I recently saw PAPER PEOPLE at the South Dakota Film Festival. Luke Schuetzle and Andrew Kightlinger scribe a suspenseful tail of loss and self reflection. Pitted against his inner demons the lead character contemplates his suicide, but it doesn't stop there. 

The lead role played by Steven Luke captures your attention from the first scene. Luke offers a very controlled approach to his character. His acting chops in Paper People were recently rewarded with a Best Actor award at the Best Actor(in a)Film Festival in San Francisco, CA. 

Opposite Luke was Desire Jansen, playing a moon eyed young mother on the move with her daughter trying to find their way across the country. Jansen and Luke build a palpable chemistry in seconds. 

Olive Coon and Kevin Kunkel offer sound support in this short film. 

The cinematography by Peter Wigand is well executed. Attention was given to many details of light control and color for effect. 

Edited by co-writer and director Kightlinger, the film has a solid pacing. It doesn't rush to the end nor does it over stay its welcome. Paper People is a solid short narrative with attention to the details.

This largely South Dakota film crew is putting their state on the film- making map.

You will enjoy it at your local festival.

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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The lives of a suicidal U.S. Marine, a single mother and her precocious daughter collide with incendiary results.

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Paper People

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