What if you could reshape your past?
Short Summary
Logline: A young woman participates in a pharmaceutical trial, unaware that the side effects might unearth buried memories.
Synopsis:
A young woman, Fiona, is given a memory-enhancing drug by a researcher, as part of a clinical trial. However, during the experiment, Fiona experiences vivid flashbacks to a memory at a bar with her friend Leah and a mystery man.
At the next session, Fiona tries to back out and accept only half of the compensation, but the Researcher explains that she must finish the trial. The Researcher reveals that the drug does not last for more than a few hours and thus cannot have caused all of Fiona's flashbacks. Fiona takes the drug and confronts the flashbacks. Afterward, Fiona continues the experiment without the memories returning, and she is at peace.
The Team:
Director: Diego Cardenas
Diego Cardenas is 22 and lives in Chicago. He is a Bachelor of Fine Arts student with a concentration in directing. Along with a minor in photography, he loves creating films with other people along with being able to entertain his fellow audience members.
Producer: Indiana Lormont
Originally from Paris, France, Indiana Lormont is currently studying producing at Columbia College Chicago. She finds herself doing line-producing work on projects, but also developing her ideas during her free time.
Writer: Reese Givens
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Reese is currently studying screenwriting at Columbia College Chicago. Reese is passionate about all kinds of storytelling but has recently put her focus on screenplays. She has written several Features and TV Pilots. Reese's work has placed in the LA International Screenplay Awards and won SLAMDANCE Screenwriting Competition, which led her to be featured in Variety.
Writer: C.J. Waligora
C.J. Waligora is a queer, Polish screenwriter currently based in Chicago. Her work spans several genres, from sci-fi and drama to comedy, although it isn’t unusual to find a bit of humor in even her most serious work. The major themes in her screenplays are self-discovery, self-acceptance, and struggling with personal flaws.
Writer: Jordyn Girst
Jordyn Grist is 21 years old and a Chicago native. She has always had a passion for writing, which lead her to her pursuit of a BFA Screenwriting degree. She loves world-building and creating in-depth characters in stories that pose questions about the human psyche.
Production Designer: Em Nykiel
Em Nykiel is a multimedia artist and designer working in clay modeling, miniature making, set decorating, and candle making. They are really passionate about bringing worlds and characters to life through decoration, design, and fabrication.
Production Designer: Ashley Torosian
Ashley Torosian is in her third year at Columbia College Chicago pursuing a BFA in Production Design for Film and Television. Throughout her time at Columbia, she has worked on numerous films including undergrad and grad thesis projects as well as independent short films. She is expected to graduate in the spring of 2023.
Director of Photography: Jose de Paz
Jose De Paz is a student majoring in filmmaking with a concentration in cinematography at Columbia College Chicago. He thinks his responsibility as an artist is to use his platform to inspire change and spread awareness of universal topics like social justice and climate change, allowing audiences to reflect and see from a different perspective. He believes the beauty of art is that it is presented in a universal language, which allows it to be accessible to everyone.
Director of Photography: Ryan Stage
Ryan Stage is a senior at Columbia College Chicago. He has a deep commitment to the art of entertainment. He is currently Head of Productions at a media company. His goal is to spread awareness of a wide range of current topics by using skills he has learned over the years.
Editor: Emma Hoffman
Emma Hoffman, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Editing and Post-Production, is thrilled to serve as one of Red Rectangle’s co-editors. With a passion for motion graphics, picture editing, and color correction, she’s worked on a number of projects, ranging from documentary to narrative, experimental, and even promotional mini-series. When possible, she chooses projects that amplify AFAB voices and dive deep into the experience of growing up in the patriarchy and how that impacts self-discovery. You can find her portfolio HERE <http://portfolium.com/ehoffman2>.
Editor: Kellin Cremeens
Kellin Cremeens is a senior Editing and Post-Production BFA, and will serve as the co-editor for Red Rectangle! Before Red Rectangle, he edited skits, commercials, music videos, mini-documentaries, and other short films (one of which one the Grand Jury Prize at Columbia College’s Take 1 Film Festival).
VFX artist: Porter Edwards
Porter is a senior at Columbia College Chicago studying visual effects. Having moved all over the U.S. and Canada, he's spent the most time in Nashville, TN where he co-founded a small, independent production company called TapeSlate Productions and hopes to one day work for ILM or another big VFX studio.
