By: Tia Culver

Crowdfunding and subscription streaming platform Seed&Spark empowers content creators as they build audiences and raise funds for their projects. They deliver education, tools, and resources that create access for all storytellers to get their work made and seen. Their unique model allows creators and audiences to work together to tell stories that celebrate diversity.

Seed&Spark has the highest campaign success rate in the world and is the foundation of a broader creative platform that supports creator sustainability and increases representation in all stages of storytelling, from audience building and funding all the way through high-impact distribution. In April 2019, the platform hosted a panel during the Atlanta Film Festival’s Creative Conference focusing on topics such as screenwriting, acting, producing, casting, funding, and distribution — and how they all come together to make a film or television episode.

Ceci Leon is a creative who became acquainted with Seed&Spark while working with the Atlanta Film Society. The Atlanta native graduated from Columbus State University in 2014 and returned home during the film industry boom. Ceci started with ATLFS in 2015, volunteering during the Atlanta Film Festival and working as a production assistant on several projects. She later became the organization’s volunteer coordinator and is currently the operations manager, handling event logistics, membership databases, and tech support.

Ceci met Real Fakes creator/writer Astin Rocks and came on board as a co-producer for the web series, working alongside executive producer Glenn Callwood, in 2019. She has since spearheaded the launch of a crowdfunding campaign on Seed&Spark to support the production with a goal to raise seven thousand dollars. The funds will be used to shoot roughly 30 minutes of content in and around Atlanta. Less than a month after creating their crowdfunding campaign, they have seen a 25% increase in YouTube subscribers, a 300% increase in YouTube streams, and a 17% increase in Instagram followers.

Real Fakes highlights the comedic charm of the customer service experience through three-minute episodes that are posted on the show’s website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. Between the laughs, these ladies hope to inspire conversations about materialism as it relates to status and how it plays a central role in the way we interact with each other, especially in Black and Brown spaces.

The series, which is beginning production on season two with a predominantly female crew, serves as a voice for Black women and women of color in comedy. A recent screening of the first season was held at the Screening Room ATL and received rave reviews. Real Fakes is currently seeking sponsorships, designers, and influencers.

To support Real Fakes, donate to their Seed&Spark crowdfunding campaign and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. For more information about the series, its creators, and its cast and crew visit www.therealfakeseries.com.