USC Cinematic Arts | First Look 2017

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Comedy Films:

Bye Bye Bernard (11:15)

Rob Sanders believes his 12-year-old son, Milton, is too old to have an imaginary friend, but when he decides to shoot it in the face with a nail gun, things only get worse.

Director
Jack Martin

Writer
Maggie Admire

Producer
Peter Etherington

Cinematographer
Andrew Vasconcelles

Sound Designer
Rebecca Doyle

Editor
Raymundo Archila

Production Deisgner
Kristie Ko

Composer
Xander Rodzinski

Cast: Michael Perl as Rob, Andrew Fox as Milton, Veronica Ray as Genevieve

Down The Wormhole (13:30)

When underground music icon Grace Freedman returns to her hometown after long-term mental health treatment for Bipolar I, she struggles to stay well despite her manager pushing her into the image of a tortured artist.

Director
Ben Kadie

Writer/Production Designer
Min-Jay Kang

Producers
Mykaila Williams
Anya Kolesnikoff

Cinematographer
Brian Tang

Editor
Ryan Bobell

Sound Designer
Jaison Cabebe

Costumer
Alex Mitchell

U.P.M
Joy Sunday

1st Assiatant Camera
Cater Feuerhelm

2nd Assiatant Camera
Cameron Covell

1st A.D.
Ryan Wagner

Cast: Lauren Neal as Grace, Tyler Miclean as Charlie, Gayla Johnson as Sheila, Charlz Williams as Joe, Brian Nahas as Trucker

Fanny Pack (10:07)

A rebellious Indian-American girl is pursued by her father through an airport as she tries to keep her secret.

Writer/Director
Uttera Singh

Cinematographer
Guan Xi

Producer
Isabel Marden

Post-Production Sound
Jan Bejouska
Chris Heiman

Production Designer
Brandon Cahoon

Assistant Director
Julio Vincent Gambuto
Shaun Duffy

Editor
Takashi Uchida

Production Sound
Jahmal Holland
Karl Soelter

Composer
Matt Hutchinson

Cast: Brian George as Dr. Mohan Chopra, Uttera Singh as Priya Chopra, Meera Simhan as Dr. Deepa Chopra, Osahon Tongo as Babe, Joe Spence as Nick the Ticket Clerk, Dorothy Blue as Parking Attendant, Jerilyn Clayton as TSA Agent, Jonathan Maurer as Sean, Ariel Heller as Walkie Talkie Agent, Matt Gorek as TSA Agent, Linda Lodge as Betty the Grumpy Lady

Goodbye, You (22:00)

Two Frenchmen and an American girl set out on a road trip from LA to San Francisco; a Californian journey sparks a European love triangle.

Director/Writer/Editor
Leopold Dewolf

Producers
Candy Li
Daniel Leeds

Cinematographers
Zheng Lu Xin Yuan
Vishnu Perumal

Production Sound
Bridget Tang
Madison McGaughy

Post-Production Sound
Joshua Paul Johnson

Cast: Etienne Gara as Antoine, Matthew Luret as Guillaume, Juliet DeVette as Melody

Jenny Loves Satan (13:38)

Jenny Loves Satan is a comedy about an outrageous 12-year old girl, who becomes a Satanist to rebel against her retro-perfect world.

Director
Jenna Bryant

Producers
Nikolaj Wejp-Olsen
Ricardo Salinas

Writer
Paul Jones

Cinematographers
Seth Koury
Katharine White

Sound Designers
Travis Misenti
Christopher Miller

Editors
Shaina Pakravan
Jonathan Petermann

Production Designers
Emma Weston
Thanika 'Dream' Jenjesda

Composer
Marco Valerio Antonini

Cast: Leah Elise Black as Jenny Lowenfell, Tasha Ames as Joan Lowenfell , Debba Rofheart as Mrs. Grundy, Julia Kern as Satan, Lisa Ermel as Amenita, Christopher Carrothers as Chester Lowenfell, Goran Ivanovski as Tiberion, Luke Pullig as Jeffie Lowenfell, Colin McMullen as Billy Dominguez, Jordan Kyle as Kendrick Anderson, Allison Dae as Madison Winters, Ophelia as Satanic Goat

Kate & Lily (12:35)

When an old friend resurfaces, a self-conscious hipster takes keeping up appearances a little too far.

Director
Grey Cusack

Producer
Grey Cusack
Brandon Hall

Writer
Grey Cusack

Cinematographers
Joel Marsh

Sound Designer/Production Sound Mixer/Post-Production Sound
Lauren Johnson

Editors
Anna Romano

Production Designers
Ashley Alizor

Composers
Jackson Greenberg
Nick Soole

Cast: Claudia Crook as Kate, Lindsey Naves as Lily, Joey Scoma as Chris, Shane Browne as James, Noël Wells as Goddess

My Loyal Audience (12:19)

A dark comedy about a teenage girl who is insecure and polite with her family but turns to the camera and tells us her true feelings, which are much darker and sexually confused. Over the course of a Thanksgiving dinner, she finds out her world may not be quite what she imagined.

Writer/Director
Megan Seely

Producer
Mallorie Ortega

Cinematographers
Joel Marsh

Sound Designer/Post-Production Sound
Chris Morocco

Editors
Sasha Flamm
Luke Haskard

Production Designer
Mollie Wartelle

Composer
Jacques Brautbar

Production Sound Mixer/Post-Production Sound
Izumi Rosas

Co-Producer
Liliana Granados

1st AD
Kelly Luu

Cast: Megan Seely as Lyla, Elizabeth Greer as Vivette, John F. Henry II as Uncle Jeff, Joseph Covino as Gregory, Mathew Odette as Spencer, John Lyke as Shane, Jordan Jones as Raphael

Red Hot Frog (12:05)

When a new colleague threatens the status quo, an overlooked employee hires a hit man to take care of her, only to learn that his problem requires more than a quick fix.

Director
Kristie Ko

Writer
Ilan Benjamin

Producers
Justine Barker
Merissa Jane Lee

Cinematographer
Joseph Yao

Sound Designer
Emily Chan

Editor
Taylor Cutler

Production Designer
Emma Firenza Dacquisto

Composer
Mattan Cohen

1st AD
Sherry Y. Shi

Cast: Ken Kamlet as Norm, Mike Miller as Smith, Paula Eliott as Jill, Natalie Beisner as Melissa, William R. Perry as Mr. Miller

The Best and the Loneliest Days (16:00)

A comedy about a group of Chinese students in LA get together for the perfect Lunar New Year's party, but things didn't end up the way they planned.

Director/Writer
Qianzhu Luo

Producers
Don Ohmer
Micah Johnson

Cinematographer
Yanrui 'Jerry' Jing

Editor
Tao Tang

Production Designer
Brittney Collins

Composer
Pantawit Kiangsiri

Cast: Eon Song as Yang Fan, Yao Xie as Shi-ting, Kevin Young as Li, Olivia Liang as Vivian, Greg Scali as Michael, Kathy Wu as Wendi, Lee Chen as Mom, Michael Yu Zhu as Dad

The Julie Stories (15:00)

Big Julie wants his shot at the American Dream, but he has to get his first ten customers before he can "get rich quick."

Director
Julio Vincent Gambuto

Producers
Amanda Milius
Thembi L. Banks

Director of Photography/Editor
Jon Speyers

Editor
Will Merrick

Production and Costume Designer
Adam Alonso

Composer
Tim Blane

Supervising Sound Editor
Ginge Cox

Line Producer
Andrew Elliott

Cast: Joseph Callari as Big Julie, Andrea Helene as Maria, Judith Scarpone as Grandma Margie, Dylan Naber as Little Julie, Sara Rowe as Little Marisa, Taylor Paige Locascio as Little Dana, Julio Vincent Gambuto as Narrator

The Theory of Optimal Control (18:30)

After losing his fiance, a suicidal control freak finds himself deeply intertwined with an uncontrollable force.

Writer/Director/Editor
Avi Glick

Producer
Gracy Wang

Cinematographer
Sean Bagley

Editors
Mei Na
Angelique Cecere

Sound Designer/Mixer
Derek Sepe

Composer
Forrest Gray

Sound Designers
Sandra Perez
Charles Moody
Erik Davis-Marsh

Production Designer
Fiona Li

Cast: Jered Hobbs as Adam, Marcella Lentz-Pope as Lilian, Peter Lucas as Barry, Kara Conolly as Emily, Shawn Reaves as Mark, Alexis Rhee as Harriet

Your Old Man (20:00)

On the day of her grandfather's funeral, eighteen-year-old Maggie discovers that her father was adopted and she must find a way to tell him, despite their strained relationship.

Director
Tim Hautekiet

Writers
Lindsey Huchowski
Rebecca Vail

Producers
Diego Najera
Emily Rasenick

Cinematographer
Auden Bui

Editor
Qianzhu Luo

Sound Designer
TJ Jacques

Composer
Joe Shirley

Production Sound Mixer
Nikki Guire

Production Designer
Lauren Ivy

Assistant Director
Alisyn Ghivizzani

Costume Designer
Danae McQueen

Hair and Makeup
Alexandra Hawk

Cast: John Alton as Stan, Stephanie Farugia as Maggie, Kelie McIver as Leslie, Rona Par as Trace, Matt Devine as Adam, Daniel Rashid as Parking Attendant, Christine Sloane as Waitress, J.J. Braider as Minister, Larry Turman as William

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