RELEASE VALVE

Sometimes, we take it too far…

Logline: Two moms. One friendship. Zero chill. A night out to relive their party days ends with cuffs. And not the fun kind.

Format: Short Film

Status: Produced. Submitting to Festivals.

Release Valve was born out of my fascination with the secret lives of moms. I’m not a mom myself–though I’ve played one on screen–but as Aunt Mary to seven nieces and nephews, I’ve had a front-row seat to the beautiful, messy, and often hilarious realities of motherhood.

As women, we’re often expected to cycle through a narrow list of roles: girl, girlfriend, wife, mother, grandmother. But we are so much more, and even within those roles, we’re also asked to be career-driven, nurturing, ambitious, artistic, tireless. While I didn’t follow that path, knowing my soul was rooted in performance and storytelling, I’m constantly inspired by the women in my life who did: my own mother, who balanced a career as an elementary school teacher while raising four kids; my little sister, an ICU nurse and mom of two; my older sister, a U.S. History teacher and mom of three; and countless friends who are mothers and engineers, artists and executives, all juggling responsibilities that would overwhelm most mortals.

Whether mothers or not, we’re all navigating societal expectations while reaching for something more. Release Valve is my little love letter to that moment in life, especially for women, when you feel like you might have just as much behind you as ahead, and you wonder: what if I threw caution to the wind for one night? What would I find? Who would I be?

As an entertainer, I’ve spent a fair share of time in nightlife spaces, and I wanted to explore that world’s emotional whiplash: the thrill, the letdown, the absurdity through a comedic lens. Visually, I leaned into contrasts: the deep, vibrant colors of the club; the moody, almost horror-like tones of the basement; the buzz and chill of a fluorescent-lit holding cell. These environments tell the emotional story alongside the thumping music and fast-paced dialogue.

Pacing and rhythm are everything in comedy, especially in a short. Casting actors who could live inside the timing and truth of these characters was key. I’d worked with Alexander before and knew he had the tone. Janelle, who I knew through the actor community, brought so much honesty and playfulness to her audition, it was clear she was the role.

As with most indie projects, the biggest challenges were budget and logistics. Weather forced me to move a key scene from an exterior alley to a basement, which in hindsight brought even more character to the film. Nearly everyone on this team was someone I knew, admired, and had worked with before. Chris, our DP and editor, is a filmmaker I’ve collaborated with previously and trust deeply. Aron, animator, grip, gaffer, photographer, you name it, is a creative powerhouse and dear friend who jumped in to do whatever needed doing. Heather, our bartender and PA, is a neighborhood friend and amazing speech therapist and mom. Kathleen, our script supervisor and bar extra, is an actor I’ve worked with for years who just wanted to help. Samantha Cohen, our sound recordist, was a brilliant find: calm, professional, and rock solid. I truly couldn’t have done it without any of them.

I’d also be remiss not to mention my mentor, Jerry Perzigian, who helped me shape the script into something tight, funny, and full of heart.

What started as a capstone project for my NYU Yellowbrick Film & TV Industry Essentials Certificate (and an excuse to get fresh footage for my acting reel) has grown into something more, thanks to the people who believed in it.

I hope audiences have as much fun watching Release Valve as we did making it.