Experiencing Interruptions?

Pop!

A grieving teen must reconcile his family when his father reincarnates as a balloon.

  • Ian Alexander Dugan
    Director
  • Ian Alexander Dugan
    Writer
  • Alan He
    Producer
    Ān-de-lǔ, Tone Product Launch Trailer, Evergreen
  • Nina Sundermeyer
    Producer
    The Sound of Light, Amnesia, Love Bomb Baby
  • Spencer Lincoln
    Key Cast
    "Joey"
  • Carolyn Slesinski
    Key Cast
    "Joyce"
  • Dennis Daprile
    Key Cast
    "Deacon"
  • Raffi Manjikan
    Key Cast
    "Devin"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Family, Magical Realism, Coming-of-Age
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 1, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    11,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Director Biography - Ian Alexander Dugan

Ian Dugan is an editor and aspiring action director from Westfield, New Jersey. After graduating from NYU Tisch Film & TV in 2023, Ian is working as an Assistant Editor at Saturday Night Live while pursuing stunt coordination on short films & music videos.

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Director Statement

How do you preserve a memory? Their voice, image, written words; what keeps their warmth in your chest?

Seeking to tell a unique story about grief, I was drawn to a concept: a darkly comedic Pixar-gone-wrong tale anchored by a rocky sibling relationship made devastatingly worse. But, as the short progressed, I realized I was writing a coming-of-age story about my family.

It’s an overdue letter of respect to my mom, who went back to work when I was fifteen and still managed to do everything she could to put our happiness above all. It’s how much my dad means to me, as one of my best friends and the person who sparked my interest in movies. It’s about trying to understand my older brother, what I wanted out of our relationship, and an honest reflection on how obnoxious I probably was while we matured together. Our stubbornness, our jokes, our conflicts became the nostalgic DNA of “Pop!”

Devin feels responsible for upholding a specific image of his father, to the extent that he becomes an isolating presence to the rest of the family. Shooting this film in my childhood home provided ample reference to draw upon to portray that separation. I want the viewer to understand the feeling of a closed door in that space. How arbitrary and scary silence can be. How we grieve in a way that nobody seems to understand.

I love a good cry. I love characters finding levity amidst their hurting; unspoken expressions of unity. I love media that rouses sentimental gratitude for your own life. Really, I hope seeing this film makes you want to call your family.