OCEAN CHILD
Logline: OCEAN CHILD follows a young girl’s mystical journey towards her dreams and destiny of becoming a mermaid while confronting her mother’s fears, as she attends an underwater school for merchildren.
Synopsis: Hope is a young girl who has always dreamed of becoming a mermaid. Unbeknownst to her, Hope is also a preordained Ocean Child, and this thirteenth birthday is like no other. Her Grandmother Serena is of an ancient royal bloodline destined to rule The Seven Seas. Knowingly, she gave up her mermaid legacy when she fell in love with a U.S. Navy Sailor. Serena chose to become human for love, as well as her son Finn, Hope’s father. These transitions did not alter Hope’s birthright. Serena knew the importance of releasing the mermaid scales Hope was born with back to the ocean on her thirteenth birthday. A pure act of selflessness allowing Hope to navigate the course of her own destiny.
Hope’s mother Haylee, a pure blood human, has lived in fear of losing her daughter to this enchanted underwater world since the day she was born. This fear has led Haylee to manipulate Hope into thinking her delusions are just that. Visions of unattainable imagination as if the truth had been deleted from Haylee’s memory. Serena reiterates Hope’s current dream contained facts that only a real mermaid would know. It leads Finn to step up and help Haylee recall the reality of the situation. Hope learns her parents will be sending her to The School of Mermaidology and Neptunism. This school is for all merchildren, sorted into pods from all over the world. With Serena and Finn’s reassurance, Haylee agrees to let go. Together they will help support Hope’s mystical journey toward her dreams.
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Laura KoonsDirector
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Marilyn SwickDirector
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Laura KoonsWriter
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Marilyn SwickWriter
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Marilyn SwickProducer
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Laura KoonsProducer
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Marilyn SwickKey Cast"Serena"
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Fantasy, Family, Drama
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Runtime:17 minutes 2 seconds
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Completion Date:February 20, 2023
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Production Budget:20,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Laura Koons' passion for the film industry is apparent from script to screen. She's a multi-award winning Screenwriter, SAG-AFTRA Actor, SAG Signatory Producer, elected Houston-Austin Local Board Member, elected SAG-AFTRA Convention Delegate, serves on the SAG Awards Committee, and is the Founder of Lost Lion Productions, LLC, in the Houston area. Ocean Child (2023) is her Directorial Debut.
Marilyn Swick’s creativity and passion for the film industry have been a fundamental drive in every avenue of her life since she began acting in high school. Today she is an accomplished award-winning Screenwriter, Director, Producer, SAG-AFTRA Actor, ASCAP Songwriter & Publisher under Sleep On It Productions. She attended the New York Film Academy and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Georgetown University, in Washington, DC.
Marilyn is a long-standing member of WIF-LA, serves on the board of WIFVNE, and was honored to receive a STAR Award in 2016, as a female filmmaker in Houston, Texas. She is based in Boston and spends her time between Boston, Burbank, and NYC.
She has served as the Director for a variety of award-winning films: REM ( 2015), You Won’t Define Me (2015), Actors Anonymous (2016), Wish Upon A Starfish (2017), 16 Sunrises & Sunsets ( 2018 ), Wicked Bass (2022) and Ocean Child (2023).
Marilyn and Laura are very proud of having a majority female crew on Ocean Child, as we all need to work towards changing this narrative in our film industry.
We have crafted an imaginative destiny merchild story that is every childhood dream come true, by creating a mystical underwater world full of hope. It is heartfelt, inclusive, and more importantly full of endless wonder with intriguing characters we cannot wait for you to meet.
Two original songs “Destiny” and “Wish Upon a Starfish” were written specifically for our film OCEAN CHILD. “Destiny” performed by Melina, features 2023 GRAMMY® Award winner Matthew Shell on guitar. “Destiny” incorporates our theme for hope, faith, and destiny. “Wish Upon a Starfish” is performed by our principal actress Avery Lynn, personifying that dreams really can come true.
Ocean Child was filmed in Plymouth Beach, MA and Oahu, HI.