Private Project

A Special Friend

In this mockumentary, Arty Yamo is a lonely artist who loves his hometown- Los Angeles, California. After expressing his passion for L.A. street art, he admits that the city has its downfalls. It’s a place where he has struggled to find people to connect with on a deeper level. Luckily, he finds solace in his own artwork, inspired by “regular people,” which allows him to express himself. Later, when his artwork is revealed to be life-size paper doll cutouts he explains that each piece of artwork represents a new connection he made along the way- a special friend.

  • Lisa Ann Mayo
    Director
  • Lisa Ann Mayo
    Writer
  • James Anthony
    Key Cast
    "Arty Yamo"
  • Aaron Ishibashi
    Originial Music by
  • Austin Chavira
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    mockumentary, comedy
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 20, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Lisa Ann Mayo

Emerging filmmaker, Lisa Ann Mayo, has a passion for finding humor in the absurd and beauty in the mundane. Her stories may seem minute and unassuming at first glance but her short films have a mighty heart that challenge her audience to feel something on a deeper level.

Lisa was selected to direct her first short film, HINGE, while attending the Santa Monica College Film Production Program in 2016. HINGE features a normalized LGBTQ+ relationship while also highlighting issues surrounding the topic of mental health. Since completion in 2018, HINGE has been awarded "Best Student Short Film" at the Prague International Film Festival. Lisa was also awarded "SMC Film Program Filmmaker of the Year" by Santa Monica International Film Festival. Since the SMC Film Program, Lisa has gone on to direct two more short films, A SPECIAL FRIEND and TRIBUTE.

As an American director of Coeur D’Alene Indian and Filipino descent, Lisa feels a strong desire and responsibility to collaborate with other artists from underrepresented communities in film and media. She pledges to reflect this in all of her current and future projects.

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