Way Out Assistance

2018 7 Minute Short Film

Directed by Stef Smith
Production: Bus Stop Films
Produced by Briana Miller, Stef Smith
Executive Producers – Eleanor Winkler, Genevieve Clay-Smith, Henry Smith, Gerard O’Dwyer, Ann O’Dwyer
DOP: Emma Paine
Colourist: Angela Cerasi

  • Angela Cerasi's colour grade of a scene where a woman stares at a screen from "Way Out Assistance"
  • Angela Cerasi's colour grade of "Way Out Assistance", featuring a close up of a distressed-looking woman with a small wired device on her temple
  • Angela Cerasi's colour grade of a close up shot of the main character from the inclusive short film "Way Out Assistance" in the early dawn light
  • Angela Cerasi's colour grade of the characters Rose and Marty standing on a sea side cliff at dawn, from "Way Out Assistance"
  • Angela Cerasi's colour grade of the inclusive short film "Way Out Assistance", featuring two characters in silhouette against the purple tinged sky
  • Angela Cerasi's colour grade of a close up shot of the character Marty from the short film "Way Out Assistance", shot in the evening with lights in the distance

This 2018 fully inclusive short film from students at Bus Stop Films in Sydney was remotely colour graded by Angela Cerasi in Brisbane.   Way Out Assistance was written and directed by Stef Smith in collaboration with the Bus Stop Films students of 2018.

 

Bus Stop Films makes films with, for and about people from diverse backgrounds and abilities.  Students at Bus Stop Films film, star on screen and work behind the films on short films each year.  The programs are taught by passionate filmmakers and industry experts to give our students a holistic filmmaking learning experience and offer students increased social, literacy and work ready skills.  Students who participate in our programs benefit from exclusive workshops, excursions, workplace opportunities, mentoring with industry professionals and the opportunity to work collaboratively on a film project.

 

This short film Way Out Assistance explores themes of mental health and the intersection of technology.   In the sci-fi/ drama film, a woman in need of help uses a VR counselling program to form a new human connection and process old wounds to make it through one more day.  It imagines a near future when virtual reality technology has developed to the point that a crisis support worker can be ‘transported’ to the caller in need of assistance. The film features an actor with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome).

 

We love the moody, sometimes somber and sometimes hopeful colour grade, including lots of rich purple, pink and blue tones.

 

To view another inclusive short film colour graded by Angela Cerasi, check out the trailer and images for Torch song, about an XXY adolescent here.