Private Project

Small Steps

A mute alien and her two roommates make the trek to the Chicago train, all while a rogue CIA agent is hot on their tracks.

  • Stavros Hatzopoulos
    Director
  • Stavros Hatzopoulos
    Writer
  • Alesa Buckley
    Key Cast
    "Charlyne"
  • Monica Bruce
    Key Cast
    "Sophie"
  • Joel Benjamin
    Key Cast
    "Sweetpea"
  • Tedros T. Adam
    Key Cast
    "Bill"
  • Sasha Henderson
    Key Cast
    "Range Rover"
  • Aral Nen, Jr.
    Key Cast
    "Guy in Car"
  • Stavros Hatzopoulos
    Key Cast
    "Slightly Peeved Man (uncredited)"
  • Mae Weghorst
    Animator
  • Marley Castle
    Animator
  • Mariana Saleh
    Animator
  • Sofia Auerrell
    Animator
  • Stavros Hatzopoulos
    Animator
  • Liz Murphy
    Layout Artist
  • Edvin Marcks
    Composer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Student
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Slice of Life, Sci-fi
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 8, 2026
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    American Sign Language, English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Senior Screenings
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    United States
    May 15, 2026
Director Biography - Stavros Hatzopoulos

Stavros Hatzopoulos was born in Skokie, Illinois before pursuing animation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His field is primarily in character animation, as his work explores the little intricacies of human interaction, from petty day-to-day grievances to bizarre justifications to the types of things that can only make sense to his own characters. His work has been featured in the Sheboygan Film Festival, Hellavision Television, Pulp TV, and the UW-Milwaukee Animation Showcase.

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Director Statement

In the medium of film and animation, I've always liked to explore my own perception of how people interact with one another. Moreover, I've always been interested in how people tend to justify themselves in any situation no matter what they are. My film Small Steps is an effort to explore this idea with voices that might not have felt heard otherwise. It starts with creating the characters, placing them in a fish-out-of-water story in Milwaukee, and finally granting them their own unique motivations to survive in these circumstances. I've always felt like a tourist in my own city no matter where I lived, and I hope this film brings solace to those who feel the same way.