CREATIVE PROJECTS
The Blame Game - 2026 COMING SOON
Writer/Director/Editor/Sound
A psychological thriller/drama short film created for my undergraduate Capstone at American University.
Married couple Brett and Maria have lost their young son Aaron in a fall. Aaron's death puts a strain on their relationship, and the abusive Brett starts to blame Maria for Aaron's death. After overhearing Maria's plan to leave him, he hatches a plan to murder her with a kitchen knife.
Starring Samantha Edwards and David Welborn
Director of Photography: Chris Jelle
Makeup Effects: Mikayla Ellwood
Production Assistant: Mia Yacura
Edited in DaVinci Resolve
In Bruges (2008) Scene Recreation - 2026
Director/Editor
Recreation of a scene from In Bruges (2008), completed for Jamie Sisley’s Directing Actors for Camera course at American University in Washington, DC.
Starring Marshall Hackett and Thomas Wechsler
Director of Photography: Chris Jelle
Dead Man’s Hand - 2025
Production Assistant
Proof-of-concept western short film written and directed by Nolen Stevens, for his Capstone project at American University in Washington, DC.
Milacek - 2024
Director of Photography
Short film written and directed by Abi Alvarado for the CET FAMU Study Abroad program in Prague, Czech Republic. Shot on 16mm film.
Dine & Date - 2024
Production Assistant
Romantic comedy short film written and directed by Grace Rolen for their Capstone project at American University in Washington, DC.
The Pointless Button - 2023
Producer/Additional Graphics
PSA written and narrated by Chris Jelle for Kyle Brannon’s Digital Imaging course at American University in Washington, DC.
Created in Adobe After Effects
Grotesque Title Sequence - 2023
Graphics
Opening title sequence for a fictitious horror film created for Kyle Brannon’s Digital Imaging course at American University in Washington, DC. The names in the credits are filmmakers who inspired the project.
Music:
Phenomena - Goblin
Created in Adobe After Effects
Grimalkin - 2023
Director of Photography
Comedy-horror short film starring, written, and directed by Chris Jelle for the Film and Video Production 1 course at American University in Washington, DC.
Cinematographer with Sara El Moustakim.
Character Profile: Finding Her Footing - 2023
Director of Photography
Documentary profile of American University senior and gymnast Dana Gawlitzek. Created for the Film and Video Production 1 course at American University in Washington, DC.
Directed by Sara El Moustakim
Edited by Chris Jelle
Scene Recreation - Cat People (1942) Stalking Scene - 2023
Director
Recreation of the alleyway scene in Cat People (1942). Created for the Film and Video Production 1 course at American University in Washington, DC.
Edited by Chris Jelle
Shot by Sara El Moustakim
Christina’s World: Painting2Life - 2022
Director/Director of Photography/Editor
Short thriller film made for Kyle Brannon’s Visual Literacy course at American University in Washington, DC. The objective of the project was to create a story around a famous painting: I chose Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s World.
Starring Olivia Rossman and Alidad Fazeli
Valentine Visitant - 2022
Director/Director of Photography/Editor
Short film made for the AV Club Valentine’s Day Film Festival at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains, NJ.
This is an experimental, surrealist, Valentine’s Day-themed psychological horror film inspired by the great David Lynch film Eraserhead. It follows an insomniac haunted by his dead lover’s valentine’s day candy box, or is he?
Starring Marcos Trujillo and Julianna Mayer
Music:
Eraserhead - David Lynch
De Natura Sonores No. 1 - Krzysztof Penderecki
In Person - 2021
Writer/Director/Director of Photography/Editor
In Person is an A24-inspired coming-of-age student short film. The story follows 17-year old Kate (Samantha Phillips), who struggles with slipping grades, her relationship with her father (Kamali Smith), and isolation due to the COVID-19 lockdown, and longs to see her friend Noa (Julianna Mayer) again. I wanted to capture the feeling of loneliness during lockdown and the anxious hopefulness of people waiting to return safely to in-person gatherings, hence the title. My main influences were Lady Bird and Eighth Grade, which gives the film its awkward yet comforting tone.
Co-written by Haddy Tabak
Starring Samantha Phillips as Kate, Julianna Mayer as Noa, Kamali Smith as Kate’s father, and Christian Pastore as the therapist
Music:
Lady Bird and Eternal Sunshine scores by Jon Brion
Evacuation Quandry by Peter Sandberg
Shot on location at Scotch Plains Fanwood High School and Watchung Reservation in New Jersey