American Wedding
American Wedding is a two-part music short film set during a golden summer, following the whirlwind romance of AJ and Bea as their love quickly progresses to marriage.
Side A, set to Frank Ocean's American Wedding, follows AJ, an emotionally dependent young man trapped in a painful cycle shaped by his troubled childhood. Behind the vintage car, flashy outfits, and cool demeanour, AJ is desperate to be loved, falling too fast and holding on too tightly. His world is vibrant and dreamy, shaped by a fantasy he’s built to avoid confronting what’s underneath.
Side B, set to Lola Marsh’s Something Stupid, shifts to Bea’s perspective on the relationship. A fiercely creative young woman, Bea is torn between her desire for connection and her devotion to her art. At home, she struggles with her father’s disapproval, pushing her to fight for independence. Entering her first romance with AJ clear-eyed, she soon finds herself drawn into his emotional fantasy, torn between the life she wants and the love she's afraid to lose.
At its heart, American Wedding is a story about love, pain, and the emotional turbulence of young hearts, examining whether we can grow from our experiences or if they will define us.
— Role
Writer
Director
Producer (Primary Funder)
Crowdsourcing Manager
Casting Director
Location Manager
Prop Master
Costume Supervisor
Set Design
Intimacy Coordinator
Transportation Coordinator
Actor (Supporting/Background)
Sound Design (Post-Production)
Editor (Post-Production)
Marketing Designer
— Release Date
TBD
Written over two months between February 16th and April 18th, 2024, American Wedding was conceived as a music short film set to American Wedding by Frank Ocean alongside a custom, extended version of
Something Stupid by Lola Marsh - reworked by myself.
Similar to previous projects, music played a significant role in inspiring the story. After first listening to Frank Ocean’s American Wedding on June 26th, 2022 (set to the instrumental of Hotel California by The Eagles), my imagination began to run wild. Along with his album channel ORANGE and mixtape nostalgia, ULTRA, the recurring themes of young love, summertime nostalgia, flashy outfits, and vintage cars shaped the visual and emotional tone of the film. These themes, evident in both nostalgia, ULTRA's cover and music videos like Nikes, were instrumental in shaping AJ’s character and his romanticised perception of the world when in love.
The build-up to this project was extensive, originally planned as my follow-up to OCULAR ENGINE, intended to depart from its darker narrative and visual style. While AJ was first written as the sole protagonist and the concept of a Side B didn’t exist, I realised that leaving Bea's complete story untold would be a missed opportunity. That decision expanded the story’s emotional scope - opening up space for her strained relationship with her father, her fight to pursue her passion and her relationships with the Shepherd family and her art teacher, Mrs. Taylor. These aspects of Bea’s world are almost invisible through AJ’s eyes, which shapes the audience’s perception - as we follow his lead, we’re led to believe his view of events is the only reality.
This 89-page script became, to me, twenty years of living poured onto the page, shaped by personal experiences, people I’ve met, and stories passed down through my family.
Not only did this script stem from my personal experiences, but it also drew visual references from 20+ films, television shows, album artwork, and paintings, each referenced within the script. Shows like Better Call Saul (2015–2022, Created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould) and films like La La Land (2016, Damien Chazelle) and Moonlight (2016, Barry Jenkins) were just a few of the key influences, shaping both the visual style and thematic undertones. With no dialogue in the piece, a key focus of my writing process was ensuring every shot contributed to the story, rich with layers of symbolism.
Throughout the first half of 2024, in the midst of writing, directing and producing What About The Devil, editing The Making of BURDEN, and creating and managing the Tree Shot Studios social media, I was also balancing these efforts with the extensive pre-production for American Wedding.
As early as summer 2023, I had drafted storyboards for the opening sequence, created a mood-board, and gone on location scouts with fellow Tree Shot Studios member Edward Oola (Actor, AJ). Amid and following the writing process, I would often scout alone or with Tree Shot Studios member Alexander Roffey (DoP). Pre-production would only intensify from February 2024, as the planned date for the start of shooting in June rapidly began approaching.
One of the earliest major efforts came in the form of a meeting with the former president and now treasurer of the Royal Holloway Film Society, Joseph Kirkham, regarding a generous £370 contribution from the society in their role as Executive Producers. Around the same time, a meeting took place with Glenn Brackenridge, the owner of the vintage cars used in the project, who agreed to allow the use of his vehicles on the condition that I paid for his travel to and from set, along with the occasional coffee or sandwich.
These efforts only expanded while overseeing Alexander Roffey’s editing of the final cut of What About The Devil. During this time, I launched a Kickstarter campaign and posted on Mandy to cast key members, organising one-on-one meetings to explain their roles, their within the wider narrative, and the logistics of travel - including pick-up arrangements and full travel expense coverage. As of now, over 65 actors have been cast across leading, supporting, and background roles, with the final total expected to reach close to 100 people - many scheduled for their first days of shooting.
In addition to casting, I have served as the film’s primary producer, currently having spent £3,617.22 of my own money on props, costumes, locations, travel for actors, Glenn’s transportation and equipment (including 10TB in storage devices, 80% of the cost for a gimbal and additional gear). This figure excludes the generous contributions from our Executive Producers at the Royal Holloway Film Society and those received through the Kickstarter campaign - which raised £191 thanks to kind individuals such as Borislav Vladimirov, Robert Vladimirov (who later donated an additional £27.01), and Sergey Kochergan. An additional £120 was kindly contributed by two Executive Producers - £60 each from Steven Archer and Marie Hurding - alongside a generous £200 contribution from Executive Producer Alexander Roffey (DoP).
During this time, I also began constructing detailed shoot schedules, call sheets, and managing the logistical planning for filming across dozens of distinct locations, with countless members of cast in the most efficient manner possible. I also worked with two painters to create original artworks featured in the film, presented as pieces made by Bea. Each painting is a recreation of a key shot or moment from the story, reflecting her memories. Two of the final paintings were created by me.
Shooting began on June 25th, 2024, and as of now, we’ve completed 28 of 38 shoot days. Filming has taken place across specific areas in and around various parts of London, Surrey, and as far as Derbyshire, with each location chosen to align with the film’s distinct American aesthetic. The story spans multiple months over a single summer, with the final piece cutting rapidly between settings, adding another layer of complexity to the shoot schedule. This was made even more challenging by the need for a consistent summer look across every scene. Given the UK’s unpredictable weather, the schedule had to stay flexible, often hinging on last-minute forecasts and sudden changes in conditions. Some of the most ambitious shoot days include the wedding sequence, an American diner shoot in Derby, and two separate house party shoots, which can be seen below.
On June 16th 2025, we completed our first shoot in some time. As the piece relies heavily on summer visuals, we had previously collectively decided to pause production until the return of suitable summer weather.
The direction of this project has, in many ways, given me firsthand experience in uniting the countless moving parts of filmmaking - from writing, directing, producing, set design, and casting to location management. I also created shot lists and customised shoot schedules for each cast member, ensuring a smooth, efficient process both on and off set. Additionally, I took on the role of intimacy coordinator. While I’m not formally trained in intimacy coordination, I took on the responsibility to ensure that intimate scenes were handled with care, clear communication, and the full comfort of the actors in mind. With the scale of the shoot and the number of responsibilities involved, this has felt akin to creating a feature film. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve captured so far, and of everyone who has gone out of their way, no matter how big or small their role, to help bring this three-year passion project to life. Whether it’s cast, crew, the Executive Producers, or even those who helped carry chairs on the wedding day, each contribution has meant the world to me, and I look forward to sharing the result of everyone's hard work.
— Opening Scene Storyboard (April, 2023)
— Final Mood Board (April, 2024)
— Cast & Crew Playlist
— Stoyan Dimitrov (Bea's Father) - Character Profile
Similar to my previous projects, music played an essential role in the creation of American Wedding - from its inception to the atmosphere on set and during collaboration with the cast and crew.
Music is woven into the characters’ journeys - especially in how AJ’s music taste evolves to reflect those he becomes romantically involved with, mirroring his chameleon-like nature. For Bea, her love for The Beatles and music of that era fuels her unwavering optimism, even in the face of adversity.
Working closely with Edward Oola (AJ) and Darina Draganova (Bea), this playlist became a foundation for developing these characters. It served not only as a creative blueprint, but also as a reflection of the music they associate with the story, their sense of summertime nostalgia, and their own experiences of love, heartbreak, and memory. Many of these tracks were played on set to create an atmosphere that aligned with the characters’ musical tastes, helping the actors connect more deeply with their roles and evoke the emotional tone of each scene.
This character profile was created and shared with Marius Stoian, who plays Bea’s father, to support his preparation for the role. A large part of American Wedding’s emotional core revolves around the lasting imprint of AJ and Bea’s fathers - their presence, their choices, and how those choices shaped the paths their children would take.
For AJ, whose father (portrayed by OJ Harrison) abandoned him as a child, that absence bred bitterness and sparked an emotional dependence on others. In contrast, Bea’s father, Stoyan Dimitrov, stayed - but his rigid ideals and refusal to understand her artistic drive became a different kind of constraint.
These mirrored experiences form the emotional backbone of the piece, and it was crucial to provide both Marius and OJ with a deep understanding of the men they were portraying. This profile explores Stoyan’s backstory, values, and inner conflict, helping ground each scene in emotional truth and lived context.
Early snippet from American Wedding - features a shot that shifts position in the final cut.
— Early Stills
— The Wedding Day Shoot (03/08/24)
Behind the Scenes Photography by Alvin Lo
(1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator)
Promotional Poster: Designed by myself
Disposable Behind the Scene Photography by
Lucia Migliore (Grace)
and Luke Houllier (AJ's Friend)
Going into production, it was important to me that the wedding sequence was scheduled later in the shoot. This was to ensure both leads, Edward Oola (AJ) and Darina Draganova (Bea), had time to build on-screen chemistry and become comfortable performing intimate scenes with a smaller crew, before doing so in front of over 30 people.
When creating the shoot schedule, I set the intended day of shooting as August 3rd, 2024, giving us a concrete day to build towards. This would not only lock in a date, but would also allow sufficient notice to friends and family, ensuring the highest possible turnout of extras on the day.
The pre-production for this shoot was extensive, involving the booking of the Magna Carta Memorial as the shooting location as well as working with the Royal Holloway Film Society to organise permission for transporting 50 chairs from the campus to set. I sourced more chairs than necessary, leaving countless empty seats on the groom's side, serving as a subtle foreshadowing to AJ's character. Furthermore, I took to Mandy to cast the role of the priest, which was filled by the wonderful Nick Field.
I also sourced and purchased countless props and costume, including Bea's wedding dress, veil, shoes, and the ivory drapes and flowers on the wedding arch. The bridesmaids' dresses, inspired by La La Land (2016, Chazelle), along with their flowers were also carefully selected. Additionally, I created personalised nameplates for the front row on the bride’s side to represent Bea’s absent parents, who had chosen not to attend. I also sourced bowties and boutonnières for AJ, his best man, and the priest, alongside a Bible for the priest to hold.
Several key props were generously provided by donors, such as Bea’s jewellery, gifted by my mother, Paula Lazarus (Amelia), and the wedding rings, which were kindly lent by friends and supporting cast members, Nicola Jaros (Girl, 2nd Assistant Camera) and Harley Barleycorn (Wedding Guest).
By August 3rd, all pre-production was complete. Alongside the ongoing promotion of the wedding shoot day on social media with a poster I created, I set up a group chat to share essential details with the guests, including the event address, timings, travel, and parking. On the day, I met with my father, Nick Lazarus (Oliver), at the Royal Holloway campus, where he generously provided his van to transport the chairs to set. Since the van wasn’t large enough to fit all 50 chairs in one trip, requiring at least four round trips, I also used my car, alongside Marco Wang’s (AJ's Friend) car, who kindly assisted. In addition to their help, Alexandro Rinaldi (Wedding Guest), Luke Houllier (Wedding Guest), Jake Houllier (Wedding Guest), Edward Oola (AJ), and Alvin Lo (1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator) played a significant role in loading the chairs both to and from set, alongside countless other cast members who helped upon our arrival to set.
The shoot took place between 4:00 - 7:00 PM on location. While it was likely the most challenging shoot I have ever worked on, it was also one of the most rewarding. I am incredibly thankful to the 30+ cast members, friends, and family who came to take part in the project’s most pivotal shoot, not only for their acting but for their kindness and willingness to contribute in every way possible.
— The Diner Shoot (15/07/24)
Behind the Scenes Photography by Alvin Lo
(1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator),
Alexander Roffey (DoP), myself, and Edward Oola (AJ)
As part of the piece's American-inspired style, securing the right diner location was a top priority during pre-production. I scouted extensively across South London, Kent and Surrey, however it quickly became apparent that the most suitable diners were all at longer distances.
That was when I came across the 1950's American Diner in Derbyshire, an American diner which not only perfectly aligned with the location I envisioned when writing the script, but was also originally built in New Jersey in the 1950's. Before proceeding, I checked in with cast and crew to see if they’d be willing to travel up north. Once they confirmed, I contacted the owners and secured the location for £250 for four hours of shooting, later extending by two hours for an additional £120, bringing the total to six hours of shooting for £370. Upon making this booking, I set the shooting date for July 14th, 2024.
On the day of shooting, we travelled up north in two cars. I picked up Edward Oola (AJ) before heading into North London to collect Darina Draganova (Bea), while Alexander Roffey (DoP) collected Alvin Lo (1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator) and began their journey to Derbyshire.
After roughly a three and-a-half hour drive, we arrived to location. This shooting day was one of the few instances in which the weather ultimately turned out very differently from its forecast, as it was raining. This prompted a slight change to the first of the two scenes, originally set during the evening, which we shifted to night to avoid showing the rain. In the end, the unexpected weather worked in our favour as the downpour added atmosphere to the second, more melancholic scene, deepening its emotional tone. This shoot also unexpectedly gained the addition of Alex Barnett, a long-time friend based in Derbyshire who drove to location to play the role of a waiter.
Overall, the shoot went particularly well, with everyone on set fully engaged in achieving the best possible results within our limited time. We wrapped at 3:00 AM and drove back down south, arriving home by 7:00 AM. Though we were all exhausted, it was without doubt one of the most memorable shoots - and one we all agreed was our strongest yet at the time.
— The House Party Shoots (10/07/24 & 11/12/24)
House Party #1 Shoot (10/07/24)
Behind the Scenes Photography by Alvin Lo
(Assistant Camera and Drone Operator)
and myself
Promotional Poster: Designed by myself
House Party #2 Shoot (11/12/24)
Behind the Scenes Photography by myself, Marco Wang (AJ's Friend), Shreya Ramchurn (Party Guest), Ruby Ho (Party Guest), Nicola Jaros (Girl, 2nd Assistant Camera) and Alvin Lo (1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator)
Promotional Poster: Designed by myself
The resulting shot from this shoot, side by side with its reference shot from Trainspotting (1996, Danny Boyle)
Since its early conception in 2022, I had always envisioned a party scene showing AJ at one of his lowest points. This scene would feature a homage to Trainspotting (1996, Danny Boyle), combining a time-lapse with a static protagonist alongside a contrasting shot using the snorri-cam effect, inspired by Mean Streets (1973, Dir. Martin Scorsese). The depiction of this party setting was to have a cold blue, desolate atmosphere, largely inspired by The Weeknd's first trilogy of mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. These works explore the seductive thrill of the party lifestyle, its addictive pull, and how that addiction spirals into emotional detachment, romantic disarray and cold isolation.
As the narrative evolved and placed greater emphasis on Bea’s story, a second house party scene naturally emerged - serving as the moment she first meets AJ, after she and Grace wander into a party environment he often inhabits. When scheduling the shoots, I prioritised filming this first encounter before the originally planned party sequence to give Edward Oola (AJ) and Darina Draganova (Bea) a more organic experience of the timeline of their character's journeys.
The first house party shoot took place at my house on July 10th, 2024, a date I intentionally set despite having to forgo a planned family holiday to ensure the shoot would go ahead as scheduled. Pre-production was extensive, involving the sourcing and purchasing of red party cups, alcohol cans and bottles that reflected the film’s American-inspired aesthetic, along with red tinsel, fairy lights and themed party banners. As this scene aligns with Bea’s perspective, it was important - both in writing and in visual design - that the party setting felt warm and exhilarating, capturing the thrill of a new experience through her eyes. I deliberately chose red, white, and blue for the party banners, not only as a subtle red flag upon her first encounter with AJ, but also as a visual cue for her being drawn into his Americanised world.
By July 10th, my house was fully set-dressed and ready for the house party shoot. In the build-up to this shoot, I created a promotional poster, shared it across social media, and directly coordinated with those attending, assisted with timings and travel arrangements. Though we had 16 additional cast, including myself, the turnout was more than enough to bring the scene to life. With the hard work and creativity of everyone involved, including friends, family, and cast members from Mandy, we used clever tricks like switching jackets and hats - often within the same takes - to create the illusion of a larger crowd. Everyone who attended worked tirelessly from 9:00 PM - 2:00 AM to bring the sequence to life, enriching the party atmosphere through even the smallest of background improvisations.
The second house party shoot took place on December 11th, 2024, at the home of my friend and cast member, Marco Wang (AJ's Friend), who kindly offered his house for the shoot. The pre-production process was very similar to the first house party shoot, as I once again created a promotional poster, sourced red party cups, alcohol cans and bottles, fairy lights and themed party banners to reflect the piece's aesthetic. Where possible, I reused some of these items that had been carefully stored in a cardboard box after the previous shoot.
This shoot, however, introduced a key visual difference: it was now seen through AJ's eyes, someone who views party settings as cold and desolate, having long since given in to the fleeting thrills they offer. For this reason, I opted for cold blue tinsel banners this time, in contrast to the red banners used previously. The consistent use of tinsel was inspired by a house party scene in The Bear (2022-present, Created by Christopher Storer). This visual choice reinforced the thematic parallels between the two house parties: AJ is first seen talking to Bea while standing between red tinsel, and in this scene, he is sitting between the same tinsel, now cold-blue, as he is spoken to by a future romance. This cold-blue aesthetic, particularly the lighting, also drew inspiration from the party scenes in Euphoria (2019–present, Created by Sam Levinson).
This shoot was incredibly exciting for me, as it marked the realisation of the house party scene I had envisioned two and a half years earlier. It was crucial that the shoot achieved the highest level of attention to detail and care. One key aspect of pre-production was executing the time-lapse effect, which paid homage to Trainspotting (1996, Danny Boyle), as well as the snorri-cam effect, inspired by Mean Streets (1973, Dir. Martin Scorsese). To achieve this, I booked a dolly track from my university's equipment store. Alongside Alvin Lo (1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator), I experimented with different frame rates before speeding up the footage in DaVinci Resolve. After numerous tests, we settled on shooting at 2 frames per second for 120 seconds, then speeding it up by 12x in post-production.
On December 11th, 2024, the pre-production for the shoot took four hours, during which I spent time set-dressing and preparing other aspects ahead of the call time. This included leaving the set mid-preparation to purchase a cable reel extension lead needed for the lighting equipment, as well as collecting a blonde wig that had been delivered. The wig was ordered on short notice for Nicola Jaros (2nd Assistant Camera) who also portrayed AJ's future romance. Although we had shot the first of her two scenes on June 27th, 2024, she had since dyed her hair from blonde to brunette. To maintain continuity, I ordered a wig identical to her previous hairstyle for the shoot.
The shoot involved 16 cast members, including myself, with the majority being generous friends of Marco Wang (AJ's Friend), all kindly willing to assist. Taking place between 7:00 - 10:30 PM, it resulted in some of my favourite footage from the project. After two and a half years of imagining this sequence, it was incredibly fulfilling to finally see it come to life. Everyone who participated was deeply committed to creating the upbeat atmosphere surrounding AJ’s deep depression, whether contributing to the energy inside the room or even taking shifts standing outside the window in the cold December air. I am deeply thankful to all who played a role in bringing this scene to life.
— Additional Behind The Scenes Photography - Collage
Behind the Scenes Photography by Alvin Lo (1st Assistant Camera, Drone Operator), myself, Lucia Migliore (Grace), Ani Spasova (Bridesmaid),
Maitri Sanghvi (Bridesmaid), Noah Nissim (AJ's Friend), Alexander Roffey (DoP), Nicola Jaros (Girl, 2nd Assistant Camera), Marco Wang (AJ's Friend), Luke Houllier (AJ's Friend) and Gratsiela Petrova (The One)
