Private Project

Better Now

When a young boy struggling to control his supernatural abilities is caught between his parent's feud, he must battle his own insecurities in order to become the good guy he truly wants to be.

  • Tara Alexis
    Director
    Beautiful Strangers, Harlequin, Ready Or Not, 1989
  • Tara Alexis
    Writer
    Beautiful Strangers, Harlequin, Ready Or Not, 1989
  • Austin James
    Writer
    Hollow Mountain
  • AJ Vargas
    Producer
    Beautiful Strangers
  • Tara Alexis
    Producer
    Beautiful Strangers, Harlequin, Ready Or Not, 1989
  • Bradley Bundlie
    Key Cast
    "Liam Bradley"
  • Pourya Rahbar
    Key Cast
    "Tristan Bradley"
  • Rachel Alig
    Key Cast
    "Evie Bradley"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, family drama, horror, sci-fi
  • Runtime:
    26 minutes 29 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 13, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    60,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa Mini OG 3.4k ARRIRAW
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.00:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tara Alexis

Born in Toronto, Canada, raised in New York City, and currently based in Los Angeles, CA -
Tara is a director/producer with work recognized by a variety of film festivals across the country. Most recently her film Beautiful Strangers took 1st place at the Producer Guild of America’s “Make Your Mark” Short Film Competition.

Tara grew up on film sets in front of the camera, but frequently found herself more interested in what was going on behind the scenes. Following the path that she was set on from early childhood, she became one of the youngest actors to join ACTRA, and in her early teens, she was invited to study acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. After making the decision to step away from acting, Tara studied Audio Engineering/Music Production at the Institute of Audio Research and began interning at the legendary Chung King Studios. The combination of her acting and audio/music background, is what led her to find her true passion, filmmaking.
 

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Director Statement

I chose to co-write and direct the film Better Now because I was looking to create something that addresses the adversities children face when their parents separate or get divorced. My parents were divorced when I was four years old, and the complexities that came with it stayed with me for a long time. Because our feelings so often seem much bigger than reality, I loved the idea of using sci-fi/horror elements to amplify the stakes. Liams struggle with his supernatural powers reflects the uncertainty, self-blame, and insecurities that come from dealing with separation.

My opportunity to create this film came upon winning 1st place at the Producer Guild of America’s “Make Your Mark” short film competition. The prize included equipment vouchers, which provided for my camera and lighting packages. This gave me a solid starting point to begin sourcing additional support from my peers, friends, and local vendors.

This film is lovingly dedicated to my mother Sari Kyle who sadly passed away on March 27th, 2018.