Watch: Get Immersed in SXSW Short ‘Random Stop’

Benjamin Arfmann’s short “Random Stop” was a dual MFA thesis film for his Masters Program at UCLA. It was a highly ambitious project and the final result shows a lot of potential in the young filmmaker. Premiering at South by Southwest 2014, the film was a finalist for the BAFTA student film awards, and was featured in June’s issue of American Cinematographer Magazine. This past week it debuted online through Short of the Week.

Entirely shot in P.O.V., “Random Stop” takes the audience into the true life and times of Sheriff’s Deputy Kyle Dinkheller who was tragically murdered in January 1998 by an unstable Vietnam veteran. Through the eyes of the Deputy, we take a ride in his police car, watch as he pulls over a speeding vehicle and the violent aftermath that follows. It’s a tense, claustrophobic experience.

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The impressive technical elements were created in partnership with Radiant Images. Director of Photography Justin Perkinson adapted the SI2K cameras used in “End of Watch” onto a custom helmet rig to achieve the point-of-view perspective. The film stars Brian Krause, best know for his portrayal of Leo Wyatt on “Charmed,” as the veteran Andrew Brannon, and newcomer Geoffrey Kennedy as Officer Dinkheller.

Check it out below: