The Snitching Heart Teaser from Via Optima on Vimeo.

A modern adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart. Written by Alejandro M. Patiño and Ashley Barker and filmed by 19 year old filmmakers John Merizalde and David Torcivia, the project was produced on a budget of $0. It was filmed on a borrowed Sony EX1 with music produced by friends Daniel Forkner, Ben Jackson, and Patrick Stoica.

The Beach from Via Optima on Vimeo.

Footage shot at Bradenton Beach, off the gulf coast of Florida in order to test some new equipment.

A short film about a police officer and barriers of understanding – physical and otherwise. This is the first production of Poet Zero, comprised of the creators of The Shepherd, The Augur, 3:10 to Recess, Synchronicity, and The Non-Conformist among many others.

The project was filmed with a Canon XHA1 filmed in 24F mode at 1/48 shutter speed. Lighting was minimal though heavy grading was performed in Adobe After Effects. Audio was recorded with a Rode NTG1 and an AKG C1000S. Editing was performed in Sony Vegas and visual effects were composited in After Effects. The budget for the entire project was $0.

Special thanks to: Las Americas, UGA, Ray Paolino, Doraville Police Dept, Michael Doscher, Alan Creasy, Brandon McCormick, and Dan Marrero.

Synchronicity is a 5-minute short produced for 2009’s Campus Film Fest at Georgia State University. Produced by two GSU students and Via Optima members, John Merizalde and Tyler Marlow, this short vignette follows a lonely individual and the odd occurrences that begin to plague his life. The film questions the meaning of coincidence and fate, and the correlation between the two.

The film was shot and edited within 4 days on a Panasonic DVX100 with a Rode NTG-1 shotgun microphone. Post production was completed on Sony Vegas and Adobe After Effects. The budget for this project was $0.

Via Optima has finished up post-production for their latest short: The Shepherd.

The film follows the story of a confused and unfortunate journalist named Adam Cloudly who slowly falls into a world of ever increasing madness. It is a tale filled with twists, danger, and an ever deceitful government. Or is it a tale of a man who loses his mind?

The Shepherd is a short film (19:30) written, directed, produced, etc. by two eighteen year-olds: John Merizalde and David Torcivia. Fresh out of high school around Atlanta, Georgia, we are preparing to study film and broadcast at college. This is our first serious attempt at a truly professional (in an indie way) film.

The film (a psychological thriller) is shot on a Canon HV30 at 24p 1/48 with no external lens or adapters. Color correction, special effects, and editing was performed in Sony Vegas and Adobe After Effects. Friends and family are used as actors in the film (the trailer has a cast of 3). The film is shot on location throughout the Atlanta area. This is a no budget project meaning we spent less than $80 on the entire film which is nearly complete and should be released within a month.

We are looking for exposure, comments, criticisms and the likes. Feel free to download and distribute the trailer and film once it is up. All we ask is a mention and link back to our Vimeo page. One last note, if you live in the Atlanta area and would be interested in collaborating, helping, or just chatting, feel free to contact us.

Enjoy the entire film: