Pilot

"**Pilot**" (originally titled ***Brodies***) is a short film and the pilot episode of the *Brodies* webseries.

The episode was created as an entry for the 48 Hour Film Project, an annual contest wherein teams of filmmakers are assigned certain story elements and allowed a timeframe of forty-eight hours to produce a short film.

## Plot synopsis

Chris awakens in his bed and welcomes his friends Collin, Gage, and Taylor into his apartment. After they begin a game of poker, they are joined by Hunter and Andrew, who have brought cases of Mountain Dew Pitch Black. Unexpectedly, Matthew then arrives, sheepishly asking to join their friend group. The others laugh and initiate a "training montage", during which Matthew is physically and emotionally injured.

In a final test, the group sends Matthew to stand several yards away, and Hunter throws a can of Pitch Black at him, which he fails to catch. The others begin to leave, but when Matthew cracks open the thrown can, they commend him and accept him as one of the "Brodies".

## Appearances

* Chris (portrayed by Christopher Hendrickson)
* Collin (portrayed by Collin Barnes)
* Gage (portrayed by Gage McCann)
* Matthew (portrayed by Matthew Hoobin)
* Taylor (portrayed by Taylor Stubbs)
* Hunter (portrayed by Hunter Lawrence)
* Andrew (portrayed by Andrew Nicolas)
* Spencer (portrayed by Spencer Bass)

## Production

The episode's production was completed in forty-eight hours. It was developed by Gage McCann as his group's entry of a short film as part of the 48 Hour Film Project. The Project is an annual challenge that has existed since at least 2001, and was adopted by the film program at Dixie M. Hollins High School's Academy of Entertainment Arts.

The requirements for the project (aside from no strong language or excessive graphic violence, as it was a school project), were as follows:

* the film must include an impression of or cameo appearance by actor Vin Diesel
* the film must include the song "I Believe I Can Fly" by singer R. Kelly
* the film must include the dialogue line "you've cat to be kitten me right meow"

All three requirements were met. Chris parodies Vin Diesel with the line "I don't have friends. I have brodies", which is a reference to Diesel's line in the 2015 film *Furious 7*, in which he says "I don't have friends, I got family". Matthew says "you've cat to be kitten me right meow" after being ordered to catch a can of Pitch Black, and "I Believe I Can Fly" is heard when Hunter throws the can at Matthew.

The episode was filmed on Saturday, April 1, 2017 in Seminole, Florida, USA. The episode's cinematography was a shared job between Collin Barnes, Spencer Bass, Matthew Hoobin, and Gage McCann. Audio recording and make-up application were handled by Amanda Christ. The gathered footage was edited by McCann on the night that it was recorded, and during the following day. The finished product was uploaded to YouTube on April 2, 2017.

## Music

* "Break the Rules" by Simon Viklund
* "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)" by Paul Engemann
* "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly
* "Playing with the Boys" by Kenny Loggins

## Cultural references

* Gage is seen wearing a t-shirt bearing a graphic for the 1975 album *Wish You Were Here* by the English rock band Pink Floyd.

* Hunter remarks that, without him and Andrew, Collin would "probably still be watching *Miami Vice* alone with that ugly shirt".

* When Collin opens the door to find Matthew standing outside, Matthew is playing *Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition* on a Game Boy Color.

* Chris' line "I don't have friends. I have brodies" is a parody of Vin Diesel's line "I don't have friends, I got family" from the 2015 action film *Furious 7*.