Welcome!

Since this is our first post, we’ll start by introducing ourselves! We’re women filmmakers on a mission! We’re on a mission to tell a great story. On a mission to make a great film. On a mission to challenge your thoughts about stripping!

Diane Desio is the woman whose life has inspired this movie. When she turned 18, she was tired of making minimum wage and working three jobs.
Not having any money for an education, and not wanting to depend on anyone to help her, she turned to a different lifestyle ‐ stripping. To Diane this was a chance to live a better life. She immediately enrolled in college and within a short amount of time became the first woman on both sides of her family to get a Bachelor’s degree. When she finished school, she thought dancing was behind her until she realized the jobs and money would not happen quickly, so she turned to the fast life once again. Diane isn’t the only young woman to fight this battle. She wants to use this film to reach out to all the women whose lives have been forever altered by the club life.

Shandra McDonald-Bradford is a filmmaker who immediately connected to Diane’s story. Recognizing the parallels between Diane’s story and all the classic struggles of femininity, Shandra felt that this was every woman’s story. At the same time,  the similarities between substance addiction and the lure and dangers of the sex industry were fascinating parallels that made for a unique story. Shandra’s mission is to tell heart‐warming and meaningful stories that people from all races and walks of life can relate to in their own lives.

Angela Harvey came on board after the script was originally created. She wrote some revisions and jumped right in with both feet as a producer. Angela loves to see unique and unsung voices celebrated in independent film and she feels that Diane’s voice is definitely one of those that should be heard.

The world of exotic dancing is layered. The nuances of good, evil and in between can be hard to spot. Make it Rain is a movie that digs right into those nooks and crannies and keeps you guessing. Stay connected with us as we make this exciting film happen!