My Dream

I have a dream that stories and content are representative of all. That what we consume is reflective of the world around us, the one in which we live, breathe, work, and play. That children and adults alike, seeing themselves in media, whether it be film, TV, theater, books, podcasts, and social media, know that they too have a place in the world. That their voices are important and that their stories matter.

I have a dream of creating:

• a film in which the leads are those not represented, the story is heartfelt, and song and dance is abundant
• a funny, thoughtful and important network sitcom starring an immigrant family quirkily chasing the American dream
• an in-depth podcast highlighting movers, shakers, and change-makers from all walks of life
• a sketch comedy series with a talented and diverse cast
• a children's book series about the nuanced gaps of knowledge between those who have been in this country for generations, and those who haven't

And these are just a few projects of mine, not to mention the creators I'd like to collaborate with to help realize their own visions. Simply put, between this dream and I is funding. Which I've learned is a silly reason to not pursue them. So here I am sharing this dream with you and putting it out into the universe.

My Background

I grew up in a family of three, my immigrant parents and I, in a one bedroom apartment that moonlit as a Hindi movie (a.k.a. Bollywood movie) rental. Their motto, "Work hard. Be kind. Rewind. And enjoy Bollywood." Okay, they didn't say the "Rewind" bit, but I couldn't help myself for all you VHS people. And in terms of Bollywood, we did. That was our family time. Where we could see ourselves, our values, our culture, our beliefs, and our music reflected in media. Not as a goofy 2-dimensional sidekick in someone else's 3-dimensional story, but a full, lovely human being with all the colors of the human experience. And very early on, this stayed with me, the desire to be a 3-dimensional human in 3-dimensional stories being told in media because my family and I were impacted so positively by it. How could I not dedicate my life to something so crucial?

My Experience As A Creator

So throughout my life, I've worked on my craft. I've acted, written, directed, played music, danced, and created content as early as elementary school. Professionally, I've been acting, writing, and directing for over 15 years, with work ranging from shorts and commercials, to television pilots and widely released films. In the past year, I've created content and amassed a following over 200k+ fans on TikTok, and now, it's time to create the change I'd like to see in a major way!

Why I'm Asking For Contributions

The monthly contributions from this campaign will go directly to:

1. Supporting my ability to create and build At Play
2. Fund a home with a studio which I can use to host creators and collaborators
3. Hire At Play staff: creators, writers, editors, cinematographers, crew, marketing for potential fundraising for individual projects

And my ask of you is considering a small pledge of at least $5/month. At 1,000 people, I'll be able to dedicate myself fully to content and growing At Play. At 2,000 people, I'll be able to secure a home and studio space in order to host creators and collaborators from around the world. Any pledge more than $5/month gets us that much closer to this vital change.

Much love, gratitude, and badassery,

Samraat Ghosh