I’ve always been fascinated by the quiet moments behind the curtain—the ones the audience never sees. The Spotlight was born out of that curiosity. It tells the story of jazz icon Louis Prima and his partner Keely Smith during a moment of emotional tension just before a major TV performance. It’s about what happens when love, heartbreak, and music collide backstage.

This project is a personal one. I’m making The Spotlight as a proof of concept for a feature film about Louis Prima’s life. I want to capture a side of his story most people don’t know—the emotional pressure behind the scenes, the heartbreak, the beauty of performance, and the cost of fame.

The short centers on a fictionalized moment before Louis and Keely perform on The Ed Sullivan Show—the day Louis discovers a headline about her rumored affair with Frank Sinatra. Instead of falling apart, he takes the stage with her and delivers one of the most iconic renditions of “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody.”

Your support will go toward production costs, including period-accurate costumes, music licensing, and location design to bring 1950s showbiz to life. I want to shoot this short in early August so I can begin post-production right away and share it with film festivals and investors in the fall.

I believe stories like this matter. They remind us that art often comes from pain, and performance can be a form of survival. If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to help bring this story to life—not just as a donor, but as part of the team that makes it happen.