Mr. Bellpond is a short film on which I was co-writer, production designer, and illustrator. Regardless of how serious of a tone some of the stills come across as, this piece won First Place Comedy and Best Director at the 33rd College Television Awards, the student division of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, more familiarly called the Emmys.
It had a pretty good festival run and came away with 16 awards from festivals and competitions around the world, some of them including:
- College Television Award (Student Emmy): Best Director
- College Television Award (Student Emmy): First Place Comedy
- Student Academy Awards (Student Oscar): Region II winner
- Ivy Film Festival: First Place Comedy
- LA Comedy Film Festival: Best Direction
- Best Shorts Competition: Award of Excellence
- Indianapolis International Film Fest: American Spectrum Award
- LDSFF 2013: Audience Choice, First Place Comedy
- Final Cut Film Festival: Best of Fest, Audience Choice Award
- Honolulu Film Awards: Best Student Film
- Filmed in Utah Awards: Best Short, Best Set Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mix
- Official Selection: Raindance 2013
- Official Selection: Heartland 2012
Mr. Bellpond Illustrations
The following illustrations served as marketing for fictitious past productions the main character created. It was pure mischief coming up with the titles with my writing cohort, A. Todd Smith (who was also the director) and what kinds of imagery might go along with them.
Mr. Bellpond, the delightfully dreadful tale of a man consumed with guilt and melancholy after his sweet wife disappears. The only thing that could disturb this once-celebrated playwright’s world of sadness is news of his wife's whereabouts, which comes in the form of blackmail from a demanding, anonymous extortionist. In order to obtain the information which nags at his curiosity, he must delve into his creative practices once again and compose a new masterpiece before the greedy criminal burns whatever evidence might lead Bellpond to his wife.