Mental health translated through music.

Music speaks where words and diagnoses fail. Follow four musicians as they channel their lived experiences with mental health into a collaborative song. Along the way we uncover what music remembers about being human that we seem to have forgotten.

WATCH THE TEASER

All music featured in the trailer consists of original compositions by the main cast.

In an intimate, stripped-down setting, four musicians gather to write, record, and perform a new piece of music. As melodies take shape, so do the stories behind them. Through raw, honest conversations, the artists navigate childhood wounds, post-pandemic disorientation, and the quiet realities of living with mental health struggles. The film follows each participant outside of the studio into their daily lives, capturing how they carry, manage, and make meaning from their inner worlds in an era where screens, social media, and modern stressors continually reshape the way we connect.

As individual journeys merge into an original song, the documentary explores why music functions as a vital sanctuary for self-expression, emotional safety, and nervous-system regulation. The film asks what music can teach us about communication, emotional mirroring, and our fundamentally human need to be heard.

TUNED offers a human-centered perspective on mental well-being, one that moves beyond diagnosing or prescriptive answers to focus on reconnecting with what is already within us. It is a quiet testament to the power of listening, connecting, and gently tuning the instruments we already have.

SYNOPSIS

The group meets for the first time for a songwriting session in Denver, Colorado.

WHY NOW?

We are living through a profound crisis of connection. 

The pandemic disrupted the ways we relate to one another. Social media and digital technology have made constant connection possible without necessarily making us feel more connected. Young people are reporting unprecedented levels of sadness and hopelessness, and across generations, more people are struggling with their mental well-being in a world shaped by economic pressure, social disorientation, and relentless digital stimulation. 

At the same time, people continue to turn to music to feel something real. 

We listen to a song and suddenly feel understood by someone we’ve never met. Music can create a sense of safety, expression, and belonging in ways that are difficult to explain, and maybe that’s exactly why it’s worth paying attention to. 

What if music isn’t simply an escape from the world, but a clue about how we might reconnect with ourselves and each other?

This film asks that question at a moment when we urgently need new ways to think about mental well-being.

MEET THE CAST

Anneke Dean

Ana Luna

Danny Musengo

Dango Rose

TONE & STYLE

  • Music-forward: sound and process are central, not background

  • Poetic without being abstract; honest without being clinical

  • Creative process as emotional excavation

Danny serenades us in his home garage turned art studio.

A screenshot of an intimate interview with Anneke at her home.

  • Intimate, observational, and emotionally grounded

  • Natural light, minimal crew presence, vĂ©ritĂ©-style filming

CREW

Mariel Max

Mariel is a documentary filmmaker and musician whose work explores the intersection of art, the natural world, and human experience. After earning a BFA in Film Studies, she spent years working across a wide range of hands-on industry roles. Her early work includes a co-directed short that screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Following a hiatus to immerse herself fully in the music world, Mariel returns to filmmaking with a deep connection to music as a storytelling tool while focusing on intimate, character-driven stories that center expression, mental health, and the creative process.

Director & Producer

Thomas Crandall

Director of Photography

Tom is an Emmy nominated editor and filmmaker. His feature documentary editorial debut FULL CIRCLE won the 2023 Banff Grand Prize and is now playing on Netflix, and short films he’s directed have played both festivals and been broadcast on Rocky Mountain PBS. The narrative feature he shot, JULY RISING, won the audience award at the 2019 Sonoma Film Festival.

Elizabeth Westrate is an Emmy nominated filmmaker with over 25 years of production experience, leading complex international projects for a broad range of clients. Her work has been broadcast on PBS, HBO, Hulu, Amazon, NBC, CNN, Sundance Channel, Public Radio International and at major film festivals and museums around the world. Westrate is the producer of Jimmy & The Demons for Cindy Meehl/Cedar Creek Productions, winner of multiple jury prizes and currently in theatrical release. Also. The Endless Frontier for Consequential Films, which premiered at DC/DOX in June 2026 and is now in festival and educational release. She was recently a producer on Jamie Boyle’s feature documentary, Anonymous Sister, which was nominated for the Outstanding Social Issue Documentary Emmy and shortlisted for Best Feature Documentary by the International Documentary Association. Westrate was the director of the critically acclaimed documentary A Family Undertaking (PBS/POV), as well as The James Wolfenshohn Tribute Project, Passing on the Gift and many other films.  She was series producer of I Contain Multitudes, a twelve-part science series for PBS Digital and HHMI, and also thirty episodes of the innovative ecological PBS series, E2: E2 Design, E2 Energy and E2 Transport. She has acted as line producer for high-profile documentary projects such as Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill’s Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg (Cannes 2023), Derek Goldman’s Remember This (Great Performances 2023), Dror Moreh’s The Human Factor (Telluride 2019), Roger Ross Williams’ American Jail (CNN Films 2018) and multiple projects for Bruce Springsteen/Thrill Hill with director Thom Zimny.

Elizabeth Westrate

Consulting Producer

Our post-production phase is primed for a collaborative, high-impact edit. We are currently in active discussions with top-tier editorial talent whose previous films have been broadcast on Netflix, HBO Max, and PBS, and have screened at prestigious global festivals including Cannes, Tribeca, and DOC NYC.

To respect our leads' schedules, our final editorial attachment will be locked in and announced as soon as our post-production funding goal is met.

Editor

TUNED is a project of Near & Far Stories LLC, a production company created specifically to bring this documentary to life.

To allow our community to make tax-deductible donations, we have partnered with From The Heart Productions, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that acts as our fiscal sponsor. When you donate, From The Heart Productions receives the funds on our behalf, provides you with a tax receipt, and oversees the distribution of funds directly into the production of the film. This ensures absolute financial oversight and transparency.

Special Thanks To

A very special thank you to Roots Music Project in Boulder, CO, for generously donating their beautiful space to host and film our Phase I live performance. Their belief in our project made a vital creative milestone possible.

CURRENT PHASE: Where We Are Now

We are thrilled to share that we have successfully wrapped our development Phase I of Production.

We are currently planning Phase II of filming while actively fundraising to carry the film through the finish line. Your support at this pivotal stage will allow us to:

  • Partner with an Editor: Transition into post-production and begin shaping the heart of our story.

  • Complete Phase II Filming: Capture the remaining essential footage.

  • Secure the Finish Line: Fund the project all the way through post-production, sound design, color grading, and distribution to ensure this film reaches audiences worldwide.

WE HAVE FILMED musical performances, the creation of original songs, and intimate conversations with people sharing their experiences with mental health. Across these stories, one theme has emerged again and again: music can create a rare space where people feel safe enough to express, process, and connect.

THE NEXT PHASE OF PRODUCTION will build on what we’ve discovered, deepening the individual character arcs, exploring what makes music feel like a safe space, expanding the story with additional voices where needed, and completing the original song at the heart of the film.

PROJECTED TIMELINE

Development & Research

Completed

  • Over 10 years of pre-production - researching themes and interviewing professionals

  • Solidified storyline, completed casting, and specified thematic structure.

  • Secured non-profit fiscal sponsorship to allow for tax-deductible foundation grants and donations.

Production: Principal Photography Phase I

Completed

  • Captured 18 hours of core interviews, musical performances, B-roll, and vĂ©ritĂ© footage

  • Recorded the instrumentals of the signature musical track written by the cast

Fundraising

Late Summer & Fall 2026

  • Launching a targeted campaign fund the remainder of production and the post-production edit.

Refine Story Structure & Narrative Arc

Fall 2026

  • Work alongside a hired Story Architect and hired Editor to hone in on core narrative arc and and character development.

  • Review and log initial footage to map out the emerging story architecture.

  • Prepare for Production Phase II

Production: Principal Photography Phase II

Winter 2027

  • Continue to capture core character arcs, vital subject interactions, and high-quality situational B-roll and vĂ©ritĂ© footage as relevant to core narrative story arc

  • Complete the original song written by cast members

Post-Production: Assembly to Picture Lock

Fall 2026 – Summer 2027

  • Full-time narrative editing, shaping character arcs, and assembling the rough cut.

  • Sound design, music licensing, and color grading

  • Achieving final picture lock.

Festival Run & Distribution Strategy

Summer 2027 – 2028

  • Submitting to top-tier domestic and international film festivals.

  • Executing a targeted grassroots impact campaign alongside streaming, broadcast, or educational distribution outreach.

Ana Luna at Evergroove Studio in Evergreen, Colorado.

Anneke at Evergroove Studio in Evergreen, Colorado.

The group after a live performance of their new original song at Roots Music Project in Boulder, Colorado.

Dango performs with Aidan Carpenter in Nederland, Colorado.

Our primary launch pad will be a targeted submission strategy to film festivals to build critical acclaim, press momentum, and audience word-of-mouth.

We remain highly flexible regarding acquisition. We are open to a pre-premiere acquisition by a major streaming platform or a post-festival streaming partnership that aligns with our synchronized music-and-film release strategy.

To drive viewership and stream volume simultaneously, the release of the main song, written by cast members, will be strategically timed alongside the film's premiere, leveraging a collaborative cross-promotional campaign across music and film platforms.

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

BUDGET

Where the Funding Goes

To bring this film through post-production and into distribution, our total remaining fundraising goal is $608,000. We are approaching this in distinct, manageable phases so that every dollar raised goes straight to work.

  • Production & Principal Photography: Travel, crew rates, gear rentals, and final on-the-ground production costs to capture footage.

  • Post-Production & Editing: Partnering with a dedicated editor to shape the narrative structure, assemble the rough cut, and bring the story to life.

  • Finishing Funds: Professional sound design, audio mixing, and color correction.

  • Distribution & Marketing: Festival submission fees, promotional materials, and legal & insurance costs to ensure the film reaches its audience.

If you are interested in reviewing our comprehensive budget top sheet or full line-item breakdown, please email marielmaxstudio@gmail.com to set up a brief 15 minute call.

Director’s Note

This film comes from a deeply personal place. As someone who has navigated my own experiences with mental health, I’ve often felt the gap between what people are going through and the ways those experiences are talked about, or reduced, within larger systems.

My own journey through the mental health system changed the course of my life and shaped my belief that there have to be more ways of understanding what it means to be well. 

I’m not looking to create a film that explains or defines mental health. I’m interested in creating a space where people can express it with honesty, while imperfectly, and in their own words.

As a musician, I’ve experienced first hand how writing a song can offer that space. The composition process allows for contradiction, for emotion without resolution, for truth without structure.

By bringing these artists together, I’m hoping to capture something that feels both deeply personal and widely recognizable: the space to be heard, the space to be human, and to find connection in the process.

-Mariel Max

DONATE

We have partnered with From The Heart Productions, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that acts as our fiscal sponsor. When you donate, From The Heart Productions receives the funds on our behalf, provides you with a tax receipt, and oversees the distribution of funds directly into the production of the film.

Independent films are powered entirely by the belief, passion, and generosity of a community. By contributing today, you aren't just funding a project, you are becoming an active partner in bringing this vital story to the screen.

We cannot cross this finish line without you.

Thank you for believing in this story, and for helping us bring it to light.

Pitch Deck available by request.