Anatomy of Wings
a documentary 10 years in the making.
Anatomy of Wings is a twelve year documentary film which began with six girls at Dunbar Middle School in East Baltimore in 2007. The documentary highlights the mentorship and authentic connection of a unique group of youth, professors, college students and mentors who started in an after school program that became a twelve year family.
The Anatomy of Wings documentary is currently in it's post production phase. Our film crew plans to apply for film festivals this summer starting with the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Our co-directors and former mentors of the Wings program are working towards raising $80,000 through connecting with inspired foundations and individuals interested in becoming an Executive or Associate Producer.
This powerful film needs your support to complete our film’s lock edit. Learn more about our history and next steps below.
- Thank you! Nikiea, Co-Director & Co-Producer of Anatomy of Wings
Our Story
Finding Your Wings, our after school, began in 2007, with a group of girls chosen from the historic Dunbar Middle School in East Baltimore. The program's purpose was to give the girls access to an alternative lifestyle by introducing them to yoga, suggesting healthier eating habits and offering mentorship through retreats, sailing, etc. In 2008, the program's founder and her family moved to Chicago. Kirsten D'Andrea Hollander volunteered to continue the program and brought her videography skills to the group. Six girls decided to continue the program and together renamed the group Finding Our Wings, which we refer to as Wings.
Wings mentors created a safe space for the girls to practice filmmaking and share life experiences, questions and personal moments such as proms, first time gynecologist visits and accomplishments. Their lives in Baltimore reflected their corresponding community and, once in high school, the girls began inviting their best friends to join the program. The result: we became a group of 10.
What began as a videography program evolved into a powerful space of sharing for ten years, where ten girls, mentors, professors and college students at MICA created a family. All of us, hailing from various backgrounds and, literally, two different Baltimore’s, shared what we discovered in the powerful work of being present in our upcoming feature length film, Anatomy of Wings.
Film Goals & Impact
Our film is youth mentorship model teaching acceptance and authentic connection with inner city youth from middle school to high school. With over twelve years of experience in practicing self empowerment through seeing and hearing, our young women are being trained to teach the ‘Wings method’ of mentorship.
The action our film evokes is “how do we as mentors make space for our mentees to feel truly seen and heard” without judgment or expectation, just as they are.
expanding Youth Mentorship
Feb 2019 - Present
Girl specific conversations in schools led by the Wings young women.
Since 2016, Co-Directors, Kirsten and Nikiea have presented clips of Anatomy of Wings to communities at UMBC, MICA, and community spaces in Chicago, New Jersey and across Maryland. This year, we're creating a lane for our, now, young women to speak about their film across the world. Starting with schools and youth spaces in Baltimore.
May 2019 - September 2019
Wings Curriculum Guide mock up for teachers & mentors.
This guide will be written by the mentors and mentees of the Wings film and is planned to be pitched to publishers in the Fall of 2019. Partnerships and collaborations are still being established.
Summer 2020
Youth Development Trainings lead by Wings Women.
Our film is a catalyst for deepening youth connection with mentors and teachers. Each young woman will have the opportunity to train youth focused spaces on the tactics & practices of the Wings program. This is a part of our inclusive entrepreneurship model for the Wings young women to succeed beyond the film’s release.
Film post production timeline
Film Lock Edit Completed, April 2019
Sound design, Color Correction, & Finishing, May 2019-July 2019
Applying to Sundance Film Festival, August 2019
Theatrical Release, 2020
other film components in the works
Webisode series production with Morgan State University & MICA, Fall 2019
Professional Development & Media Training, January 2019 - present
Remaining Film Budget
Film Finishing Costs $98,000
Equipment $40,000
Insurance and Legal Clearances $11,000
Curriculum Guide Mock Up Development $12,000
Professional Development $25,000
TOTAL REMAINING COSTS = $186,000
The role of the Executive Producer for Anatomy of Wings is to contribute and/or help us secure our remaining costs of $186.000 in order to complete the documentary and fulfill our 2019 professional development goals with the ten young women who appear in the film.
We ask that our Executive Producers advocate for the model of mentorship embedded in our film’s storyline in support of launching our Curriculum Guide so we may provide trainings to professionals working in non-profits, community-advocacy organizations, schools, and universities. Especially those working with and within some of the world’s most challenging environments to positively impact the adverse effects of societal prejudice.
Co-Directors & Co-Producers, Kirsten D’Andrea Hollander & Nikiea Redmond
Contact nikiea@anatomyofwings.com or 443-791-0096 for details.
Anatomy of Wings has two fiscal sponsors MICA & HEBCAC, each contribution is tax deductible.
Please note: The clips on this page do not yet have Color-correction or Sound Design. Subtitles have been placed to support audio in need of post-production work.