Where Beauty Hides

A journalist tracks down a famously reclusive romance novelist, only to discover he’s been hiding from the world because of a severe facial deformity. As they talk, he opens up about his past, and the film takes us into the story he’s been too afraid to tell — until now. 

We’re raising funds to shoot our micro-budget feature film, 'Where Beauty Hides'! With a small, dedicated team of both experienced and emerging filmmakers and actors, the only missing colour in the rainbow is green. Your support will help us cover the basics — makeup FX, costuming, gear, locations, food, and transport. Every dollar goes straight into getting this film made.

At the heart of Where Beauty Hides is a friendship and creative partnership that spans decades.

Tremaine Leaso (Writer/Director) and Dan Brown (Producer) have been best friends since the age of five. What began in highschool as backyard filmmaking with a cellphone has grown into a filmmaking journey over the past ten years, with more than two dozen short films and projects between them. Tremaine currently has another film in development in Los Angeles, alongside a novelisation of the story in the process of publication. Where Beauty Hides is their most personal and ambitious project yet — a story they’ve nurtured from the ground up.

Behind the lens is Taiaroa Tait, our Director of Photography, whose eye for tone and texture has visually arresting work. His work blends beauty with emotion — the perfect fit for this story.

Our Art Director, Marina Stojanovic, brings world-class expertise to the production, having contributed to global blockbusters like Mulan, Avatar: The Way of Water, and the Netflix sensation Sweet Tooth.

In the role of our reclusive romance novelist Leo Gesner is Michael Hallows, a powerhouse actor with more than 25 years of experience.

We’re asking for $15,000 to bring Where Beauty Hides to life on a lean, no-waste budget. Every cent goes to the bones of the film:

• Locations
• Set design & props
• SFX Makeup & Prosthetics
• Costumes
• Craft services

This is a passion project, built by a tight-knit team pouring their heart into every frame. Your support brings a story to the screen that’s honest, unflinching, and worth telling—one that doesn’t pander but dares to move you.  

Where Beauty Hides explores the quiet struggles of those who feel like society’s “ugly ducklings” — people judged not for who they are, but how they appear. At its core is Leo, a man many would consider perfect: brilliant, successful, and deeply romantic. But his physical disfigurement has led him to a life of isolation, convinced he’s unworthy of love. Instead, he pours all his emotion into his bestselling romance novels, creating characters who live the love stories he believes he can’t have. Baring his soul in his writing has resulted in his success as one of the bestselling romance novelists of the century,

Then Vivian arrives on his doorstep, a journalist who found success telling other people's stories, unhappy with the path she has found herself on — the first person to cross his threshold in years. As their conversation unfolds, so does Leo’s past. The film asks: What does it cost to hide from the world? And what might happen if we let someone in?

We’re making Where Beauty Hides because we believe in telling stories that challenge the way we see beauty, love, and worth. In a world obsessed with appearances, this film reminds us that the most powerful parts of us are often the ones we hide. It’s personal, it’s human, and it’s a story we feel needs to be told now.

Supporting bold, original voices that might otherwise go unheard means that you are giving passionate, talented teams like ours the chance to tell original stories that could give blockbusters a run for their money — stories like Where Beauty Hides, which asks us to rethink what we value in ourselves and others. 

Your support helps us take this dream and run with it.