Trinette Faint launches fundraiser for AI workplace satire 'Happy to Share'

Filmmaker Trinette Faint has opened a $20,000 crowdfunding campaign for a SAG-AFTRA short shooting Oct. 23-26 in Providence, Rhode Island. The project draws from her Google layoff and explores how AI, ageism and workplace bias can shape who gets hired and who gets left behind.

Why it matters: - "Happy to Share" connects a personal layoff story to a broader debate over AI in hiring, age discrimination and workplace bias. - The short film centers on a 53-year-old Black woman, putting women in their 50s and Black professionals at the center of the conversation. - The project is seeking $20,000 to cover production and post-production costs, making public support part of getting the film made.

What happened: - Actress and filmmaker Trinette Faint launched a $20,000 crowdfunding campaign for "Happy to Share." - The SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget short is scheduled to shoot Oct. 23-26 in Providence, Rhode Island. - Casting is complete, and donations are now being accepted through the film's GoFundMe campaign. - Faint wrote the screenplay and will direct, produce and star in the film.

The details: - "Happy to Share" follows Daria, a 53-year-old Black product manager who is fired after building a successful HR AI tool. - When Daria looks for a new job, the technology she helped create begins working against her. - The story examines the human cost of AI systems and the biases that can follow workers into automated hiring. - Donations will support cast and crew pay, production meals, original music, editing, post-production, publicity and film festival submission fees. - Contributor perks include acknowledgments, set visits for eligible supporters, a private virtual crew screening and other incentives listed on the campaign page. - The production team includes London-based co-producer Jo Southwell, Boston cinematographer Sabine Bou-Jaboué and Rhode Island producer Maja Giguere. - Giguere's producing work has screened at the Independent Film Festival Boston and the Roxbury International Film Festival.

Between the lines: - Faint's own layoff from Google in November 2024 at age 53 gave the fictional story a direct personal foundation. - She spent six and a half years at Google and worked with marketing, AI and engineering teams. - The film also tracks national conversations about AI, hiring, ageism, racism and changing work norms. - Faint said the project is meant to spark discussion about how AI affects who gets seen, hired and left behind. - Her first short film, "Party Pants," won festival awards in Berlin, Rotterdam and Courchevel, France, which adds credibility to her latest project. - Faint is represented by Aston Management in London.

What's next: - Principal photography is set for Oct. 23-26, 2026, in Providence. - The campaign will continue through GoFundMe as the team raises money for production and festival distribution. - More information is available at HappyToShareFilm.com. - Supporters can contribute through Donate to Happy to Share on GoFundMe, as listed in the release.

The bottom line: - "Happy to Share" turns one filmmaker's job loss into a satirical look at how AI can magnify exclusion in the workplace.