The Offline Action Group
When the internet goes down permanently, a newly formed local action group agrees to be filmed as they try to guide the community through the crisis, while slowly revealing they are barely one step ahead of everyone else.
Download the script here
Paul Howard : Director & Writer
Paul Howard : Producer
Status: In Pre Production – Casting
Cast (alphabetically)
Genre : Mockumentary
Current status
The film is currently casting
Short Synopsis
The Offline Action Group is a short mockumentary comedy set after the internet has gone down, and as far as anyone knows, it may be permanent.
In response, a newly formed local committee holds its first community resilience meeting, complete with agendas, badges, a projector and an “Offline Survival Plan”. But as real residents begin asking practical questions about prescriptions, family contact, rumours and local information, it becomes clear the committee may be only one step ahead of everyone else.
Dry, warm and quietly absurd, the film follows well-meaning people trying to look in control, until one practical resident cuts through the noise and reminds everyone that community is less about having all the answers, and more about knowing who can help.
We are looking for actors for the following key roles:
Martin Bell, Chair and Acting Community Lead, playing age 50s
Martin is the self-appointed public face of the group. Articulate, smart-casual and quietly thrilled to be needed. He genuinely wants to help, but also enjoys being seen as the person who has stepped up.
Janet Price, Deputy Chair and Procedure Officer, playing age 60s
Janet is precise, procedural and utterly committed to agendas, minutes and correct process. She is funny because she is completely serious. Her orderliness is also how she manages anxiety.
Gary Townsend, Technical Liaison, playing age 40s
Gary is the local computer person. Before the outage, he fixed printers, Wi-Fi and smart TVs. Now the problem is bigger than him, though he is not quite ready to accept that. Awkward, sincere and quietly vulnerable.
Kelly Marsh, Community Wellbeing Lead, playing age 30s
Kelly is a former online wellness coach trying to help the community process “digital grief”, while privately processing the collapse of her own online identity. Warm, sincere and slightly too fluent in emotional language.
Eileen Parker, practical local resident, playing age 70s
Eileen is the calm, grounded resident who cuts through the committee’s performance and helps the room become useful. Dry, practical, observant and quietly authoritative. Not a “wise old lady” cliché, more someone who has spent a lifetime getting things done.
Older Man, playing age 60s to 70s
A resident worried about getting his wife’s prescription. This role brings a real practical concern into the room and helps ground the comedy.
Young Mum, playing age 20s to 40s
A resident trying to contact her daughter when the usual digital routes no longer work. Natural, practical, worried but not helpless.
Dry Resident, playing age 40s to 70s
A dry, amused public observer who sees through the committee but is fair enough to admit the meeting becomes useful.
There are also smaller speaking roles and background resident roles available.
Filming will take place in Sutton / Wallington, Surrey. The project is intended to be filmed over a small number of sessions, using a community hall style setup with main meeting scenes and mockumentary interview scenes.
This is a Sutton Filmmakers / community filmmaking project, so we are especially interested in actors who enjoy collaborative short film work, dry comedy, character performance and naturalistic mockumentary timing.
Threadbare
Logline
When the internet crashes, a sewing group must rely on innate skill, instinct, and camaraderie to help one anxious bride-to-be with her wedding dress.
Sara Jordan : Director & Writer
Paul Howard : Producer
Status: In Post Production – In the edit room
Cast (alphabetically)
- Nikki Brooks
- Kate Donnachie
- Joy Harrison
- Sara Jordan
- Chris Rowe
Genre : Comedy
Current status
The film is in editing and we hope to release as part of the Anthology
Short Synopsis
At a sewing class, Lucy faces a crisis when the internet fails just as she is working on her wedding dress. Her classmates rally round with encouragement, and shared skills. Without online help, the group discovers the joy of teamwork, cheeky banter, and finding confidence in each other.