Short Summary

"Rest Stop" is a short film being produced by students from Fitchburg State University. In this film, a young man is on a late-night drive heading home after partying. Still a bit intoxicated, the young man pulls off the highway into a rest stop for a quick beverage where he encounters a horrifying faceless man. His interaction with the faceless man will have lasting consequences on his life. 

What We Need & What You Get

For the success of this production, it is crucial that we are able to purchase all essential equipment, props, and makeup materials. Unfortunately, students are broke! We need you to help make this film the best it can be. We are excepting any amount of donation but, to give our thanks to your contribution, we have created multiple perks that you will receive based on your donation. These perks are: 

• Shoutout on Social Media
  • For only $25 you can have a shoutout on all our social media channels! We will post a picture of your donation or yourself and shout you out on both our dedicated Instagram and Facebook pages!
• Special Thanks in the Credits
  • Your name will roll by on the screen as a thank you for donating $50. Your name will be with the cast and crew that made this film possible. 
• A Producing Credit
  • For $100 you will see your name right after our amazing producer working so intensively on this film. You have provided this film with a lot of help!
• A Cast and Crew Signed Poster
  • For only $200 you will receive a free movie poster for the film. This will include a signed picture of the cast and crew together on set. 
• An Executive Producer Credit
  • Your name will be right next to our amazing executive producer, Alissa Escobales, name at the end of the film. You were instrumental in making this film happen and we would like to thank you for donating $300 or more! 

Meet the Crew

Director/Assistant Camera: Eric Bielakiewicz 

“Rest Stop is an important milestone in my filmmaking career, as it's the first film I've directed outside of my close group of friends. I'm really proud of the crew on this and really excited to get on set and create some magic! I'm hoping that Rest Stop will pose to be both a way I can expand my network leaving school and grow as a filmmaker but also be a film that I'm proud to call my own.”

Producer/Location Manager: Alissa Escobales

“In my final semester at Fitchburg State University, I’m excited to finish my academic career by creating “Rest Stop” with such an amazing crew. This project has challenged me and opened my eyes to so many different sides of filmmaking. I’m excited to continue working with these wonderful filmmakers and be able to show off our finished film in the future!”

Director of Photography: Kayla Jorgensen

“Being the DP for the Rest Stop film is definitely one of the most exciting things I've done here at Fitchburg State. Being behind the camera is my favorite place to be and this film has only made me more determined to make this my career. Working with this crew is such a fun experience and I can't wait to bring this story to life!”

Assistant Director/Script Supervisor: Sean Sanguinete 

“I think working on Rest Stop will allow me to build connections outside of my filmmaking bubble. As someone who wants to write and direct, being the script supervisor puts me right next to our director, Eric Bielakiewicz, and gain more experience in that field. As the Assistant Director I'm also able to work with our excellent crew and help this project run as smoothly as possible.

Sound Mixer/Boom Operator: James Briere

“Working on this set and with our crew is a great experience to understand what a developed and advanced team of film is and will be like. I'm so excited to use and learn even more about sound and audio as I get to work in both roles. I'm very glad for the experience and the knowledge I'll get for the future.”

Gaffer/Assistant Editor: Christopher Sutcliffe 

“Rest Stop is an amazing jumping-off point for my filmmaking career. While working on this project I have started to learn a lot about the production side of film and more specifically lighting and producing. This has helped me decide that I would like to follow either one of those paths when I look to choose a career. The Rest Stop crew is one of the best I have worked with and they make it so easy to experiment and figure out different lighting techniques that work for the film! I'm excited to continue working with all of them!!!!”

Editor: Marco Bonanno

“Working on set as the key grip and in post-production as an editor for Rest Stop, I am truly ecstatic to learn and improve skills within these fields. It is a great opportunity for me to showcase and practice assisting crew members with equipment. I am also excited to work collaboratively with Chris as editor to improve my ability to work among a group.”

Production Designer/Makeup Artist: Farrah Southwick 

“Working on set for Rest Stop is a great opportunity to expand my creativity in set design and creating realistic characters that bring the story to life. It's a great opportunity to work with a team of passionate individuals with our own positions and parts to achieve a greater goal to ultimately create a final motion picture. It's a great way for me to experience what it's like working on a bigger production than I have previously along with a larger crew of people.”