USC Cinematic Arts | First Film 2016

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Drama Films:

Belly (12:44)

Cloistered inside the belly of a whale, a brusque, aging seaman must confront his past when fate sends a young, injured interloper down into his fleshy home.

Dierctor
Sean Hollihan

Writer
Jon Foor

Producers
Ryland Burns
Fiodor Otero

Cinematographer
Jon Corum

Sound Designer
Keegan Duncan

Editor
Kyle Bugg

Production Designer
Myra Barrera

Composer
Daniel Fox

Cast: Bob McLean as Walt, Kevin Grady as Bernard, Adam Quirch as Young Walt, Turen Robinson as Reggie, Rob Westhoff as Walt’s Father, James Frances Whelan IV as Fiance, Nadia as Nadia, Larry as Larry

Girl in Her Twenties (19:05)

It's the story of a girl with a twist! In this comedy-drama with a modern edge, meet Allison in three moments: her early twenties, mid-twenties, and late twenties, coming together to reveal her ever-changing identities and ever–complicated relationships.

Director/Writer/Actors
Amy Reedy

Producer
James Kwon Lee

Cinematographer
Auden Bui

Co–Editors
Randolph Zaini
Gwydhar Gebien

Sound Designer
Reese Robinson

Production Designers
Nicole Frederick
Kevin Bici

Composer
Nami Melumad

Casting Director
Charlene Lee

Associate Producers
Ian Asbjornsen
Frieda De Lackner
Elizabeth Worley

Cast: Amy Reedy as Allison, Zack Cosby as Travis, Jessica Richards as Paige, Erik Reedy as Daniel

Mandala (23:00)

After losing her lover, a young artist tries to overcome her grief by succumbing to a mysterious request by a Tibetan monk.

Director
Xi Guan

Writer
Ghazaleh Golbakhsh

Producer
Li Zhen

Cinematographer
Alejondro Martinez

Post–Production sound
Hequn Li

Gaffer
Ruben Contreras

Script Supervisor
Amanda Griswold

Editors
Wentao Wang
Cheng Fang

Production Designer
Julie Chen

Comnposer
Sebastian Ornermark

Cast: Yan (Sarah) Li as Henlena, Bujie Duo as Gonge Lama, Omar Avila as Paul, Amy as Amy, Doji as Doji

Olde E (14:37

Demarkus Jackson, a young basketball star from South Central, Los Angeles, pursues his dreams in the face of his abusive, drunken father who cannot overcome the failures of his past.

Director
Xavier Burgin

Writer
Tiara Marshall

Producers
Jenna Cavelle
Jacob Eben

Cinematographers
Mario Rodriguez
Adam Linzey

Sound Designers
Derek Sepe
Marcus Allen

Editors
Matthew Zunich
Katie McClellan

Production Designers
Guillermo Ortiz
Megan Seely

Composer
Eric Schroder

Cast: Kent Faulcon as Reginald, William Russ as Sean Pennington, Mike Wade as Demarkus, Trestin George as Tyrell, Mack Miles as Coach Watkins, Emmanuel King as Ricky, Scotty Tovar as Chino

Para Ellos (23:35)

On the night their father goes missing, siblings Maria and Juan embark on a perilous journey across the U.S./Mexico border in hopes of bringing him home, but not without the guidance of three curious, yet meddling desert creatures.

Directors/Writers/Producers
Christian Contreras
Victoria De La Torre

Producer
Dustin Jacobs

Cinematographer
Will Jobe

Sound Designer
Andrew Peat

Production Sound Mixers
Yasaman Kazerooni
Kari Barber

Post–Production Sound
Kim Patrick

Editor
Erik Howell

Production Designer
Heidi Diederich

Composer
Jongnic Bontemps

Cast: Ingrid Rodriguez as Maria, Paco Flores as Juan, Andres Miranda as Papa, Maxine Greco as Abuela, Ray Perez as Tall Man, Sheila Korsi as Owl (voice), Sean Burgos as Coyote (voice), Sergio Rafael as Gila Monster (voice), Oscar Garza as Agent Lucas, Matt Nosek as Agent Keller, Dulce Maria Ramon as Woman in Photo

Prisioner (20:45)

Stranded behind enemy lines, a war-weary American takes a young German soldier prisoner and forces him to lead the way back to safety.

Writer/Director
Matthew Edwards

Producers
Mynor Sosa
Trent
Lea Dizon

Cinematographer
Andrew Jeric

Production Sound
Rebecca Chan
Jinhae Park

Editor
Evan Schrodek

Post Production Sound
Erik Foreman
Sung Rok Choi

Production Designer
Bonnie Bacevich

Composer
Corey Wallace

Cast: Wyatt Russell as The American, Frederick Lau as The German

Sanctity (17:04)

A by–the–book federal agent and his desperate ex–girlfriend struggle with an unplanned pregnancy in a near–future America where Roe v. Wade has been overturned.

Director/Writer
Eric Adrian Marshall

Producers
Bernardo Duran, Jr.
Sahand Nicoukar

Cinematographer
Leonora Anzaldua Burke

Production Sound
Wasef El-Kharouf

Post Production Sound
Eric Adrian Marshall
Sahand Nikoukar

Editor
Brian Paison

Production Designer
Lauren Meyer

Composers
Alexis Marsh
Samuel Jones

Costume Designer
Sasha Williams

First Assistant Director
Adhish Yajnik

Cast: Scott Speiser as Daniel, Shawn Kathryn Kane as Marina, Kate Duffy as Tara, Clayton Hoff as Tubbs, Sona Sood as Ravyn, Joseph Heiser as Agent Williams, Elester Latham as ASAC Jenkins, Tara Christopehr as Agent Gonzales, Stephen Beal as Agent Harper

Stairways (14:25)

A Skid Row community worker struggles to come to terms with her tragic past by carrying an addict up four flights of stairs.

Director
Juan Martinez Vera

Writer
Matthew Halla

Cinematographers
Andrew Wood
Craig Smith

Sound Designers
Chris Morocco
Halima Lucas

Editors
Luke Haskard
Rajendra Thakurathi

Production Designers
Janice Duncan
Uttera Singh

Composer
Gabriel DiMarco

First Assistant Director
Nathan Ellis

Producers
Gwydhar Gebein
Alex Weiss Morgan

Cast: Inger Tudor as Charlotte, Katie Cooper as Rose, Jasmine St. Clair as Biz, David Castro as Johnny, Christine Elmore as Diana, Idalis Mczeal as Honey, Vanesa Alvarez as Maria, Dariana Alvaraez as Josefina, Dylan Belazquez as Carlos, Toni Tinkleman as Old Woman, Rita McCaffrey as Laundry Lady, Kevin Wesolowski as Cook

Still in San Pedro (18:25)

A small town wrestling coach feels threatened when his successful older brother returns home for the holidays and begins spending time with the woman he loves.

Director/Co-Writer
Jamie Napoli

Co-Writer
Brian Paison

Producer
Temi Coker

Cinematographer
Matthew Halla

Sound Designer, Production , Mixer
Joshua Paul Johnson
Xiao'ou Olivia Zhang

Editor
Mark Burwick

Production Designer
Grey Cusack

Composer
Erick del Aguila

First Assistant Director
Brandon Hall

Costume Designer
Jessyca Bluwal

Casting Directors
Kevin Mockrin, CSA
Karin Walters, CSA

Producer’s Assistant
Michaela Higgins

Cast: Clayton Snyder as Francis, Gillian Shure as Natalie, Chris Andrew Ciulla as Michael, Martin Simone as Pete, Chris Warner as Dave, Debra Sullivan as Sharon, Chris Paul Davis as Jim

The Fog (13:24)

An acting class becomes an unexpected battle for a young combat veteran.

Director
Ted Martland

Writer
Nathan Ellis

Producers
Ariel Heller
David Breschel

Cinematographers
Wesley Rodriguez
Eric Chenjie Pan

Editors
Johnson Thomasson
Eseraele Alemu

Production Designers
Eleanor Hoppe
Federicco Torrado Tobon

Sound
Dustin Elm
Gisele Tong

Assistant Director
Kelly Austin Davis

Cast: Joby Earle as Daniel Swift, Franc Ross as Bruce, Leslie Stevens as Dr. Matters, Annie Hamilton as Jessica, Clayton Froning as Ray, Sarah Drescher as Wife, Terry Maratos as Vagrant

VICIOUS (19:50)

Told through the eyes of those affected, “VICIOUS“ takes an unflinching look at the tragic cycle of gang violence perpetuated over the course of one brutal and heartbreaking night.

Director/Writer/Editor
Andrew Jeric

Producers
Maritte Go
Bernando Duran Jr
Leslie Marchand

Cinematographer
Matthew Edwards

Production Sound
Scott Hardie

Sound Designer
Sung Rok Choi

Production Designer
Prerna Chawla

Composer
Michael Kramer

Costume Designer
Amanda Lee

Cast: Rafael Martinez as Oscar, Kojo Asjedu as Rashad, Phillip Cates as Jamal, Yolonda Ross as Regina, Tonny Zorrilla as Angel, Bryan Tujillo as Fernanado, Ruben Gutierrerz as Cain, Deondri Rufe as Skinny, Byron McIntyre as ER Doctor, Darin Singleton as Surgeon, Rebecca Grayce as Female EMT Scott Hardie as Male EMT

Warm Smooth Mean (14:27)

A young man troubled by his legendary father’s suicide, travels to a small town in search of answers from his father's former bandmate.

Director
Jess Maldaner

Producers
Alex Moscato
Michelle Musser

Writer
Mark Allen

Directors of Photography
Eva Ye
Hang Tran

Production Designers
Brandon Cahoon
Mitchell Sturm

Sound Designers
Lauren Johnson
Chris Heiman

Editors
Jay Cohen
Melanie Aitkenhead

Assistant Director
Michelle Yang

Composer
Nathan Matthew David

Cast: William McKinney as Hunter Nelson, Cameron Dye as Jerry Lee McCoy, Carrie Madsen as Dolly White

Why the Sea is Boiling (12:01)

Jim finds himself in deep water when he meets Sarah, a young girl who tempts his unacceptable desires.

Director
Zach Siegel

Producers
Joseph Hooten
JJ Rubin

Cinematographer
Lauren Branson

Sound Design
Madison McGaughy

Editor
Erik Vogt-Nilsen

Production Designer
Michael Onorati

Composer
Michael O'Konis

Assistant Director
Connor Hall

Assistant Producer
Bryant Barile

1st AC
Jack Flynn

2nd AC
Ben Kadie

Gaffer
Andrew Vasconcelles

Key Grip
Christopher Tsui

Cast: Joel Geist as Jim, Chrsitina Amber as Sarah, Samantha Jayne as Jenny, Renee Parent as Mother of Sarah, Anita Dashiell-Sparks as Dr. Hearne

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