COC professor premieres short film

Guests attend a screening for the short film "BLOCKED" Sunday afternoon at Salt Creek Grille. August 22, 2021. Bobby Block / The Signal.
Share on facebook
Share
Share on twitter
Tweet
Share on email
Email

When COVID-19 forced the film industry to shut down, many filmmakers got creative, finding ways to keep productions small in order to continue their work. College of the Canyons professor Sara Caldwell was among those doing just that, making not one, but two short films during the quarantine.

The production team, along with friends and family, gathered Sunday at Salt Creek Grille to watch “Blocked,” the latest short film by House of Gorey Productions, for the first time together.

“We shot this as simple as possible because of all the (COVID-19) restrictions, so this was shot in a day and a half of using an iPhone,” Caldwell said, adding that she’d instructed her students to do iPhone productions, and thought she should do the same.

Chloe Caldwell, right, and co-star Sarah Struble sign the poster for “BLOCKED” a short film directed by Santa Clarita resident and College of the Canyons professor Sara Caldwell at a screening event Sunday. August 22, 2021. Bobby Block / The Signal.

The production had a limited crew that consisted of no more than half a dozen, including family, friends and some of Caldwell’s students, including former student Isabelle Walker, who now runs her own videography company.

“It was really fun to be involved,” Walker said, adding that while she’s familiar with working on small productions, it was great to be working with her former professor on a project.

It even became a family affair, with husband and wife, Caldwell and Walter Gorey, co-directing, as well as Caldwell’s daughter, Chloe, and her best friend, Sarah Struble, starring as the short’s two main actresses.

Local filmmaker and College of the Canyons professor Sara Caldwell signs the poster of a short film that she directed at an SCV premiere held at Salt Creek Grille Sunday. August 22, 2021. Bobby Block / The Signal.

“It was just a really tiny, small group of us coming together and making this happen just for the fun of it to do a spooky little story,” Caldwell added.

“Blocked” recently won Best Thriller Short and Best Mobile Short in the Honorable Mention category of the Independent Shorts Awards, its first festival competition.

For more information, visit facebook.com/blockedshortfilm 

Guests attend a screening for the short film “BLOCKED” Sunday afternoon at Salt Creek Grille. August 22, 2021. Bobby Block / The Signal.
Chloe Caldwell, right, and co-star Sarah Struble watch “BLOCKED” a short film directed by Santa Clarita resident and College of the Canyons professor Sara Caldwell at a screening event Sunday. August 22, 2021. Bobby Block / The Signal.

Related To This Story

Latest NEWS