Logline:

A photographer schemes to expose his former best friend as an alien, in an effort to win back his ex.

Director's Statement:

I wanted to create a satire about people who can't move on from their exes and that lead me to an alien espionage thriller. I'm very empathetic to this avoidance of moving on, but I want to tell a story about people learning to do that, because that growth has been very important to me as I've navigated this stage of my life.

The Story:

EXPOSURE follows Chuck, a young photographer who becomes entangled with conspiracy personality Marlo Steen and self-proclaimed alien expert Lance Thorpe. After his breakup, Chuck does anything to avoid feeling the pain that the most important person to him no longer wants to be in his life. He falls into a group of conspiracy theorists, who want to recreate pre-alien-infested world of the 1990s. They believe that “Hollow Bodies” — aliens who take human form; are the reason his life and the world at large is terrible.

And he believes one of them is Nola.

Nola works at Pete’s Bar with Jude, Chuck’s former partner. The three of them share a long, complicated history. Now Jude and Nola are together, and Chuck is on the outside. Lance tells Chuck to proceed cautiously, to gather evidence, documentation, blend into the shadows of every room, and plan his moves carefully.

So Chuck starts filming. He plants hidden cameras. He records from a parking garage. He collects flash drives. He tortures himself watching Nola with Jude, the relationship he wishes he had. And he gathers her movement patterns and routines.

As Chuck gathers footage, he becomes certain that he must proceed. He becomes more and more convinced that the only way he and Jude can be together again is with Nola out of the picture. And he becomes increasingly chaotic and messy in his approach.

The film moves between bars, apartments, elevators, surveillance footage, and darkrooms. It plays with perspective: what’s seen, what’s recorded, and what’s believed— how everything you see can be folded into some imaginary world where you can still have who you want.

EXPOSURE explores how we get over each other or don't, our persistence to avoid a relationship's natural end, and how we learn to move on.

Your contributions will go toward:

Location access -650$
Costumes, makeup, production design & props -500$
Transportation -200$
Craft Services (Crew safety and comfort are our #1 priority) -700$
16mm Film and Processing (for select sequences) -500$
Selected Equipment -400$
Original Score Recording Session -200$
Actors -350$
James B. Pendleton Grant +1000$

We are working with a large, dedicated crew and cast, and our goal is to execute this film at a level that reflects the ambition of the script. Everything in our budget will elevate our production, and most importantly the experience of our crew on set.

Team:

Production

Director: Luke Horchler

Producers: Daniil Lazuka, Logan Perzi, Lily Sweeting

1st AD: Daniil Lazuka

2nd AD: Megan McNeil

Script Supervisors: Anastasiia Gubina, Maya Scuri

Casting Director: Nick Williams

Camera Department

Director of Photography: AT Rodgers

1st AC: Mari Kodama

2nd AC: Logan Perzi

Set Photography: Evan Lichtfus

Grip & Electric

Gaffer: Jeff Hauck

Key Grip: Sander Markley

Best Electric: Michael Peters

Swing: Lily Slagel

Grip: Jackie Houghtaling

Grip: Parker Anne Devine

Grip: Katie Berkowitz

Production Sound

Recordist: Sofia Kornemann

Boom Op: Katie Berkowitz

Art Department

Production/Costume Designer: Sydney Lombara

Art Director: Kayla Tidy

Prop Master: Aiden Tsuji

Hair and Makeup: Reina Fritz

Post-Production

Editor: Luke Horchler

Colorist: Jeff Hauck

Score/Music: James McGovern

Sound Designer: Luke Horchler

Cast

Chuck – Gareth Hogan
Nola – Valerie Wick
Jude - Ashton Showers
TV Narrator – Chad Maurice

If you’re able to contribute financially, we’re incredibly grateful. If not, sharing this campaign with friends, family, or on social media helps more than you know. Visibility directly impacts the success of student films like this. Thank you for supporting EXPOSURE and the filmmakers bringing it to life.