4085: This is Gerald, Seven Minutes, & Breathe

By Gina Phu

Though this festival was my first introduction to 4085’s work, the company’s reputation set my expectations quite high. Overall, I was not disappointed. The excitement, pride, and satisfaction of not only the 4085 board but all contributors to the films was infectious upon entering the building. After a night filled with unforgettable filmmakers and stories, I sincerely congratulate everyone who participated in the creation of these films and festival. 

The night's opening piece, This is Gerald, directed by Alex Nimrod and written by Jayme Coveliers, was a genre-mixing short film that captured attention and hearts with its creative storytelling and unique approach to tragedy. Opening with video-game-like movement and narration, this film was incredibly reflective of the video game The Stanley Parable, and immediately set itself up as one of a kind. I want to specifically commend this film’s fantastic acting and realistic SFX and VFX. The film also brilliantly executed genre-shifting music and sound effects, clearly defining each distinct arc in This is Gerald. However, the elements that captured my attention the most were the cinematography and lighting choices. Both aspects supported each arc of the movie, beautifully combining what would otherwise be a whiplash of a script into a seamlessly understandable film. During the beginning of the film, or what I like to call Gerald’s obedience era, the cinematography and lighting are very simple – repetitive angles and lights reflect repetitive action on-screen. It is at this point in the story where the film most resembles The Stanley Parable. From the tone the narrator takes to the direction he gives and the way that the camera moves with the point of view of Gerald. However, when the story begins to drift into Gerald’s disobedience era, which beautifully brings in an unexpected yet welcome love story twist, the visuals and cinematography are similar to coming-of-age indie films with soft lighting and warmer tones. It’s fitting, as this part of the film is characterized by Gerald’s growth and breakage away from normality, a theme reminiscent of coming-of-age films. Yet, these two aspects most notably stand out in the final fight scene between the narrator and Gerald. In a thrilling display, this finale feels like a beautiful dance number, exhibiting all of the talent present in this film. Lighting and music creates a tense atmosphere which easily allows the actors to bring the script to life, all supported by cinematography that pieces together the beautiful amalgamation of the piece. Twist after twist after twist, This is Gerald is a well-disguised tragedy captured in an artistic combination of genres and talents. Despite some minor flaws, I have nothing but praise and immense respect for those who worked on it.

Seven Minutes, directed and written by 4085’s own Jordan Rice, presented itself as a multi-faceted queer story. Using the game “seven minutes in heaven” as the basis of its plot, this film offered an interesting discussion of ‘woke’ culture and queer visibility. I particularly enjoyed the contrast between the two areas at the party and how each represents a theme within the short. The people outside the room are illustrated as this sort of ‘woke’ group, yelling well-intentioned but distasteful comments such as “Go Queens!” and talking amongst themselves about why the two queer individuals should get together. I found this dynamic sort of comedy – provided by how incorrect they were about what was happening in the room – incredibly refreshing. In the current social trend of LGBTQ advocacy and support, which all feels superficial, I welcome any comedy and insult toward this insincere ‘woke’ culture and trend. In the context of Seven Minutes, the contrasting conversation occurring in the room created a fascinating and important take on queer advocacy within media and the common tradition to pair the only two visible queer individuals together. As important as I found these two conversations and the subjects they bring forth, unfortunately, I felt that the film lacked in the technical area. Nothing was outrageously horrible, however, I was not especially amazed by anything occurring on the screen, as if it felt too simple, too standard, cookie-cutter almost. Moreover, the script at times felt almost awkward, creating lines that cut through the comedic atmosphere and called for cringing more than laughter. Though I do have to commend the sound team on this project as it was the only technical element that I felt stood out in a positive manner. Nonetheless, despite the simplicity of this project and its lackluster technical appearance, Seven Minutes presented itself as a great story not of love, but one which utilized modern romance culture and trends to fuel its comedy and overall themes.

Greatly contrasting the other films of the night, Breathe was a visual, audible, and technical masterpiece. My favorite piece of the night, directed by Vincent Walker and written by MJ Adamson, captured my attention from the very first scene. The opening sequence was an stunning introduction of the coming artistry from this film, with original music, crisp sound effects, dynamic camera work, and outstanding acting – the audience is instantly thrown into the world of Breathe. The story begins with the main character, Jamie, in counseling, slowly recounting the reason they are there. A flashback-style simple storyline may lead one to expect a bland short, however, this film maximized its cast and crew’s technical abilities and their combined synergy. Each scene is its own layer of expertise, with all the creative aspects building upon each other to create emotional tension and progression. I particularly would like to pay my compliments to the sound team, actors, and writers who worked on Breathe. The sound for this film was excellently captured and mixed, perfectly consistent throughout, at the same time the sound effects applied elevated the film to new levels, capturing Jamie’s emotions and pulling the audience into their feelings. Rushed heartbeats, underwater sounds, and of course, breathing, enveloped the theater, placing us in Jamie’s mind and introducing an aesthetic way of storytelling without words. Moreover, the original soundtrack was something made of filmmakers’ dreams, each song shifting in intensity and tempo producing a deeper level of understanding for the audience. Next, I believe this piece would not be what it was without the enchanting performances by Destinee McCaster and Kiana Taylor, the two leads. Their execution of the characters was riveting to watch and honestly felt more like watching real people rather than characters created for a screen, which is impressive for a 12 minute film. I was amazed at how well they portrayed the pain and struggles of the story; I am endlessly excited to see their future works. Finally, perhaps my favorite element of this film: the script. Simple but powerful, never overfilling the actor’s mouth or scene with words, instead trusting the technical abilities of the crew to capture the emotions needed and therefore focusing on creating moments. This film was not entirely script heavy, however, each line of dialogue held intention, and a powerful one at that. My favorite line of this film and possibly the whole night comes from Breathe’s main character: “It matters to me how you see me.” This line alone holds the weight and meaning of the film; how the other characters, how Jamie’s parents, how the film, and how we, the audience, see Jamie is important. In fact, it's essential, it creates the moving force of this movie, in that Jamie’s most prevalent struggle comes from their own issue with both their physical self-image and mental health. Breathe, in a festival full of comedy and action, was a breath of fresh air. Starting in the middle of a story and building upon it is exceptionally difficult, however, the cast and crew of Breathe executed it phenomenally. I have endless compliments for this film, but I have given my flowers and will simply look forward to the future works of all the collaborators of Breathe. 

Overall, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to review these films and attend this spectacular festival filled with the sensational talents of the creators of USC. I extend my congratulations to the 4085 board for a remarkable semester and successful festival – witnessing the impressive growth of their company has been thrilling and I look forward to their future productions, particularly their first feature film All Alone, Together, which they announced at the end of the festival. Even more congratulations to all the cast and crew who worked on the short films that premiered. I am breath taken by the dedication and love that has gone into these films and greatly anticipate everyone’s succeeding projects.

Edited by Sophia Fijman