Gem Mint

With his debts mounting and angry clients closing in, a fast-talking sports card collector risks everything in hope of staying afloat and alive.

  • Joshua Collins
    Director
    Master Sommelier
  • Eleanor Lee
    Assistant Director
  • Maddox Stockton
    Assistant Director
    A Gift for Grace
  • Joshua Collins
    Writer
    Master Sommelier
  • Joshua Collins
    Producer
    Master Sommelier
  • Michael Smith
    Producer
  • Adam Rocha
    Executive Producer
  • Teresa Singleton
    Executive Producer
  • Jackson Aden
    Key Cast
    "Johnny"
    Master Sommelier
  • Joaquin Ortiz
    Key Cast
    "Brodie"
  • Dusty Decker
    Key Cast
    "Christopher"
  • Kevin Horton
    Key Cast
    "Client"
  • Hector Gomez
    Key Cast
    "Hector"
  • Sam De La Rosa
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Russell McElwee
    Key Cast
    "Russ"
  • Adam Rocha
    Key Cast
    "Adam"
  • Michael Smith
    Director of Photography
  • Michael Smith
    Camera Operator
  • Aiden Esquivel
    Camera Operator
  • Kevin O'Hara Jr.
    Assistant Camera
  • Joshua Le
    Assistant Camera
  • Abraham Orsagh
    Grip
  • Tharun Karakatt
    Gaffer
  • Juliet Chukwu
    Production Design
  • Ibukun Famogun
    Production Design Assistant
  • Emilie Frazier
    Production Design Assistant
  • Joshua Collins
    Editor
    Master Sommelier
  • Michael Smith
    Color
  • Tallon Rock
    Sound
  • Noah Reyes
    ADR
    Fear the Walking Dead
  • Joaquin Ortiz
    Score
  • Elithia Muratalla
    Hair and Makeup
  • Max Acosta
    Behind the Scenes
  • Conil Paul
    Production Assistant
  • Isaac Alfaro
    Production Assistant
  • Michael Roth
    Production Assistant
  • Sarah Quintanilla
    Poster
    Master Sommelier
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, High-Stakes, Anxiety
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 44 seconds
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Saint Mary's University
Director Biography - Joshua Collins

Joshua Michael Collins (born December 8, 2000) is self-taught American film director, screenwriter, and producer from San Antonio, Texas. He studied Communication at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and is currently an MBA student at Saint Mary's University. Collins is best known for writing and directing his debut shorts, Master Sommelier (2023) and Gem Mint (2023). He often collaborates with first-time actors on his projects.

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Director Statement

As an avid trading card collector, Gem Mint is a story I had been thinking of before I began filmmaking or writing. Even while my first short, Master Sommelier, was in postproduction, the story and characters of Gem Mint remained in the back of my mind. Once Master Sommelier began to pick up traction at local film festivals in Texas, I knew it was time to bring Gem Mint to life.

Filmed entirely in one day at one location, the story of Gem Mint takes place within less than ten minutes. However, the twenty-two straight hours of filming can be found directly on the actors' faces, which only adds to their characters' growing anxieties and frustrations.

Gem Mint is a culmination of my favorite aspects/techniques in filmmaking. It is a combination of unorthodox cinematography, Safdie-esque storytelling, and a building anxiety that puts the viewer in a chokehold and refuses to let go.