executive produced by
lilly wachowski
(The Matrix, Sense8)
by april korto quioh
A PROOF OF CONCEPT SHORT FIlm
LOGLINE
PICK ME is a romantic comedy short film about a
jaded single woman who faces intense pressure
from her family to find a husband and is forced
to confront her insecurities when she gets the
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to star in her own
reality dating show.
The short is written by, directed by and starring
April Korto Quioh, the Writer and Co-Executive
Producer of Survival of the Thickest on Netflix,
Loot on Apple TV+, and NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-
Nine.
Pick Me is a story inspired by a real-life
event when a Liberian grandmother, having
long lost her patience with my perpetual
singleness, turned what was supposed to be
a going away party for her into an
intervention for her granddaughter and the
director of the film, April.
concept
Once she recovered from
the bone-deep humiliation
that followed, she was
inspired to tell a story
about a woman who, like
her, must endure the
constant pressure and
judgement of her Liberian
family and also like her,
does truly desire love and
partnership, though she is
loath to admit it.
(IRL intervention pictured here)
When we meet our protagonist, Autumn, she is on her way to
what she believes is her grandmother’s birthday celebration
when she receives the surprise of her life. Her grandmother
and her elderly girl squad have coordinated to talk some
sense into her in the form of a dramatic intervention,
featuring everything from speaking in tongues to calling on
the ancestors. When her mother, Musu, informs her of the
risks that come along with disobeying her elders, she commits
herself to finding a husband ASAP. Later when she is at a
bookstore desperately searching for dating advice, she
meets Ethan, an amateur reality television producer.
When he shares that he thinks Autumn would make the
perfect star of a The Bachelorette type show, naturally, she
believes he is joking. He is not. A reality television enthusiast,
she tries to imagine herself in a way she never has before -
as the star, the lead, the object of a male suitor’s desire in the
artificial but oddly earnest world of a reality dating show.
Will she shy away from the opportunity or take him up on his
offer? And if she does, how will she fair when for the very
first time, all eyes are on her?
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Before I ever had any other aspirations in this industry, I wanted to be a
director. As a child, I would come up with dramatic scenarios for my Barbies
and refuse to allow any other children to play with me out of concern that they
would “mess up my storyline.” I’ve been very fortunate to be a working comedy
writer for almost a decade and though I always wanted to do more behind and
in front of the camera, I was intimidated. As a fat, Black woman, I was not sure
if there was space for someone like me and if there was, I was not ready to step
into it. But I am now.
I am so excited to tell a story that is as comedy forward and deeply personal as
Pick Me. The romantic comedy is back and now is the time for a lead like we’ve
never seen before. Someone who isn’t graceful, or dainty, who could not be
further from what Hollywood has deemed to be lovable - and yet is daring to
believe that she deserves to be loved anyway. And she’s bringing her loving but
dysfunctional Liberian family along for the ride. I wholeheartedly believe in this
story and I am truly confident that this film is going to be something very
special.
april korto quioh
(she/her)
director | writer | actress
Our protagonist AUTUMN never wanted any of this.
A nerdy comedy writer with a sardonic sense of
humor (sound familiar?), her plan was to lay low and
remain single until science finally advanced enough
that she could birth a child without a genetic need
for male interference. Instead, her grandmother
has threatened to curse her (some kind of African
magic, don’t ask) unless she stops embarrassing her
and finds a husband ASAP. She’ll have to open
herself up in a way she never has before, and get
comfortable being in the spotlight.
She’s gonna need her inhaler.
autumn
played by: APRIL KORTO QUIOH
played by: RUTHIE AUSTIN
MUSU craves perfection. Her high school’s prom queen, she had it all back in Liberia - suitors trailing behind her wherever she went, effervescent beauty, confidence. So imagine her devastation to find that her daughter is a workaholic nerd who carries all her weight in her thighs. As a hard-working single mother, Musu loves her daughter - she just doesn’t understand her. All she wants is a daughter who is presentable, who will attract a handsome, well-off husband that will make all her friends with their little middle management son-in-laws jealous and four Target-baby-model-level-cute grandchildren. Is that too much to ask? She may be blunt and she may believe that boundaries are fundamentally “disrespectful,” but everything she does is because she cares. And to maintain her social standing in the community, but mostly the first thing, she swears.
musu
musu IRL
(often insists on us wearing
matching outfits)
(her on my graduation day after she
made me give her my cap and gown
because it was “her day, too.”)
(this a real text from the
real-life Musu... exactly.)
ETHAN really, really needs this to work. The son of a legendary reality
television producer, he’s desperate to prove that he’s more than just a
thirty something nepo baby who’s Daddy pays for his Silver Lake
bungalow. And beyond his desire to no longer live in his father’s
shadow (shoutout Ashlee Simpson), he has a vision. He wants nothing
to do with the myth his father has personally perpetuated that there is
only one type of person (thin, rich, white) that people want to see fall
in love on television. He’s looking for a new type of star and Autumn
just may fit the bill.
played by: EYTAN BOCLIN
EYTAN is a comedy writer who was worked on some of your favorite television shows like Tina Fey and Robert Carlock’s Mr. Mayor and After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson. Check out his completely insane short Hoop Dreams 3D here.
ethan
MA KEBBEH has had enough. When she was her granddaughter Autumn’s age, she had a husband she tolerated, a beautiful home in Monrovia, Liberia and she had already given birth to four of her ten children. Inspired by my grandmother, all she wants is to make sure the next generation will be secure and never want for anything. That kind of life takes work; work she has yet to see Autumn do. Fed up and now facing her own mortality, she and the other reigning Old Ma’s of their community go to extreme measures to scare Autumn straight. She’s getting too old for this shit!
ma kebbeh
played by: Doreene L. Hamilton
ma kebbeh IRL
(I wish she would look at me the way
she looks at her phone)
(because of her, I am hot)
the team
April Korto Quioh and Sameliah Teta Quioh
Executive Producers | Palava Productions
Sameliah joins April as a fellow Executive Producer,
bringing her unparalleled comedic expertise as a sketch
comedy writer, stand-up comedian, as well as extensive
commercial acting experience. The sisters have been
dreaming up stories together since they were little,
making this collaboration feel inevitable. They’re a
dynamic sibling duo—Billie and Finneas, you’re on
notice!
Director of Photography
Tanmay is a filmmaker whose work focuses on South
Asian immigrant roots, shedding light on stories that
have often escaped the mainstream. His films have
played at the BFI London Film Festival, Slamdance,
SXSW, Camerimage, Festival Du Nouveau Cinéma,
and Edinburgh International Film Festival. Most
recently, his short Leela world premiered at the
International Film Festival of Rotterdam. Chowdhary
has collaborated with music artists like Young the
Giant and Raveena, and his work has been
recognized on Nowness, Vogue, Rolling Stone, and
with the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW.
Associate Producer
In collaboration with Iesha,
Mariah is a creative producer
who aims to help create space
for minority filmmakers in the
Entertainment industry. She
works full-time at Wolf +
Rothstein, a creative agency
and record label founded by
Donald Glover.
Iesha is a Liberian-American
actress, director and creative
producer. A recent Howard
grad, she has worked on
productions for Lionsgate,
Monkeypaw, and recently
starred in a hair campaign for
Sienna Naturals, a hair
company founded by Issa Rae.
Gabi is a legend in the plus size
fashion space and we are so
honored to have her on our
crew. Known for innovating
the world of plus size
swimwear and her incredible
eye for style, her swimwear
line, Villa Fresca, is currently
available at Nordstrom,
Revolve and Anthropologie.
Wardrobe Supervisor
Dane is an incredibly talented
editor, director and writer,
and has worked as a VFX
supervisor on Amazon Prime’s
The Boys, The Night Agent on
Netflix, Timeless on NBC, and
many more of your favorite
television shows.
Dane C. Collier
Editor
principal photography
filming began on October
11th, 2024 and wrapped on
October 15th
post-production
festival circuit
began in late Winter 2024 with the goal to picture lock by February 2025
pitching the feature
with a high production value
proof of concept we plan to
sell and develop the full-length
version of Pick Me in 2025
showing the short at
festivals all over the
country during Winter
and Spring of 2025
the plan
ARE YOU IN?
This is a completely independent
project with an all female/non-binary
and POC crew. With the current
state of the industry, we want to be
able to pay these artists what they
are worth. If you believe in this
project, there are a few ways you
can get involved:
(pictured here: the real-life Musu and Ma Kebbeh,
aka my mother Garmai and grandmother Korto, in a
diva-off at Griffith Observatory.)
Ready to financially contribute to the success
of this project? We know just the place.
Tell a friend!
DONATE
With a contribution of $10,000 or more, you'll
receive Executive Producer credit on Pick Me.
If you're passionate about supporting diverse
filmmakers, this opportunity is for you.
Become an Executive Producer
get involved
Here's what you get:
- Executive Producer credit on the film
- VIP invites to the premiere and exclusive screenings
- Hands-on access to BTS updates and on-set sneak peeks
- Exclusive opportunity to be part of the development process
For those who donate $1,000 or more, you will receive a Special Thanks in our ending credits.
Earn a Special Thanks Credit
when Pick Me is expanded into a
full-length feature!
are you a business owner that is interested in donating your services
or having your product featured in the film? contact us: pickme@aprilkortoquioh.com
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