Bill From BlueLink
For my debut short film, Bill from BlueLink, I wanted to explore the theme of self-love, reframing Valentine’s Day away from consumer-driven romance and toward introspection, humor, and care.
The challenge was twofold:
How do you tell a relatable, heartfelt story that feels cinematic on a small budget?
How do you position an indie short film to stand out in a saturated content landscape?
Approach
There was an emotional cultural appetite for narratives that validated singlehood, self-acceptance, and humour in love.
I leaned into that and produced the film end-to-end: scripting, casting, directing, and editing. I then developed a supporting campaign involving an email rollout alongside a series of shareable Instagram posts.
The script and direction leaned into dark comedy, with relatable characters and a twist that made audiences reflect on intimacy with themselves.
The email campaign aligned with Valentine’s Day but positioned the film as an alternative celebration of love. Visual identity (social posts, stills, email graphics) balanced cinematic polish with playful messaging.
→ Role: Writer, Director, Editor
→ Timeframe: 2021-22
→ Team: Cinematographer, Producer, Actress, Actors, PAs
→ Impact: Online distribution at Lift-Off Global Network’s First-Time Filmmaker Sessions
Creative Process
One of the defining creative constraints of this project was timing: conceptualizing and producing a film in winter 2021, just after the peak of the pandemic. Health restrictions meant no more than ten people indoors at once, which shaped the production into a tightly run, small-crew operation. Rather than see this as a limitation, I treated it as an opportunity to prioritize intimacy and cohesion. Every person on set was essential, and the streamlined process mirrored the film’s theme of stripping Valentine’s Day back to its core.
The main creative feat became establishing a cohesive style across every touchpoint: story, cinematography, editing, and campaign assets. To tie everything together, I leaned into a romantic yet offbeat visual identity: glowing cursive typography against black backgrounds, a nod to classic Valentine’s aesthetics but with a darker, self-reflective edge. This throughline unified the short film’s dark comedy tone with the campaign’s playful, shareable messaging, ensuring that whether someone encountered Bill From BlueLink in their inbox, on Instagram, or on screen, the experience felt cinematic, intentional, and distinctly alternative.
Results
The release of Bill from BlueLink sparked meaningful conversations around self-love during a holiday that often marginalizes it. The supporting campaign resonated with online audiences, gaining traction among communities hungry for alternative Valentine’s narratives.
The film was also recognized beyond digital channels: it was a semi-finalist in the Winter 2021 Alternative Film Festival (Quarantine category) and screened as part of Lift-Off Global Network’s First-Time Filmmaker Sessions.