Short Film: "The Days After Christmas"

When thirty-something-year-old Francis discovers that Santa is, in fact, fake, he questions his entire worldview, spiraling into paranoia and conspiracy theories.

The Days After Christmas is a dark comedy short with heart.

Where were you when you learned the lie? Was it always there or did it catch you by surprise? Did it happen just now? Truth is murkier as people grow older, shades of grey fill what was black and white. Some people don't take it as well as others.

For the past six months a small group of talented professionals have joined me in producing this picture. Although our award-winning creative team have collectively decided to defer their fees in support of completing this project, there are certain line items within the budget that we can't avoid. With your generous support we will be able to cover the costs of film equipment, production design, PPE, insurance and ensuring that our cast and crew are well fed.

Once completed our hopes is to release it to festivals and the world to bring some joy and maybe more.


Timeline:

The crew and cast are assembled, locations and dates set. Pandemic willing, we should be shooting before summer.

Meet the Team:

Liam Beairsto- Creator/Producer/Supporting Actor


Liam is the genesis of this mad cap crew of misfits. An odd man with a penchant to say three dumb things and one brilliant one makes for an enjoyable personality, if you have the patience for it. He developed his acting talents from a young age, attempting to get his drama teacher mom’s attention through school plays, theatre training and studying Drama and Film Studies at the University of Alberta, where he met his fiancé, Amy.

Liam makes a shiny penny making funny faces for commercial and small scale productions and dreams of being a children’s television show host. Since moving to Toronto Liam has trained with  Lewis Baumander at LB Studios, Judah Katz, Second City, and a clutch of nerds playing tabletop RPGs.

 In the pandemic’s beginning he vowed to remain a pure actor, Liam quickly folded and began working to produce a picture that would make people think, feel and above all enjoy their time.


Mark Pettit- Producer/Lead Actor


Mark and Liam originally met at Toronto’s Second City. Later, the met again on set for a commercial, where Mark heroically saved Liam’s bacon. Indebted, Liam took Mark on a night out. In a cheap hole in the wall dive bar over nachos and beer, Mark was pitched the idea for the short and Mark single handedly put things in motion. His movie making know how and collection of whos whos of hidden gems in the Toronto scene is what made this project possible. Together Mark and Liam form the freaky but handsome two-headed production creature which rules over this soon to be masterpiece. 

Mark, hasn’t had a real haircut in almost 2 years, still believes in The Loch Ness Monster, the power of the collective good and expiry dates.  Mark spends his time circling the camera as his career is split between being both in front and behind the light-capturing machine. On this project Mark is mostly in front of the lens but also worked to gather the team and pieces needed to make it roll. Mark has recently acted in See No Evil, Murder Wall, Paranormal Survivor and Haunted Hospitals. Mark also starred in the Funny Or Die-featured skit, Ridiculous Pitches.


Courtney Deelen - Producer/Director


Courtney was last to come on board the core team, but through her incredible talent and personality, she quickly elevated the project from sea-worthy to space-worthy. Upon graduating from St. Clair College's Musical Theatre Performance program, she spent two summer seasons performing as a world-renowned Gertie Girl at Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino in Dawson City, Yukon. 

Courtney is an award-winning Director, Actor and Producer whose most recent short film, "The Last of Ian Campbell” premiered at the Oscars and BAFTA qualifying 2020 LA Shorts International Film Festival, and received 3 top awards at the Best Short’s Competition. She is a proud member of both ACTRA Toronto and the CMPA, whose on-screen credits include: Good Witch, Suits, Murdoch Mysteries, Becoming Burlesque, and 12 Monkeys. She is a faculty member of St. Clair College’s Music Theatre Performance program, a grant recipient of the OAC - Ontario Arts Council, and a finalist of 2018 Cayle Chernin Awards and 2019 TAWC short film creation lab.

She also genuinely believed in Santa until the age of 13. 


Amy Wincott - Writer


The better half of Liam Beairsto. Writer Amy Wincott joined to team to craft the script and transform Liam’s incoherent ramblings into something worth watching. After getting suckered into making a, “quick script, in and out” she’s been working tirelessly but not thanklessly on the script for 6 months. She has since crafted a hilarious and heart warming script that attracted the many talented individuals to this project.

Amy and Liam met at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and quickly became forever entwined in each other’s life. The pair voyaged to Toronto where Amy studied script writing at the Toronto Film School where quickly rose to top of her class. Inseparable for almost 9 years now, the  pair is posed to be married in the summer of 2021, pandemic be damned.


Jason Bergen- Director of Photography


Jason is a director of photography, camera operator, and colourist based in Toronto. Starting out as an action sports cinematographer and editor at a young age, he developed a passion for film-making.

In 2018 he worked for a media company making mini-documentaries focusing on extraordinary people and their passions. Now he focusing on commercial and narrative cinematography and colour grading.

Mark and Jason having worked on several projects together were a perfect match for this production. Cool, clever and talented Jason is an efficient professional with such an amazing eye for filming we’re all a little concerned he made a crossroads deal. Jason is incredibly talented and could make paint drying look good.


Contributors:

Already I'd like to thank you for reviewing our funding project.

This short means a great deal professionally and personally as I get to tell a story that affects most everyone in some small way. 

Anyone who donates will receive special thanks in the credit of the film.