li>Submitted to film festivals!</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>Figuring out which festivals to submit to</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>How to submit to film festivals</li><li>How to choose which ones to submit to</li><li>The software for submitting to festivals</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Submit to more festivals!</li></ul>

Weekly Update

Short Film Budget - Nubian Stories

Nubian Stories World Premiere Poster

Group of 2 assets

Film Synopsis 'Nabra's Anklet' is a short film that explores the displacement of the Nubian people through the true life story of Mona Sherif-Nelson. Mona weaves her autobiography with a traditional folktale passed down to her by her grandmother through oral tradition. A story about loss, legacy, and cultural preservation, this film transports you to a Nubia whose land is gone but whose spirit endures.

Film Synopsis

Nabra and Mona present at a Nubian Foundation event at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center

Week 3 UpdateAccomplishments:<ul><li>Finished the final cut of the film!</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>The final edits are very small and require a lot of time and thought</li><li>Some of my collaborators are in Egypt, so that makes it harder to communicate in a timely manner</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>More about editing software</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Submit to festivals!</li></ul>

Map of Nubia depicting the displacement of villages when the Aswan High Dam was built

Behind the Scenes

Plot SynopsisMona, a Nubian woman who was forcibly relocated from her village in the south of Egypt due to its intentional flooding for the construction of the Aswan High Dam, tells the story of her people through her own incredible biography as well as through the ancient Nubian folkloric tales she grew up with. Based on a true story, NUBIAN STORIES&nbsp;is a piece about loss and legacy set simultaneously in the past and present. It transports us to the village for a brief moment and makes us realize how far we are from a not-so-distant history that is being erased.

Plot Synopsis

Week 1 UpdateAccomplishments:<ul><li>Shot the film</li><li>Finished daily rough cuts</li><li>Recorded voiceover audio</li></ul>Challenges:<ul><li>Everything about making a new film!</li><li>Recording live audio is very tricky</li><li>Managing a much smaller budget than anticipated</li></ul>New things I learned:<ul><li>How to shoot a film</li><li>A little bit about color correction</li></ul>Next week:<ul><li>Finish a rough cut of the film</li></ul>

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Project Plan &amp; TimelineWeek 1 (11/4-11/10):Goal: Rehearse the play and gather all footage for the short film.<ul><li>Rehearse the script "Nubian Stories"<ul><li>Ensure the actor is comfortable with the script</li><li>Identify which portions to capture for the short film</li></ul></li><li>Shoot for 2 days in Aswan<ul><li>Travel by train from Cairo to Aswan</li><li>Scout locations for shooting (1 day)</li><li>Shoot for 2 days</li></ul></li><li>Shoot for 2 days in Cairo</li></ul>Week 2 (11/11-11/17):Goal: Edit the short film footage.<ul><li>Complete Editor's Cut of the short film</li><li>License music</li></ul>Week 3 (11/18-11/24):Goals: A) Color corrections &amp; sound mixing. B) Performance inquiries.<ul><li>Color correction for the final edited footage</li><li>Sound editing<ul><li>Integrate licensed music</li></ul></li><li>ADR pickups as needed</li><li>Inquire about performance dates for the play, including a screening of ths short film, with Collaborative Artists Bloc, Golden Thread Productions, Renaissance Theaterworks, and The Tank NYC</li></ul>Week 4 (11/25-12/2):Goals: A) Final touches on the short film to complete post-production. B) Schedule a public screening in Los Angeles.<ul><li>Review film and complete any final editing notes</li><li>Book a venue for an invited screening in Los Angeles</li><li>Inquire about additional screenings at the Arab American National Museum, Dunya Productions, wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ (UW Intellectual House), Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, and Silk Road Cultural Center</li><li>Submit to short film to festivals</li><li>Start planning for future screening in Egypt and Nubia</li></ul>

Project Plan & Timeline

ImpactFor the Nubian people cultural preservation is urgent. Mona Sherif is of the last generation of Nubian-Egyptians who grew up in her ancestral village, before all of Egyptian Nubia was flooded in the 1960s by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Therefore, there is a critical urgency to preserve Nubian stories and oral histories.The story of the Nubian people relates to indigenous peoples around the world, many of whom have faced displacement in different forms. The piece will spark conversation among different indigenous groups around the cultural effects of displacement, how we adapt to a changing world, and methods for preservation of oral histories. For that reason, I intend to hold screenings at Native American community centers, as well as with Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) and Black communities.Partners include Nubian Geographic and the Nubian Foundation for Preserving a Cultural Heritage.

Impact

Nabra Nelson: A daughter’s love brings a Nubian life and folklore to the stage - Wisconsin Muslim Journal

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This board outlines all the important details of my project. You will find my Project Brief, Budget, and a mood board that includes photographs of potential shooting locations for the short film.

Details & Budget

My Past Work: I am a multi-disciplinary performance creator, with a background in writing and theater. My writing, directing, and producing work all focuses on increasing representation of marginalized identities. Here I highlight my work with my Nubian-Egyptian heritage, as the leader of the Nubian Foundation for Preserving a Cultural Heritage and my production of Nubian Stories, both of which lead into my proposed short film project.

This board outlines the actionable plan and timeline of my project over the course of the 30 days #imagineWithPlaybook cohort.

Plan & Timeline

My Project Proposal: I will rehearse Nubian Stories, a one person show with my mother as the actor, while capturing footage of the process (while in Egypt and Los Angeles) to be made into a short film. This grant will fund the short film, which we will shoot while we are visiting Egypt in early November and edit by the end of the month. The timing of this 30-day challenge is perfect for this project, since it takes advantage of the opportunity for us to shoot on-location in Egypt and to film an already ongoing rehearsal process for the play version of the script. As my first short film, this project would mean a huge opportunity for artistic growth and launch me into the next stage of my career as a multi-disciplinary artist. The fund makes it possible for me to undertake this ambitious project, by supporting film professionals with the technical skills to help bring my vision to life within 30 days. The Playbook Imagination Fund would support stipends for the director, actor, videographer, and editor of the short film, as well as a public screening and distribution costs.

Final Deliverables - Nubian Stories

My Past Work: I am a multi-disciplinary performance creator, with a background in writing and theater. My writing, directing, and producing work all focuses on increasing representation of marginalized identities. Here I highlight my work with my Nubian-Egyptian heritage, as the leader of the Nubian Foundation for Preserving a Cultural Heritage and my production of Nubian Stories, both of which lead into my proposed short film project.My Project Proposal: I will rehearse Nubian Stories, a one person show with my mother as the actor, while capturing footage of the process (while in Egypt and Los Angeles) to be made into a short film. This grant will fund the short film, which we will shoot while we are visiting Egypt in early November and edit by the end of the month. The timing of this 30-day challenge is perfect for this project, since it takes advantage of the opportunity for us to shoot on-location in Egypt and to film an already ongoing rehearsal process for the play version of the script. As my first short film, this project would mean a huge opportunity for artistic growth and launch me into the next stage of my career as a multi-disciplinary artist. The fund makes it possible for me to undertake this ambitious project, by supporting film professionals with the technical skills to help bring my vision to life within 30 days. The Playbook Imagination Fund would support stipends for the director, actor, videographer, and editor of the short film, as well as a public screening and distribution costs.

Nabra Nelson - Imagination Fund Proposal

A short film project exploring Nubian-Egyptian cultural hertiage with a mother-daughter artistic team.