Stone in a Still Lake - Feature Film

Mission Statement

The core value of friendship is ingrained into the very foundation of "Stone in a Still Lake". We all have friendships that we relay on to give us strength during the hard times, but these same friends also celebrate and inspire us during the good times.

Our team, much like others, have lost someone close to us; a true friend. To honor this treasured friendship, we have all joined together to create a film that displays how this friend made us feel, and the affects of their loss on our lives.

The Story

"Stone in a Still Lake" follows three teens living in a small town in Florida, who each experience a death in their respective families. Without knowing how to cope with their loss, Eddie, one of the trio, finds it within himself to set off on a pilgrimage to bury a pair of wacky socks, a memory of his brother Tony. Eddie decides to honor his brother the only way he knows how, with a journey. But the only problem is, they don't exactly know where they are going.

Maddy, another friend in the trio, finds a picture of her sister and Tony in a remote area, that is signed by a mysterious individual named "D". If they can find this unknown person, then they can find the proper place to bury their memento!

Throughout their journey, they begin to realize that things aren't always what they seem to be, while uncovering secrets about their siblings past. Will this break their relationship or be the cause of an even stronger bond between the group of friends?

Approach

Our approach to the film is one of naturalism. We set out to make a movie that the majority of the world can empathize with and see aspects of their lives or themselves in.

We chose to base our look on how we perceive the world on a day to day basis, by an intimate approach. Using lights only to enhance the natural world, rather than using lights to morph the world.

Production design is also an essential piece in the creation and approach of this film. Through production design we are able to visually express the lives of our characters on screen, without them having to say a single word about their environment. Through production design we are able to add an even deeper level of meaning to all our shots, and at the same time provide additional layers to the film itself.

In terms of cinematography, the shots should reflect a grounded look. Keeping it simple as it services the story and the characters being represented.

Below are some stills from our first phase of production, which occurred in the summer of 2024!

*Our second phase of production will be occurring in December 2024*

Why Us?

Our crew includes many alumni and current students of the University of Central Florida, who have collaborated on numerous projects throughout the years together. As we continue to chase our dreams of being filmmakers, we have our sights on bigger projects. Many of our crew members work professionally in the film industry, and this project offers the ability to create something we are all passionate about and strongly connected too.

We rally behind this project together, as each individual pushes the other to inspire and pursue the next project. We have learned how each individual on our crew works, making production much more fluid, efficient, creative, and fun!

But most importantly, our team has lost someone who was chasing the same dream as us. We come together to honor that persons dream, by continuing to chase our dreams, just as they would have encouraged us to do.

Why Now?

Now a days, audiences are seeking more raw, down to earth, films. Being movie fanatics and working within the industry first hand, we noticed a trend; people are tired of the same old superhero movies. Sure, these films are nice to occasionally escape the world for a couple of hours, but the stories that people really want to see and experience include real people with real problems. They want to seek a way to connect to the characters being shown and have a cathartic experience that helps them in their own struggle.

"Stone in a Still Lake" offers just that! It's a story that takes a new perspective on the passing of a family member, and highlights how friendships are an essential support system during the hard times.

Director Statement

All of us have lost someone or something, whether it was a friend, a family member or a home. We’ve all had to let go and grief. This story is to remind people that despite that hole in your life, you are not alone. That love isn’t gone. The memories of joy and of the feeling that that person gave you still live inside of you… and they have the power to heal you. I went through this experience and I found solace through the relationship that I had built with my friends. My team and I are very insistent on making this film as it is dedicated to a colleague of our's who passed away. They were someone who we enjoyed making films with and expected to go forth into the future still making films, but alas it was not meant to be. But that is why we are making everything possible to make this film a reality as it means so much to as, and hoping that it can mean as much to other people.

When we started writing this story we quickly realized that making a drama was just not the feel that we wanted to go for. During our time of need we sought laughter as that's what our friend would have done for us in that situation. Someone once described them as sunshine walking through the door and I don't think there was a more accurate statement about them. So we felt like we needed to showcase that laughter through our characters.

-Carlos Irazabal

Director/Co-Writer

Funding

We have already completed the first phase of production but we need YOUR help to complete the film! Our second phase of production will be occurring in December of 2024, and due to this, we are hoping to raise at least $5,000 to pay for the completion of the film!

Here is a breakdown of where all the money donated to this campaign will be going to:

Congrats!

You've reached the bottom of our fundraising page. Seeing as you made it this far, we really hope that you will consider supporting our production and crew. Here are two ways you can help support "Stone in a Still Lake":

Instagram: INSTAGRAM LINK or @stoneinastilllakefilm

Yup! It's that easy to support a crew of hardworking and passionate young adults, who are looking to create a film bigger than themselves!