USC Cinematic Arts | First Look 2019

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Comedy Films:

Black Knuckle and Deputy Maltese (14:32)

In the western town of Coal Ridge, a deputy keeps his love a secret until the outlaw who stole his heart is taken hostage.

Director
Jason Phillips

Writer
Theo Poling

Producer
Maggie Phillips
Robert Green

Cinematographer
Luke Sargent

Production Designer
Kristina Wong
Pimvenus Clark

Costume Designer
Meredith Peebles

Editor
Colton Stock

Sound
Gavin McFarland

Composer
Kenny Regan

Cast: Lane Compton as Deputy Maltese, Gabriel Sousa as Black Knuckle, Kym Wilson as Sheriff Schaefer, Berna Roberts as Lucy, Ian Elliott as Ricky, Keith Biondi as The Dark Rider, Dina Cataldi as The Fire, Carl Ezold as The Sidekick, Mariko Sawa as The Lethal Weapon, Joshua a. Newman Gomez as The Deadly One

Blueberry (16:20)

An Afrocentric podcast host goes looking for his idol, Harambe Cornell and has to take care of his 9-year-old son who is dressed like a blueberry.

Director
Martina Lee

Writer
Martina Lee

Producer
Robbin Rae
Co-Producer: Yana Bille

Cinematographer
Enrico Targetii

Production Designer
Eleanor Goodrich

Editor
Aaron Port

Sound
Eric Han

Composer
Sarah Trevino

Cast: Stevie Johnson as Lyric Hayes, Evan Alex as Jacob Hayes, Hilty Bowens as Brice Little, Rebecca King Crews as Grace Harambe Cornell, Tiwana Floyd as Claudia, Jade Warner as Waitress

Boob Sweat (14:03)

In the summer of 1976, Francis and her two best friends try to kiss the coolest boys in the seventh grade. Pubescent awkwardness ensues.

Director
Charlotte Guerry

Writer
Ariana Coyle
Kirsten Walz

Producer
Brooke Ross
Abdel Eleish

Cinematographer
Camila Prisco-Paraiso

Production Designer
Katie Theel
Emma Bradford

Editor
Kristi Delasia

Sound
Ariana Coyle
Artin Aroutounians

Composer
Curtis Colton Green

Cast: Xochitl Gomez-Deines as Francis, Julius Lambrecht as Anthony, Abigayle Lenzinger as Rosie, Helena Mulholland as Jan, Charlie Parker as Robin, Samuel Parker as Bobby

FLUID (TV Pilot 2019) (25:00)

A college student on the brink of discovering herself learns that sexuality is much more fluid than we think.

Director
Sharon S Park

Writer
Lydia Lane
Cydney Fisher

Producer
Jabree Webber

Cinematographer
Nate Jakus

Production Designer
Yuan Wang

Editor
Ashley McGraw-Pennington
Sharon S Park

Sound
Austin Conway
Alvin Joo
Diana Cha

Composer
Brandon Jung
Susan De Kam

Cast: Janice Lee as Ryan, Sophie Lazmik as Zoey, Christopher 'Topher' Park as Taylor, Drucilla Perez as Diana, Natasha Liu as Avery, Dia Frampton as Dr. McCallum, Rich Marrow as Josiah, Jodie Bentley as Dr. Shelly

God's Gracie (13:43)

When Gracie, a thirteen-year-old Fundamentalist Christian, meets Heidi, an agnostic lesbian driving back from her mother's funeral, Gracie must find a new approach to save a soul.

Director
Chateaubriand Bezerra

Writer
Molly Miller

Producer
Cindy Wu
Mehmet Gungoren

Cinematographer
Mario Mastromarino
Baihui Becky Chen

Production Designer
Karly Perez-Arevalo
Vanessa Plaza Lazo

Editor
Christopher Ma
Martin Robertson

Sound
Anna Cassady
Qianni Tang

Composer
Jordan Plotner

Cast: Angelina Capozzoli as Gracie, Regan James as Heidi, Lucy Boryer as Kathy, Paul Walling as Pastor, Caige Coulter as Tessa

Goldfish (19:24)

A man shoots himself in the head, twice.

Director
Sikandar Sidhu

Writer
Sikandar Sidhu

Producer
Jordan Litt
James Canellos

Cinematographer
Ante Cheng

Production Designer
Emma Weston

Editor
Yung Chih Hsu

Sound
Paul Hughes
Jingjue Zhou

Composer
Marco Antonini

Cast: Clayton Farris as Alan Moore, Afton Quast as Rose, Shayna Gabrielle as Allison, Amir Levi as Phil, Matthew F Miller as Dr. Baker, William Elsman as Miserable Man

Hardcover (12:23)

Seeking companionship and escape through an elite book club, Carrie Austen finds her community and the warrior inside her.

Director
Lukas Dong

Writer
Gillian Annis

Producer
Camille St Gal de Pons
Modupe Thompson

Cinematographer
Paul Phou

Production Designer
Demi De Cesare

Editor
Ty Leet

Sound
Will Milvid
Alex Bologna

Composer
Logan Nelson

Cast: Morgan Paupaw as Carrie Austin, Ali Pinkerton as Linda Harrison, Celeste Den as Jane Jenkins, Stephanie Schulz as Jill Strasser, Carrie Gibson as Stacey Griswald, Miles Noda as Cody Austin, Pedro Figueroa as Richard Austin, Erika L. Holmes as Joy, Heather Alexander as Karen, Rachel Christianson as Kelly, Whitney Bowers as Amanda

I Think I'm Gay? (18:28)

Zach's life is upended when 'performance anxiety' in bed leads to a life-shattering accusation: his girlfriend says she thinks he's gay, and Zach wonders if she's right. With help from his gay best friend, Zach must discover that sexuality isn't about 'tribes' or staying hard. It's about who you love.

Director
Matthew Chupack

Writer
Matthew Chupack

Producer
Michael A. Perez
Karla Luna-Cantu

Cinematographer
Adriana Serrato

Production Designer
Vincent Blake

Editor
Jason Piemnoppakao

Sound
Sound Designer: Jacob Chabon
Production Sound Mixer: Paul Vogel
Post-Production Sound Mixer: Eric Han

Composer
Graham Southern

Cast: Miles Tagtmeyer as Zach, Rebecca Goldstein as Amy, Matt Jennings as Kyle, Aaron Jung as Drew, Victoria Mele as Sandy, Adam Razavi as Justin

Reading & Other Vices (17:17)

The jilted and vengeful Frances Stern joins a book club filled with members that are willing to fight to the death to have the club discuss their book of choice.

Director
Ariana Berenson

Writer
Ariana Berenson

Producer
Raeshib Aggerwhil

Cinematographer
Tanmay Chowdhary

Production Designer
Hyrum Judkins

Editor
Grant Raunt
Ariana Berenson

Sound
Production Sound Mixer: Reggie Espiritu
Post- Produciton Sound Mixer: Santiago Rodriguez-Herran

Composer
Jesper Ankarfeldt

Cast: Ariana Berenson as Frances Stern, Cooper Terle as Albert, Kristin Piacentile as Claire, Carrie Gibson as Renee, JJ Obee as Anita, Andrew Puente as Stuart, Yves Beneche as Jake, Debra Berenson as Janine Stern, Michael Phenicie as Max Stern, John Delbarian as Fiancé, Frannie Morrison as Friend

Skinny Ghost (16:00)

When two nerdy teens decide to attend the Halloween dance, they are forced to confront young love, bullies, and even their own friendship. Because nothing is spookier than growing up.

Director
Nicolas Curcio

Writer
Nicolas Curcio

Producer
Gracie Corapi

Cinematographer
Michael Basha

Production Designer
TJ Ryan

Editor
Nicolas Curcio

Sound
Sound Designer: Josh Scammell
Production Sound Mixer: Ryan Vaughan

Composer
Alexander Taylor

Cast: Ben Gust as Dalton, Brady Richards as Freddy, Sajel Oh as Zoe, Larson Rainier as Bobby, Charlie Hoffman as Braden, Michael Faulkner as Mr. Ricks, Mary Cate Hoffman as Scarlett

Summon a Fiend (15:03)

A lonely little girl discovers a magical spell book, but gets more than she bargained for when she attempts to summon a friend.

Director
Eleanor Cho

Writer
Pimvenus Clark

Producer
Gabrielle Roberts
Jacob Bonham

Cinematographer
Sevag Chahinian

Production Designer
Christina Dial

Editor
Stephen Burchell

Sound
Jonathan Chen

Composer
Brandon Jung

Cast: Ireland Richards as Hazel, Ian Michaels as Dantalion, Nate Ward as David, Juliet Rusche as Elizabeth, Henderson Nguyen as Kyle

The Last Pitch (15:16)

Two best friends and long struggling screenwriters land a make-or-break meeting with a big time Hollywood producer...and accidentally end up killing him

Director
Jonathan Steinfield

Writer
Jonathan Steinfield
Andrew Hartman

Producer
Jonathan Steinfield
Andrew Hartman
Ian McClellan

Cinematographer
Sebastian Schrils

Production Designer
Dominique Sheth

Editor
Nicholas Manting Brewer
Sound Designer, Post Production Sound: Jiaqing Audrey Gu

Sound
Production Sound Mixer: Mercedes San Roman Celorio
Sound Designer, Post Production Sound: Jiaqing Audrey Gu

Composer
Raashi Kulkarni

Cast: Andrew Hartman as Jeremy, Jake Green as Aaron, Lauren Compton as Jennifer Stone, David Lengel as Finkelstein, Phillip Brock as Harold Brooks, Giuliana Carullo as Stacy, Johnno Wilson as Harrison, Shawn Lockie as Producer 1, Reeyaz Habib as Producer 2, Erika Holmes as Producer 3, Thomas Polk as PA

Valentino And The Prodigy (20:20)

A washed up pianist is hired to train a young, Jewish piano prodigy who is suffering from stage fright after the death of his father.

Director
Matt Anderson

Writer
Cory Law

Producer
Matt Anderson
Cory Law

Cinematographer
Jonathan Pope

Production Designer
Justin Barnette

Editor
Cory Law

Sound
Sound Designer, Post-Production Sound: Chris Morocco
Production Soud Mixer: Izumi Rosas

Composer
Chris Carmichael

Cast: Nick Armstrong as Valentino, Harry White as Yitzhak, Maya Koren as Rachel, Dana Powell as Bonzie, Jason Shotts as Frank, Natalie Mitchell as Gwen, Chester Fredd as Henry, Jay Kasten as Usher, Matt Anderson as Blake

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