Private Project

Pandemic Picnic

Police officer Marc Preston begins to thrive during this worldwide pandemic. With new found powers he is desperate to escape the quarantine and tries to get his life back. He prepares a romantic getaway, to seduce his very spiritual-turned yogi, ex girlfriend Cathy. Although he thinks he has reached her level of enlightenment, unsolved differences lead him to an unexpected conclusion.

  • Rodja Martin Tröscher
    Director
    Primeday, Corona Dating, Reborn, Transition
  • Rodja Martin Tröscher
    Writer
    Primeday, Corona Dating, Reborn, Transition
  • Rodja Martin Tröscher
    Producer
    Primeday, Corona Dating, Reborn, Transition
  • Rodja Martin Tröscher
    Key Cast
    "Cathy/Marc"
    Primeday, Corona Dating, Reborn, Transition
  • Axel Fischer
    Director of Photography
    Primeday, Reborn
  • Kai Unger
    Sounddesign
    Primeday, Faking Bullshit
  • DJ Cosmin
    Music
    Primeday
  • Nina Hauser
    Voice Over
  • Jarreth Merz
    Voice Over
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 11, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    1,900 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Rodja Martin Tröscher
    Berlin
    Côte d'Ivoire
Distribution Information
  • Rodja Martin Tröscher
    Distributor
    Country: Côte d'Ivoire
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Rodja Martin Tröscher

Rodja Tröscher was born in Berlin and raised in Cologne, Germany. After graduation from high school he started gaining experience performing in a theater group and in TV series. In 2000 he finished a three years digital media designer apprenticeship and became engaged as a graphic designer in a renowned advertising agency. But with his passion for acting, he moved to Hamburg in 2003 and attended the acting school. Completing his training in 2006 he has followed this career until in 2010, when he wrote his first short film and feature script. Since then Rodja Tröscher has produced and directed several award winning films.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The comedy addresses topics such as the current isolation due to Covid19, the difference in communication and behavior between men and women and it takes a dive into the typical lifestyle of LA. The quarantine protects us from a possible infection, but we also all suffer from being isolated. By staying home we have to deal with the self, but we desperately want to avoid that and want things go back to normal. This internal struggle led me to making this film. In the movie the main character is choosing to run away from this “new reality“, by distracting himself in seducing his ex girlfriend, despite their relationship being over for a while now. The challenge was to hire cast & crew during these restricted times. So I decided to not only direct this project, but to also act in it and embody protagonist and antagonist at the same time.This movie illustrates that inner fight and struggle with ones self perfectly and it provides the audience with many comedic moments.

Without any subsidies, a crew of only three people made this movie possible in just four days. The biggest challenge was dealing with the constant and rapid change of weather, and the over all restrictions due to this pandemic. The film was shot in September 2020, in Brandenburg, Berlin. Axel Fischer, the Director of Photography developed a distinct graphic language to give the comedy it’s very own voice and atmosphere. The script was developed by Rodja Tröscher and Co-Author Sven Eric Maier and translated with the help of LA-based actress Nina Hauser. After three months of postproduction Pandemic Picnic was finished in February 2021. The editing and color grading of the 2.5K RAW footage, filmed by the Blackmagic Cinema Camera was challenging, but very rewarding in the end. And last but not least, the music was beautifully composed by DJ Cosmin along with sounddesign and foley art by AUDIOBOX, Kai Unger and Jonas Lechenmayr. It uniquely underlines the world of this film.