Our Crowdfunding Groups
Mar, a CSUN Television Thesis Production, is a bilingual odyssey that takes place at the Sonora Desert and follows a family’s attempt to cross the border that divides Mexico and the United States in hopes of reuniting their family and having a better life. In this short, a young woman named Mar will travel alongside her boyfriend Oswaldo and her young brother Jesús, but their journey will be upended when Jesús gets stuck in between two boulders, injuring him in the process and leaving him with little to no chance of survival. The couple must then face a heart-wrenching dilemma: to leave the dying child behind and secure their future or to call for help, risking deportation and being separated from Jesús forever.
How Your Donation Will Impact Mar
The crew of Mar appreciates all donations that are given and plans to use the money raised for the following:
All Donations to Mar are 100% Tax Deductible through the California State University, Northridge Foundation (Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) public benefit California Corporation).
In addition to the Thank You gifts donors can receive, all donors will be given a surprise present from the crew if we reach our goal of $20,000.
Meet the Crew
Emilio Garcia - Director & Creator
Emilio was born and raised in Mexico City, where he fell in love with tacos, futbol, and especially movies and television. He is tremendously excited about bringing Mar to life in the most genuine and heartfelt way, and hopefully, it will make an impact on everyone who watches it.
David Valdes - Producer
As a producer of Mar, David is very honored and excited to be able to help tell a story as important as Mar. David has produced multiple productions over the past 2 years at CSUN and is extremely passionate about making Mar a film that reaches far beyond CSUN. David grew up visiting film and television sets as his entire family worked in the art department. He also has been acting professionally since he was 12 years old. He aspires to be an actor and producer starting his own production company in the future.
Clare Groninger - Producer
As one of the Producers for Mar, Clare looks forward to creating an impactful story for the world. This will be her 4th CSUN Television Production she has produced, and she looks forward to pushing the limits of what a Student Film can be. She was a 2023 Television Academy Intern (Physical Production/Business Management), and she aspires to be a Development Executive in the future.
David Masin - Director of Photograph
David is honored to have the opportunity to be the Director of Photography for this project. He believes this short film will remind us that love often requires sacrifice, and although it may be painful, the fruition it brings is beautiful. He is very excited to be part of the process that will visually bring this story to life.
Yasmin Zapata - 1st Assistant Director
Yasmin is a senior in CSUN's Cinema and Television department. She looks forward to creating Mar through assisting each head department with any concerns they may have. She looks forward to working with everyone to reach all project targets and make Mar a successful production.
Desiree Lopez - Production Designer
Desiree is a TV Production student at CSUN who aspires to be a production designer for television or even film sets. Through trial and error, she has found a passion for the art department in the process of creating shows and film while meeting great people on the way who have also encouraged and inspired her to put her all into what is ultimately on the screen. Mar is an inspiring story that really touches her personally, and she is excited to help build the world our characters take on and navigate.
Ian Champana - Camera Operator
Ian is a cinematographer, editor, and writer from Los Angeles, California. He is currently a CSUN student majoring in Television Production with an emphasis in sound. He has been practicing and developing his skills since 2012, contributing to various freelance positions such as a production assistant, 1st AC, DP, camera operator, and editor. He is excited to contribute and expand his experience by joining the camera department as a camera operator in order to bring the visuals of Mar to life.
Jennifer Rumualdo - Editor
Jennifer started her film and television journey at Santa Barbara City College, graduating with an Associate in Film Production. Being one of the few Latina filmmakers at her college, she was inspired to continue even further with her journey, especially for being a first-generation college student. Her next quest in her journey was to California State University, Northridge, where she is in her last semester as a TV narrative student. She is beyond excited to work on Mar, especially coming from immigrant parents, because she sees this as a way we will be able to voice the hard realities many face when crossing the border. This is a project close to my heart and I can’t wait to create something beautiful.
Darius Saberzadeh - Sound Recorder
Darius is the production sound mixer, re-recording mixer, and assistant editor for Mar. He currently is a production sound mixer and editor for indie films, but in the future, he wants to become an IATSE TV editor. He hopes that Mar allows the audience to go on an emotional journey while illustrating the difficulty of decisions and sacrifice through its performances, unique visuals, and sound design.
Brandon Gee - Boom Operator/Sound Editor
Brandon is a production boom operator and sound designer based in the Central Valley. He started his passion at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. After he got his Associates in Radio and Television, he decided to further his education at CSUN, where he can continue his journey and master his craft.
Jacob Goldner - Costume Designer
This will be his first time as a costume designer, but Jacob looks forward to exploring this new role with the help of the rest of the crew. He looks forward to creating Mar because he feels this is the first project that is truly meaningful.
Steven Hernandez - Gaffer
Steven is looking forward to creating Mar since we all get to work together with our group as well as creating an emotional and cinematic story about the harsh realities so many face when looking for a better life.
Instagram: @marthesisfilm
The crew will take the time to send you a handwritten Thank You Note to show our appreciation.
We will post a Thank You Note for your donation to our Mar Instagram account. You will also receive the previous gift with your Thank You gift.
The Mar crew will list you under our Special Thank You list during the ending credits of Mar. You will also receive the previous gifts with your Thank You gift.
You will receive the final screenplay version of Mar signed by the cast & crew! You will also receive the previous gifts with your Thank You gift.
The cast & crew will show our appreciation by sending you a framed, signed exclusive poster just for you! You will also receive the previous gifts with your Thank You gift.
With such a large donation, the crew would love to credit you with your financial contribution as an Executive Producer. You will receive all previous gifts as well.
