A 4.5-minute introduction to the story, tone, and world of the film.
Respect. Put that rare skill to good use. Read the full pitch for a deeper dive into the story, characters, visual language, music, and production concept.
Full PitchStandby — Strengths Roll
A dead musician. A release only hours away. No new locations, no parallel storylines, no escape route. As the pressure rises, the same situation keeps changing shape — from a practical problem into a power struggle, a family conflict, and finally a transfer of responsibility.
Under pressure, the balance between them begins to break down. Emotion overtakes restraint, and each person chooses a position within the crisis: one takes control and becomes the mother, one tries to restore order and becomes the father, and one looks for direction, absorbs the pressure, and stays, becoming the child.
The musician's death is the central conflict of the film. He is not simply part of the family — he is the family itself. He is what brought these people together and gave their relationships meaning. His death gathers them in one room and forces each of them to face the end of what existed around him. Because each of them was connected to him in a different way, each reacts differently to his death.
The story revolves around a fictional musician played by a real artist — a version of himself created specifically for the film. His character, image, and album are developed as part of the same collaboration. The film exists as an independent story, while also becoming a real promotional platform for the artist and his music.
The musician is gone, but his music runs through the entire film. It does not simply accompany the action — it shapes the rhythm of the room, changes the emotional temperature of each scene, and keeps him present even in his absence. As everything around him begins to fall apart, the music is the one thing that continues.
The film and the music are developed together from the beginning, each shaping the other. A track can change the rhythm, structure, or emotional direction of a scene, while the story can influence the sound and development of the album. The artist does not simply create music for the film — he helps shape the film itself as a co-author.
The story is set in the early 2000s — not for nostalgia, but for a world that felt more physical, enclosed, and difficult to control. Music existed on tapes and records, technology left visible traces, and every process required real objects, cables, cameras, and people in the same room. Shot on MiniDV, the film belongs naturally to this imperfect digital world.
The film follows a strict set of self-imposed rules: one enclosed location, a handheld camera, no static shots, MiniDV, and a 4:3 frame. These limitations keep the camera inside the situation, compress the space, and remove the distance between the viewer and the characters.
By reducing the production to its essential elements, the film cannot hide behind scale, spectacle, or technical perfection. Everything depends on the actors, the rhythm of the scene, and the changing relationships inside one situation. The form exists to protect the story — not to compete with it.
Throughout its festival life, the film will be presented as a live cinema event, with the artist performing the music in real time alongside the screening. Rather than travelling as a film alone, the project will arrive as a complete audiovisual performance. After the festival circuit, this format will continue independently as a touring show across clubs, concert venues, galleries, and music festivals.
WARNING // DO NOT IGNORE // PRODUCTION HALTED
The project is already taking shape, but three essential elements are still missing from the timeline:
Missing file 01
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/timeline/lada.cast
Visual profile
A mature, distinctive presence rather than a polished or conventionally glamorous appearance. We are looking for a face that can carry authority, exhaustion, intelligence, and vulnerability in close-up. Lada should feel like someone who has spent years holding people and situations together — even when no one asked her to.
Missing file 02
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/timeline/fedo.cast
Visual profile
A grounded, familiar presence rather than an obviously dominant or traditionally masculine type. We are looking for a face that can hold restraint, intelligence, fatigue, and quiet insecurity. Fedo should look like someone who is used to standing beside stronger personalities — but still wants to believe that, when the real crisis arrives, he will be the person everyone turns to.
Missing file 03
!!! MISSING !!!
/timeline/artist.cast
Artistic profile
We are looking for an independent artist with a distinctive musical and visual identity. Ideally, a solo musician or a clearly defined front person who works between electronic music, ambient, experimental sound, post-punk, or alternative pop. A multi-instrumentalist who can build a live performance around the film would be especially valuable.
Production pipeline
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The central idea, characters, structure, and creative direction of the film have been established.
The first version of the screenplay and the initial presentation of the project are complete.
The screenplay is being refined while we search for the two lead actors and the artist who will become the film's musical co-creator.
→ This is the current point of the project.
Final casting, rehearsals, location preparation, visual tests, scheduling, and production planning.
The film is shot in one apartment with a small crew, a handheld MiniDV camera, and a performance-focused process.
Editing, sound design, colour work, and the final development of the relationship between the film and the album.
The film begins its festival life through traditional screenings and selected live cinema presentations with the artist.
The film continues as a touring audiovisual performance across clubs, galleries, concert venues, and music festivals.
Director's Statement
This project is important to me because it explores how family problems often fall on the child. It is the child who remains with the consequences when everything else is over. Through this story, I want to show a person shaped not by their own choices, but by the environment they exist in. The "child" here is not about age, but about a position — the one who stays.
It is important for me to approach this film as a collaboration, especially with the musician, who becomes part of the film and a co-author of it. Music and film are created together and influence each other — they are part of the same process, not separate elements. In this sense, the film also works as a form of promotion for the musician and their music. The music does not exist outside the film — it remains within it as an integral part.
— Volodymyr Busol, Writer / Director
Seg. 06 — Contact
Cast, crew, musicians, producers, press — tell us who you are and how you'd like to be involved. You can also email busol.film@gmail.com directly.