Experiencing Interruptions?

The Debut

A woman organizes a cabin getaway for her friends to debut a new comedy character that will change the course of their lives forever.

  • Jared Bronen
    Director
  • Alex Guaglianone
    Director
  • Jared Bronen
    Writer
  • Alex Guaglianone
    Writer
  • Marina Gasparyan
    Key Cast
    "Nina"
  • Jared Bronen
    Key Cast
    "James"
  • Margaret Burrus
    Key Cast
    "Christina"
  • Anthony Jackson
    Key Cast
    "Andy"
  • Kate Shine
    Key Cast
    "Lauren"
  • Adian Macaluso
    Director of Photography
  • Kylie Pletcher
    Key Grip
  • Maxwell di Paolo
    Sound Recordist
  • Somepoint Sound
    Post Production Sound Services
  • Ethan Gustavson
    Post Production Sound Services
  • Drummond L. Dominguez Kincannon
    Post Production Sound Services
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 18, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Just for Laughs Montreal
    Montreal, QC
    Canada
    July 25, 2025
    World Premiere
    Finalist
  • Lower East Side Film Festival
    New York, NY
    United States
    May 2, 2026
    NY Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Jared Bronen, Alex Guaglianone

Jared Bronen is a writer and filmmaker living in Brooklyn. He previously wrote for CollegeHumor and currently writes for Maude Night at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater in New York. His film Pick a Random Number screened at a number of film festivals across the country, and won awards at Shit in the Dirt, Raw Science Film Festival, and Tootsie’s Video Vault. He hosts a monthly show The Trash King in New York City which has been featured in the New York Comedy Festival, Time Out New York, Jezebel, and ioFest in Chicago.

Alex Guaglianone is a writer and filmmaker living in Brooklyn. He has a feature script that's been picked up for production by Lucky Chap and Votiv Media. He’s had several screenplays advance in the Nicholl Fellowship and the Austin Film Festival. He currently writes for Maude Night at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater in New York.

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Director Statement

The Debut is ultimately inspired by a combined 20+ years of pitching comedy. The two of us met in 2019 when we were placed as writers on a house sketch team together at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City. We instantly hit it off as collaborators based on a shared set of particularly absurd sensibilities, and have become close friends since.

We wanted to make a film about the embarrassment of sharing a comedic idea with another person. Sometimes, you bring absolutely nothing to the table, and sometimes, you want to be respected regardless. We aimed to build a grounded, naturalistic world around a character who just wants to be seen and recognized for making a creative contribution. We absolutely love taking a silly idea and wrapping it in deeply unearned, genuine, and grounded self-importance. Aggrandizing the immature.

We wrote this short together in the summer of 2024 and shot it with a cast and crew of close friends and frequent collaborators in August. We couldn’t be happier with how this film came out, and we owe it to Aidan, Kylie, Max, Marina, Anthony, Kate, Margaret, and Somepoint Sound. Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy The Debut.