Merit Badges

A misfit band of girl scouts faces off with a hardened criminal while trying to hustle enough cookies to get to the national Jamboree.

  • N.C. Jones
    Writer
    San Souci Showdown, Unspeakable
  • N.C. Jones
    Director
    San Souci Showdown
  • N.C. Jones
    Producer
    San Souci Showdown, Unspeakable
  • Kieran Moreira
    Producer
    Harbinger, Gill
  • Eowyn Blum
    Key Cast
    "Audra"
  • Lilyanna Paige
    Key Cast
    "Miranda"
  • Thai Toben
    Key Cast
    "Callie"
  • Kayla Scott
    Key Cast
    "Jessica"
  • Estes Tarver
    Key Cast
    "The Wheelman"
  • Germain Choffart
    Key Cast
    "The Lanky Man"
  • Paul Kilpatrick
    Key Cast
    "Hostage"
  • Paul Paliyenko
    Key Cast
    "Priest"
  • Ruth Gutierrez
    Key Cast
    "Shopping Lady"
  • Paul Frateschi
    Crew
  • Monique Velasquez
    Crew
  • Piper Kessler
    Crew
  • Jonathan Serxner
    Crew
  • Lance Johnson
    Crew
  • Ryan Hamlin
    Crew
  • Patrick Dunnigan
    Crew
  • John Bosco
    Crew
  • Jim McQuaid
    Crew
  • Aravind Ragupathi
    Crew
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 4, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Red
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39 : 1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Longleaf Film Festival
    Raleigh
    United States
    May 11, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Cucalorus Film Festival
    Wilmington
    United States
    November 16, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Carrboro Film Festival
    Carrboro
    United States
    November 17, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Motion for Pictures
    Cary, North Carolina
    United States
    February 5, 2020
  • Alicefest
    Durham, North Carolina
    United States
    March 1, 2020
  • Myrtle Beach International Film Festival
    Myrtle Beach, SC
    December 12, 2020
  • Foothills Film Festival
    Shelby, NC
    United States
    February 18, 2021
Director Biography - N.C. Jones

Screenwriter and Director N.C. Jones studied Theater, Computer Science and English at East Carolina University, but her preoccupation with creative prevarication began long before she received any formal training. With over ten years experience in screenwriting and production, she is a Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Semifinalist and Quarterfinalist. In 2010, she wrote and produced the comedic horror short UNSPEAKABLE and in 2011 she wrote and directed action comedy SAN SOUCI SHOWDOWN. She met producer Kieran Moreira and Director of Photography Paul Frateschi in 2013 working as grip and sound assistant on their award-winning 2014 film HARBINGER.

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Director Statement

MERIT BADGES is a narrative short film about a motley group of girl scouts who need to sell enough cookies and lemonade to attend the big Polliwog Jamboree. It’s a story for anyone who’s ever felt small in a hostile, scary world and finding it within yourself to create your own opportunities.

The story was born out of Writer/Director N.C. Jones’ desire to do a short, engaging and funny story after working on several challenging and dramatic feature film scripts. Jones set out to apply her storytelling craft and experience as a female filmmaker to make a film for her 8 year-old self, to encourage her boldness and to temper her patience. It is a message that Jones hopes to share with every misfit girl out there.