Fiction

After being laid off from her tech job, a young woman fights her way through the increasingly terrifying world of gig work.
As the pandemic changed the workforce, with huge numbers of people laid off and a sudden surge in demand for touchless delivery of food, groceries, and stuff, I started thinking about how these apps run by tech bros in Silicon Valley want to make invisible the physical labor that makes them work. If a worker gets an order for out in the middle of nowhere and ends up in a sketchy situation, what good can the tech support line on their app really do for them? All those thoughts lead me to the satirical horror vibe of GRBBR.

Sheila Alcott, a film projectionist, considers herself to be the real auteur behind a film. After all, it’s her performance that makes it so a film can be seen. But is there room in the world for an artist like her when projection has gone digital?

My first job was at a movie theatre, where I worked my way from lowly ticket taker to head manager over 6 years. Along the way I learned the art of 35mm film projection and fantasized that my contribution to the filmic experience was really the final “performance” involved in bringing the film to life. I conceived this mockumentary short before the transition to digital left many old school projectionists at a crossroads. This is my tribute to the art of film projection.

Two brothers embark on a road trip to retrieve an heirloom at the request of their father. Written and directed by Joseph Johnston, filmed and edited by Pete Johnston. Camera Operator Ben Sherman.