Final Project Components

SHORT FILM:

 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q0vfMcsRCteolq2vE042Dhxl4iND1VCT?usp=share_link 

SOCIAL MEDIA:

https://www.instagram.com/outofhand.shortfilm/

PRINT:

FRONT:

BACK:

Reflections/ Final Thoughts

 "PRELUDE"

This project has been the most incredible learning experience for me. Although I've had several obstacles with time, although I haven't been able to dedicate much time to sleep and mental health and such, now that it's over I understand why I do this in the first place. There's something just so beyond special about creating, and finding new ways to tell stories, I finally get to experiment in this medium!

CCR Reflection Critical

'Out Of Hand' is a comedy about a Tom, a relatively normal guy attempting to engage cordially while avoiding the infamous handshake from his co-workers. 

Generational gaps are a common occurence in the office workspace at GERS. In fact, we had 3 different generations in one room the day of filming. In the film itself, this oftentimes affects the way the workers perceive each other and ultimately, how they interact with one another. This is mildly touched on throughout the film, however these dynamics are more so displayed throughout the social media. Many of the extras characters were highlighted for their nuanced qualities. 

Hansini, played by Ayami Ratnayake, is set apart for her age, for her values in 'curiosity, intelligence, and hard-work.' In the film Out Of Hand, she is depicted as more than self-sufficient and has earned her respective place at the GERS Energy Company with an internship. Although Hasini still utilizes Gen Z slang, she is skillfully equipped to code-switch, and as a result, she successfully communicates with a plethora of social groups.  Although Hansini is not a prominent character in the plotline of the film, the character Hansini holds an important position in the movie through simply providing representation for the youth and POC communities,  demonstrating that they have just as much of an impact on society as outside groups, if not more. 

This excerpt was extracted from 'Out of Hand's' Social media. Hansini is displayed as opinionated, spunky,  judgmental, and intelligent. 

Next featured in the office is Alejandro, played by Bernardo Caicedo (on the far left in the picture). He is much older compared to Hansini, and he has difficulty alternating from Spanish to English.  However, much like Hansini, he values 'curiosity, intelligence, and hard-work.' They are all connected through these underlying values, but each worker has their own way of taking action towards these values based on cultural and social influences throughout their lives.

Many of the issues presented throughout the film stem from working in a male-dominated environment, where power is largely concentrated among a specific, privileged group. However, Alice challenges this dynamic by stepping outside traditional expectations and taking initiative. She takes on a leadership role by distributing a directive for a plan and becomes the driving force behind addressing Tom’s seemingly harmless, yet suspicious behavior.

In order to advertise this film, we decided to add a QR Code to our print component, to make the instagram account even easier to access. At the front of the card, we put the writer and director of the film (me) and left the rest of the credits for the back of the postcard. Considering how previous advertisements for movies have been made, I took a similar approach to the credits where I left the position itself much smaller than the name carrying it. For example, "Directed and Written by" is much smaller than the title "Martina Rodriguez" because the name is significant and recognizable, it jumps out at you. Same with the rest of the credits for each cast and crew member involved in the production. The light leak added into the card makes it feel dream-like almost, like they are conspiring and making major progress. 

The elements of my production work cohesively to establish a clear and recognizable sense of ‘branding,’ primarily centered around a specific comedic tone. From the vibrant or exaggerated color palette to the playful sound effects, everything is carefully chosen to amplify humor and maintain a consistent mood throughout.               

Furthermore, acting choices lean into caricature or subtle absurdity, reinforcing the satirical nature of the piece. Additionally, the use of abrupt cuts not only enhances comedic timing but also contributes to a fast-paced rhythm that keeps the audience engaged. Together, these stylistic decisions form a unified identity, making the production instantly identifiable and memorable within its genre.

When working on a piece as demanding as this one,  it was imperative that we create a cast that was familiar and comfortable with one another. Otherwise, the comedy and humor of the piece would take time for them to warm up to. Thankfully, all of the cast members were familiar with each other, especially Andrea, Daniel, and Lito, who had to interact the most with one another.

Our target audience would typically range at around ages 13 and up, as this age group may have a better grasp at some of the humor and larger implications on society in our film. They are also just the age group that may typically find the piece the most engaging. Our products engage with the audience through humor and a light-hearted tone, making them both entertaining and accessible. However, beneath the comedic surface lies a subtle yet meaningful message; a reminder that we rarely know the full breadth of what others might be experiencing inside. Through this balance of humor and heart, we encourage viewers to reflect on the importance of empathy, understanding, and mindfulness in their everyday interactions. By blending comedy with emotional understanding, our work invites the audience to laugh... and then think.

My research informed my products by allowing me to understand the specific structure of a short film, and my why. I learned a lot about how to structure a story and write a script, skills that have taken me quite a long time to master (still a work in progress) for this project. I felt better equipped to tell the story with having a basic foundation of what it means to write a short film, how it's different from a full fledged movie, and how to structure it. I believe my film challenged conventions especially with the ending, it's so utterly unexpected that it defeats the initial heuristics we use ourselves while watching a movie to try and figure out what outcome certain scenes or actions may lead to. This is the kind of ending that took me so long to write, because I became so inspired by the other student short films I had seen previously that took an unexpected, yet satisfying turn at the end.

FILMING COMPLETE!

 Hey hi!! So we finished filming, we took from 11am-4:00 pm but we were able to get all of the shots and I'm so happy we were able to finish it.  It took a lot of time and energy to bring this project into fruition with all of the other things happening around me but I'm really happy that we've been able to bring this idea to life. 

This whole week I also had tech rehearsals for a show I'm in, called SIX the musical. So I've been editing those videos intensely. 

This is the trailer for my cast in case you want to check it out :)) I filmed all of the shots (except the ones of me) and edited all of it together. We performed tonight and just closed the show. It went SO well. This is such a difficult show to execute and I'm so proud of my cast for sticking together and working hard to make it a good one.

For a large portion of our film, we stayed true to the shot list. There were some times, however, that we chose to experiment and honestly it added so much to our film. We were able to get 3 extras to be a part of the office and I'm so glad we did because it made all the difference. 

We also had a really great group of actors that were super amazing to work with and just so professional. They memorized the lines prior to us filming and it really sped up the process for us as well.  I'm so glad we really took the time to squeeze in that preparation because it was absolutely necessary and it helped in the long run.

Here we have one of our extras Ayami Ratnayake looking over the script, we are so grateful to have her on set with us. She has been in a multitude of shows at Inside Out, and it's always such a pleasure working with her. She is just so beyond expressive in this film and adds so much character.

In truth, I was just so worried that we weren't going to be able to get this done, because of external factors like SIX, other school assignments, and just life, but we pulled it off and I'm so happy we DID end up going through with the plan, and that our actors were just so committed and so into it. For me it's just so crazy to think that this idea came around and evolved so much. I feel so much respect for this art form and a lot of times it was hard for me to focus up, especially with everything else happening in my life, but I'm glad that I was able to hard core discipline myself into making this happen because getting into this medium of communication was something I've wanted for the longest time. We'll see how it turns out in the editing process!

SHOT LIST/FILIMING TOMORROW!!!

 So excited to say that we will be filming our short tomorrow!!!!

BRAND PRISM Social Media

 At the beginning of the year, our media teacher had us do a brand identity project, where we did some self discovery to see how we would market ourselves out in the real world. My group and I decided we would apply our knowledge from the previous project to do the social media branding for our short film Out of Hand.

MEET UP WITH THE CAST

So here's the rundown: we got some shots for the trailer as well as some interviews in order to get promoting our film on social media... (I know I set up a blog where I touched on this briefly, but I wanted to emphasize again what we're doing) 

So the location that we set up previously was too far, and since we already were acquiring so much help from these actors, we didn't want to make them take even MORE time to get to the filming location. So we decided to keep the place close by, and the space we were able to get was amazing! We didn't get to Even though we are still working through shooting the show, we used the office space to do a read through of the script, and get a feel for the space.  Since this was our first time being exposed to the space, we wanted to have a look and see if any of the lines or actions in the script needed to be adjusted; and now we can build our shot list confidently!

We set up some interview shots with our cast, where we got them to talk to us a little bit about the film and their experience working with everyone and the cast... it was nice to get back together after so much time, and they've been such a pleasure to work with. They're so professional!

This is Andrea, she's playing the receptionist (Sherrie)

This is Daniel, he is playing Greg, one of the main workers!

The Update.

REFLECTION

So... we are going to meet up with the actors on Saturday. I'm currently out-of-state traveling as we are on spring break, and as much as I'm happy to be out, I am constantly just thinking about this project.  I feel that I'm catching on a cold, it's FREEZING up North compared to Florida! Writing and producing a short film was definitely a huge commitment, however I knew ever since I joined AS Level that this was a project I really wanted to do. So we persevere!

Here's a little view of Philly! (I had to go visit colleges and be a Bronc for a day at Rider)

I still want to make some revisions and adjustments on the script once again with the actors, because they also have a strong grasp on the characters as we've communicated with them each of their personalities and such. We got great feedback from them when they were first exposed to the storyline and that honestly made me super excited to continue working with them.

Here's the main rundown

• Andrea, the amazing actress playing Sherrie, the receptionist, she added that the receptionist should be a little flirtatious with Tom at the office, which actually adds an interesting dynamic and twist to the whole story which I love. 
• Daniel Sanchez, playing Greg the worker, interpreted the storytelling as similar to scrubs, and understood exactly when I made the Scott Pilgrim reference. 

I am so grateful to be working with these amazing talented adults and I'm so grateful for the fact that they decided to help out and are putting in the time and dedication and passion to make this great. I could not be more ecstatic for Saturday!

Our goal initially was to film the short film that day, but we came in contact with our lead, Tom, and he had an unsuspected conflict turn up, where he could only make it until 2pm :(

(Morning he's referring to our next filming day, which is perfect!)

We had to adjust, so instead we decided that we would film social media BTS and shots of our actors and us on set in order to get content building up for the social media. 

FILM SCRIPT

So this script took me a BIT to conquer... it's a huge task to write and also keep the integrity of the character's voices. Here I gave it a shot and I think I maintained the story structure and kept the characters with a specific motive.

OUT OF HAND 

written by Martina Rodriguez

Scene 1:

INT. OFFICE BUILDING - LOBBY - DAY

The sound of door opening. TOM steps out, dressed sharply, walking with confidence. He approaches the front desk where ALICE, the receptionist, is on the phone.

RECEPTIONIST (Alice)

(on the phone)

Yes? We have an opening at 2 o’clock for a showing in the Lower East Side of Manhattan...

She notices TOM and smiles warmly.

RECEPTIONIST (Alice)

First day?

TOM

(smiling coolly)

Yes, such a pleasure to meet you, is it, Alice?

RECEPTIONIST (Alice)

Yes, indeed!

She extends her hand to shake, but TOM hesitates, looking down at it. He then decides to avoid it completely.

TOM

I just peed... And I’m not a handshaker after a good pee. You know, hygiene!

He says it confidently, without hesitation. ALICE pauses, trying to process what just happened. After a beat, she just nods, an awkward smile creeping on her face.

ALICE watches him as he walks away, her expression slowly shifting to one of slight confusion and concern.

VOICEOVER (TOM)

(in his head, with a mix of self-affirmation and confusion)

Nailed it.

Scene 2:

INT. OFFICE HALLWAY - DAY

TOM walks through the office, making his way to his desk. A co-worker, GREG, walks toward him. They bump into each other, a little more awkwardly than they should have.

GREG

Oh my apologies, really! Didn’t mean to startle you. (charismaticaly offers his hand) I'm Greg!

TOM

(voiceover)

Yeah, he seems nice, but you can never be too sure...

GREG extends his hand for a handshake. TOM, not wanting to repeat his earlier mistake, slaps GREG’s hand instead, offering a weird, exaggerated smirk.

TOM

(Pats on his back)

GREG looks at him, completely confused, unsure of what just happened. He pauses for a beat before awkwardly laughing.

GREG

(nervously)

Uh... okay... sure. I betcha you're still getting accommodated to the office... anything you need just let me know!

Scene 3:

INT. RECEPTION DESK - DAY

quick montage of shots revealing the two characters getting ready for a discussion.

ALICE and GREG stand by the front desk, discussing the strange incident.

GREG

(gasping in shock)

He did the exact same thing to me...

RECEPTIONIST (ALICE)

I just don't understand why he was so uncomfortable... we have to find a way to get him out of his shell. We NEED. a. plan.

GREG

(raising an eyebrow, grinning)

A plan? Or is this just your latest office crush at work, Alice? (teasing)

You’ve got a thing for every guy in this building, don’t you?

ALICE

(laughs nervously, trying to deflect)

Whaaaat? No...  I- uh- (quickly)

GREG

(mock serious)

Oh, right, of course. It's all about Tom... this week. What happens next week? Are we swooning over Bob from accounting? (grinning mischievously)

ALICE

(flirtatiously trying to laugh at herself with him but quickly shifting to seriousness)

GREG (ad lib; oooh Tom, hold my hand, smooch smooch)

 (bangs on the desk) beat. That's enough. You're Impossible Greg... (leans in, lowering her voice like she's about to spill gossip)

Be serious. We’ve had new people come in before, and they’ve always shaken hands and fit right in without any issues. But Tom? He’s the first one to refuse a handshake... unlike every other guy who’s ever walked through that door. 

(pauses, realizing what she said, then suddenly snapping to a more defensive tone) NOT that I have a thing for every guy... (looks up at Greg) you KNOW what I mean. 

GREG

(smirking, raising an eyebrow)

Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Alice.

ALICE

Focus, Greg! Here's what we need to do:

ALICE

Dialogue

 Phase One: The “Super Secret Handshake” Setup. (she leans in, whispering conspiratorially)

We make it seem like handshakes are this big, exclusive thing. We gather the whole team, and we act like it’s some mystical office tradition. Like, it’s a rite of passage, you know? We’ll get all dramatic about it, like, “Oh, Tom, you’ve gotta shake hands to really be part of the family.” He won’t be able to resist!

GREG

(with a calculating smirk)

Yeah, because who wouldn’t want to be part of the family? Sounds like a trap. If he’s even a little paranoid, we’ve got him.

ALICE

(grinning, sounding like she’s gossiping with a friend)

Oh, totally.

ALICE

(giggling like she’s imagining it)

Oh, it’s perfect! He won’t be able to get out of it. EVERYONE is doing it...  

“Oh, you don’t want to be the odd one out, Tom, do you?” (teasingly)

Trust me Greg, it’ll work.

GREG

Yeah yeah... 

(raising an eyebrow, still calculating)

What if he rebels and refuses to be sucked into the whole “team handshake” thing?

ALICE

(leaning in closer, all gossip and playful energy)

Oh, I’ve thought of that, honey. That’s when we bring in Phase Two: The Casual Coffee/Pen Move. (she gestures dramatically, as if she’s revealing a top-secret plan)

So, we wait until we’re holding something like coffee, a pen, or—oh, I don’t know—a binder, something totally innocent. Then, when we walk by him, we “accidentally” lean in and offer our hand. Like it’s no big deal. Like we’re just casually handing him a coffee, no pressure at all. (focused on a point on the ground and visualizing it)

(Alice envisions that she's seducing him into shaking her hand and that he accepts)

 He won’t be able to resist the subtle nudge to shake our hand. 

CUT BACK TO REALITY.

(looks awkwardly back at Greg)

GREG

(laughing like he’s already won, eyes narrowing)

Nice. So we make it so casual, he feels like a jerk if he doesn’t shake our hands.  He’ll be too embarrassed to not do it.

ALICE

(excited, smirking and nodding up and down, proud of herself)

He won’t even see it coming.

GREG

(leaning in, with a dark grin)

What if that doesn't work...

ALICE

(laughing, now totally immersed in her plan)

It’s foolproof. Greg... (leans in) tomorrow, it's ON.

INT. OFFICE BUILDING - LOBBY

Shot of the phone ringing at the office, Sherrie (Receptionist) picks it up.

ALICE

Hi, yes how may I help you? (nods to Greg)

GREG

(holding the coffee, nervously smiling)

Tom, I—uh, made you some coffee. Thought you could use it.

TOM

(smiling, appreciative)

Thanks, man! Appreciate it. Just put it on the counter for me, yeah?

GREG

(impulsive, grabbing Tom’s hand without thinking)

Sure, but hey, let's just—uh, let’s do the handshake thing! Everyone’s doing it around here, y'know?

TOM

(startled, pulling back a little)

Oh, uh, I don’t really— (Before Tom can finish, Greg doesn’t let go and, suddenly, there’s a loud click sound as a fake hand pops out of Tom’s socket, it just doesn’t quite belong.)

GREG AND ALICE SCREAM, CUT TO FILM TITLE "OUT OF HAND"

I am a bit behind…

So given that I will be at the thespian competition and then going straight into travelling during spring break… that has admittedly been a bit of a drag for me. It’s going to be difficult to focus up fully on this project while competing, so I have to put it on hold. 

Since coming back may be a bit of an issue, I thought I might create a checklist of things that must be accomplished.

Storyboard (prior to 3/29) URGENT

Script edited (prior to 3/29) URGENT

Film schedule (prior to 3/29) URGENT

Social Media (during 3/29 take publicity)

CONT'D transition from 'the plan' to the real confrontation.

 VISUALIZING THE TRANSITION

Before I dive deep into the script shifts, and working on building character, I want to make sure we get this shift of tone just right.

MEDIUM SHOT ALICE, who takes a quick beat, realizing they’re both wasting time on the absurdity. "Phase 3... bla bla bla" Her face shifts from excitement to a more focused, stern look. The dreamy background dissolves, and the office returns to normal. Her tone also sharpens as she says, “Okay, Tomorrow, we're ON.”

Cut to both of them in a EXTREME CLOSE UP, eyes locked on each other with a final moment of determination. Alice might give a little smirk, while Greg looks like he’s already calculating the next step.

(in these extreme close ups, they lock eyes and "NOD" at each other).

"PHONE RINGS AT RECEPTIONIST DESK" or a small movement in the office, signaling that tomorrow is when it all goes down. The tension is palpable, but it’s clear now that they’re focused and ready to make it happen.

Short films are more than just an idea.

 I realized that although I may have found an idea for the short film that feels right to us, we cannot DROP THE BALL!!

I'm currently at state writing this blog and trying to figure out how I can rework the script I made previously and trying to understand what initially went wrong so I can better the storytelling.

Once again, I turn to research. 

THE LOGLINE.

A one to two sentence summary of what the film is about.

Ex: The film highlights a young, millenial worker who is dressed up and ready for his first day at work. Every day at work he faces his sole fear of shaking the hands of his very own co-workers. Will he get over the fear?

THE TREATMENT

Intro to key characters. Film Synopsis.

What does he work in? Real Estate.

Dan Harmon's Story Circle (answered in previous blog)

THE OUTLINE.

Tom: Phobia is triggered by just direct physical contact with people gives him anxiety. Sensitive touch receptors that trigger strong emotions in him.

ACT 1 

Scene: Walking into work from elevator, opening the door, establish the character as a confident, cool guy. He walks up to meet the receptionist at the front desk, who is making a call. 

Receptionist: Yes? We have an opening at 2'o clock for a showing in the lower east side of Manhattan. 

She notices Tom and gives him a smile 

Receptionist: First day? 

Tom: Yes, such a pleasure to meet you is it, Alice? 

Receptionist: Yes, indeed!

She extends her hand. He looks down at it, and is reluctant and avoids the hand completely. Back and forth between receptionist and Tom, where he says

Tom: 'I just peed.' (he says it so confidently, that the receptionist is just like ah okay and then turn to her expression being weirded out). To avoid the handshake.

Shot of receptionist watching him sinister

Tom gets in his head about the situation and is very oddly confused, and stressed. (voiceover: nailed it.)

SCENE 2: 

Walking over to his desk, a co-worker is walking in opposite direction and they bump into each other. 

Greg: Oh my apologies, really, I did not mean to startle you, I'm Greg!

Tom: Yeah he seems nice but you can never be so sure...

hand extends in a frame, 

(Instead of handshake maybe he slaps his hand and gives a cringe smirk like just)

Greg: Reaction like what is happening...

Tom: Low five! (instead of high-five)

SCENE 3:

So... what do you think of the new employee?

Receptionist: He seems... normal, but when I offered my hand I tell you the weirdest thing happened. He refused to shake my hand.

Greg: "shock" gasp sound. No... it can't be...

Receptionist: 

Receptionist: We need a plan 

CUT TO ACT 2.

Phase One The "Super Secret Handshake" Setup: We introduce the idea of handshakes in a way that makes it feel exclusive, like it’s a big deal. We’ll gather the team and act like there’s this mystical, office-wide tradition of "Super Secret Handshakes." We’ll make it sound like it’s some rite of passage, even though it’s just a normal handshake. This creates the illusion that handshakes are a must and something he’s missing out on.

GREG: what if that doesn't work...?

Phase Two The Casual Coffee/pen Move: If he’s still avoiding handshakes, it’s time for a more subtle approach. We wait for a moment when we’re holding something like a coffee cup, pen, or binder. Then, when we “accidentally” walk past him, we’ll lean in and offer our hand for the handshake—without even thinking about it, like it's the most natural thing in the world. He’ll feel the subtle pressure to reciprocate, especially when he realizes everyone else is doing it.

Phase Three  The "Accidental" Handshake Escalation: If all else fails, we start getting sneakier. We’ll create situations where it's impossible to avoid shaking hands—like when handing him something across the desk or during a meeting. Slowly, we set him up to the point where the only thing left is to just shake our hand without a second thought.

Advice on Film

 Although I couldn't make it to the group meetings as I was in thespians... I got some extra feedback for my film, that I found to be super helpful.

(Him in his head, its societal)

don't make it about covid. Make it more about a guy who has this phobia,

his phobia is more about being afraid of the social interaction, make his weird behavior special to him. 

He gets really in his head. 

Physical piece, really be inspired by what they do.

Emphasize that this guy does not want to shake their hands at all and make it really weird.

He should be normal in every aspect and just have this weird phobia for just handshaking.

Tom- looks like a normal guy, but he has a weird knack for handshake.

Writing for film, be aware of physical motion. It's not a stagnant medium.

Countering that phobia with something thats not weird, and with him being an okay guy.  

Social Media Cover/Costuming

 So we've been thinking about the way to publicize this film for a little bit... and we've had some trouble coming up with the logo and it has undergone quite a few changes since the beginning but we have a lot of hope in this design and we're still workshopping it to see how it can really evolve.

Above is how the design started. From where the design started to where it ended up going, I feel that we made a lot of progress and it was a huge evolution from the beginning to the end.

Now, the design is much more clean and polished, and the alignment keeps the copy of the writing balanced and professional while still communicating something intriguing about our film.

My partners are just as passionate and adamant about putting Tom in a yellow outfit, believing it’s the best way to capture his essence. Much like characters such as Dwight, the yellow reflects Tom’s obsessive, intense nature. He’s always in his head, overthinking everything that happens at the office, so the yellow just feels right. As for Lisa at the front desk, we’d love for her to wear purple, which would highlight her calculating, commanding personality. And finally, for the boss, the choice is blue... conveying a sense of calm authority.

Location Status

 So I've been communicating with my group a lot more about the technical aspects of our production, and we've officially found a place to film and time! We're going to West Palm... because our partner Nadia has suggested this office that she knows of nearby that could work, so we're making arrangements to have the office space available on March 29th, and we'd be getting there early.

these office spaces seem really nice and bright and colorful, especially the last photo. Our preference, especially for the beginning is to use the most mundane looking spaces as our opening area, and then once maybe the character gets more comfortable we can consider some of the brightly colored walls.

Script

So I started working on this script on google docs and celtx... and I really wanted to capture Tom's discomfort through his expression and way of speaking to himself. A lot of this is just a rough draft that I know needs some polishing, but I just had to start getting my ideas out there and fleshing out this script so that we could lay a foundation. 

INT. OFFICE LOBBY - MORNING

Tom walks into the office, greeted by the usual lackluster atmosphere. The beautiful lights buzz overhead as his coworkers sit at their desks, typing away quietly, no one engaging with one another. There’s a dead silence in the air, broken only by the occasional mouse click or the hum of the copy machine. It’s just another dull morning.

Tom approaches LISA at the entrance, who looks up from her screen and gives a weak, stiff smile. She extends her hand for a handshake.

LISA

(monotone)

Morning, Tom.

TOM'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE (V.O.)

(grimacing)

Ugh... another handshake. I’ve had enough of these things. They're weird and... germy. Why do we even still do this?

(sighs)

Okay, just shake her hand, Tom. It’s the norm. Just... don’t think about it too much.

He takes her hand and shakes it briefly, wiping his hand on his pants immediately after.

TOM'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE (V.O.)

(internal groan)

That’s it. I’m done. This is too much. I’m over it. There has to be a better way.

INT. OFFICE KITCHEN - LUNCHTIME

Tom heads to the kitchen to grab his lunch. He runs into STEVE, the overly friendly coworker who’s always a little too enthusiastic. Steve eagerly extends his hand for a handshake.

STEVE

(grinning widely)

Hey, Tom! How’s it going?

TOM'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE (V.O.)

(freaking out)

Steve. Not him too. Why is this a thing?!

(a thought sparks)

Wait... What if I just avoid it entirely? What if I do something totally weird that’s non-contact? Yeah. A quirky solution. It’ll be fine!

Tom grins to himself and dramatically starts wiping the air near Steve's shoulder as though he's cleaning invisible dust off him.

TOM

(grinning nervously)

Just... cleaning up a little. Gotta keep things tidy, right?

Steve freezes, looking at him with complete confusion. He slowly pulls his hand back, unsure whether he’s part of a joke or if Tom’s lost it. He shrugs and nods awkwardly.

STEVE

(trying to make it normal)

Right... I guess?

INT. OFFICE HALLWAY - LATER

Tom walks down the hallway and bumps into GREG, the quiet guy who rarely talks. Greg raises his fist for a fist bump, but Tom freezes.

GREG

(stoic)

Hey, Tom.

TOM'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE (V.O.)

(sighing)

Fist bump. Another thing I can’t deal with. Just... no. How can I avoid this without being too weird? What if I just tilt my head at him? Like I’m acknowledging his effort but keeping my distance. Yeah, that’ll work.

Tom gives an overly dramatic, awkward head tilt toward Greg, as if he's admiring a statue at a museum. Greg watches, unmoving.

TOM

(deadpan)

The head tilt... very formal, very demure.

Greg blinks, trying to figure out what just happened, then slowly tilts his head back at Tom, mimicking the action.

Greg stares at him, blinking. He then tilts his head back at Tom, mimicking the action.

GREG
(stoic)
Right... okay.

Tom nods to himself, feeling a weird sense of accomplishment as he walks off.

---

INT. OFFICE CONFERENCE ROOM - END OF DAY

Tom enters the conference room where MR. JENKINS, his eccentric boss, stands by the door. Mr. Jenkins, as always, is extremely enthusiastic and immediately extends his hand for a handshake.

MR. JENKINS
(loudly)
Tom! My man! Good to see you!

TOM'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE (V.O.)
(panicking)
Mr. Jenkins! I can’t shake his hand! What if I—what if I just do a pat on the back instead? That’s friendly, non-contact, non-germy! Yes, this will work!

Tom gives Mr. Jenkins a loud, firm pat on the back. The sound of it echoes through the room.

TOM
(grinning awkwardly)
A little pat on the back! Non-germy, like we discussed.

Mr. Jenkins pauses, a little confused. Then, he smiles widely, clearly thrilled with the unique greeting.

MR. JENKINS
(enthusiastically)
That’s the spirit, Tom! No more handshakes, just pat-on-the-back energy! You’re onto something, my friend!

Tom, slightly overwhelmed, smiles nervously, feeling the weirdness escalate.

TOM
(mumbling)
Yeah. New vibe, right?

---

INT. OFFICE LOBBY - THE NEXT DAY

Tom walks into the office the next morning. He’s surprised to see the office completely transformed. The once dull, stiff environment is now full of laughter, chaos, and absurdity. Coworkers are greeting each other with bizarre and hilarious gestures:

LISA is sniffing her own hand before offering it to someone like it’s a scented candle.

STEVE is pretending to brush invisible dirt off a coworker’s jacket.

GREG is tilting his head at people dramatically like he's in some kind of slow-motion dance.

Even MR. JENKINS is bumping into people with exaggerated, energetic shoulder nudges and slapping people’s backs loudly as if he's in a sports locker room.

Tom watches in disbelief, realizing the office has completely embraced the chaos he started. He’s part of it now.

TOM'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE (V.O.)
(stunned)
Wait. Wait a minute... they’re... they’re all doing it?! I started this? This is… awesome? It’s weird, but it’s awesome...

Tom grins to himself and gives a coworker a strange, over-the-top head nod as a greeting. The coworker nods back and even adds an exaggerated wink.

Tom continues to walk through the office as everyone greets him with bizarre gestures, laughing and having fun. The once stale, quiet office is now full of joy and energy.

Suddenly, Mr. Jenkins appears behind him, slapping him on the back one more time, followed by an over-the-top thumbs-up.

MR. JENKINS
(shouting joyfully)
There he is! Tom, the innovator! You’ve changed the way we greet each other, my friend!

Tom, slightly overwhelmed but oddly proud, smiles. The camera pulls back, showing the entire office engaged in this bizarre, fun greeting revolution.

Group Meeting #1

 On Friday, we had our group meeting, and it was really helpful and productive in a lot of ways. We all got a chance to give each other equal feedback, which helped shape our ideas and improve our projects.

Here was the feedback I got:

Sometimes to help reinforce some of Tom's awkwardness, we can have small moments of silence.

Add stark personality to the characters and build on them so there's a difference between every character in the office, not just Tom and the Boss.

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS

Search up Portal video game trailers

Comedy +Office vibe

We could also have some fan interaction on the stories like an open question box asking "how important is a handshake?" and then have the cast get together to answer some of those questions.

Megan also suggested something to me based off a real life interaction she has had, where someone would go in for a handshake and then the person receiving it (Tom) would respond erratically and say "I just peed" or something super odd like that to show how shy and socially awkward Tom can be.

Positions

So here since we are a group, and there is a lot of work to do to make this short film great, we worked out how we would distribute our roles! 

Martina Rodriguez (Me)- Director/writer/editor

Throughout this process, I have been researching and learning more about short films and how to structure them in a way that is simple and understandable for the viewer in a way that stays true to my own creative ideas. 

I'm still working on building the script, but I think I'm still torn between the title 'Out of Hand' or 'Shake Of'. 

Zain Vidal- Cinematographer/associate editor/producer

Zain initiated this project from the start, she thought of distributing jobs and such to each of us, so that we have a defined task that we can all work towards. She thought of appointing me as the director and writer of the film, while she was tasked with finding locations and places where we could film. 

Nadia Hernandez- Production Assistant/Sound/grip

Nadia is very flexible in terms of what she wants to work on for the project, so a lot of the production Sound Effects/foley and making sure the actors and crew are taken care of. She'll be very involved in the production process and very hands on whether it be her helping with the boom mic, or providing water, etc.

Now that we have our cast and crew, it's time to come up with a reliable film schedule that we can send over to our actors so they can have. I plan on having this solidified by next week so I can talk to my team and figure out what days we can all actually be present, as well as communicating with Zain to see if she has found any viable locations.

March 29th will probably be a tentative filming date, but this whole week of March 25-27 will be up for grabs, however this is all contingent on whether or not we can get the filming location for these dates.

Casting the short.

 Soooooo we have a cast, and a story to tell!

For the role of Tom and the boss I thought it would be favorable to cast adult actors, so I immediately thought of casting Lito Beccara, one of my good friends from Inside Out Theatre, as the role of Tom.

 I envision Tom, as a character, being this sort of awkward, shy, quirky guy who works at the office, kind of inspired by some of the characters actors like Michael Cera have played in previous shows.  Him deciding not to go in for a handshake at the start of the film when he gets all inside his head is our very first impression of him, and with Lito as Tom I absolutely believe this persona will shine through! 

So I communicated with Lito and he said yes!

(That's Lito in the blue YAY)

For the boss I casted another adult I've worked with previously, his name is Daniel Sanchez! In this picture he's on the far right. I've worked with both of them on Inside Out Theatre's production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and they both have such an amazing work ethic and are so serious about their craft, I trust that we will have the best experience working with them as well.

For the boss I envisioned having him be very strict, and stern, at the beginning, so that there is a shift in tone on the last clip of the scene where we come to find that the boss is actually a softie who found comfort in the fact that Tom was finding different ways to interact with others.  

Research, constructing the brand for our film

 We understand that comedy's are hard to make, but the idea of breaking an unspoken rule in itself evokes a humorous aspect, at least in our interpretation.

If we go with the hand-shaking idea, we believe that would have to be marketed by showcasing an office environment, a dull, lackluster place in which co-workers hardly interact except for the daily greeting: a handshake. 

We can start by showcasing our character, Tom, and his awkwardness and reluctance to handshakes themselves. We can put quotes next to the character poster, to get people kind of introduced to this conformist office, and then there's Tom. 

For further inspiration, we want to really "branch out" hehe, and find other student films in the past that have worked with the marketing aspect of their film, and we found a page that does a really great job at conveying the mood, and tone of their film, without overtly giving so much of the plot away.

This is a student film social media page from the University of Michigan, and I really love the way they make use of their marketing strategy.  Through color, aesthetics, and purpose, this social media was able to achieve a consistent brand identity that made audiences curious about what the film entails. 

If they had a particular song in the film, they made sure to also bring attention to that in one of their posts, to further create awareness of their film but also help out the actors themselves, which serves both creators. 

They had the Michigan Daily Review their film, which is a very unique way of advertising the film by also showcasing a nuanced perspective from consumers/critics outside of the project on their page.  We could get some of the students that run the newspaper or yearbook, to write a report on our film so we can also have that perspective showcased in a different media text, for more people to see.

https://neilchasefilm.com/marketing-a-film/

Social Media Marketing

 HELLO THERE BLOG!

I am so excited to share what I've learned about marketing and apply it to this project by creating a social media platform that would showcase all of our work behind-the-scenes, as well as branding aspects of the film.

At the beginning of the year, we started a branding project where we primarily focused on branding ourselves, and what that would look like in terms of our relationships, our culture, our purpose, etc.

So while marketing a short film is something completely new to me, the concept of marketing is something I have loved to explore throughout my time at places like Inside Out Theatre Company, a non-profit organization that I'm grateful to have been a part of from a young age.

As I got older, and started experimenting with editing, graphics, visual effects, and motion graphics, marketing quickly became a huge passion of mine when paired with these skills.

These are some of the visuals I made to tease the viewers about what's to come, and then I posted the trailer on the top right corner to quench some of that anticipation. 

“Just too unreal, all this” we are proud to present Spring Awakening* with student ASL interpretation. Tickets now on sale 💜🌿 link in bio"

I love to use captions that have a play on words and make references to the actual show, so that people can get a better understanding of the word play and the vibe through our caption. The purple emoji gives off the vibe of one of the last songs, a song of purple summer, and the leaf is super grounded, mellow. I also used the red in the back because this musical holds so much passion, and teenage angst, that this was a way of still communicating that angst to the target audience, which was generally local (people from our county), ages 14 and up (mature audiences), who enjoy artistic, serious, art.

I also handle the tik tok for Inside Out closely, but the vibe on that platform for content is much more intimate, and personable. My target and goal in that account is to get a wider net of exposure from younger audiences who prefer to consume video content, and who prefer to actually experience something in a video almost vicariously, as if they wre there getting to watch snippets of the show and rehearsals themselves. 

On tik tok, I make it really about building a community and making the followers feel intrigued by the company and what the students are rehearsing and how they're practicing. So here's an example.

What's the point of this?

Well, for marketing my short film, I want to take a similar approach only I understand that it would be more BTS centered for the tik tok, and for the instagram I would include more professionalized images to communicate what the film is really about.  I would like to think of how to get into different media texts and help our target audience discover the film in different ways other than just through social media... so here's what I'm thinking.

The pursuit of an idea: My story plan

This next blog is a visual representation of how my mind gets from one idea to another... First, we were drawn between two ideas: Self-growth and unspoken rules.

For self-growth, I definitely feel that we can have a contrast between someone who has a growth mindset, and someone who is fixed in their mental set. They may be just having a conversation about a conflict or issue that they have with each other. One is willing to grow, the other wants to believe things will never change and focus on trying to change somebody else instead of changing themselves.

Then,  I felt like doing more research on story structure, just to have a layout or framework to start at as a beginner in short films.

Philosophical Conflict- moral, ethical beliefs in conflict within story, its the backbone of storytelling.
Viewpoint vs. Viewpoint conflict
Self-constructed example: Group project

 control, power, assert dominance. VS. just create, collaborate, initiative, do whats going to look right. 

Character needs a want

need (what the character must discover about himself or the world to become complete, balanced, and whole)

character pursues outer goal, but then subconsciously then consciously pursues actual goal)

Character: believes "action" 

include EMPATHY 

Character overcomes lie, and accepts the truth

Character's who have differing beliefs may actually end up taking precedent over the initial person.

Moral Dilemma

1. a character in a zone of comfort

2. but they want something

3. they enter an unfamiliar situation

4. adapt to it / make it right

5. Get what he wants

6. pay a heavy price

7. they enter their familiar question

8. having changed 

"knowing the right thing to do isn't as clear as we realize, its more difficult than we can imagine."

MAIN CHARACTER:

Unspoken rules

Unspoken Rule Idea 1:

Feminist woman, who is working in an office, very traditional and conformist everybody is kind of doing the same thing and then we are following this inner monologue in her head that says, "I don't wanna do this anymore." She wants to make it feel more entertaining, more lively. S

She spills a coffee, everyone looks at her, and looks away.  She wants to get out of this routine, she wants  

This simple scenario of breaking an unspoken rule, (sitting next to someone on public transport) turns into a story about embracing discomfort, connecting with others, and challenging the invisible barriers that keep us isolated. It's a short but powerful reflection on how small actions can create meaningful moments, and how breaking even the most minor unspoken rule can lead to positive change. 

Woman is looking to sit on a bus with someone, unspoken rule that if you see someone with a seat empty you shouldn't just sit there.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unspoken Rule Idea 2:

A protagonist who is fed up with giving out aggressive handshakes, fed-up with having to just go in for the initial handshake and shake a hand, there's too much spreading of the germs... more than he can take.

"Why do we even do this?" He thinks to himself, after having shaken hands with someone and he wipes his own hands down.

He decides to start greeting his co-workers differently, as one puts out there hand to shake it, he refuses to accept without saying anything but just holds this inner monologue in his head. "They should get that I don't want to shake hands that's not my problem that's theres. 

First co-worker holds her hand out to shake his and he waves his hand awkwardly.

At lunch, Tom is offered a handshake by a colleague who’s known for being overly friendly. Tom, refuses to hand shake again and instead tries a high-five. Steve looks confused, then tries to high-five back, but Tom pulls his hand away at the last second, leaving Steve hanging. The awkwardness is palpable.

As Tom keeps breaking this simple rule, the consequences become more extreme. His colleagues are starting to get really uncomfortable. Some even start offering him fist bumps, but Tom refuses, offering a weird elbow knock instead. 

Tom can start to think to himself, "maybe I should stop, I'm making a mistake, how could I do this to myself, I've ruined my social standing because I hate germs oh I'm such a prick!"

This behavior spreads... soon, everyone in the office is offering him increasingly bizarre gestures instead of handshakes: thumbs-up, jazz hands, foot taps, and even a head nod with an exaggerated wink. 

Tom attempts to make amends with his boss and awkwardly approaching the boss as he finally is seen extending his hand out once again

His boss instead, responds by giving him a weird handshake. They both stand there, confused about what happened, and start bursting out into laughter.

General Theme

Overall, the film would have larger implications, at first Tom was just consciously trying to find a way to break a norm/unspoken rule that makes him uncomfortable. His reluctance to the handshake and inclination to try a new, unique, nuanced way of greeting people at first has an awkward effect, but it later translates into creating an office community where people are more comfortable with each other, and comfortable expressing themselves with each other.

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Overall some little titles that came into mind that might be able to conjure up some new ideas,  but right now, this is what I have! (These are just some loosely strewn ideas).

Dressed in Gold

Title Names: The Second Skin

The Lady In Blue