TRAVEN RICE
Writer, Director
Traven Rice is a New York City-based writer-director devoted to telling stories about the magical moments in our everyday lives. She recently completed the pilot for DIVISION STREET, a digital series about a mixed-race young girl who is sent to live with her cranky grandmother in a magical neighborhood in NYC. The pilot screened in numerous festivals including Slamdance, Raindance, ITVFest and SeriesFest.
Rice studied at FAMU Film Institute in Prague and at the Vancouver Film School in British Columbia. Her first short, THE NIGHT TRAM, was nominated for a Student Academy Award.
She is currently a New York Stage & Film Filmmakers' Workshop Fellow, where she is developing her first feature film, a psychological thriller based in a small mountain town in Colorado.
WEBSITE: TRAVENRICE.COM
SOCIAL MEDIA: TWITTER/INSTAGRAM/FACEBOOK
A Q&A WITH FILMSHOP BREAKTHROUGH SERIES 2018 FEATURED ARTIST TRAVEN RICE...
"DIVISION STREET" (NARRATIVE SERIES)
A withdrawn young girl is sent off to live with her cantankerous Jewish grandmother on the Lower East Side. At first, it feels like punishment. But then she begins to see the neighborhood as a place of gritty wonderment.
What was the inspiration for your project?
This is my love letter to the neighborhood. I’ve been living and Reporting on this diverse community in the Lower East Side for many years. I also know what it’s like to be raised by an array of friends and family that take the place of a more traditional family. Also - I love magical realism!
What do you feel is your greatest challenge moving forward?
We are looking for a production partner to finance and complete the remaining episodes of season 1.
How has the Filmshop community contributed to your project's development?
I presented the original synopsis, pitch book and several scripts in Filmshop. My production team, camera and sound teams, were all made up of Filmshop members.
What might Filmmaker Magazine say about your project?
A fantastical dramedy - really a love letter to the Lower East Side - told through the eyes of a little girl who is forced to live with her cranky Jewish grandmother.
What's next?
We just premiered at ITVFest and Marketplace. We are continuing to pitch the series. We are also reaching out to well-known actors from the neighborhood who may want to be involved in this special project.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
I grew up in a mountain canyon.
What keeps you up at night?
So many stories to tell, so little time.