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Misdirection

A routine home robbery turns into a game of cat-and-mouse when two robbers encounter each other under the impression that the other is the homeowner.

  • Lexi Danielson
    Director
  • Lexi Danielson
    Writer
  • Sarah Pagano
    Producer
  • Michael Salvino
    Producer
  • Jonah Daiute
    Key Cast
    "Robert"
  • Josh Witzling
    Key Cast
    "John"
  • Henry Bulkeley
    Key Cast
    "Francis"
  • Michael Salvino
    Director of Photography
  • Grace Bonner
    Gaffer
  • Atticus Rubottom
    Sound Operator
  • Shannon King
    Sound Designer
  • Michael Salvino
    Colorist
  • Brianna Mutsindashyaka
    Assistant Director
  • Henry Bulkeley
    Grip
  • Jacob Benton
    Picture Editor
  • Jack Goodenough
    Score
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Comedy
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 11, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Ithaca College
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Lexi Danielson

Lexi Danielson is a filmmaker who believes in story being at the center of every piece. Her journey began as a book-savvy child obsessed with recreating those alternate realities. After a trip to a local car show with her father and a camera, she realized that these written stories could be recreated through images, and a newfound love of film was born. She began in an intensive Performing and Visual Arts program in public schools concentrating first in Creative Writing and then in Film and New Media for seven years and is currently completing her B.S. in Cinema and Photography at Ithaca College.

Danielson has worked in a variety of settings ranging from live sports broadcasting with the Washington Capitals to interactive programming with the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Works include "How A Spark Dies," winner of Best Film at the PVA Film Festival, "Art Heals the Soul," her senior capstone about art therapy in Maryland and winner of the Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Senior Capstone Outreach Award, and "What Happens to Light," an experimental short shot on 16mm film.

She aims to infuse every piece she creates with a layered story based in personal connection, ultimately working to turn the ordinary themes underlying our society into extraordinary stories.

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Director Statement

Can you ever truly know a person? It’s a question that many of us face throughout our lives as we change, grow, and evolve. Oftentimes, we’ll assume a new identity, even if that leads to darker consequences.

Misdirection is a black-comedy film about two robbers who encounter each other while robbing a home. Desperate to remain undetected, they attempt to prove to the other that they own the home, leading to a series of wacky misfortunes, trials, and confrontations. Neither wants to reveal their identity, and each will go to extreme lengths to keep up their new persona.

On its surface, Misdirection is about two robbers trying to prove to the other that they own the house they are both attempting to exploit. However, at its core, this is a story about change, and staying true to oneself. Both John and Robert enter the home with entirely different intentions - John simply wants to add another victory to his list, and Robert merely wants to escape. However, as each confront the other, and their perceived personas of homeowners begin to slip, the hijinks required to keep them in place increase in intensity until the characters are forced to confront what they really want.

The film explores the way that we present ourselves to others and the dangers of pretending to be someone we’re not. The comedic undertones allow for an entertaining confrontation to take place, while the darker themes undercut some of the dangers present in these presented identities.

Writing this film was a challenge - I've never done a comedy before. Yet it was tapping into the humanistic core of the characters and story that allowed the humor to be presented and the film to convey a message. Humor can be a ray of light in an otherwise dark world, and hopefully this film and its hijinks reminiscent of the Scooby Doo days can provide a welcome reprieve from the seemingly endless global challenges we find ourselves embroiled in.