Mae Edwards Presents
Screenplay/Storyboard
Option for Development
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*****I.M.L.A.*****
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Queer Femmes of Color on their Hero’s Journey
through Tinsel Town, as told in a Musical Graphic Novel.
Enjoy as a work, and / or consider it as an elaborate pitch for further development in a future project.
MAE EDWARDS is a Multi-Media Mixologist.
Her creative endeavors blend her musical compositions and performances with the visual mediums of video and literature.
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[Currently In Development]
THE TAROT OF SERVICE APP
The Tarot of Service is a Meditative Journey, Path Working the Tree of Life with an Accompanying Meditative Activating Card Pulling System, designed to uplift and liberate. The Tarot of Service will be available on YouTube, with additional content included in Mae's first app. Visit Mae’s YouTube Channel here.
LUNARE LUMEN VIRTUAL ART & LECTURE EXHIBIT
Work has begun on Lunare Lumen, a Virtual Art Installation. This Art Exhibit will feature 36 of Mae’s short films with accompanying musical scores and sound design.
Ultimately the project is being conceived as a 3D VR experience.
Lunare Lumen sets sail to discover the first of three states of Consciousness, starting with:
The MOON
(Introspection of the Cryptic Subconscious Mind).
Lunare Lumen is inspired by High Priestess Pythia from 4th Century BC. She is more widely known as The Oracle of Delphi, at the Temple of Apollo in Greece. Of the nearly 150 maxims carved on a stele found there at Mount Parnassus near the Gulf of Corinth ~Know Thyself~ (Σαυτον ισθι) is the first of three states of Consciousness needed to remain peaceful and empowered under any circumstance.
The Moon: Know Thyself (Subconscious Mind)
The Sun: Master Thyself (Consciousness/HGA)
The Fixed Stars: Become Thy Highest Self (SUPERCONSCIOUSNESS)
The Lens of Lunare Lumen explores...
Do our dreams uncover what makes us tick by exhuming lost souvenir trinkets from the muck of our suppressed memories? Does the subconscious relentlessly seek to flag us down with secret urgent symbolic messages? With apocalyptic warnings - electrocution jolts of cryptic guidance? With an aurora borealis of iridescent fireflies and wide-eyed wonderment? The ALL rhythmically pulses in the same space and time upon the 28 Lunar Mansion stages of Lunare Lumen.
“Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be.” Charles Bukowski
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[Completed Work]
I.M.L.A.
[With Option of Further Development]
MAE's creation: I.M.L.A. - A Musical Graphic Novel, is based on Mae's I.M.L.A. screenplay, and showcases 10 of Mae's musical compositions. I.M.L.A. stars the voice acting of Fiona Rene (FIRE COUNTRY, LINCOLN LAWYER, STUMPTOWN, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER) and features the illustrations of Disney veteran and Oscar nominated Amy Duarte.
I.M.L.A. overview:
Once known as El Pueblo Sobre el Rio de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles Del Rio de Porciuncula.
Land of Opportunity, Fame and Fortune.
A Mecca for Poets, Mystics, Musicians and Starlets.
IMLA is the hero’s journey of Shylene Steele and is a story about friendship.
4 young LGBTQ women of color making their way to Los Angeles from the Deep South, dreaming of hitting the big time and changing the world.
Their adventures in Hollywood have them meeting a mystical mentor, a gender non-conforming ally, and shadowy enemies along the way.
”It’s my love letter to Los Angeles, for better or for worse. I’m L.A.”
Mae Edwards
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[Completed Work]
STARLETTE & SAINT
An ambitious exploration of the ego. How one’s belief in form-based identity creates the dualism of enemy and hero. War and Peace. This collection of songs written over the span of 25 years form a photo album of evolution.
A 4 CD set containing 45 songs, two music videos and a lushly illustrated hard-cover book.
Starlette & Saint garnered three Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) nominations:
• Best song - Adult Contemporary Category:
"Anything Anymore"
• Best song - Adult Contemporary Category:
“Face in the Crowd”
• Best Independent Music Video:
“Astral Travels Plane 9”
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MUSIC BACKGROUND
MAE began her musical journey at age four, studying classical violin. She performed in numerous orchestras throughout her childhood, including the prestigious Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra of California founded by Dr. Ernest Katz. The Jr. Phil of California is one of the oldest and most distinctive young people’s symphony orchestras in the United States.
At age 13, MAE discovered her brother’s neglected guitar and began her lifelong love of songwriting, amassing a total of 300 compositions to date.
All throughout the 90’s, MAE recorded her songs at various Los Angeles recording studios and formed numerous bands. They performed her original songs in clubs along the Sunset Strip.
FILM & T.V. EDITORIAL
MAE’s other creative passion is motion picture editing. She has edited long and short form films, dozens of documentaries and was a staff editor for the DISNEY Network FREEFORM. MAE’s numerous awards spanning her 28 year career in the edit bay include an EMMY, a PRO MAX Silver, 8 TELEs and numerous film festival top honors.
of WILDsound Film Festivals
Click Link Below
Filmmaker Mae Edwards (I.M.L.A. ~ A Musical Graphic Novel) WILDsound: The Film Podcast
Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. They do daily film festivals held in cinemas in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and its flagship city Toronto. They also showcase 30-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month that are made into videos.
Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to watch daily film festivals on its APP.
I.M.L.A. ~ A Musical Graphic Novel, 83min.
USA, Graphic Novel
Directed by Mae Edwards
https://www.instagram.com/imlanovel/
Get to know the filmmaker:1. What motivated you to make this film?
It was a tumultuous time politically in the United States, where statements were made by politicians suggesting rounding up and hanging the LGBTQ+ community . As an adult, I knew it was a misdirected attempt for power and control, unlikely to take hold. But my friends who were therapists and caregivers mentioned to me repeatedly how suicide prevention centers showed a quadruple spike of calls from young LGBTQ+ people, who were wracked with fear over those comments.
I created this musical graphic novel as encouragement to young people, for them to see themselves as heroes and for them to know we see the injustice and won’t stand for it… for them to feel love and support from our community and our allies.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
From the lighting bolt of seeing it all finished in my imagination to its manifestation into this dimension, it took 2 years.
3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Love Offering
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
There were no obstacles, per se. It was more about putting one’s head down and showing up to do the work on the docket, daily. Not trying to see the finish line, but applying ourselves to today’s focus only.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I wept and wept and wept with joy and gratitude.
My smile went deep. I had the overwhelming wish to hug these beautiful people who had seen the film and thank them for their time and kindness.
I will never lose the smile they/you gave me.
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
As a musician and songwriter first, I realized visual motion picture storytelling was influencing my songwriting when I was 16 years old. When I was 25, I became a film and TV editor as my vocation and fell deeply and madly in love. The ability in editing to even rewrite the script became my secret superpower to directors I worked with.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Desert Hearts by Donna Deitch.
8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
You have to know you have knocked it out of the park. I can’t even begin to tell you what your encouragement has done for my heart. Perhaps to meet the jury or to attend the screening? But really, I am so filled up with your festival’s wonderful magic. I couldn’t be happier.
9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
FilmFreeway has been the most wonderful experience. I am thrilled with the site.
10. What is your favorite meal?
Bánh Xèo
Bánh xèo is a crispy, stuffed rice pancake popular in Vietnam. The name refers to the sound the rice batter makes when it is poured into the hot skillet. It is a savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, water, and turmeric powder. It can also be called a Vietnamese crêpe.
11. What is next for you? A new film?
I’m currently creating two projects concurrently.
The first is called Lunare Lumen. Lunare Lumen is a study of a forgotten Ancient Persian Astrology of the Moon, where the Moon visits 28 Lunar Mansions in her transformation from New Moon to New Moon. LL will consist of over 28 short films and their corresponding musical scores. Once all the elements are created it will be a virtual art installation, which I may convert into a VR experience.
I am also creating The Tarot of Service, which is a video course showing how to meditate the 22 Paths on the Tree of Life, from ancient Qabalah.
Esoteric and lofty I do realize… but I’m hoping to make everything bite sized and accessible, as the tenets are quite interesting, helpful food for thought to clear away difficult childhood trauma and societal conditioning, to help us all live with happier lighter more joyful hearts.
