Jewels of Light

It all started as a form of creating work as an actor and to learn more about producing and filmmaking. However, it soon became bigger, bolder, and brighter, with stories that became increasingly important. I recognize that we live in a volatile and hostile world, where we often take pleasure in labeling and targeting those things we do not understand. This leads to rage and abuse of power, resulting in violence and destruction. As a species, we seem unable to break the cycle of war and past patterns.

This was a project born out of necessity, but it quickly became a statement for a lifetime. As I created characters and stories, I realized the importance of addressing global issues such as ecological imbalance, poverty, gender and racial disparity, hunger, homelessness, and lack of access to water. It's clear to me that we live in a world where obsession with power, greed and abuse leads to violence and inequality. I believe that kindness and compassion should be the real “weapons” we use to restore our fading planet and our connection to our own humanity, and that we should strive for a world where resources are distributed equally.

The story of Jewels of Light follows the journey of two female elves, believed to be the last of their kind, in a quest for connection, equity, love, friendship, and a sense of belonging. Through their journey, I hope to inspire people to reflect on how we can work together to make our experience in this world fairer and more empowering for everyone. You can view the trailer from my proof of concept here.

Log-Line

“In the world of Upprukna, a guilt-ridden elven warrior is tasked with the care of a powerful and untrusting royal. Facing the threats of annihilation, both begin a journey to reclaim the balance of the world against a darkening era. One of them, holding an ominous secret.”

Taking the fantasy genre to build this story has allowed me to weave together boundless amounts of imagery, archetypes, myths, folklore, and diversity from all over the world. My goal is to make a message loud and clear: that our place of birth, appearance, assets, or accent is not an indication of our worth, but rather essential elements for the equilibrium of us all.

The Jewels of Light is an exploration of flawed characters who make terrible choices that offer us the chance to fall in love with their humanity as we observe their quest through a fantastic and metaphorical lens.

Wildsound Interviews

Podcast interview with screenwriter Tessie Herrasti

Finalist Screenwriting Contest Interview

Upprukna

Our story takes place in the world of Upprukna. My concept of evil within this world comes from an existentialist point of view of some of the global issues I have mentioned above.

I have a particular admiration for broken and flawed characters; those who don't know who they are or where they belong but discover it as they progress throughout their journey. We all discover our identities and growth as we experience life, pain, and interactions with others and this is what I strive to show.

This story seeks to include the voices of those who are losing their resonance in the world. Lost civilizations, tribes and cultures which have shaped our modern emancipation. Those we have a tendency to forget.

Characters

Ilsevel (Ill-sev-elle)

Ilsevel is the last survivor of the Emerald Realm of Erethios, a world known to have perished by fire and plague. She is taken away by her parents into the realm of Guphrin- The Sapphire Realm, being this the only hope for Ilsevel’s survival. There, she is raised by Princess Meira’s parents and becomes her best friend. Meira will become Gaelira’s mother.

Ilsevel is a kind and lost soul, yet she can become extremely fierce and brave when the need arises. She is a natural leader and protector, an extremely well trained warrior. Totem animals: a falcon and a wolf.

She looks 30-40 years old but is truly 500 y/o. She carries the weight of her past. She holds the powers of the Emerald Realms (forest knowledge, communication with the elements, accurate extraction of coordinates, extensive sense of smell and hearing useful for attacks from enemies, healing and memory-erasing spells. Strong inner senses).

GAELIRA (Gáé-lee-rah)

Gaelira is the last surviving Sapphire elf, a princess and only daughter of Queen Meira from the realm of Guphrin.

She is fair and possesses a stunning glare of her own. She looks in her 15-20’s but is in her 100’s, a very young age for an elf.

Gaelira’s physical features are that of a European descent; with fair skin, blue eyes, and blonde or reddish hair. She has an innocent face that can make anyone’s heart melt. Her features reflect her inner gentle nature and she is often seen with a sweet smile on her face. Gaelira is a gifted being who possesses premonition powers that she does not understand. She is very sensitive to the elements and nature, and is able to sense the feelings of animals, communicate with trees and other creatures of the world. She is also extremely empathic and often finds herself in the middle of difficult situations. Despite her naivety, Gaelira is an arrogant brat who will learn to trust and behave more maturely as she journeys with Ilsevel.