# Escaping Ohio Join the new female led film with Emily Bergl (Shameless) & Adam Pascal (Rent) ## Elevator pitch We're creating the movie Escaping Ohio. - Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/escapingohio - Entity ID: wefunder:company:86777 - Last updated: 2026-06-20T05:00:38Z - Generated at: 2026-06-21T00:32:14Z ## Quick facts - A feature film starring actors from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, CW, HBO, CBS & more - Director/writer/star shorts have played at numerous film festivals & won her a Best Actress award - Emily Bergl is a well known actress starring in numerous TV series, films & Broadway shows - Producer/star played opposite Liv Tyler & Bel Powley in Wildling- premiered at SXSW & now on Netflix - Adam Pascal is a Tony-nominated actor well known for his roles in Rent and School of Rock - Producer/star played opposite Joey King in Radium Girls- premiered at Tribeca FF & now on Netflix - The script has been workshopped in the Sundance Institute - We have relationships with sales agents, distributors & agencies ## Active fundraises - wefunder:fundraise:46482: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) - wefunder:fundraise:46483: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) ## Story Escaping Ohio began as a short film which was shot in 14 locations in only 4 days with a budget less than $15,000. Our team knows how to tell a compelling story with stand out characters while creating a beautiful, captivating film on a modest budget and schedule. After wrapping the short film, we knew there was more to these characters and their journey, and that we had something really special & unique in our hands. "While it is a visually stunning piece of art, it is also filled with heart and inspiration. It is a message in chasing your dreams and following your passions when even your heart is conflicted. A message that we all need from time to time."--Gina Marie Rodriguez, Filmmaker, Westfield International Film Festival Founder"Without question, the best part for me was definitely the chemistry between the leads, which articulates growth and depth from the very beginning. The acting transcends the quality of fiction for two lived-in characters who are illustrated with such personality.” -The Film Freak"It moved me in so many ways."-Stephanie Bast, Broadway actress & singer“This short left me wanting more. From the nostalgia she captures in what Ohio really is, to the on-screen chemistry between her and the other lead; I felt like I was watching a blockbuster hit."--Ryan Weiss, Host of Made To Motivate Popculture Podcast"Escaping Ohio is a rom-com that hearkens back to movies like Clueless and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, while attempting to break the formulaic mold of typical movies in this genre." -Akronist.com"I kept wanting more!"-Late Fee CinemaSynopsisIt’s the summer between high school graduation and the rest of their lives in a small town in Akron, Ohio, where best friends, Sam & JJ, were born and raised. While JJ is excited to start the life he has planned, Sam is excited to have the world at her fingertips, which starts by getting the hell out of Ohio. Sam has been offered a full ride scholarship to a local college, which everyone reminds her is a great opportunity, but she’s afraid that if she doesn’t escape now, she never will. Her heart has called her to apply to a writing internship in California, which she soon lands. But when JJ finds out his best friend is thinking of leaving, he dares her that he can prove why Ohio is worth sticking around for.Taken aback by Ohio’s charm- and JJ’s, Sam begins to realize there is beauty in the subtleties and ordinariness when it’s spent with someone special. Torn between a life of love with her best friend and pursuing her desire to live an adventurous life and realize her full potential, Sam struggles to make a decision as she tries to resist society’s notion that we must have it all figured out.The feature-length script was workshopped in the Sundance Institute, where Jessica revised the script one-on-one with a Sundance filmmaker.The short film has been selected for the prestigious Montclair Film Festival, will be screening at the AMC in Time Square as part of the Big Apple Film Festival, and was a Semi-Finalist for the Oscar-qualifying Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. DistributionWe will be seeking to premiere the film at a top-tier festival, with the plan to finish the film in time to submit to Sundance Film Festival in 2022 for a January 2023 premiere. Other possible premiere venues include SXSW, Slamdance, TIFF, Tribeca, Cannes, or Berlin. These are festivals that offer the best possibility for a distribution deal.We will be taking around the Escaping Ohio short film before then to build up an audience & excitement for the feature film while making more connections with sales agents and distribution companies. We have a huge advantage, for while many filmmakers take their short films to festivals to their feature developed, we will already have our feature film completed and will be in a better position to approach these connections at festivals. The easiest distribution strategy and return on investment would come from an all-rights deal for the film. However, if an all-rights deal isn’t lucrative for all parties, we are prepared to distribute the film ourselves across platforms domestically while making deals with distributors in foreign territories for Theatrical, Digital, and Blu-Ray releases.Our AudienceFans of teen movies will love our aesthetic since we're pulling inspiration from the 90s/early 2000s for our stylish production design, iconic wardrobe, and killer soundtrack. While lovers of Richard Linklater's films (Jessica's favorite filmmaker) will come for the thought provoking, authentic story and our two lead characters who resemble chemistry similar to Jesse and Céline in the Before Trilogy.Escaping Ohio will most resemble coming-of-age stories like Booksmart, Lady Bird, and To All the Boys I've Loved Before; all franchise-able films with a global audience. Support Film in OhioWe're so excited to be working with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission! Other films they've worked on include the Oscar-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah, the Netflix film All the Bright Places, Marvel films, and many more. Ohio is another character in our film, bringing all its beauty & charm to the screen. Jessica was born & raised in Akron, OH and is excited to show it off and bring business to her home state. The way Jessica portrays Ohio through her lens of love and nostalgia is another element as to how our film will stand out against the rest. Streaming platforms & networks are looking for new stories based outside of the usual New York City & LA and though some films have been set in Ohio before, rarely do they make use of all it has to offer. Plus, everyone knows someone from Ohio. Testimonials “Jessica is the embodiment of a very talented female filmmaker to look out for, lots of great work ahead.” -Late Fee Cinema“Jessica and Collin Kelly-Sordelet are two of the most charming, dedicated, and talented people I've ever met. I cannot wait to see them on screen again. I have a feeling that we will be seeing a lot more of each of them in the future and I'll be happy to say I ‘knew them when.’” -Gina Marie Rodriguez, Filmmaker, Westfield IFF Founder"The chemistry is undeniable." -Miss en Scene“I’d bet on Jessica any day.” -The Film Freak "I’ve been following Jessica’s career for over a decade, and the growth in her work is remarkable. She’s just a kid from Akron, but she’s creating greatness far beyond Ohio.” -Ryan Weiss, Host of Made To Motivate Popculture Podcast ## FAQ 1. **Once film gets distribution will the payouts be transparent.** - Hi Sunil, thanks for your question! Our revenue will be reported and transparent! Once the film makes a profit, we will send WeFunder the net profit lump-sum funds, which then WeFunder will distribute pro-rata to investors, based on the amount the person invested. Hope that answers your question! 2. **Being from NE Ohio originally, I love the premise of Escaping Ohio and I connected with the trailer immediately. Just a minute of visuals showing the small-town atmosphere was really nostalgic. I appreciate what you and your crew managed to do for the short film with such a sm...** - Hi Pete! I'm so happy to hear this story resonates with you, especially being from NE Ohio (And excited to have another Ohioan on the team!) Thanks for the great questions! 1) The approx. running time is 90mins. 2) We do not plan to reuse footage from the short for the feature length film, for we will be upgrading our camera and lighting equipment; we shot on the Blackmagic Ursa & Pocket Cam, and while great cameras, we are looking to rent a better quality camera and lense kit to give the... 3. **Which type of contract are you offering to investors?** - Hi Bryan! Thanks for your question. We are offering a Revenue Participation Agreement. It has been reviewed by our lawyer and sent in to WeFunder, but it doesn't look like they will be uploading it to our site until our Form C is filed, which is done once we reach $50,000. Those who invest in this 'testing the waters' stage will be asked to confirm their investment once the Form C is filed. Until then, investments made indicate interest and involve no commitment. The terms and perks that are ... 4. **Hello Jessica, happy to have invested and support your project. How can I get access to your short film? I would really like to watch it, to get a better sense of the feature film potential. Thanks!** - Hi Leandro! Thank you so much for your investment and support! I just saw your message on LinkedIn and will send you a private link. 5. **Just wondering whether right now is still consider as “early investor” and whether 5k for associate producer still holds?** - Hi Adrian! Thank you for your interest. Unfortunately, the “Early Bird” perks ended when we hit $50k. Currently, an investment of $10k is given an Associate Producer credit. ## Team - Jessica Michael Davis (Director/Writer/Sam) - Collin Kelly-Sordelet (Producer/Co-Writer/JJ) - Emily Bergl (Producer/Renee, Sam's mom) - Adam Pascal (Rick, Sam's dad) - Jeffrey Weber (Lead Investor/Executive Producer) - Jamie Monahan (Casting Director) - Mike Zorbas (Cinematographer ) - Emiliana Lahrssen (Stylist ) - Carolyn Kang (Courtney) - Ben Jaeger-Thomas (Uncle Jerry) - Alexandria Benford (Taylor) - Cadden Jones (Carol, JJ's mom) - Ty Poland (Drone Operator) ## Recent posts - See Escaping Ohio in theaters! (2024-10-31T23:03:31Z) - Pre-order now on Apple TV! Official Trailer debut on MovieWeb & more (2024-10-09T21:30:32Z) - Escaping Ohio release date! (2024-09-06T00:23:13Z) - "LeBron James Family Foundation brings Hollywood magic to Akron with Escaping Ohio" (2024-01-10T21:07:52Z) - Outstanding Directorial Debut Winner! (2023-10-23T17:44:46Z) - Escaping Ohio makes its way east this October (2023-10-02T21:17:37Z) - Film Threat says Escaping Ohio is 9/10! (2023-07-07T18:53:54Z) - Escaping Ohio World Premiere (2023-06-05T18:24:59Z) - Escaping Ohio featured by Playbill and Broadway World! (2023-03-16T16:41:19Z) - Escaping Ohio in MovieMaker Magazine (2023-02-16T18:49:07Z) - Escaping Ohio's first press release! (2022-10-21T18:17:29Z) - Escaping Ohio poster (2022-07-27T19:30:55Z) - Netflix Poster Design (2022-04-06T17:13:45Z) - That's a picture wrap! (2022-04-06T16:40:40Z) - March Update! (2022-03-08T23:53:25Z) ## Q&A - Q: Time for investor update. - A: Will do! I’ve been working on getting a more detailed update from our distributor, but will get posted one in the next couple of days. Thanks, Benjamin! - Q: Thanks for updating the perks. I have invested =) - A: Thank you, Adrian! Excited to have you on the team! - Q: Hi Jessica, I have had a few chats with other speculative traders and investors and an interesting point has come up a few times. This investment opportunity seems less interesting to "smaller" investors just entering into the world of crowdfunded investments and often coming from marketplaces such as Patreon, Kickstarter, or Indigogo. The main reason (in my view and with feedback from others) being a lack of PHYSICAL awareness, merchandising, or rewards. The investment here is a somewhat mysterious profit-sharing entity, which while not a negative thing, still may leave smaller investors feeling like it's not worth the trouble. Might I suggest reworking the investor perks some to have a much lower barrier of entry? Look at something like Pencilish Animation studios for example who starts off at the $250 or even $500 level with tangible potential goods. With Escaping Ohio the initial perk is a large $10,000 ($5,000 early bird). Might I suggest utilizing some lower-cost investor perks... perhaps rewarding signed movie posters or cards, or inexpensive movie merchandise? Not only might this provide some interest for smaller investors but they would feel more connected and rewarded. Then again perhaps it will not. Just an idea albeit a bit late in the process as it has met the initial goal. Wishing you and the team the best of luck! - A: Hi James! Thank you so much for your suggestion and care! We love hearing advice and feedback from our investors and fellow artists. When we first launched our WeFunder campaign, we did consider whether or not to include smaller perks, for we had experience doing so when we raised funds on Seed & Spark for the short film. While we decided at the time not to move forward with them, after feedback from others and your lovely suggestion, we agree that this is the best route moving forward. We are going to begin creating these incentives and will work on listing them soon. These incentives will be given to investors who've already made such contributions. Thank you again for your support! - Q: Please keep us posted =) - A: Hi Adrian! Thanks for your patience while we decided upon our new investor perks. They are now listed on our Updates page! Per your last question, an investment of $250+ will receive a "Special Thanks" credit in the film. - Q: I've invested heavily in 3 Wefunder films in the past year. Two are female led/driven/written/directed/produced. (Scrap and My Divorce Party.) I wish I'd known about Escaping Ohio earlier, as I would have invested at the AP level at the outset. I'm open to discussion about a possible Creative Consultant role? I'd be open to reviewing rough-cuts and add my $0.02, while investing, without requiring any creative control. I am a former advertising agency Executive Creative Director, having produced hundreds of commercials and brand films (short format) and now teach at Savannah College of Art and Design as a professor of Brand Films and Social Content. I want to contribute as much as I can, and learn as much as I can, before I produce a female-driven, western-based script in 2022. Let me know if there is any interest. - A: Hi Mark, thanks for your interest and reaching out! It's great to hear you've supported other female led films! I'd be interested in discussing this further, please send me an email at JessicaMichaelDavis@gmail.com - Q: Thanks for update regarding completion of Ohio schedule. So what's the timeline of the upcoming events. - A: Hi Rakesh! Thank you for your question. We have a few more pick up days to film in NJ, for we are a NYC based team, within the next few weeks. We are currently scheduling exact dates with a named actor whom we are working out a deal with, which will be announced as soon as we can legally do so. Until then, we've already began the post-production process on our own so we can get a head start on a rough cut of the film while we finish raising the financing that will cover the post-production costs. Our biggest goal for the next few months is to put together a trailer to begin to shop around to the sales agents and distributors we have connections to, and have already started some of these conversations. Our current timeline is to have a deliverable trailer by the end of November. Now, depending on who we partner with will determine our next steps from there. Our plan has been to have a rough cut of the film by the end of the year. which will then be followed by many test screenings and continued editing. But this step could change, depending on who we work with, for a larger company may have a preferred method of screenings or will bring on their own team to finish post-production. While we are adaptable and open to what is best for the film, we are always putting the investors at the forefront and will continue to work towards a route that is lucrative for everyone. - Q: Hi Jessica. Happy to support a fellow artist (albeit a different kind). Can we get some updates on how the funding has affected things so far? Is the original goal of a minimum of 91k (preferably 150k+) still a necessity to potentially complete the filming? Have there been any adjustments to the Form C after hitting the 50k initial early bird target previously discussed? Should an early-bird investor wish to contribute more at this stage, how would their additional investment be treated? Have there been additional sources of funding recently from non-Wefunder sources that have helped with the process? Any additional information on progress from a "financial" side of things rather than the flavor updates on filming seen on places like Instagram, here, and social media (which while welcome and fun to see do not give a clear picture from the investment side of things)? Happy to see you actively filming, having fun, and I wish you and the team nothing but success. - A: Hi James! Thank you for your support! And thank you for your patience as I get to your questions as we just finished wrapping up production in Ohio. The funding thus far has allowed us to get what we need to shoot in Ohio and some exteriors in Jersey, since most of the script is dependent on summer weather and cast & crew's schedules. As stated in our panel video, we were able to receive an interest-free loan from someone on our team to get us through the past month, that way we could focus on filming while we reach our first goal. All of our funding has comes through WeFunder and any potential investors we encounter, we direct to this site. No changes have been made to our Form C. If an "Early-Bird" investor wishes to contribute more at this stage, we will continue to treat their additional investment with the same "Early-Bird" perks! We've recently posted a financial update about the partnerships we've made with multiple brands and businesses who have saved us a great amount of money in merchandise, food, location fees, and will be providing us with free marketing! We are currently in discussions with potential sales agents and distribution, however, we are not able to discuss the details until it's confirmed. As of last night, we have surpassed our first goal of $91k, which we will be posting an update later today. Hope this answers all of your questions! We're so grateful to have you on our team! - Q: Hello Jessica, happy to have invested and support your project. How can I get access to your short film? I would really like to watch it, to get a better sense of the feature film potential. Thanks! - A: Hi Leandro! Thank you so much for your investment and support! I just saw your message on LinkedIn and will send you a private link. - Q: Which type of contract are you offering to investors? - A: Hi Bryan! Thanks for your question. We are offering a Revenue Participation Agreement. It has been reviewed by our lawyer and sent in to WeFunder, but it doesn't look like they will be uploading it to our site until our Form C is filed, which is done once we reach $50,000. Those who invest in this 'testing the waters' stage will be asked to confirm their investment once the Form C is filed. Until then, investments made indicate interest and involve no commitment. The terms and perks that are listed in our agreement are currently listed on the site. Investors will also be provided with K-1's. - Q: Being from NE Ohio originally, I love the premise of Escaping Ohio and I connected with the trailer immediately. Just a minute of visuals showing the small-town atmosphere was really nostalgic. I appreciate what you and your crew managed to do for the short film with such a small budget. I do have a couple questions for you though... 1) What is the approximate running time you are shooting for? 2) Do you plan to reuse/adapt any footage from your short into the feature length film? (just curious) 3) Let's say you reach the $158,800 goal; do you close the the fundraise immediately? Do you allow it to continue if there is still momentum, perhaps to expand on the project in any ways you feel are appropriate? Expand the contingency funds a bit? I'm curious on this because I can appreciate your confidence in your budget and your team, but I also know that a crappy week of Ohio thunderstorms in August/September could make a mess of things. Thank you! - A: Hi Pete! I'm so happy to hear this story resonates with you, especially being from NE Ohio (And excited to have another Ohioan on the team!) Thanks for the great questions! 1) The approx. running time is 90mins. 2) We do not plan to reuse footage from the short for the feature length film, for we will be upgrading our camera and lighting equipment; we shot on the Blackmagic Ursa & Pocket Cam, and while great cameras, we are looking to rent a better quality camera and lense kit to give the film the best chance at a successful distribution. For lighting, my DP has a lot of his own equipment, which we used in the short and helps cut down cost for the feature, but we will be adding to this to bring a higher production value to the screen. 3) Since we go into production soon, we may close the fundraise immediately once the goal is hit, however, if we have time to keep it open, we will. The extra funds would increase the production value; allowing us to rent the best equipment and bring on more crew members to allow for larger set ups. Any extra funds beyond this would go into post-production, specifically adding to the color and sound design budgets, as well as obtaining music rights. In terms of weather, we realize how lucky we got for the short film to have beautiful weather the whole shoot; although we did get about 15 minutes of random rain, good ole' Ohio.. We do have backup plans for any curveballs Ohio throws us, however! Because a lot of the movie is focused on JJ & Sam, we are able to have a lot of flexibility with our schedule and move around any scenes that need sunny weather. Then, we have other scenes that can still shoot on a rainy day; whether they're already scheduled to be indoors, can be relocated to an indoor location (we have access to a lot of locations since some of the crew members and I have family and friends there, as well as working with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission) or, we would film in the rain if it can make sense for scene, which will just give more of an authentic Ohio experience! Thanks for your patience in reading this and hope it answers all your questions! O - H! - Q: Once film gets distribution will the payouts be transparent. - A: Hi Sunil, thanks for your question! Our revenue will be reported and transparent! Once the film makes a profit, we will send WeFunder the net profit lump-sum funds, which then WeFunder will distribute pro-rata to investors, based on the amount the person invested. Hope that answers your question! - Q: investor perks . I am sure you are very busy. Not trying to rush you . Just wanted to have a ball park idea, of when people might get the ( Thank you video ) . Not trying to rush you. If it's going to be a few more weeks, or a few more months that's fine. Just wanted to have a general idea. - A: Hi Benjamin! Thanks for reaching out, apologies for the delay in response, for I was out in LA taking meetings. We plan to complete and deliver the thank you videos in April since we have our final pick up days of shooting in just a couple weeks. So glad you're looking forward to them and thank you for your investment! - Q: Any special thanks credit for less than the stated perks? - A: Hi Adrian! We have recently decided to add incentives with smaller investments after receiving feedback from other investors and will be listing them soon. We will include a "Special Thanks" credit as one of these perks and I will be sure to let you know once we've listed them! - Q: Just wondering whether right now is still consider as “early investor” and whether 5k for associate producer still holds? - A: Hi Adrian! Thank you for your interest. Unfortunately, the “Early Bird” perks ended when we hit $50k. Currently, an investment of $10k is given an Associate Producer credit.