Happy Halloween!! In honor of the holiday, I wanted to share a 3 minute short film I wrote and directed that’s all about dealing with depression and anxiety. In The Picnic, the main character, Emma, played by the awesome @elanalahoud, is nonbinary and dealing with choices about their life’s direction. It’s really about the idea that at some point you have to stop fearing and start trusting yourself.

It was a privilege to be able to film on 35 mm as part of a class Practicum for the @nyfa Cinematography Department last spring. Thanks to the Spring 22 MFA Cinematography cohort for their work in the class, especially our student Director of Photography Kanat Rymtayev to define the look and feel. Thanks to my amazing former student @keyteee for editing this fun piece! I don’t normally direct horror so I definitely leaned on her to help me figure out the edit!

Thanks to our awesome and talented actors Elana, @jakisoown, @mf.puig, & @angelokern. Thanks to @solomuzik88 and @hughcharon for coming on board late in the game and diving in on sound and color, respectively! Thanks as always to my wife @alana31415 for producing with me and composing the amazing score!!

If you or anyone you know is dealing with anxiety, mental health related issues, or needs a listening ear, [resources?], know that you are not alone. Many of us have been there before, or will be at some point. Do your best to take care of yourselves and each other. These resources may be useful:

https://didihirsch.org/
https://lalgbtcenter.org/services/mental-health-psychiatry-services/
988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline (nationwide)

#Halloween #HappyHalloween #horrorfilm #shortfilm #creepy #scary #halloweeny #film #filmmaking #filmstudents #filminstructor #indiefilm #filmschool #mentalhealth #fear #anxiety #depression #healing #nonbinary #lgbtqia


The Picnic Full Credits List:

Written & Directed by Rebecca Louisell
Produced by Rebecca Louisell & Alana Balagot

Emma Elana Lahoud
William Jackson Mears
Taylor Maria Puig
Jason Angelo Kern

Director of Photography Kanat Rymtayev
Edited by Jessica Pradhan
Original Music by Alana Balagot

1st Assistant Camera Yixuan Li
2nd Assistant Camera Siddharth Agrawal
Key Grip Ahana Ghosh
Dolly Grip Hao Wei Yen
Gaffer Jaiveer Bakshi
Production Sound Mixer Khsitij Kapil

Sound Design & Mixing by - Marc Solomon
Color by - Hugh Charon

Thanks to Nancy Friedman, Ashley Maria, Jessica Liu & Kristine Gerolaga

Special Thanks to Anthony Cook, Mike Williamson & Tony Richmond and
the New York Film Academy Spring 22 MFA Cinematography Students

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