INTRO:

Join us on an unforgettable journey as we delve into the life of Jay, an artist returning to his roots in Sri Lanka after twelve years away. From December 31st 2023 to January 27th 2024 we captured every moment of his homecoming for our documentary, “Where I’m From.”

Day in and day out, we tirelessly filmed Jay’s experiences, but as a team of just two, our resources are limited. That’s why we’re reaching out to you for help. We need to raise $50,000 to ensure our documentary gets the professional treatment it deserves—editing, coloring, animations, and more.

Transparency is key to us. We’ll keep you informed about how every dollar is spent and welcome any questions you may have along the way.

Our ultimate goal? To share Jay’s story with the world, starting with film festivals like Sundance. Your support means everything to us as we strive to make this dream a reality.

Thank you for being a part of our journey.

BACKGROUND:

ERIK KOLLASCH

Erik, a forward-thinking director hailing from Burnsville, Minnesota, discovered his passion for filmmaking when he first laid hands on his parent’s Sony camcorder, creating videos with his middle school friends. Embracing the filmmaker’s enthusiasm, he never turned away from his cinematic journey. Erik holds a double major in Film Studies and Communications from the University of Minnesota. With a robust portfolio, he has edited numerous feature-length documentaries, directed a dozen music videos, and collaborated on projects with leading production companies such as HBO, Netflix, Disney+, Blumhouse, and RSA Films.

JAY PRINCCE

Emerging from Los Angeles, California, Jay Princce, a dynamic lyricist and performer, burst onto the Hip-Hop scene in the year 2020 amidst a global pandemic.  Princce rose to prominence with the standout single “Where I’m From”, a South Asian anthem that paid homage to his Sri Lankan roots. Following a slew of guest appearances, the Sinhalese rapper further distinguished himself by releasing a star-studded remix that garnered 2 million views on YouTube.

 Jay capped off the year with Unintended Consequences, an introspective and grounded debut album that continued to resonate on a global scale.  Within weeks, the album earned a number one spot on Apple Music in Princce’s native country Sri Lanka.

What distinguishes Jay Princce is his skillful incorporation of his Sri Lankan heritage into his music. His verses serve as a bridge between tradition and innovation, weaving the rich tapestry of his origins into his lyrics. This fusion of personal history and contemporary hip-hop adds an authentic depth to his art, establishing a sincere connection with audiences.

In 2023 Jay’s star continued to rise as media outlets such as Pulse LK, Thisis50.com, and LA Weekly all featured the Sri Lankan born MC, heralding the release of his new single “Lighters Up” and calling him one of the year’s Top 10 Artists To Watch.

HOW THE DOCUMENTARY BECAME A REALITY.

The friendship of Erik and Jay Princce began in 2019. They became close friends very quickly because they both recognized the talent and authenticity within each other. As their friendship grew, they began creating together. This creative spark exploded with their collaboration on the music video visuals for Jay Princce’s hit single, “Where I’m From”.  The more they worked together, the more Erik was driven to share Jay Princce’s story. 

Erik was driven to help more people hear Jay Princce’s unique and powerful voice of a Sri Lankan immigrant, overcoming the challenges of following a path less taken to build a career in music. Especially as he became a voice for the people. Erik wants to share the authenticity, humbleness and perseverance of Jay Princce to help inspire others in their own lives. 

When Erik found out that Jay Princce was going back to Sri Lanka after 13 years, he knew he had to join him and document his pilgrimage home. After experiencing Jay Princce’s homecoming in Sri Lanka, Erik walked away even more inspired to spread their experience. Witnessing the way that Jay Princce connected with his fans despite living thousands of miles away was the moment Erik knew he had made the right choice. As they traveled across the island, they continued to connect with many more people and Erik continued to fall in love with the pearl island. He noticed that even during times of economic instability, the Sri Lankan people still shared so many moments of joy and happiness with one another. For example, if a Sri Lankan person knew someone who loved fruits, they would go out of their way to find and share fruits with them. While it may seem like a small thing, the sense of community and positivity that they embody is unmatched.

THE ROAD AHEAD:

We are incredibly close to finishing this film. We’ve already shot ninety percent of the footage we need, but we still have a few more challenges to tackle. We plan on filming about six more interviews with Jay’s family and friends to help round out the narrative. We also plan on traveling back to Sri Lanka in December to film even more footage to complete the story. In the meantime, we will be deep in the editing process of the documentary. This will take countless hours of work, sifting through every second of footage to be able to tell this story the way it needs to be told. We plan on giving it the full Hollywood treatment. This includes an original music score, professional color grading, an animated title sequence and more. You can see a full breakdown of the expenses below:

The world is in a challenging place and we believe people need stories like this now more than ever. Please help us share Jay’s story by donating to the film fund today.