Stay/Away | Momentum, Vulnerability & What's Next

In this episode of No Map Included, I share a real update on Stay/Away and why, after feeling stagnant for so long, the project suddenly feels alive again.

I talk about bringing a Swiss production company on board, officially deciding to move forward with the proof of concept short film, and what happens when a project you've been carrying privately for years starts becoming real in the outside world.

We get into financing, grant applications, development strategy, casting, language, and the practical realities of independent filmmaking; the parts that are far less glamorous than people often imagine, but essential to getting a film made.

I also talk about why I changed my mind about making the proof of concept, what I'm learning about collaboration, and how Stay/Away is becoming a bridge between my life in Los Angeles and my roots in Switzerland.

And because this story is deeply personal, I reflect on the emotional side of the process too: vulnerability, self-image, stepping back in front of the camera, and what it means to tell a story that comes from such a real place.

More than anything, this episode is about the moment a project stops feeling like an idea and starts becoming something tangible with all the excitement, uncertainty, and responsibility that comes with it.

And if you're building something of your own and waiting for momentum to arrive, I hope this episode reminds you that sometimes things are moving long before you can see the results.

About the Podcast

No Map Included documents the process of building stories in real time: from proof of concept to premiere.
Hosted by filmmaker and producer Yessi Sanchez, the podcast explores the work behind the work and the paths that don’t show up on IMDb.

Transcript

I wanted to sit down and give a real update on Stay/Away because I realized I've been talking around it lately instead of actually talking about it. And I think part of that is because developing a feature film takes such a long time that sometimes it almost starts feeling abstract. Like, you're carrying this thing emotionally every single day, but externally, nothing seems to move. And then suddenly everything starts 📍 moving at once. This is No Map Included, where I document the journey from proof of concept to premiere, building a feature film, a vertical series, and everything in between. 📍 I am very excited to say that we officially have a Swiss production company on board for Stay/Away. We had our first official meeting this morning, and honestly, it just felt right immediately. We slipped into a collaborative mode very naturally, and when that happens creatively, think it's a really good sign. For those of you who don't know, I'm originally from Switzerland, and I've always wanted to shoot this film there, not only because that's where the trauma behind the story happened, but because Switzerland is home to me. And honestly, I think Switzerland has incredible potential in filmmaking. The scenery is unreal. The talent is unreal. There are amazing Swiss films and artists already, but I still feel like Swiss cinema deserves a much bigger spotlight internationally. And even though moving to LA gave me opportunities I never could have imagined growing up in Switzerland, I think part of me always knew I wanted to bring something back there eventually. Moving to LA completely changed my life creatively. I got to witness filmmaking on a level that honestly blew my mind. Even small things like being background on Star Wars was insane because I was standing inside worlds I had only dreamed about as a kid. Like, there I was witnessing a Darth Vader stunt, and I was just like, "How is this real? How am I here?" And another surreal experience was being part of a reboot of a show that was massive in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I was the lead in a vignette of that show, and that was just a crazy opportunity because I used to love that show. And yeah, those experiences matter to me so much because they expanded my understanding of what filmmaking could be. And so now I'm bringing that experience into Switzerland, and it feels very meaningful, and I think Stay/Away is the beginning of that for 📍 me. One thing I've learned about filmmaking is that plans change constantly. I mean, I was considering skipping the proof of concept short film entirely and going straight into developing the feature, because ideally, of course, you just make the feature. But the reality of indie filmmaking is that proof of concept shorts can completely change the trajectory of a project. A strong short film can help define the tone, help attract financing, help bring collaborators on board, help with grants, and help create momentum through film festivals. It can take a feature film from being a script sitting on a shelf to something that actually becomes real. I realized I need this process creatively, too. I still don't fully know the ending of the feature yet. I mean, I know the emotional core, I know the themes, I know the feeling of the film, but I think making the short film will help me truly discover what this world wants to become. So, we officially decided to move forward with the proof of concept, and now suddenly everything 📍 accelerated. So what the next steps actually look like. This morning's meeting was about financing, grants, budgeting, development strategy, timelines, key creatives, casting, production logistics, which honestly sounds very glamorous when you say developing a film, but in reality, a huge part of filmmaking is spreadsheets and funding applications. And I'll be honest, budgeting and financing plans are not my favorite part of filmmaking at all. I'm much more naturally drawn to the creative side, the emotional side, the storytelling side. But one thing I've realized through this is that filmmaking becomes impossible if you try to do everything alone, and I feel incredibly lucky because I genuinely trust the people around me, not just my team at Artak Pictures, but also the Swiss collaborators we're working with now. I think one of the hardest parts for filmmakers is feeling isolated in the process, and I feel so supported , And that doesn't mean I expect other people to carry the project for me, because this is still my responsibility. This is still my baby. I'm still going to do the heavy lifting. But I think good collaboration means you steer the ship while trusting other people to help 📍 navigate. We're now focusing heavily on Swiss public funding. One foundation actually made a decision today, so we'll probably hear back next week, hopefully good news. We already got rejected from one development grant I really hoped for, which was difficult emotionally, but that's also just part of this process. You apply, you get rejected, you adjust, you keep going. And because we decided to move forward with the short film again, we're now entering full grant application mode, which means budgeting, financing plans, contracts, development materials, creative packages, casting ideas, lookbooks, all of it. The estimated budget for the short will probably land somewhere around 50,000, and because we're shooting in Switzerland, there are logistics involved like travel, crew, equipment, housing, casting... but hopefully, most of the key creatives and actors can come from Switzerland. One thing I suddenly realized is that I already have to start thinking seriously about actors, and that wasn't even on my radar yet, because for some funding applications, you already need to show who your key collaborators might be, and casting this project is actually complicated for a very specific reason, and that is language. English isn't my first language either, but I moved to LA because I always knew I wanted to work internationally. I worked really hard on my English growing up because storytelling was always bigger than geography to me, and now I'm in this interesting position where I want Swiss actors, but I also need performances that feel natural in English. So that's going to be one of the biggest creative challenges moving forward. And then there is the other conversation indie filmmakers constantly have, do you cast recognizable actors or not? Because name actors can help with financing, sales, festivals, distribution, visibility. And that's just the reality. But at the same time, I care so deeply about emotional truth in performances, especially with a story this vulnerable. And I think this is also where the project becomes very personal for me, because Stay/Away deals with trauma, psychosis, memory, identity, emotional fragmentation, and those subjects require honesty. I've lived with the emotional weight behind the story for a very long time, and stepping into this process creatively also means stepping into it emotionally, especially because I'll be acting in it, and that honestly scares me. Not because of the acting itself, but because vulnerability in front of a camera is hard when you're also struggling with self-image. I've had a very complicated relationship with my body since I was young. I started modeling extremely young, and I internalized very early that being acceptable meant being thin. And even though logically I know that's unhealthy thinking, those ideas don't just disappear because you grow older. So now I'm in this strange place where I'm happier than I've been in years. I genuinely love my life. I love creating. I love eating food without fear. I love my friendships. I love where my life is going, but at the same time, I still struggle with being perceived, especially online. And I think a lot of people assume weight gain automatically means someone is unhappy. But honestly, I think part of why I gained weight is because I finally allowed myself to live a little, and yet I still want to feel my absolute best stepping into this role, not because I need perfection, but because the story deserves my full presence. I don't want self-consciousness taking up space where emotional truth should be 📍 So that's where things are right now. What felt stagnant for a long time suddenly feels alive again. And honestly, I think this is the first time Stay/Away truly feels like a film that's beginning to step out into the world instead of just existing privately inside me. There is still so much work ahead, like funding, rewrites, casting, budgets, development, but for the first time in a while, I feel momentum, and I feel surrounded by people who genuinely believe in this project, and I think that's one of the most important things when you're trying to make something difficult, finding people who can see the film before it exists. So yeah, that's where we are 📍 with Stay/Away right now. You just listened to No Map Included. If you're building something, a film, a series, a career, and you don't have the full map yet, that's okay. Neither do I. I'll see you in the next chapter.