In the Clear
Written and Directed by Jack Vento
After centuries of silence, a new age of prophets has begun. Mick has accepted that, as the first and only recipient of the gift of prophecy, it's finally time that he found someone who can help him navigate this new path. On his journey to find guidance, Mick is confronted by an old friendship that had crumbled under the weight of his newly designated responsibilities. Not even through the third day of his journey and it is shaping up to be a larger venture than anticipated.
Filmmaker’s Statement
Hey, it's me Jack. Writer and director of In the Clear. Ah, ya know, what can I say? I really just had a blast making this short film. This short was my capstone film project as a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I had been thinking about and anticipating my senior film throughout my entire career at UWM. As a freshman it was something that intimidated me, and it quickly became something that would excite me and keep me looking forward to every semester. It wasn’t until the summer before my senior year (summer 2020) that I really came up with the idea for In the Clear. Throughout my junior year I tinkered with a lot of ideas, and I thought I had nailed it down a number of times. Most notably I remember a month or two where I had convinced myself I would be making a Star Wars fan film, and following that I had been infatuated with a quick but action packed piece inspired by Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series.
As anyone who experienced it will tell you, 2020 was not the kindest of years. The consensus seems to be that in one way or another, it was hard to get through. For me, the trails of 2020 came in the form of a broken heart and the development of depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPDR). These two experiences served as the core elements of In the Clear. I wanted to make DPDR into something cool, while still demonstrating what it's like through the lens of fantasy; Mick’s prophetic episode/possession became the embodiment of those experiences. Additionally, Eva’s reintroduction into Mick’s life was my way of exploring opportunities I know I’d never have in relationships that cannot be revisited. Ya know, like opening up that door to address heartbreak in a fantasy setting. It’s heartbreak. It’s complicated. Sometimes you just wish you could go back and say something bluntly, and you feel as if you’d get better if you could just get that one statement off your chest. Sometimes that comes from a place of anger, or sadness, or confusion, whatever it may be, but Mick handles the Eva situation by being upfront and honest.
I wrote In the Clear as a part of a larger story. The story extends into the past where it explores the Divulgence, as well as into the future, where Mick learns to control his abilities while maintaining some semblance of mental health. Both directions in time, before In the Clear and after, are stories I am continuing to develop and mature. Thanks for reading. Thanks for watching. Keep on keepin’ on.
May the Force be with you. Always.
Jack
