Move from the Past, Fix the Present
Directed by Joseph Avery Dado
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Starring: Nathan Vadeboncoeur, Felissa Sotomayor, & Aurelia Dimter
Synopsis: Jacob has a mishap at a train station, hallucinating of his past relationship, and needing to come to terms with the present.
Director’s Statement
The last time I made a short film was about a year and a half before Mishap Station. When I was assigned to create a 5 minute short, I did not want it to feel like just another school project. I wanted it to feel personal and meaningful to me.
The idea came unexpectedly while I was hanging out with a friend at a train station. As we sat there, I began imagining an entire story playing out in my head, about a character who was physically in one place but emotionally stuck in the past. That moment became the foundation of the film. I was also inspired by Past Lives (2023) and its quiet, reflective approach to love, time, and letting go.
In the film, the train station symbolizes Jacob’s state of mind. When he misses the train, it represents his inability to keep up with life and move forward. Being stuck on the platform reflects his stagnant nature and how he is emotionally trapped. When he sees Emmy, it shows that he is still mentally in the same place where their relationship once existed. When the train finally arrives and he looks out the window while it is moving, it becomes a literal and emotional sign that he is finally moving on and finding peace.
Mishap Station was very important to me because it was my comeback film after a year and a half away from filmmaking. More than just completing an assignment, it truly felt like the beginning of a new era for me creatively, personally, and emotionally.
Production
In September 2023, during Dado’s Media Development class, he was assigned to create a short film under five minutes. The idea for the project came while he was hanging out with a friend at a train station, with a romantic element later added to the story. The script was originally titled Station of Love but was eventually reworked and renamed Mishap Station.
Filming began on October 31, 2023, starting with the breakup sequences, which required three takes due to wind interference affecting the sound. Production continued on November 5 at Pine Beach Station and then wrapped shortly after. The film was shot anamorphically, giving it a widescreen cinematic format that enhanced its visual storytelling.
Release
The film released December 15, 2023 on YouTube.
Script
Deleted Scene
Behind the scenes
