Private Project

Windfall

Set in the early 1970s, we follow two brothers named Riley & Freddy, on their first hiking trip together since the death of their father in an attempt to repair their relationship. Riley; a failed law student, has spent years away from his family during the rise of their parents' sickness, leaving Freddy to drop his aspirations to take care of them in his absence. Guilt & tension divide the pair, which leads Riley to find the infamous body of D.B. Cooper hung from a tree along with the bag of money he hijacked during his crime. While the pair bond over their newly found Windfall, greed overcomes Riley & divides the pair even further in an ultimate test of their kinship that ultimately leads to Freddy’s demise.

  • Matthew Powers
    Director
  • Matthew Powers
    Writer
  • Camden Carboneau
    Writer
  • Matthew Powers
    Producer
  • Alyjah Gagnon
    Producer
  • Camden Carboneau
    Producer
  • Tristan Neal
    Key Cast
    "Freddy"
  • Patrick Lopez
    Key Cast
    "Riley"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 4, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,151 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, 4K, RAW
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Worcester State University
Director Biography - Matthew Powers

Matthew Powers is an American filmmaker based in Worcester, Massachusetts. During the day, Matt works full-time as an I.T field technician for a supermarket chain, and on his days off, he is a full-time student at Worcester State University studying Communications with a focus on film and media production. Matt has spent his whole childhood teaching himself how to edit and create videos, leading to his preparation for his first debut short film entitled Capricious & now his professional debut in Windfall. Matt has also worked as a first assistant camera on another student’s feature film shot in Maine. His main goal is to direct a feature film for a major production company.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

We often take the time that we have with our family for granted. As we grow up, it is hard to let obstacles such as work & school take away our full attention to our real sources of what makes us who we are. Relationships disappear, and you regret missing moments you shouldn't have. In this film, I wanted to capture the guilt that we hide with our resentment towards people that we have wronged. Riley, in this example, represents that resentment fueled by one's own mistakes that in turn if not corrected, can take everything away from you at a moment's notice.

Windfall - refers to a large sum of prize or fortune brought upon someone by luck or chance. The title serves as a double meaning as their prize fell from D.B. Cooper’s possession in the sky. We wanted a nod to a real infamous event that, while it makes the story more interesting, is not the focus of the film.

The story of D.B. Cooper is one that is interesting as it is one that has never been solved. The mystery is what keeps many intrigued with it to this day, 50 years later. We wanted to put an end to this mystery in a way that feels like a curse, as the greed of D.B. Cooper got him killed when he jumped out of the plane into the furious winds of the murky night. That same greed ended up killing Freddy.

The decision to burn the money at the end is a moment of growth for Riley, setting aside the greed and showing respect to his brother and his family. While he could bring that blood money back to his mother, he decides to earn his Windfall.