A JP Luce Experience
Deathday
It’s the year 2072, and Earth can no longer sustain its population. Desperate, countries unite and issue a horrific decree: The Re-creation. To try and preserve any future humanity Earth may have left, nations agree to exterminate anyone over the age of 40. For those under 40, the countdown begins, their own execution awaiting them on their 40th birthday. Our protagonist, Elijah Thomas Washington, wakes up the day after his birthday, confused. He should be dead. What happened? When Resisters show up at his door, they reveal a shocking truth: as a child, he was chosen to join them, an underground faction fighting to overthrow the Re-creation and return to the old ways. Once rescued and brought into the fold, he’ll join forces with others determined to challenge the brutal system, and fight for a future where no one’s life is cut short by decree.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Where did the story idea come from?
The idea came from a writing prompt I saw online; I don’t remember where. The prompt was, “You were supposed to die yesterday.” I wrote a short story based on that prompt.
2. What prompted you to make a movie, and when was the movie shot?
I was working on a novel, The Absence, and suffering from writer’s block, so I took a break from that project to write the screenplay based on the short story I’d already written. The movie was shot during summer 2023. Fun fact: I included a mock-up of The Absence book in the film as an Easter egg.
3. As someone who’s never made a movie, how did you know where to begin?
I Googled every question I could think of, watched YouTube videos, and enrolled in MasterClass. I also asked a friend, who was working on a documentary, for advice, as well as my granddaughter, who had just finished acting in an independent film. I was also fortunate enough to have friends that were able to help procure locations.
4. Why did you decide to use your Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra instead of a traditional camera?
The equipment I found online, as well as what was recommended to me, was prohibitively expensive, thus I Googled to find what phone camera was best to shoot a movie with and found filmmaker Ridley Scott had shot a short film on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, so that’s the phone I bought. I was able to kill two birds with one stone because my old phone was eight years old and on its last leg.
5. Why did you decide to make the movie B&W?
As a novice filmmaker, I made a lot of errors that we were unable to correct during the editing process, so we made an editorial decision to make it B&W and it worked brilliantly.
6. Why did you use a narrator for part of the film instead of letting the characters speak for themselves?
When we started editing, we found there was ambient noise we couldn’t edit out, such as the air conditioners and air purifiers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, for example. Again, as a novice, it didn’t occur to me that what sounded like ambient background noise would feature so prominently in the final product. Again, an editorial decision which worked.
7. What was the most challenging aspect of the entire project?
Shooting with just one camera, as well as editing. I had to shoot many scenes several times from different angles on my own. As for the editing, we used Adobe Premiere Pro and, although it’s an amazing product, my learning curve was steep!
8. Are you currently working on or planning any other film projects?
I’m currently working on a couple of TV pilots, one based on The Absence, the novel I’m currently querying, and a rom-com.
9. What did you learn about directing?
I learned that it’s a difficult thing to do on one’s own. If I’d had the budget, I would have hired an assistant director, a director of photography, a sound mixer, and a gaffer.
10. What are your long-term goals as a filmmaker?
I’d like to transition what I’ve learned while making this film into running my own TV show, i.e., I’d like to become a showrunner.
Film Format Information:
Shooting Format: Digital, 1920 x 1080 / 4k
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Run Time: 11:08
Language: English
TEASER
TRAILER
Luz N Ortiz, dba JP Luce and Lucy Aponte (Executive Producer/Director/Writer), is a Brooklyn-based writer and newly-minted producer/director of Deathday. She’s authored two children’s books in both English and Spanish (The Little Fly That Lost Her Way/La Mosquita Que Perdió Su Camino, and Gross!/¡Que Asco!, written under pseudonym Lucy Aponte), as well as a book of short stories (Story Snacks, written under pseudonym JP Luce). Her first novel, The Absence, is currently being queried. Luz earned her BA in Business Journalism from Baruch College, and her MA in Professional and Creative Writing from Long Island University (L.I.U.), Brooklyn Campus.
As a young man, Joseph Cutler began acting with the Scranton Repertoire Theater. In 2010, he moved to Berlin, Germany to reconnect with family and complete a PhD in Agricultural Science. Joseph returned to the United States in 2020 and resumed acting, doing background work in television productions with major networks. He also attended classes at The Barrow Group and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. The character Elijah Thomas Washington in Deathday is his first lead role in a short film.
Joe Zedd (role of Male Resister) is an actor who has been in several theater productions, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Pirates of Penzance.
Michelle Johnson (role of office worker) is a New York-based actor, currently training at the Barrow Group. She rediscovered her love of acting after seeking to pivot from a career in finance. She enjoys CrossFit, long-distance runs, and carrot cake.
Seeni Chandran (role of office worker) is a Brooklyn-based therapist, musician, and aspiring actor. He’s also appeared in A Sketch of New York, and in a college production of Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men.
Lameek S. Vanderveer (role of bench player): is a senior at Eagle Academy for Young Men II in Brooklyn, NY. Lameek aspires to be a Technical Engineer and is looking to join the Marine Corp upon graduation. Oorah to our future jarhead!
Rhoc Kwawununu (role of bench player) is a 16-year-old sophomore at A. Phillip Randolph High School in Harlem. He plays Defensive Tackle on the varsity football team, as well as is captain of the lacrosse team. Rhoc has aspirations of playing college football, as well as studying engineering. When he’s not enjoying his athletic pursuits, he loves gaming, going out to eat, and enjoying life while hanging out with his friends.
Brian Payne (Associate Producer) holds a BBA in economics from Pace University and has been a real estate agent in New York City since 2007. Deathday is his first film experience and the start to fulfilling a keen interest in film production. His other interests include cooking, baking, music, design, and cycling.
Nisha Simone (role of Female Resister)
Davlat Tagliev (role of Paul, Office Manager) is an actor who has been in numerous roles in film, theater, and TV productions, including Law & Order.
Chico Samuel (role of office worker) dreams of being an actor who can provide his audience maximum enjoyment via his performances.
Shameek P.J. Vanderveer, aka PJ (role of bench player): is an energetic 10-year-old student at Brooklyn Landmark Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY. He is in the 4th grade.
Donna Downes (Script Supervisor), a Bajan-born transplant to Brooklyn, is a second-grade public school teacher. She has been a teacher for twenty-three years and has loved every exhausting minute of it. Donna attended Hofstra University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and also holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Brooklyn College. Donna loves Brooklyn and enjoys stoop-gardening in the summer and caring for the block she lives on.
Allie Nelson (role of Brielle, office worker and protagonist’s bestie) is an actress, writer, and producer who trained at the William Esper Studio, the Less Strasberg Theater & Film Institute (through New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts), and Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCB). She’s also an accomplished stand-up comedian and improvisor. She will next be seen on the big screen in Megalo (or Tragic Comedy Acts of a Gen Z Megalomanic).
Blake Grossman (role of basketball player)
Patrice Payne (On-set Stills Photographer) is a passionate visual artist and educator whose artistic journey revolves around visibility, awareness, and interconnectivity.
Pryce Taylor (role of basketball player) is a 27-year-old boxer who has been boxing since 2015. He is currently a member of NYC Attitude, Team Combat League; in December 2023 he had his first professional boxing match in his hometown of NYC, which he won. His current record is 3-0. Pryce enjoys working out, modeling, acting and hanging out with his friends and family.
Crew
Simone Suber (Narrator)
Cast
Nekko Ortiz (role of Mark, office worker and protagonist’s bestie) Nekko joined the military when, as a young man, he found himself without a home. The military, where he served with distinction, provided him with discipline, resilience, and a better future. Transitioning from military life, Nekko embarked on a new journey as an actor and went on to attend New York Film Academy, where he learned to channel life experiences into compelling performances. He’s procured parts such as background actor on the show Mr. and Mrs. Smith, currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Hulu, as well as the movie We Real Cool, and a music video for TheUmut music.
