Matt Schmidt grew up in the small logging town of Port Alberni, BC. Since a child he has loved movies, and dreamed of one day creating his own. In 2017 he left his small town life behind and moved to Vancouver to attend the BCIT Television and Video Production Program. Two years later he has graduated, is now working at Sim International, has written and directed his first short film, and is currently working on a follow-up.
At the end of our first year of our program at BCIT, 8 of us pitched short film ideas to industry professionals, who would pick the best 4 to be produced in our second year as our final project. Arora and I were the only ones who pitched without a completed script. We really wanted to helm a project in second year, so we submitted several ideas in hopes of being one of the 8 to be chosen to pitch. Luckily we made it through to the final 8, and also the top 4.
This idea was originally based on the song ‘Old Friends’ by Pinegrove, which I had recently found on spotify, and struck inspiration from it. Our original premise was that James returned home to reconnect with his old friends only to learn that one of them had recently committed suicide, and through a series of flashbacks we learn that it may partially be James’ fault.
I was excited to write the script over the summer in my hometown and then revisit it in the winter with my teammates and give it some rewrites.
Two days after the 4 winners had been announced, I received a text informing me that one of my childhood friends, someone who actually lived across the street from me back home, had died in a car accident. I hadn’t talked to him since we graduated High School several years ago.
I couldn’t believe it.
I was stranded in the city, waiting for move-out day as I finished my final exams, with no-one to talk to, and no-one to grieve with. Because so many people showed up to the funeral, I wasn’t even able to get in. I had to stand out on the front steps trying to hear what was happening inside.
I wrote this script over the summer as my way to process what had happened, and to put the emotions onto paper that I wasn’t able to express in other ways. It slowly morphed from a simple piece of fiction to an almost autobiographical one. I wrote this story as a love-letter to Griffin; as something his family and friends would be able to remember him by, and for all of the great friends I have made during my two years at BCIT.
I am very proud of what we were able to create on such a small budget in a short timeframe, and I would be happy if at least one person is touched by what we have created.