Hoteling Short Film

Update 10/21/23

Thank you to all of the donors to our project thus far! Due to the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Strike that began in July, we had to suspend our film production until we had an approved interim agreement. We are happy to share that we now have an approved and signed SAG interim agreement and are cleared to move forward with casting and film production. We are proud to be an independent production and provide solidarity by agreeing to and supporting the terms SAG is fighting for with the AMPT. To reiterate, we are not a part of nor have any deals with AMPT affiliated studios.

Hoteling will begin filming on December 4th and are thrilled to be working again with our talented cast and crew, many of which are dear friends and colleagues in the in Atlanta film community. We are still in need of funding to help pay our hardworking crew and bring this story the life. Please read below to learn more about the Hoteling practice within the Georgia Foster Care system. Thank you for your outstanding support and consideration!

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My name is Ryan Buffa and I’m a filmmaker from Atlanta, GA. I plan to begin production on my third short film, HOTELING on July 24th. My film is about the hoteling practice within the foster care system currently affecting Georgia and various states in the country.

In Georgia, if a minor is awaiting placement with a foster family, the Department of Family and Child Services place them in a low-budget business-class hotel with two "transporters" of the same gender as the child to monitor them 24/7.

 

Although transporters are responsible for guarding the child, there is no degree requirement. Hiring requirements include a background check and a few days of training. What is often meant to be a short stay in the hotel for the child while awaiting placement, has often lasted weeks or months at a time in some cases due to a shortage of foster parents and a stressed system.  

My mission is to spread awareness of the hoteling practice by telling a fictional story within a real system that is affecting families and children daily.

We’ve already secured over half of our fundraising goal needed to produce the film from private donors. Now we are seeking the remaining $20k in funding to cover location fees and to pay our hard-working cast and crew.

***This is an independent film production produced under Ryan Buffa's Hoteling Film Production, LLC. We are not working for, nor have a contract with, any of the signatory companies.