Smoke and Mirrors is a 15-minute short film made as part of my third-year major project for my film degree in 2021 (Bachelor's of Creative Media Production at CoCA Massey, Wellington, NZ).
I was the Director of Photography for the capstone project which went on to winning Best Overall Film at the New Zealand Youth Film Festival 2022 (NZYFF 2022), late last year.
Synopsis
When the night of her twenty-first birthday takes an unexpected turn, popular law student Mia Baxter disappears without a trace. Unfamiliar with one another, four college students from different walks of life receive anonymous notes. Mysteriously brought together, Mia's anxious brother Blake Baxter, secret girlfriend Riley Walker, class acquaintance Carmen Ramirez and introverted friend Hero Flynn must put their prides aside and work together in order to find Mia.
Credits
CAST: Alaina Pitt - “Riley Walker" Bethany Miller - “Mia Baxter" Ian Cadwallader - “Blake Baxter" Leonardo Gunter - “Hero Flynn" Vaishalee Bhana - “Carmen Ramirez"
CREW: Bailey Harding - Director, Writer and Producer Fiona Ellett - Producer Ben Coyle - Editor & Composer Antonio Lim - Cinematographer Cormac Griffin - Sound Designer Joshi Cho - Gaffer Natalie Chan - 1st Camera Assistant Vanessa Howe - 1st Assistant Director Cherrie Bartolome - Production Designer Bronte Ennis - Key Grip Rhiannon Maxwell - 3rd Assistant Camera Aidan Vaughan - Production Designer Corban Coventry - Production Designer Liam Manson - VFX Artist
