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SCHISM

Inspired by the December 2012 shooting in Hollywood, CA; A young man desperately resorts to taking medication after separating from the woman he loves. In an attempt to try and cope with the loss, he negligently consumes prescription pills and over the counter drugs, sending him down a deadly rabbit hole.

  • Justin Taite
    Director
  • Justin Taite
    Writer
  • Justin Taite
    Producer
  • Alia Domino
    Producer
  • Nicole Hawkins
    Producer
  • Austin Michaels
    Producer
  • Justin Taite
    Key Cast
  • Rachael Markarian
    Key Cast
  • Daniel Araujo
    Key Cast
  • Alia Domino
    Key Cast
  • Justin Taite
    Story
  • Jonathan Hirschbein
    Story
  • Tangelene Bolton
    Music
  • Austin Michaels
    Cinematography
  • Yoni Reiss
    Film Editing
  • Vanessa Augustin
    Art Direction
  • Paige Kundert
    Makeup Department
  • Alia Domino
    Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
  • Nicole Hawkins
    Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
  • Daniel Kloch
    Sound Department
  • Brandon Clark
    Camera and Electrical Department
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 49 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 15, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Sherman Oaks Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 20, 2016
    North American Premiere
Director Biography - Justin Taite

Justin Taite moved to Los Angeles, CA from Calgary, Alberta Canada in 2008. He began taking classes at The Stella Adler Conservatory for acting until he started training at the Actors Circle Theatre exclusively with Arthur Mendoza who has worked with such talents as Benicio Del Toro and Robin Wright. In 2012 his first feature length screenplay "The Real McCoy" became a Semi Finalist at "The Screenplay Festival" and again at the "Circus Road Screenplay Contest" in 2014. Justin’s second written project, and directorial debut, was a short film entitled "SCHISM" completed in 2016 and became an official selection at the "Sherman Oaks Film Festival."

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Director Statement

Like no other film in this genre, SCHISM, unapologetically takes you down the rabbit hole for a closer, more intimate look at the events leading up to a shooting.

Despite warnings on psychiatric drugs citing effects of mania, hostility, violence and even homicidal thoughts, and dozens of high profile shootings/killings tied to psychiatric drug use, there has yet to be a federal investigation on the link between psychiatric drugs and acts of senseless violence.

My question was, if antidepressant SSRI medication is involved, at what moment does everything switch? That’s what I examined with ’SCHISM’.

Thank you and enjoy,

- Justin Taite