The Applicant - Short Film
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Crime, Comedy
Jared is an ordinary guy who walks into what he thinks is a routine job interview, only to find himself sitting across from a trio of men who look less like hiring managers & more like executioners. As Jared tries to make sense of it, his nerves twist into paranoia, then a full-blown delusion.
The Applicant - Short Film
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Crime, Comedy
1 Campaigns |
Green Light
This campaign raised $3,200 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
9 supporters | followers
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Jared is an ordinary guy who walks into what he thinks is a routine job interview, only to find himself sitting across from a trio of men who look less like hiring managers & more like executioners. As Jared tries to make sense of it, his nerves twist into paranoia, then a full-blown delusion.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A Short Film by Carter Tomberlin with Moon Horizon Productions LLC
Who are you willing to become to be accepted?
Jared thinks he’s walking into a routine job interview. Fluorescent lights. A small chair. four managers behind a long table. Resume in hand. Normal enough.
Until the questions start.
How far would you go for loyalty?
Who would you betray to belong?
What part of yourself are you willing to erase?
The Applicant is a dark comedy and psychological drama about an ordinary man facing an extraordinary test: interviewing for a place in the mafia. What begins as a tense but familiar professional ritual slowly fractures into something surreal, sinister, and deeply personal. As the interview escalates, Jared’s anxiety turns into paranoia, and paranoia into delusion. The boundary between reality and fear dissolves, leaving him trapped inside his own unraveling mind.
This film lives in that quiet, terrifying space we all recognize. The performance of self. The practiced smile. The careful answers. The silent calculation of what they want to hear versus who I really am.
Visually, the film leans into a Noir and 90s gangster cinematic style. It is a heightened reality where the room itself feels like it is watching Jared. The quad across from him may be mobsters or just manifestations of everything he fears he is not.
Characters
Jared- (20's), Male. A young anxious loner who is tying to find his place in the world. His life was once full of joy and exciting moments, but now he often walks life alone, wishing he could get those happy memories back. Awkward, sincere, and constantly overthinking, Jared is just a guy who wants a job, but instead he finds himself signing up for something more.
The Don- (60's), The big man himself. The guy who runs it all. The Don is the calm, soft spoken leader of the mob, but don’t mistake his collected composure for softnesss. Everyone knows he’s the last guy you want mess with.
Lucia- (20's), The Don’s only daughter. Don’t fool her for a damsel in distress, because she’s a buisness women who knows how to stand on her own too feet. While observant, poised, and emotionally intelligent, she actively doesn’t threaten or bluster -she sees.
the Enforcer- (30's), Power. Strength. Fear. This is who The Enforcer is. An all guns and glory type of guy, The Enforcer is a physically imposing and thrilled by the fear of others. Cold, calculated, and brute by nature, if there’s a problem you need help with- The Enforcer is definitely the guy to call.
Consigliere- (40's)Unlike the other members of the family, The Account doesn’t like to get his hands dirty. Nicknamed the Shadow Man because of his lack of emotion and silent, dark presence, The Account is the one who keeps the family going. Not a single dollar gets pass him and if it did well…let’s just say you don’t want him hunting you down.
Timeline
Inspiration
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I believe this project has the potential to be a sharp, unforgettable psychological dark comedy, one that blends tension, humor, and emotional honesty into a uniquely gripping experience.
What draws me to this story is how deeply human it is. Jared isn’t fighting villains or uncovering some grand scheme. He’s lonely. He wants to belong. And because of that, the situation in front of him begins to twist into something bigger and stranger than it really is. That’s how anxiety works—the room gets smaller, the pressure builds, and suddenly every question feels loaded with consequences.
I want the film to live inside that tension: funny in the way panic can be funny, but grounded in something tender and real. No gimmicks, just atmosphere, character, and the slow, suffocating squeeze of a man trying to hold himself together.
At its heart, The Applicant is about anxiety and belonging. About the versions of ourselves we perform, the lies we tell to seem “acceptable,” and the quiet fear that maybe who we really are isn’t enough. While Jared’s interview spirals outward, what he’s truly confronting is himself. What he’s willing to give up, and what it costs to be seen.
I’m proud of this story and excited by the tone it strikes. I hope it resonates with anyone who has ever sat in a room, playing a part, hoping this might finally be the moment they’re let in.
— Carter Tomberlin
Why We’re Making This Film
Moon Horizon Productions LLC was founded to spotlight stories that live in emotional gray areas. We aim to tell stories that feel intimate, uncomfortable, and deeply human. We are drawn to intimate character studies that examine the quiet psychological pressures shaping how we move through the world. The Applicant is a contained, character-driven descent into the performance of survival, told entirely through the inner world of one man under pressure.
This story grew out of conversations within our team about pressure—about the subtle, relentless performance of being “acceptable.” Not in dramatic, cinematic moments, but in everyday rooms. Classrooms. Offices. Creative spaces. Social circles. Spaces where the stakes feel invisible yet enormous.
We’ve each experienced moments of walking into rooms where we felt we had to edit ourselves to be chosen, to belong, or simply to survive. Over time, we became fascinated by how easily that performance can blur the line between who we are and who we think we need to be.
What fascinated us was how subtle this transformation can be. The line between authenticity and performance doesn’t disappear all at once, it shifts gradually, until we’re no longer sure where it stands.
That tension became the emotional foundation of this film.
We move through systems that constantly measure, rank, and assess us professionally, socially, digitally. It can begin to feel as though we are managing a version of ourselves rather than living as one. The psychological weight of that reality often goes unspoken. With The Applicant, I wanted to give that inner strain a cinematic form.
We are making The Applicant independently with a small team of emerging filmmakers who care deeply about tone, craft, and intentional storytelling. We believe in building an environment where collaboration is thoughtful and every creative choice serves the emotional truth of the piece. Every dollar raised goes directly toward supporting our cast, crew, production design, and post-production with care.
This project is personal to us. It reflects conversations we’ve had privately and fears we’ve navigated individually. Making this film now feels necessary, not just as artists, but as people trying to understand the pressures shaping our generation.
Why We Need You
We need your support to bring The Applicant to life, and we invite you to be part of this journey. Independent filmmaking depends on community.
Regardless of background, identity, or experience, many of us know the feeling of walking into a room hoping to be chosen- of carrying insecurity, loneliness, or self-doubt quietly beneath a composed exterior, much like our protagonist Jared.
Many of us know what it feels like to seek validation in rooms where acceptance feels conditional. To rehearse what we’ll say before we say it. To wonder whether who we are, unfiltered, would be enough. Those moments can be isolating, even when surrounded by others.
This film examines that isolation through tension and dark humor, inviting audiences to confront a familiar but rarely acknowledged fear: the fear of being unseen beneath the version of ourselves we present to the world.
At a time when isolation feels increasingly common, it is essential to tell stories that create empathy and spark honest conversation. By supporting The Applicant, you’re helping create space for that conversation. You’re backing a project that values emotional honesty and Most importantly, you’re helping us remind viewers that the anxieties they quietly carry are not theirs alone.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
- FOLLOW us on Instagram @moonhorizonproductions and @theapplicantfilm where we will be posting updates and more information about our film!
- DONATE any amount, and if you can’t, we would love it if you could share our link to friends, family, or socials to help spread the word.
- JOIN us on our journey of bringing this story to life! If you are based in the Atlanta area come participate in our film. Also, If you have resources you want to share or questions, don’t be afraid to email us at [email protected].
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Rental Equipment
Costs $800
Supports a mix of professional gear like the Sony FX3 and our own equipment as Indie filmmakers to elevate the film’s visual quality.
Set
Costs $650
Helps build a realistic mob den that grounds the story and brings the world of the film to life. Location will be in or around the ATL area
Production Design
Costs $800
Brings our world to life by shaping both characters and spaces, blending the modern day with a gritty ’90s mobster aesthetic
Actors
Costs $600
Work with talented actors who can fully embody our carefully crafted characters and bring emotional depth and authenticity to the film
Costumes
Costs $300
Allows us to authentically capture ’90s Italian style and culture, helping define character, era, and identity on screen.
On set Meals and Crafty
Costs $450
This item is needed to replenish happiness and energy for our cast and crew to get through the weekend.
Post Production
Costs $400
Ensures the highest visual and emotional quality through editing, color grading, original scoring, promotion, and film festival runs.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Moon Horizon is a newly established film company with a mission to foster a collaborative environment for creatives to learn and grow. We strive to produce quality, meaningful cinematic works that resonates with audiences. Our focus is on building a supportive team to bring diverse voices and compelling stories to life. With an emphasis on storytelling, innovation, and collaboration, Moon Horizon aims to fill the gap for creators seeking a nurturing space to hone their craft and share their vision with the world.
Founded by Zora Evans in 2024, Moon Horizon Productions LLC was intended to give filmmakers of all levels of experience a chance to experiment with their ideas and take creative risks. We hope to always provide a friendly, uplifting, and encouraging environment on set . Our company consists of four board members– Zora Evans, Carter Tomberlin, Amrita Raza, and Gahnique Bell– and a group of supportive assistants that have helped us grow and each our goals. The content we create ranges from short films, musicals, web series, educational social media posts, and so much more. We intended to push our limits and tests new concepts and forms of media as we progress, as one of our core values is to remain open-minded to all forms of storytelling and stimulate new ideas.
Not only do we wish to give aspiring filmmakers these incredible opportunities, we plan to offer all of this for very affordable prices. We try to keep our prices low and accessible to everyone to ensure everyone has a chance to be apart of what we do. These projects will allow people to add an impressive, impactful, high-quality film to their resume all in a relatively low budget! We know how expensive filmmaking can be, and when the costs are high, so are the stakes and stress. It's not always the best environment to learn and take creative risks. But at Moon Horizon, our vision is to provide that safe space for everyone.
We almost never work with the same crew twice, which is one of the best parts of being on set! Each time is an opportunity to network, connect, and make potential friends along the way. We are a new company that can't wait to show all that we can do and who we can help along the way. So far, we are already making so much progress and are focusing on fostering creativity, and with a little support, passion, and discipline, we know that Moon Horizon will reach the stars!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A Short Film by Carter Tomberlin with Moon Horizon Productions LLC
Who are you willing to become to be accepted?
Jared thinks he’s walking into a routine job interview. Fluorescent lights. A small chair. four managers behind a long table. Resume in hand. Normal enough.
Until the questions start.
How far would you go for loyalty?
Who would you betray to belong?
What part of yourself are you willing to erase?
The Applicant is a dark comedy and psychological drama about an ordinary man facing an extraordinary test: interviewing for a place in the mafia. What begins as a tense but familiar professional ritual slowly fractures into something surreal, sinister, and deeply personal. As the interview escalates, Jared’s anxiety turns into paranoia, and paranoia into delusion. The boundary between reality and fear dissolves, leaving him trapped inside his own unraveling mind.
This film lives in that quiet, terrifying space we all recognize. The performance of self. The practiced smile. The careful answers. The silent calculation of what they want to hear versus who I really am.
Visually, the film leans into a Noir and 90s gangster cinematic style. It is a heightened reality where the room itself feels like it is watching Jared. The quad across from him may be mobsters or just manifestations of everything he fears he is not.
Characters
Jared- (20's), Male. A young anxious loner who is tying to find his place in the world. His life was once full of joy and exciting moments, but now he often walks life alone, wishing he could get those happy memories back. Awkward, sincere, and constantly overthinking, Jared is just a guy who wants a job, but instead he finds himself signing up for something more.
The Don- (60's), The big man himself. The guy who runs it all. The Don is the calm, soft spoken leader of the mob, but don’t mistake his collected composure for softnesss. Everyone knows he’s the last guy you want mess with.
Lucia- (20's), The Don’s only daughter. Don’t fool her for a damsel in distress, because she’s a buisness women who knows how to stand on her own too feet. While observant, poised, and emotionally intelligent, she actively doesn’t threaten or bluster -she sees.
the Enforcer- (30's), Power. Strength. Fear. This is who The Enforcer is. An all guns and glory type of guy, The Enforcer is a physically imposing and thrilled by the fear of others. Cold, calculated, and brute by nature, if there’s a problem you need help with- The Enforcer is definitely the guy to call.
Consigliere- (40's)Unlike the other members of the family, The Account doesn’t like to get his hands dirty. Nicknamed the Shadow Man because of his lack of emotion and silent, dark presence, The Account is the one who keeps the family going. Not a single dollar gets pass him and if it did well…let’s just say you don’t want him hunting you down.
Timeline
Inspiration
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I believe this project has the potential to be a sharp, unforgettable psychological dark comedy, one that blends tension, humor, and emotional honesty into a uniquely gripping experience.
What draws me to this story is how deeply human it is. Jared isn’t fighting villains or uncovering some grand scheme. He’s lonely. He wants to belong. And because of that, the situation in front of him begins to twist into something bigger and stranger than it really is. That’s how anxiety works—the room gets smaller, the pressure builds, and suddenly every question feels loaded with consequences.
I want the film to live inside that tension: funny in the way panic can be funny, but grounded in something tender and real. No gimmicks, just atmosphere, character, and the slow, suffocating squeeze of a man trying to hold himself together.
At its heart, The Applicant is about anxiety and belonging. About the versions of ourselves we perform, the lies we tell to seem “acceptable,” and the quiet fear that maybe who we really are isn’t enough. While Jared’s interview spirals outward, what he’s truly confronting is himself. What he’s willing to give up, and what it costs to be seen.
I’m proud of this story and excited by the tone it strikes. I hope it resonates with anyone who has ever sat in a room, playing a part, hoping this might finally be the moment they’re let in.
— Carter Tomberlin
Why We’re Making This Film
Moon Horizon Productions LLC was founded to spotlight stories that live in emotional gray areas. We aim to tell stories that feel intimate, uncomfortable, and deeply human. We are drawn to intimate character studies that examine the quiet psychological pressures shaping how we move through the world. The Applicant is a contained, character-driven descent into the performance of survival, told entirely through the inner world of one man under pressure.
This story grew out of conversations within our team about pressure—about the subtle, relentless performance of being “acceptable.” Not in dramatic, cinematic moments, but in everyday rooms. Classrooms. Offices. Creative spaces. Social circles. Spaces where the stakes feel invisible yet enormous.
We’ve each experienced moments of walking into rooms where we felt we had to edit ourselves to be chosen, to belong, or simply to survive. Over time, we became fascinated by how easily that performance can blur the line between who we are and who we think we need to be.
What fascinated us was how subtle this transformation can be. The line between authenticity and performance doesn’t disappear all at once, it shifts gradually, until we’re no longer sure where it stands.
That tension became the emotional foundation of this film.
We move through systems that constantly measure, rank, and assess us professionally, socially, digitally. It can begin to feel as though we are managing a version of ourselves rather than living as one. The psychological weight of that reality often goes unspoken. With The Applicant, I wanted to give that inner strain a cinematic form.
We are making The Applicant independently with a small team of emerging filmmakers who care deeply about tone, craft, and intentional storytelling. We believe in building an environment where collaboration is thoughtful and every creative choice serves the emotional truth of the piece. Every dollar raised goes directly toward supporting our cast, crew, production design, and post-production with care.
This project is personal to us. It reflects conversations we’ve had privately and fears we’ve navigated individually. Making this film now feels necessary, not just as artists, but as people trying to understand the pressures shaping our generation.
Why We Need You
We need your support to bring The Applicant to life, and we invite you to be part of this journey. Independent filmmaking depends on community.
Regardless of background, identity, or experience, many of us know the feeling of walking into a room hoping to be chosen- of carrying insecurity, loneliness, or self-doubt quietly beneath a composed exterior, much like our protagonist Jared.
Many of us know what it feels like to seek validation in rooms where acceptance feels conditional. To rehearse what we’ll say before we say it. To wonder whether who we are, unfiltered, would be enough. Those moments can be isolating, even when surrounded by others.
This film examines that isolation through tension and dark humor, inviting audiences to confront a familiar but rarely acknowledged fear: the fear of being unseen beneath the version of ourselves we present to the world.
At a time when isolation feels increasingly common, it is essential to tell stories that create empathy and spark honest conversation. By supporting The Applicant, you’re helping create space for that conversation. You’re backing a project that values emotional honesty and Most importantly, you’re helping us remind viewers that the anxieties they quietly carry are not theirs alone.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
- FOLLOW us on Instagram @moonhorizonproductions and @theapplicantfilm where we will be posting updates and more information about our film!
- DONATE any amount, and if you can’t, we would love it if you could share our link to friends, family, or socials to help spread the word.
- JOIN us on our journey of bringing this story to life! If you are based in the Atlanta area come participate in our film. Also, If you have resources you want to share or questions, don’t be afraid to email us at [email protected].
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Rental Equipment
Costs $800
Supports a mix of professional gear like the Sony FX3 and our own equipment as Indie filmmakers to elevate the film’s visual quality.
Set
Costs $650
Helps build a realistic mob den that grounds the story and brings the world of the film to life. Location will be in or around the ATL area
Production Design
Costs $800
Brings our world to life by shaping both characters and spaces, blending the modern day with a gritty ’90s mobster aesthetic
Actors
Costs $600
Work with talented actors who can fully embody our carefully crafted characters and bring emotional depth and authenticity to the film
Costumes
Costs $300
Allows us to authentically capture ’90s Italian style and culture, helping define character, era, and identity on screen.
On set Meals and Crafty
Costs $450
This item is needed to replenish happiness and energy for our cast and crew to get through the weekend.
Post Production
Costs $400
Ensures the highest visual and emotional quality through editing, color grading, original scoring, promotion, and film festival runs.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Moon Horizon is a newly established film company with a mission to foster a collaborative environment for creatives to learn and grow. We strive to produce quality, meaningful cinematic works that resonates with audiences. Our focus is on building a supportive team to bring diverse voices and compelling stories to life. With an emphasis on storytelling, innovation, and collaboration, Moon Horizon aims to fill the gap for creators seeking a nurturing space to hone their craft and share their vision with the world.
Founded by Zora Evans in 2024, Moon Horizon Productions LLC was intended to give filmmakers of all levels of experience a chance to experiment with their ideas and take creative risks. We hope to always provide a friendly, uplifting, and encouraging environment on set . Our company consists of four board members– Zora Evans, Carter Tomberlin, Amrita Raza, and Gahnique Bell– and a group of supportive assistants that have helped us grow and each our goals. The content we create ranges from short films, musicals, web series, educational social media posts, and so much more. We intended to push our limits and tests new concepts and forms of media as we progress, as one of our core values is to remain open-minded to all forms of storytelling and stimulate new ideas.
Not only do we wish to give aspiring filmmakers these incredible opportunities, we plan to offer all of this for very affordable prices. We try to keep our prices low and accessible to everyone to ensure everyone has a chance to be apart of what we do. These projects will allow people to add an impressive, impactful, high-quality film to their resume all in a relatively low budget! We know how expensive filmmaking can be, and when the costs are high, so are the stakes and stress. It's not always the best environment to learn and take creative risks. But at Moon Horizon, our vision is to provide that safe space for everyone.
We almost never work with the same crew twice, which is one of the best parts of being on set! Each time is an opportunity to network, connect, and make potential friends along the way. We are a new company that can't wait to show all that we can do and who we can help along the way. So far, we are already making so much progress and are focusing on fostering creativity, and with a little support, passion, and discipline, we know that Moon Horizon will reach the stars!