seiri.
Overview
When a naive young actor fails his big audition, he's unexpectedly recruited as a stunt double for a chaotic production run by a manipulative director. What begins as a chance to prove himself quickly spirals into a surreal and punishing nightmare of fake blood, real bruises, and broken dreams. As the stunts get more brutal and the cameras keep rolling, Evan must decide: how far will he go for a taste of fame?
Approach
Stuntman is, at its core, a story about the masks we wear to protect ourselves - and what happens when they crack. As someone who’s grown up in front of and behind the camera, I’ve always been drawn to the tension between who we present to the world and who we really are. This film explores that space through the eyes of its protagonist, a teenage boy who uses humor, danger, and distraction to avoid the pain he hasn’t yet learned to name. Having started in the industry as a young actor, I’ve experienced firsthand the pressure to perform - not just on screen, but in life. I wanted Stuntman to reflect the raw, messy truth of adolescence: how we cope, how we hide, and how we eventually confront the things that scare us most. This project holds a special place in my heart - it’s my final film for senior year, and the culmination of four years in my school’s film program. From my very first short in freshman year to now, every project has been a step toward finding my voice as a filmmaker. Stuntman is the product of everything I’ve learned, and a farewell to a chapter that shaped me creatively and personally. The filmmaking process pushed me to dig deeper - not only as a performer but as a director, writer, and collaborator. I drew from experiences on sets, and from the freedom I found in writing and directing passion projects like Side-Track’d. Ultimately, Stuntman is a love letter to the kids who feel like they have to be fearless all the time. I hope it reminds them, and all of us, that it’s okay to take off the mask.
seiri.
california