One of my oldest friends, Stephen Szmed, is working on a new short film, and this one is particularly special to me because it’s inspired by our childhood group of friends.
Growing up, I was fortunate to have a close-knit group of friends who were a huge part of my life. We spent countless hours together, getting into trouble, finding ways to entertain ourselves, and generally being the kind of weird, awkward kids that we were. Looking back, those friendships were such an important part of my childhood and helped shape the person I eventually became.
Stephen was always the filmmaker of the group. I have fond memories of us making ridiculous home movies together, long before any of us had much of an idea what we were doing. While the rest of us eventually went off in different directions, Stephen turned that childhood passion into a career in filmmaking. It’s been really cool to watch him pursue something he’s loved for as long as I’ve known him.
Now, twenty years later, he’s returning to those childhood experiences for inspiration.
His new short film, “Loser”, is a coming-of-age thriller about four teenage friends whose adventure into a storm drain takes a dark turn. It’s a story about friendship, belonging, peer pressure, and some of the uglier dynamics that can exist among adolescent boys. What I particularly appreciate about the project is that it isn’t interested in romanticizing childhood friendships. As much as I treasure those years, growing up is messy. Kids can be cruel to each other, even among close friends, and the desire to fit in can make us do things we’re not particularly proud of. Those experiences, good and bad, stick with us.
Stephen is currently raising money to help bring “Loser” to life. He’s spent years developing the project and saving toward production, and now he’s looking for a little help getting it across the finish line. If the project sounds interesting, please consider contributing to his crowdfunding campaign on Seed&Spark, or even just sharing it with someone who might enjoy it.
Mostly, though, I just want to say how proud I am of my friend. It’s pretty amazing that the kid I grew up making silly movies with is still making movies all these years later. There’s something really special about seeing a friend take experiences that meant so much to both of us and turn them into a piece of art. I’m incredibly excited for Stephen, and I can’t wait to see what he creates.
