Oscar Lopez

A grief-stricken detective investigates a ritualistic crime in a quiet Midwestern town, uncovering a shadowy cult that blurs the line between faith and reality—and threatens to consume him entirely.

“The Pretty Waitress” follows Jacob, a shy teen who finds himself mesmerized by the waitress. His friend Mark encourages him to ask her out. When Jacob finally attempts it, Mark’s encouragement turns into pressure and derails him. As Jacob embarrassment turns into frustration, he has to confront his fear and speak up for himself. What begins as simply telling a girl she’s pretty, turns into a step towards Jacob finding his voice.

This is a psychological thriller about a troubled mad who believes that all he is suffering from is schizophrenia, but something more sinister is at work. It was a submission for the 2025 SkillUSA Nationals Digital Cinema competition, it got my partner and I 6th place in the nation! Among other things, the prompt was to copy the cinematography style of Janusz Kamiński's minority report.