Outside the Box [Office] invites you to attend

USC Short Film Showcase

Five recent short films in consideration for Awards

        
FEATURING:

GUILT TRIP (Claire Renée Frankland, 15 min.)
NEGRO LEAGUE NIGHTS (Kyle Sykes, 13 min.)
THE STRANGER (Dan Burks, 13 min.)
ELIZA (Steve Failows, 15 min.)
DREAMERS (E'Ian West, 24 min.)

Followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers

7:00 P.M. on Thursday, December 11th, 2025

The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108
George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVP REQUIRED.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About the Shorts

GUILT TRIP (15 minutes)

Written & Directed by Claire Renée Frankland.

Synopsis: A group of recently graduated college students are tormented by a mysterious girl who warns them of their impending fate.

About the Writer/Director, Claire Renée Frankland: Claire is a recent graduate from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and is deeply passionate about storytelling! She is pleased to introduce "Guilt Trip" her first independent short. The Original Song "Endings" featuring singer/songwriter EJ Ross recently won Best Original Song of the season at Indie Shorts Fest, and the film is an Award winner at the Independent Horror Movie Awards (Winner: Best Music, Nominee: Best Short & Best Cinematography). Other projects which she has worked on include; Writer, Actress on "Hybrid" (Official Selection LA Shorts International Film Festival, Sci Fi London), Producer on "Sugar, Sorry" (Official Selection NFFTY, LA Shorts International Film Festival), Producer, Actress on "What Dwells Under" (Official Selection First Glance Film Festival) directed by Matt Hourigan, Producer on "Reflection of Light" directed by Nico Atler / Brianna Smith, and Producer on "Mirror, Mirror" directed by Jeremy Allen Wells.
 

NEGRO LEAGUE NIGHTS (13 minutes)

Written & Directed by Kyle Sykes.

Synopsis: Doc Sykes helps his team, the Baltimore Black Sox, advance to the Colored World Series in 1923 by beating the New York Black Yankees at Yankee Stadium. His excitement soon turns to anger and disappointment when he realizes the all-Black showers at the stadium are filthy and disgusting. When he and two of his teammates make the bold choice to use the White showers instead, the racist stadium manager instantly apprehends them. Threatened with arrest, Doc and his teammates are escorted outside while their loyal fans, and two young kids, clamor for their release, prompting the stadium manager to relent and release them.

About the Writer/Director, Kyle Sykes: Kyle is an award winning African American director currently working in Los Angeles. Born in Boston, he moved to California to study Film and Race at Stanford University, and recently completed his MFA at USC ’s School of Cinematic Arts. After having spent his early years interning at HBO, he began shooting and editing projects for commercial clients in the bay area: Airbnb, Afrotech, Hypebeast, Levis, BET, Harley Davidson, Rolling Stone, Pinterest, etc. As a fellow of the 2022 Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award, he was highlighted online and in the Frieze Art Fair and magazine as one of ten distinguished minority film makers telling diverse stories in Los Angeles. The short film he made last year with this fellowship, Nomadic, was screened on a panel at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival. It was also official selection at the Micheaux Film Festival and the Toronto Short Film Festival. For the 2022 fall season, he was the Director of Photography for The Hollywood Reporter’s roundtable series on actors, actresses, directors, and producers. The year prior, he did a sports documentary about basketball and gentrification in Portland, Jumptown, which is currently being distributed on Roku. In 2024, he was one of eight international scholars sent to China to create a documentary, and one of eight diversity scholars selected to teach film to undergraduates at USC.
 

THE STRANGER (13 minutes)

Written & Directed by SCA Alumnus Dan Burks. Executive Produced by USC Alumnus Niraj Bhatia.

Synopsis: A stranger takes a family hostage and threatens to kill them unless the father can answer the stranger’s only demand: “Tell me who I am.” But the father doesn’t know. So to save his family, he starts guessing. But his guesses reveal more about his own past.

About the Writer/Director, Dan Burks: Dan Burks is an Oscar qualified, award-winning writer, director, and producer, and an alumnus of USC's School of Cinematic Arts (2002). As a producer, Burks’ films include the Grammy-nominated and PGA-winner BEATS, RHYMES, & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST; SUPER DARK TIMES; and THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN. His features have premiered at Sundance (BEATS; WILD INDIAN), SXSW (SPACE STATION 76 ; LEFTY BROWN), and Tribeca (STRAY DOLLS ; SUPER DARK TIMES). As a director, his short THE STRANGER won multiple awards on the festival circuit, including the Audience Award at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, and qualified for the Academy Awards.

About the Executive Producer, Niraj Bhatia: As founder and president of Om FIlms, USC alumnus (2002) Niraj Bhatia has executive produced over 20 films. Under his leadership, many of his award-winning films have found high acclaim such as the 2024 Academy Award-nominated TO KILL A TIGER, the 2024 BAFTA-nominated WILD SUMMON, and the Grammy-nominated and PGA-winner BEATS, RHYMES, AND LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST; MEET THE PATELS, and WILD INDIAN. His films have been acquired by top distributors including A24, Netflix, Sony, and Sony Picture Classics.
 

ELIZA (15 minutes)

Directed by Steve Failows. Written & Exec Produced by Dariush Nothaft and Jared Matzecki. Produced by Eric Thompson.

Synopsis: A sweet kid fends off home invaders after it turns out his online gaming partner harbors a troublesome secret.
 

DREAMERS (24 minutes)

Directed by E'Ian West.

Synopsis: Dreamers is a heartfelt narrative exploring the hopes, resilience, and shared humanity of three individuals from vastly different backgrounds, all bound by a common thread the pursuit of the American Dream. Each story whether told by an immigrant or a child of immigrants reflects a unique journey, yet all are united by the desire to build a better life in the United States. Through these deeply personal accounts, Dreamers captures the enduring values of hard work, sacrifice, and faith in a brighter future core ideals that continue to shape the American experience.

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu