Film

The Look

in ,

An awkward student tries not to embarrass herself again in front of the coolest guy in school.

WINNER - BEST EDITING - Hollywood South Film Festival 2018

OFFICIAL SELECTION - North Hollywood Cinefest 2019

NOMINATED - BEST LEAD ACTRESS - Hollywood South Film Festival 2018

OFFICIAL SELECTION - National Film Festival For Talented Youth (NFFTY) 2018

OFFICIAL SELECTION - Miami Independent Film Festival 2018

OFFICIAL SELECTION - 41st Annual Mill Valley Film Festival 2018

FINALIST - SHORT to the Point International Awards September 2018

This film is really dear to me, my first big project at USC where I had pretty much full creative control. So I wanted to something silly that allowed me to play with the things I like: sci-fi beeps and boops and high school melodrama. I think making this one really gave me a lot of confidence and felt like I was starting to find my “voice” whatever that means.

With this one I really wanted to challenge myself to do three things:

1. Move the camera more

2. Use VFX to augment the set and make it feel alive

3. Take a little and make it look like a lot

In regard to the latter, I had written a script with seven characters but only had a little over 4 days to shoot the 6-page script. I thought that casting six different people, coordinating them on the day, getting everyone’s coverage— it would take a lot of time. So instead I just had Jillian, who is an absolutely brilliant comedic actress who I am so lucky to have found for this, do all the characters.

A lot of people compared the film to “Inside Out” due to the fact that it takes place in the head, as a bunch of characters control Jack’s decisions from the inside. But really my inspiration was the episode of Spongebob Squarepants where he forgets his name, and all the little Spongebobs are running around setting the place on fire.

Starrring Jillian Ruvalcaba (x7) and Theo Buckwald

Written, Directed and Shot by Max Retik

Produced by Ryan Galliher and Caroline Iaffaldano

Edited by Caroline Iaffaldano

Assistant Editor Max Retik

VFX by Max Retik

Assistant Director Hailey Burns

Original Score by Logan Nelson

Guitar Tristan Heinicke

Drums Taylor Zemtseff

Engineer Miles Jensen

Sound Mixed by Allison Ng

Production Design by Aliki Lala and Max Retik

Costumes by Aliki Lala

FX Makeup by Hannah Sherer

Stunts by Tyler Albrect

Gaffers Collin Mullins, Tiffany Lin, Patrick Saulo, Paul Lee

Set Dressing by Tiffany Lin

Created at the USC School of Cinematic Arts

Special Thanks To Hailey Burns Elena Perez Alex Currie Yuchi Cindy Ma Michelle Retik Mark Retik Tom McCarrick Jill Retik Morgana McKenzie Squirrel and the Bee Bakery Eddie