DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

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When I was deciding what type of project I wanted to make for my film school application, I knew I wanted to do something atmospheric and bizarre, something that would allow me to stand apart from the wide and incredibly talented pool of applicants also applying. It was this desire that lead to "Across the Street," a one-shot musical film about Halloween and all of the social awkwardness that comes along with it.

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I constantly moved around as a kid, and as a result often felt like I was on the outside looking in at friend groups that had been firmly established prior to me showing up. As a result, Halloween was often a rough night for me. It was close to the beginning of the school year, often before I'd had time to settle down and set roots in the place I'd just moved to. Therefore, like the main character in the film, I spent a lot of Halloween nights handing out candy, looking out at the party raging on across the street. 

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Along with my brilliant co-writer Tyler Texeira, we worked to weave these themes and experiences into a larger-than-life musical number, one that we hoped would feel right out of a storybook with bizarre characters and an atmosphere unique to the holiday.

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I was lucky enough to have the support of a team of incredible people, who worked for days prior to this film's shoot, blocking and rehearsing all of the logistics of the one shot musical number (and there were many!). We ended up doing six takes of the one-shot, and the fourth take is the one you see in the finished film. I'm so proud of how hard everyone worked on the project, and how that work is reflected onscreen. I hope you enjoy the film :)