THE AUDITION
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Thriller, Drama
A struggling Los Angeles actor enters a high-stakes casting call, only to be trapped in an intense interrogation by an uncanny casting agent. Pushed to his emotional limit, he must strip away his rehearsed facade and confront his deepest doubts to discover who he truly is.
THE AUDITION
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Thriller, Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
9 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$310
Goal: $2,850 for production
A struggling Los Angeles actor enters a high-stakes casting call, only to be trapped in an intense interrogation by an uncanny casting agent. Pushed to his emotional limit, he must strip away his rehearsed facade and confront his deepest doubts to discover who he truly is.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hi! I'm Oscar Montion, a filmmaker based in Los Angeles and the writer/director of The Audition.
This film was born out of the unspoken psychological friction every artist faces: the pressure of expectations, the terror of vulnerability, and the exhausting habit of performing for approval. Raised in South LA, I’ve always been drawn to stories that peel back polite surfaces to explore the raw internal battles we hide from the world. With The Audition, I wanted to externalize that silent imposter syndrome into a tense, surreal psychological thriller—turning an ordinary casting room into an uncanny mirror that forces our protagonist to face his deepest truths.
I’ve dedicated my work to crafting high-stakes, character-driven narratives across multiple genres. My previous screenplays have gained recognition across several festivals and competitions, including honors at the Independent Shorts Awards, Culver City Film Festival (Best Western Short Script for my western The Duel), and the Hollywood Just4Shorts Competition. Bringing complex, layered characters to life through disciplined visual storytelling is the driving force behind everything I write.
Ariel Garcia as JASON MILLER
An aspiring, insecure actor carrying the heavy weight of family expectations and self-doubt. He has perfected the art of pleasing others at the expense of his own identity. Trapped in an interrogation room that obeys no physical laws, he must shed his rehearsed armor to uncover who he really is.
Kevin Dulude as MR. BLACK
The enigmatic, unyielding interrogator running the audition. Calm, observant, and impossible to read, he refuses to let Jason rely on memorized lines or superficial charm. He acts as the psychological catalyst who systematically strips away Jason's defenses to expose the raw truth underneath.
Hans Eleveld as
THE FATHER (MR. MILLER)
A powerful psychological presence representing the roots of Jason’s need for approval. His memory lingers over Jason’s ambition like a permanent verdict, forcing Jason to reconcile familial loyalty with creative truth.
At its core, The Audition is about the danger of allowing other people to define your worth.
Green is a major part of The Audition’s visual identity — the color becomes more than an aesthetic choice; it’s part of the character’s psychological journey. And, honestly, I just really love green.
OUR CREW
Yep, that handsome guy on the far left is me (Oscar), followed left to right by 1st AD Diego Hernandez, and producers Ryan Ladao and Tristan Avery Thomas.
To bring The Audition to the screen, I’ve partnered with producers Tristan Avery Thomas and Ryan Ladao of Gruff Studios, an independent Hollywood production collective dedicated to bold, technically rigorous, and culturally diverse independent cinema. Gruff Studios brings a proven track record of disciplined, high-concept filmmaking, having produced projects like Homunculus (2025), a unique psychological horror short, and Kentucky Bourbon (2026), an atmospheric, unnerving psychological thriller.
We make films through the strength of community, collaborative trust, and meticulous on-set discipline. With The Audition, we are bringing together our core creative team alongside the emerging talent of The Los Angeles Film School community to build this ambitious psychological void from the ground up and we can’t wait to have you in our corner as we bring it to life.
Every single dollar of our $2,850 goal goes straight onto the stage and into the care of our people. No fluff, no wasted overhead:
Sustaining 20+ Filmmakers for 4 Days: Over 65% of our budget directly finances warm, nutritious lunches and all-day, health-conscious craft services. Long studio days under hot stage lights demand real physical stamina, and we ensure our crew is fueled, safe, and treated with genuine respect.
Executing the Visual Illusion: A focused $350 covers the specialized wardrobe and on-set HMU styling needed to pull off the rapid, in-camera duality between Young Jason and Older Jason.
Crossing the Finish Line: The remaining funds lock in essential post-production sound design to sell the claustrophobia of the void, alongside early festival submission fees so our team’s hard work reaches audiences and industry eyes worldwide.
🎯 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PASS 100%? (POST-PRODUCTION & FESTIVAL STRETCH GOALS)
Reaching our $2,850 baseline goal successfully finishes our core edit and thesis delivery. But with principal photography wrapped, extra funds don't go to vague "development"—they go straight into the technical finishing touches that take The Audition from raw soundstage rushes to an elite, festival-ready psychological thriller.
Here is what your support unlocks in the post-production suite:
🟢 LEVEL 1: $3,600 (125%) — Theatrical Color Grading & Visual VFX Polish
What It Funds:
The Audition relies on a clinical, psychological atmosphere. Reaching $3,600 funds dedicated finishing time in a professional DaVinci Resolve color suite to craft our signature look: sickly institutional hospital greens, sterile fluorescent contrasts, and deep charcoal shadows that isolate Jason in Room 409. It also funds digital visual effects clean-up and subtle compositing to seamlessly sell the surreal mechanics of the audition clock.
🔓 Community Unlock for ALL Backers:
Every backer receives an exclusive video featurette: "Anatomy of a Scene." A split-screen breakdown showing raw Log camera footage alongside the final master color grade, with director Oscar Montion explaining how color is used to reflect Jason’s unraveling psyche.
🟢 LEVEL 2: $4,400 (150%) — Theatrical 5.1 Surround Sound Design, Custom Foley & Master Mix
What It Funds:
In a psychological thriller, sound is more than half the experience. Hitting $4,400 unlocks a cinema-grade theatrical 5.1 surround sound mix, custom Foley recording (capturing the claustrophobic scrape of the audition chair, labored breathing, and the oppressive, rhythmic tick of the clock), and an expanded scoring budget to give our composer the resources needed to deliver an immersive, premium sonic landscape.
🔓 Community Unlock for ALL Backers:
All backers get a digital download of The Audition: Isolated Score & Soundscape EP (high-res master audio) plus an exclusive digital Director’s Audio Commentary Track upon completion of post-production.
🟢 LEVEL 3: $5,300 (185%) — Academy-Qualifying Festival Campaign & DCP Deliverables
What It Funds:
Finishing the film is only half the journey; getting it seen by top industry programmers and curators is the ultimate goal. Submitting to 20+ top-tier and Academy-qualifying festivals (such as HollyShorts, Palm Springs ShortFest, SXSW, and Tribeca) requires substantial submission budgets. This milestone funds our complete entry circuit, an official DCP (Digital Cinema Package) mastering package for theater projection, and festival delivery materials (dialogue spotting lists and closed captioning).
🔓 Community Unlock for ALL Backers:
Every backer will receive an invitation to an exclusive Virtual Worldwide Backer Watch Party & Live Q&A with Oscar, the cast, and the Gruff Studios producing team before our public festival run, plus your name permanently featured on a commemorative digital festival poster.
When you back The Audition, you aren't just funding a movie; you’re directly taking care of the rising young creators working behind the lens to make it happen.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Soundstage Hot Lunches (4 Full Production Days)
Costs $1,300
Nutritious, hot meals to sustain our 20+ student cast & crew through 4 demanding 10-hour shoot days on the soundstage.
All-Day Craft Services & Hydration
Costs $700
Fresh fruit, coffee, electrolyte drinks, and continuous snacks to power 20+ people across 40 intense soundstage hours.
Room 409 Practical Props & Dressing
Costs $200
Professional Foley, dialogue cleanup, and stereo/surround mixing to create the uncanny psychological atmosphere of the film.
Character Wardrobe & Continuity Doubles
Costs $150
Period-styled wardrobe and backup doubles for Jason and Mr. Black during intense, high-sweat emotional takes.
Sound Consumables & Wireless Batteries
Costs $150
Skin-safe lav tape, moleskin, and high-capacity batteries to capture clean dialogue across 4 soundstage shoot days.
High-Speed Rugged SSDs (2 Drives)
Costs $200
Fast SSDs for daily dual-redundant checksum camera offloading and secure handoff to the editorial post suite.
Stage Floor Protection & Safety Supplies
Costs $150
Gaffer tape, cable safety covers, floor protection boards, sanitation, and first aid supplies for the soundstage.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Oscar Montion – Writer & Director
Oscar is an award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles, whose sharp scripts have earned honors at the Independent Shorts Awards, Culver City Film Festival, and Hollywood Just4Short. Raised in South LA and studying directing at The Los Angeles Film School, Oscar specializes in grounded, psychologically intense cinema that cuts straight to the core of identity, truth, and vulnerability. With The Audition, he brings a meticulous visual eye and raw emotional truth to an uncanny exploration of the masks we wear.
Tristan Avery Thomas – Producer
Tristan is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker and hands-on creative producer based in Hollywood. With a deep technical background across directing, cinematography, and post-production workflows, he brings rigorous organization, technical precision, and creative problem solving to every set. As a co-founder of Gruff Studios, an independent production collective, Tristan champions high-concept, culturally diverse films while ensuring a disciplined, safe, and well-supported environment for the entire cast and crew behind the camera.
Ryan Ladao – Producer
Ryan is a producer and director who was born and raised in San Jose in the Bay Area, now based in Los Angeles. A core pillar and essential backbone of Gruff Studios, Ryan brings a collaborative, detail-oriented approach to independent filmmaking, specializing in navigating physical production logistics, tight schedule coordination, and creative development. He focuses on fostering an inclusive, high-energy set where rising indie and student creators have the resources and care needed to bring ambitious visual stories to life.
Diego Hernandez – 1st Assistant Director
Diego is a filmmaker born and raised in Huntington Park, California, with a deep passion for collaborative visual storytelling. Drawn to the communal magic of seeing a concept evolve from an idea into a fully realized production, he thrives in the fast-paced energy of physical sets. As 1st AD on The Audition, Diego balances tight logistical organization and disciplined schedule management with fostering a positive, supportive environment where the cast and crew can do their best work.
Alexis Zahradnick – Production Designer
Alexis is a Los Angeles-based production designer and prop master dedicated to building tangible, immersive cinematic worlds. A military veteran who transitioned from service to follow her creative calling, she honed her craft across every tier of physical production at The Los Angeles Film School. With an emphasis on practical problem-solving, detailed set dressing, and custom prop fabrication, Alexis specializes in adapting across genres—from high-concept horror to surreal psychological drama—to bring a director’s visual landscape to life.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hi! I'm Oscar Montion, a filmmaker based in Los Angeles and the writer/director of The Audition.
This film was born out of the unspoken psychological friction every artist faces: the pressure of expectations, the terror of vulnerability, and the exhausting habit of performing for approval. Raised in South LA, I’ve always been drawn to stories that peel back polite surfaces to explore the raw internal battles we hide from the world. With The Audition, I wanted to externalize that silent imposter syndrome into a tense, surreal psychological thriller—turning an ordinary casting room into an uncanny mirror that forces our protagonist to face his deepest truths.
I’ve dedicated my work to crafting high-stakes, character-driven narratives across multiple genres. My previous screenplays have gained recognition across several festivals and competitions, including honors at the Independent Shorts Awards, Culver City Film Festival (Best Western Short Script for my western The Duel), and the Hollywood Just4Shorts Competition. Bringing complex, layered characters to life through disciplined visual storytelling is the driving force behind everything I write.
Ariel Garcia as JASON MILLER
An aspiring, insecure actor carrying the heavy weight of family expectations and self-doubt. He has perfected the art of pleasing others at the expense of his own identity. Trapped in an interrogation room that obeys no physical laws, he must shed his rehearsed armor to uncover who he really is.
Kevin Dulude as MR. BLACK
The enigmatic, unyielding interrogator running the audition. Calm, observant, and impossible to read, he refuses to let Jason rely on memorized lines or superficial charm. He acts as the psychological catalyst who systematically strips away Jason's defenses to expose the raw truth underneath.
Hans Eleveld as
THE FATHER (MR. MILLER)
A powerful psychological presence representing the roots of Jason’s need for approval. His memory lingers over Jason’s ambition like a permanent verdict, forcing Jason to reconcile familial loyalty with creative truth.
At its core, The Audition is about the danger of allowing other people to define your worth.
Green is a major part of The Audition’s visual identity — the color becomes more than an aesthetic choice; it’s part of the character’s psychological journey. And, honestly, I just really love green.
OUR CREW
Yep, that handsome guy on the far left is me (Oscar), followed left to right by 1st AD Diego Hernandez, and producers Ryan Ladao and Tristan Avery Thomas.
To bring The Audition to the screen, I’ve partnered with producers Tristan Avery Thomas and Ryan Ladao of Gruff Studios, an independent Hollywood production collective dedicated to bold, technically rigorous, and culturally diverse independent cinema. Gruff Studios brings a proven track record of disciplined, high-concept filmmaking, having produced projects like Homunculus (2025), a unique psychological horror short, and Kentucky Bourbon (2026), an atmospheric, unnerving psychological thriller.
We make films through the strength of community, collaborative trust, and meticulous on-set discipline. With The Audition, we are bringing together our core creative team alongside the emerging talent of The Los Angeles Film School community to build this ambitious psychological void from the ground up and we can’t wait to have you in our corner as we bring it to life.
Every single dollar of our $2,850 goal goes straight onto the stage and into the care of our people. No fluff, no wasted overhead:
Sustaining 20+ Filmmakers for 4 Days: Over 65% of our budget directly finances warm, nutritious lunches and all-day, health-conscious craft services. Long studio days under hot stage lights demand real physical stamina, and we ensure our crew is fueled, safe, and treated with genuine respect.
Executing the Visual Illusion: A focused $350 covers the specialized wardrobe and on-set HMU styling needed to pull off the rapid, in-camera duality between Young Jason and Older Jason.
Crossing the Finish Line: The remaining funds lock in essential post-production sound design to sell the claustrophobia of the void, alongside early festival submission fees so our team’s hard work reaches audiences and industry eyes worldwide.
🎯 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PASS 100%? (POST-PRODUCTION & FESTIVAL STRETCH GOALS)
Reaching our $2,850 baseline goal successfully finishes our core edit and thesis delivery. But with principal photography wrapped, extra funds don't go to vague "development"—they go straight into the technical finishing touches that take The Audition from raw soundstage rushes to an elite, festival-ready psychological thriller.
Here is what your support unlocks in the post-production suite:
🟢 LEVEL 1: $3,600 (125%) — Theatrical Color Grading & Visual VFX Polish
What It Funds:
The Audition relies on a clinical, psychological atmosphere. Reaching $3,600 funds dedicated finishing time in a professional DaVinci Resolve color suite to craft our signature look: sickly institutional hospital greens, sterile fluorescent contrasts, and deep charcoal shadows that isolate Jason in Room 409. It also funds digital visual effects clean-up and subtle compositing to seamlessly sell the surreal mechanics of the audition clock.
🔓 Community Unlock for ALL Backers:
Every backer receives an exclusive video featurette: "Anatomy of a Scene." A split-screen breakdown showing raw Log camera footage alongside the final master color grade, with director Oscar Montion explaining how color is used to reflect Jason’s unraveling psyche.
🟢 LEVEL 2: $4,400 (150%) — Theatrical 5.1 Surround Sound Design, Custom Foley & Master Mix
What It Funds:
In a psychological thriller, sound is more than half the experience. Hitting $4,400 unlocks a cinema-grade theatrical 5.1 surround sound mix, custom Foley recording (capturing the claustrophobic scrape of the audition chair, labored breathing, and the oppressive, rhythmic tick of the clock), and an expanded scoring budget to give our composer the resources needed to deliver an immersive, premium sonic landscape.
🔓 Community Unlock for ALL Backers:
All backers get a digital download of The Audition: Isolated Score & Soundscape EP (high-res master audio) plus an exclusive digital Director’s Audio Commentary Track upon completion of post-production.
🟢 LEVEL 3: $5,300 (185%) — Academy-Qualifying Festival Campaign & DCP Deliverables
What It Funds:
Finishing the film is only half the journey; getting it seen by top industry programmers and curators is the ultimate goal. Submitting to 20+ top-tier and Academy-qualifying festivals (such as HollyShorts, Palm Springs ShortFest, SXSW, and Tribeca) requires substantial submission budgets. This milestone funds our complete entry circuit, an official DCP (Digital Cinema Package) mastering package for theater projection, and festival delivery materials (dialogue spotting lists and closed captioning).
🔓 Community Unlock for ALL Backers:
Every backer will receive an invitation to an exclusive Virtual Worldwide Backer Watch Party & Live Q&A with Oscar, the cast, and the Gruff Studios producing team before our public festival run, plus your name permanently featured on a commemorative digital festival poster.
When you back The Audition, you aren't just funding a movie; you’re directly taking care of the rising young creators working behind the lens to make it happen.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Soundstage Hot Lunches (4 Full Production Days)
Costs $1,300
Nutritious, hot meals to sustain our 20+ student cast & crew through 4 demanding 10-hour shoot days on the soundstage.
All-Day Craft Services & Hydration
Costs $700
Fresh fruit, coffee, electrolyte drinks, and continuous snacks to power 20+ people across 40 intense soundstage hours.
Room 409 Practical Props & Dressing
Costs $200
Professional Foley, dialogue cleanup, and stereo/surround mixing to create the uncanny psychological atmosphere of the film.
Character Wardrobe & Continuity Doubles
Costs $150
Period-styled wardrobe and backup doubles for Jason and Mr. Black during intense, high-sweat emotional takes.
Sound Consumables & Wireless Batteries
Costs $150
Skin-safe lav tape, moleskin, and high-capacity batteries to capture clean dialogue across 4 soundstage shoot days.
High-Speed Rugged SSDs (2 Drives)
Costs $200
Fast SSDs for daily dual-redundant checksum camera offloading and secure handoff to the editorial post suite.
Stage Floor Protection & Safety Supplies
Costs $150
Gaffer tape, cable safety covers, floor protection boards, sanitation, and first aid supplies for the soundstage.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Oscar Montion – Writer & Director
Oscar is an award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles, whose sharp scripts have earned honors at the Independent Shorts Awards, Culver City Film Festival, and Hollywood Just4Short. Raised in South LA and studying directing at The Los Angeles Film School, Oscar specializes in grounded, psychologically intense cinema that cuts straight to the core of identity, truth, and vulnerability. With The Audition, he brings a meticulous visual eye and raw emotional truth to an uncanny exploration of the masks we wear.
Tristan Avery Thomas – Producer
Tristan is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker and hands-on creative producer based in Hollywood. With a deep technical background across directing, cinematography, and post-production workflows, he brings rigorous organization, technical precision, and creative problem solving to every set. As a co-founder of Gruff Studios, an independent production collective, Tristan champions high-concept, culturally diverse films while ensuring a disciplined, safe, and well-supported environment for the entire cast and crew behind the camera.
Ryan Ladao – Producer
Ryan is a producer and director who was born and raised in San Jose in the Bay Area, now based in Los Angeles. A core pillar and essential backbone of Gruff Studios, Ryan brings a collaborative, detail-oriented approach to independent filmmaking, specializing in navigating physical production logistics, tight schedule coordination, and creative development. He focuses on fostering an inclusive, high-energy set where rising indie and student creators have the resources and care needed to bring ambitious visual stories to life.
Diego Hernandez – 1st Assistant Director
Diego is a filmmaker born and raised in Huntington Park, California, with a deep passion for collaborative visual storytelling. Drawn to the communal magic of seeing a concept evolve from an idea into a fully realized production, he thrives in the fast-paced energy of physical sets. As 1st AD on The Audition, Diego balances tight logistical organization and disciplined schedule management with fostering a positive, supportive environment where the cast and crew can do their best work.
Alexis Zahradnick – Production Designer
Alexis is a Los Angeles-based production designer and prop master dedicated to building tangible, immersive cinematic worlds. A military veteran who transitioned from service to follow her creative calling, she honed her craft across every tier of physical production at The Los Angeles Film School. With an emphasis on practical problem-solving, detailed set dressing, and custom prop fabrication, Alexis specializes in adapting across genres—from high-concept horror to surreal psychological drama—to bring a director’s visual landscape to life.