Sypnosis - Willa Flores encounters a mysterious man who has her picture on his phone that causes Willa to become extremely suspicious of her surroundings which leads to disaster.
This short film was created as my capstone project during my final semester at the University of Pittsburgh. After three years of studying film production, this project was designed to showcase everything we had learned. Over the course of one semester, we were challenged to produce an 8 to 15 minute film entirely independently, completing the full production pipeline from scriptwriting and pre-production planning to managing shoot schedules, locations, and post-production.
Our core production team was relatively small, which meant taking on multiple roles throughout the process. My partner Emma and I alternated between directing and sound operation, allowing us to stay deeply involved in the creative and technical sides of the film. The cast was also minimal, centered around two main actors, which required careful coordination and performance-focused direction.
From casting and collaborating with a composer to borrowing equipment from the university library, every stage of the process was self-managed. I also invited two of my professors to participate in the film, demonstrating my ability to utilize professional relationships to support a project. While a shared Discord channel gave us a place to exchange resources and advice, the creative direction, coordination, and execution of the project were fully our responsibility.
The experience was both stressful and incredibly rewarding. Working closely with others on set, building connections, and solving problems as a team made me realize how much I love collaborating and figuring things out together.
Though this film is not perfect and there are many things I would change or improve, it represents an important milestone in my development as a filmmaker and it will always hold a special place in my heart.