Lizzy – Short Film

The goal of “Lizzy”is to produce a short film that tells a small story that focuses on one moment in time. However, it is not just any story, it’s a story that calls attention to a monstrous issue that faces our world today, and one that almost everyone can relate to in one way or another.

This short film takes a look at a woman who is dealing with the consequences of Alzheimer’s disease in her father, and how she copes with this problem.

The film is lightly based, and mirrors, the real-life story of the directors grandmother, and great-grandfather (who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.)

The film will be shot on location at the director’s grandmother’s childhood farmhouse in Plainview, NE, with the goal of paying tribute to the location, his grandparents, and his great-grandparents. Beyond the scope of that immediate relationship, however; the goal is to give audiences around the United States and around the world a small yet powerful moment to relate to – if even for just a moment.

“Lizzy” is a short film that experiences a single moment, stretched between the past and present. A single moment shared between a loving father, and an adoring daughter. A moment that focuses on basic human emotions: both happiness and sadness.

On this short journey, we are put in the shoes of a hard-working, tired, middle-aged woman named Elizabeth, who is visiting her Alzheimer’s stricken father at a nursing home. This particular morning, her father is having a difficult time remembering who Elizabeth is, and gets both violent and scared toward her.

Torn apart, Elizabeth heads back to her childhood farmhouse to help keep the place in order. She journeys through various areas of the farm, sweeping dead flies and wiping down counters. As she cleans, her emotions from the morning catch up with her, and she experiences a tender cry over her father’s current state.

She notices an old photo that flashes her back to a happy, yet tender moment that her father and herself shared when she was a child. A memory of one of her father’s birthdays, when she gave him a homemade clay sculpture of their farmhouse.

After lingering on the memory for a short moment, she thinks about the old gift that she gave her father, and goes searching for it in the house. She ultimately finds the gift, and takes it to the nursing home to give to her father, who is still acting distant. Right before she exits his room, he remembers the old gift and moment from years prior, and subsequently remembers his daughter – sharing his first lucid moment with her in years.

Elijah Watson - Writer, Director, Co-Producer

Elijah Watson discovered his love for storytelling at an early age, and it developed into a passion when he was eight years old and decided to make his own remake of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The film was horrific, but it helped him discover that making films and telling stories was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Every project that he has created or been a part of has taught him something new, and each of those experiences culminate with every new project. He believes that “Lizzy” is a story worth telling, both because of his personal connection with the story and characters, but also because it’s a story that he believes the world can relate to – on multiple levels.

Benjamin Hartzell - Director of Photography, Co-Producer

Benjamin Hartzell decided to become a cinematographer his freshman year of high school. He fell in love with the idea of using a camera and lights to tell unique stories, and share them with the world for everyone to experience. Benjamin graduated from the Johnny Carson School of Theater and Film at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and has worked professionally in Nebraska, Seattle, and Los Angeles. These professional experiences have taught him how to deliver the highest quality of work, no matter the situation. He is both excited and humbled to have the opportunity to help tell the simple story that is “Lizzy.”

Katryna Vander Zwaag - Production Designer

Katryna Vander Zwaag is a freshman film and new media student from Omaha, Nebraska. She is the oldest of six children and finds college life a lot more quiet than her usual home life. Her focus is on animation, mainly stop motion, and enjoys creating small designs and sets for even smaller puppets. She is really excited to try her hand at production design for a larger production and help tell this tender story. She would like to thank her family for all the support they have given.

In order to tell this story the way it needs to be told, the producers are looking to raise approximately $10,000 to offset costs of travel for the cast and crew, provide housing, meals, and other important set operations over the course of the production.

A complete breakdown of costs per department are listed below:

Upon completion of the production, the film will be in post-production for approximately two months – aiming for a release date around August 1^st, 2018.See the complete timeline for the film below: