Private Project

AFTER

When Ed returns home to pick up the pieces of his shattered life he finds himself bombarded by the reminders of all that he lost in the weeks prior... His young daughter, Ellie, his wife, Julia, and the happiness they all once shared together.

When Ed enters the family kitchen he finds that Julia still sits at the dining table, a prisoner of her own grief. A liquor bottle, a single glass and a photo frame keep her company. A bottle of pills lies on its side at her feet, contents scattered, and broken glass shattered across the floor. Ed gathers the pills and takes a seat across from Julia.

The inevitable flood of painful memories comes crashing through. Ed relives the day on which they buried his daughter, and her lost his wife. Still harbouring a deep resentment towards Julia for abandoning him in his darkest hour, Ed fills his own glass, teetering on the edge of joining her in her destructive downward spiral... but when he reflects on the tragedy, Ed becomes aware of his own part in the family’s struggles for the first time.

Ed breaks down and in a moment of honesty and vulnerability, he is finally able to reconcile with Julia.

  • Chris Chan
    Writer
  • Chris Chan
    Producer
  • Kristin Ruff-Frederickson
    Producer
    OCULE
  • Kaylee Fleckney
    Producer
  • Daniela Moran
    Producer
    ¿Quién dijo que era malo llorar?
  • Vincent Lo
    Producer
  • Amar Mirchandani
    Producer
  • Fernando Rojas Acuna
    Director
  • Lisa Christie
    Key Cast
  • Vincent Tong
    Key Cast
    My Little Pony (Flash Sentry, Prince Blueblood)
  • Katie Goold
    Production Designer
  • Vincent de Vera
    Composer
    Don't Starve (Video Game)
  • Angelica Perez Anzures
    Director of Photography
  • Katherine Hudgens
    Associate Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Tragedy, Student
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 18, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    1,977 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Fernando Rojas Acuna

Fernando Rojas Acuna is an independent filmmaker and Motion & Graphic Designer currently based in Vancouver BC, Canada. His qualifications include a Diploma in Film Production from the Vancouver Film School in addition to a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design specialized in Motion Graphics from the Mexican University of Technology. Fernando's experience is in the management and supervision of audiovisual production teams. His background as a graphic designer and current area of expertise in filmmaking allows Fernando to develop comprehensive and technically refined projects.

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Director Statement

Coming into the film “AFTER” I knew there were two things I wanted to accomplish; first, to work with a great team to bring an original story to life, and second, to make the audience feel what I felt reading the script. “AFTER” is an emotional and haunting film with themes that affect everyone; loss, resentment, guilt. This script was unique in that it faced these emotions head on, rather than blame others or project negative feelings outward as we sometimes feel compelled to do. The main character, Ed, has to search for the basis of these emotions within himself. He can only come to a resolution when he takes responsibility for his own feelings, which I feel is a positive message to bring to the screen.

I was very excited to put my own visual twist on this story. The script allowed for a great amount of freedom in interpreting the look of the film. A handheld camera style was chosen to give a sense of realism to the footage, and I was able to play with different shots and compositions to communicate isolation, grief, or understanding at different moments in Ed and Julia’s relationship. I was also very lucky in that I was able to play not just director, but editor and colourist as well, giving me full control over the visual storytelling backbone of this film, its tone, and its emotion. Overall it was a very satisfying experience, and I can’t wait to share our movie “AFTER” with the world!