My name is Ethan Speakman. I'm a graduate film student at Loyola Marymount University and am working on my graduate thesis film, Cute Girl Uncertainty Principle. The thesis combines two of my favorite loves: Science and Film. Oh, did I mention that I have a bachelors degree in physics? I have a bachelors degree in physics.
Short Summary
Ever put yourself out there to win someone over?
Erwin is a child prodigy in physics who has moved on to became a professor. Just one problem: he has very little social skills. His bluntness and inability to approach anyone with compassion has caused him to have only one friend, himself, who he talks to all the time. Oh, and his 'friend' talks back. Just imagine someone having half a conversation as they walk down the street: that's Erwin in a nutshell.
So when it comes time for him to approach women... well it's already difficult for a man to do that but for Erwin it's near impossible. Here's where his math comes in: using his knowledge of Quantum Mechanics Erwin creates a theory that tells him what to say and what to do to win a woman's heart. At least that's what he's trying to do. And by a woman's heart, it's really just one woman - Sally.
Why Sally? Because that's his intellectual equal. She's just as smart as him. Meaning that, in his mind, if he could win her over, his loneliness and social isolation would end.
So with theory in hand Erwin asks Sally out on a date...
What We Need & What You Get
What do I and the rest of my production team need? Well for us to flesh out this world and make it real we need locations, props, and wardrobe more then anything else, which all have to be paid for/purchased.
The film takes place on a college campus, and Loyola Marymount University is itself a beautiful campus for shooting that over looks the city of Los Angeles.
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But it's not just the college campus, it's also where they go out on their date. Sally is a huge fan of Pho, the Vietnamese dish, which means that they end up at a Vietnamese Restaurant. Several places can be used for this but that brings us to...
Props. Just because LMU is a college campus doesn't mean it looks like the right college campus. To convert the specific locations on campus for the look, additional books, posters, tables, desks, etc. have to be brought in.
And then there's the restaurant. The location has to look like a Vietnamese Restaurant, complete with food...
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Sorry for making you hungry...The wardrobe to each character is highly important as that also tells part of the story. How the characters dress reflects how they act:
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Erwin is smart and practical but is emotionally distant. His dress is simple on the outside but disheveled and unusual. He wears loafers and t-shirts, which he never tucks in or irons.
- The version of Erwin that he talks to, Head Erwin, is the version of him that he wants to be: cool, calm, collected. Head Erwin wears a collection of three piece suits.
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Sally is smart and practical just like Erwin, but also cultured and well traveled. Her wardrobe is a more colorful and flamboyant version of Erwin, but also the more social version of Erwin. Whereas Erwin is a mess Sally is well taken care of.
And these are not the only characters: several minor characters make appearances that need to be fleshed out as well.
The Impact
There are a lot of students out there making films. So why choose this one? Because it does have something that we all go through: a fear of "putting yourself out there" to make someone like you.
Erwin doesn't have a crazy math problem on his hands, he has a crazy girl problem. We've all been there with people we like, thinking "how do we get them to like me?" It's scary putting yourself out there. This film is about that, but uses science as a unique twist.
Other Ways You Can Help
Any help I can get is help I need. Just because you can't donate doesn't mean you can't help: a quick share on your facebook, twitter or other social networking service will get the word out there and help me out loads!