Private Project

Darkroom

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Having earned 16 awards from 60+ selections in 18 countries on 6 continents plus 14 United States, "Darkroom" was dubbed a Dysfunctional Family Thriller at its 70th Festival de Cannes 2017 Short Film Corner Worldwide Release. The plot reveals an overbearing father discovering that his teenage son has transformed the basement of their New York City townhouse into an amateur darkroom. There the boy develops gruesome and voyeuristic images from his late-night crime scene photography.

With only a glimpse of it during Superbowl 2018 halftime, the 2017 Academy Awards show opened with Justin Timberlake flanked by dancers busting #DoThePhilip moves created in “Darkroom” father and INLAND EMPIRE resident Phillip E. Walker’s “Can’t Stop The Feeling” official music video florist principal dancer performance. www.DoThePhilip.com

  • David Schell
    Director
    "Couch Potato"
  • David Schell
    Writer
    "My Doorway", Achievement in Writing and Festival Opener for 2014 SoCal Student Film Festival
  • David Schell Films
    Producer
    "Proud" was featured in 2015 My Rode Reel Festival
  • Walker Entertainer Academy
    Producer
    "Lew's Up First", "The Hip-Hop Kid", "Twinkies & Root Beer" and "I'm Out Bitches"
  • Phillip E. Walker
    Key Cast
    "Ron the father"
    A http://EntryLevelActing.LA author represented by BMG Models and Talent plus Me2Management, Phillip E. Walker earned his MFA in Acting before performing in more than five hundred (500+) different productions during his first 3½ Tinsel Town years. Being a full-time actor, Theatrically this June PhilE will appear co-starring opposite Arrival’s five-time Academy Award nominated Amy Adams in the pilot of her HBO-TV mini-series “Sharp Objects”. Having just been seen as a co-star opposite Dan Stevens in the hot Marvel Television series “Legion” episode #207, as well Mr. Walker co-starred as the lead’s father for Academy Award in Directing nominee John Singleton’s hit FX-TV series “Snowfall” and last fall appeared as a comic co-star in Adult Swim TV’s “Tim and Eric’s Bedtime Stories” episode #305. Having taped at least one Commercial type spot every month since June of 2015, Phillip’s latest is a major USA Food & Drug Administration internet promotion directed by five-time Academy Award nominee Darren Aronofsky. Further, Phil has commercial spots currently running for: State Farm, Jimmy John’s, Nike and Popeye’s. Also, last year he shot again with "La La Land" OSCAR winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren. This time their hour long filming was in solo close-up for the “Heineken 0.0 | Ode to Openness | Open to All” Russian & European market product launch commercial campaign. Therein, he is the ping pong playing athlete at https://youtu.be/CrQt8NuWVXU. As a major player in today’s Hip-Hop music scene, Phillip Eugene opened 2018 performing the lead role for Skx’s “Weekend Superstars” official music video https://www.rivnow.com/programs/music-video-skx-weekend-superstars?autoplay=true and can now be seen in J. Cole’s “ATM” https://youtu.be/vUTI4bPdlgE, the first music video from the streaming record breaking “KOD” album. Included in 78 official music videos Walker has shot to date are: Pulitzer Prize winning Kendrick Lamar’s 1st Grammy Awarded “I”, two Big Sean productions, “UpTown Funk” plus Granddaddy Walker is the 2nd person appearing in Beyoncé’s multi award winning long form official music video “Lemonade”. So far “Darkroom” is the most successful of the fifty-one (51) short films in which Phil Walker has acting since discovering the art form six months after his LA arrival. His intense dramatic leading man performance therein has garnered the Movie’s 36 selections and counting in 13 countries, on 6 continents and 9 United States including Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Short opened this year launching Hollywood’s TCL Chinese 6 Theatre Phillip E Walker Short Film Acting Retrospective Series for #IndieNightFF. Multiple other Phillip Walker starring works are currently traveling the World’s film festivals including: http://Hip-HopKid.com, http://TwinkiesAndRootBeer.com and https://LewsUpFirst.com. His additional star vehicles now in development include: https://MrWishMovie.com, “Murder Ballad” & “God's Gift To Comedians” short films, the documentary “Land of Dreams” plus now in post production is his feature that was actually shot on film - “Moon Garden”.
  • Lawndon Nc.Abram Grant
    Key Cast
    "Eli the son"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Expermential
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 44 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 29, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    1,600 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital .MOV at Apple ProResHQ
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Best World Films Fair
    Rancho Cucamonga, CA
    United States
    October 11, 2019
    Best Vietnam Short Film
  • Audience Awards Drama Competition
    On Line
    United States
    September 2, 2019
  • WALKER Family Reunion
    St. Louis, MO
    United States
    July 4, 2019
    Missouri Debut
    AADC's 4th Phillip E. Walker Short Film Acting Retrospective Series
  • 2017 Ten Top PhilE Award
    Rancho Cucamonga, CA
    United States
    October 9, 2017
    Most IMPORTANT Production
  • Riverside International Film Festival
    Riverside, CA
    United States
    April 11, 2019
  • Kleinkaap Shorts Film Festival
    Centurion, Gruteng
    South Africa
    July 28, 2017
    African Debut
  • Five Continents Film Festival
    Lecheria. Anzoategui
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    July 31, 2017
    South American Debut
    SPECIAL MENTION STUDENT SHORT FILM
  • National Black Theatre Festival Film Fest
    Winston-Salem, NC
    United States
    August 1, 2017
    Southern USA Debut
  • Edinburgh Festival Fringe Nightpiece International Film Festival
    Edinburgh, Scotland
    United Kingdom
    August 25, 2017
    English Debut
  • Short To The Point

    Romania
    Finalist
  • BlackMovieFest
    Rancho Cucamonga, CA
    United States
    October 8, 2017
    Western USA Debut
  • Inland Empire Film Festival
    Rancho Cucamonga, CA
    United States
    October 9, 2017
    TOP MOVIE ~ YOUTH
  • The Valley Film Festival - Los Angeles
    North Hollywood
    United States
    October 27, 2017
  • Los Angeles Cinefest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
  • Africa International Film Festival
    Lagos
    Nigeria
    November 3, 2017
  • Dodowa International Film Festival
    Dodowa
    Ghana
    December 29, 2017
  • Logcinema Art Films
    Pomona, CA
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Indie Night Film Festival
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    January 20, 2018
    TCL Chinese Theatre
    AADC 40th Annniversary Series Opening
  • Texas Independent Film Festival
    College Station
    United States
    February 16, 2018
    Texas Debut
  • Toronto Black Film Festival

    Canada
    February 17, 2018
    Canadian Debut
  • Houston Black Film Festival
    Houston, TX
    United States
    March 27, 2018
    Star Phillip E. Walker is a Special Guest
  • Troy International Film Festival
    Alabama
    United States
    March 29, 2018
    Alabama Debut
  • West Virginia Mountaineers Film Festival
    Morgantown
    United States
    April 14, 2018
    West Virginia Debut
  • Oneota Film Festival
    Decorah, IA
    United States
    April 20, 2018
    Iowa Debut
  • Student World Awards
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    May 4, 2018
  • Inland Empire Media Academy Film Festival & EXPO
    San Bernardino, CA
    United States
    May 6, 2018
    BEST SCREENPLAY
  • Variety International Film Festival
    Long Island, NY
    United States
    June 2, 2018
    New York Debut
    BEST FILM
  • Splice Film Festival
    Erie, PA
    United States
    June 10, 2018
    Pennsylvania Debut
    Student Experimental Semi-Finalist
  • CaribbeanLens Film Festival
    Burbank, CA
    United States
    June 12, 2018
  • Pictoclik Pop Up 2018 Showcase
    San Francisco, CA
    United States
    NorCal Debut
  • Adelaide International Youth Film Festival
    Adelaide, AUS
    Australia
    August 23, 2018
    Austrailian Debut
  • UNDO Divergent Film Awards
    Arlington, MA
    United States
    September 8, 2018
    BEST ACTOR Nominee
  • The Next Level International Film Festival
    Sydney
    Australia
    September 9, 2018
  • Los Angeles Lift-Off Festival
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    September 16, 2018
  • Screen It!
    Queensland
    Australia
    September 22, 2018
    Award Semi-Finalist
  • Chico Independent Film Festival
    Chico, CA
    United States
    September 29, 2018
    BEST DRAMA
  • Cump Film Festival
    Nairobi
    Kenya
    October 12, 2018
  • Hollywood South Urban Film Festival
    Hattiesburg, MS
    United States
    October 21, 2018
    Mississippi Debut
    BEST STUDENT FILM
  • Cinematic Panic
    Memphis, TN
    United States
    October 25, 2018
    Tennessee Debut
  • World Film Fair
    New York, NY
    United States
    October 26, 2018
    BEST VIETNAM SHORT FILM
  • Atlanta Award-Qualifying Film Festival
    New York, NY
    United States
    October 27, 2018
    Georgia Debut
    BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
  • West Texas Film Festival
    Midland, TX
    United States
    November 17, 2018
  • Changing Faces Film Festival

    Australia
    November 23, 2018
    April Winner
  • Independent Cinema Showcase
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    January 20, 2019
    FINAL Film Festival Screening
  • AADC's Phillip E. Walker Short Film Acting Retrospective Series
    Aiea, HI
    United States
    February 3, 2019
    Hawaii Debut
  • 2018 Ten Top PhilE Award
    Rancho Cucamonga, CA
    United States
    February 23, 2019
    Most SUCCESSFUL Production Nominee
  • Lisbon Film RendezVous Showcase
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    September 28, 2018
    Portugal Debut
  • North Carolina Black Film Festival
    Wilmington
    United States
    March 23, 2019
  • Cayman Islands International Film Festival
    George Town
    Cayman Islands
    July 3, 2017
    Island Debut
  • Roxbury International Film Festival
    Boston, MA
    United States
    June 29, 2017
    American Debut
  • Underground FilmFest
    Munich
    Germany
    June 24, 2017
    European Debut
  • 70th Festival de Cannes
    Court Metrage
    France
    May 22, 2017
    OFFICIAL WORLDWIDE RELEASE
    Short Film Corner
  • Saigon Underground Festival
    Saigon
    Viet Nam
    May 21, 2017
    WORLD PREMIERE
  • A Rebel Minded Festival
    New York City
    United States
    August 17, 2020
Director Biography - David Schell

David is a dedicated, aspiring filmmaker. He currently studies full-time as a Narrative Production Program senior student in the Film and Electronic Arts Department at California State University - Long Beach.

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Director Statement

Film is both painting and photograph