Just A Drill | A Suspenseful Drama Short by Julianne Donelle
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- Опубликовано: 1 мар 2020
- Determined to follow the rules in an active shooter drill, an overworked teacher in an underfunded classroom battles the impossible choices a leader must make when the drill becomes a horrifying reality.
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Just A Drill by Julianne Donelle
www.juliannedonelle.com
IG: @JulianneDonelle
Making a film about the topic of school shootings is an inherently difficult task. For one, it’s something that’s been done a lot. But, beyond the ubiquity of the topic, when dealing with such a hot-button and emotionally charged issue, it’s so easy to drift into moralizing or finger-wagging. I don’t think many logical folks in the United States would contest the fact that we have a huge problem with guns in this country. But, as audiences, we also don’t like to be lectured to. And therein likes the innate difficulty of making a “school shooting film.”
So, it’s with some surprise that I can say that writer/director Julianne Donelle’s Just A Drill is a taut and engrossing mini-thriller. It’s engaging the topic of school shootings head-on. But, there’s a twist here: it’s actually not about a school shooting at all, at least not directly. Rather, the film is dealing with the culture of preparation that has arisen as a result of a society that has collectively chosen to “tolerate” the problem rather than actually fix it. As the title suggests, it’s just a drill. And, yet…is it?
That central question becomes a powerful driver of suspense. Just A Drill is successful because it manages to slowly build on this sense of tension…this creeping feeling of unease as the “normal” transforms into something both foreign and sinister. The drill is supposed to be preparation to prevent the horrific, and so, the very act of “practicing” becomes, ironically, horrific in and of itself. As you might expect, the disturbing mood comes directly from director Julianne Donelle’s personal experience.
As she relates to Short of the Week:
“As a former educator, my inspiration came for this project when I was working at a school and participated in active shooter drills with my fellow employees. Suddenly the happy halls that were typically full of noisy students were now empty while my walkie talkie echoed through the classroom with cries of fear; untrained actors pretending to be as realistic as possible to prepare the teachers for anything. It was a disturbing day where educators faced difficult questions, the most unsettling being the concept of locking children out of your classroom and not opening the door no matter what happens.”
The ending of the film will probably be a point of contention for some. Just as the film reaches peak tension, it basically just cuts away. It’s hard not to feel a bit disappointed by the lack of resolution. But, after stewing on this bit, I’m not sure it’s even possible to bring this sort of film to a “satisfying” conclusion. It’s essentially an exercise in tension and unease. And, so, if the film were to undercut that with a sense of a relief-the confirmation that it all was part of the plan-it, ultimately, would diminish its power. It’s essentially proof that short films can often get away with structural issues that would be detrimental to longer form work.
The film obviously has larger issues on its mind, mainly the efficacy of active shooter drills in general, and the inherent logical fallacy of finding comfort in rules and guidelines when preparing for a situation that defies logic.
As Donelle succinctly puts it:
“This film is not a grand political statement. It is not intended to lecture, preach, or give false answers. It simply asks the difficult question, what would you do?”
Donelle has several other completed short films in her persona canon. She’s also focusing on two feature screenplays that she plans to direct, both of which live in the horror/psychological thriller realm. Be sure to visit Donelle’s website at the link below to keep up with her work.
www.juliannedonelle.com
CREDITS
Directed By: Julianne Donelle
Produced By: Sabrina Stoll,
Co-Produced By: Megan Jordan
Starring: Sally Pressman, DJ Blickenstaff, and Jackson Pace
DP: Carole McClintock
Production Designer: Sara Kugelmass
Editor: Arianna Tomasettig
Music By: Emer Kinsella
Costume Design: Elena Flores
Casting Director: Anna Mayworm
Assistant Director: Arielle Zadok
Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmaker. 
Кино
Love how quickly it ramps up the tension from "normal" to terrifying. An interesting commentary on how even just the preparation for school shootings can be traumatizing in their own way.
Couldn't have said it better! An important topic that definitely needs more examination.
Damm right.
@@shortoftheweek yeah
@@shortoftheweek and part 2 is?
@@shortoftheweekcan we have a sequel to what happened?
Very well done. I think there was a missed opportunity at the end to solidify the fear. After the kid is banging on the door and the screen goes black, a gunshot or two interrupting complete silence would have been very powerful before the credits start.
Agreed this whole video was a missed opportunity of greatness.
Yes!! Even Tarantino thought this was a good ideas in Reservoir Dogs
@@miatatude5362 That was the same kid who the teacher wouldn't allow to make up the test. it was trying to make us question if he was the one doing the shooting or not. So having shots in the background would diminish that.
@@etherraichu we could still question if he was the one who was shooting or the one who was shooted
Read the description. The ambiguity is the essential point of this film.
To all the "smart" people that point out the orange tip on the gun: the idea is that immediately after the coms tell that the shooter is at the cafeteria, and the teacher looks puzzled. Why? Because she knows he couldn't be there is she just saw him. So who's at the cafeteria at that time? SPOILER: there's a fake shooter and a real one.
How smart
This ruins the vidoe.
@@dewaldsteyn1306 you didn’t have to read it then, it was an option.
Reaaally shouldn’t have read this comment before it got to that part…
@@DieselDoktor fr bad habits die hard though because this happens to me but not a lot
Cliffhanger with so many questions: Is Simon the shooter? Are there multiple shooters? Was this the plan of someone from the Drama Club? What happened with the new teacher? Did she open the door? So suspenseful-we need an ending!
Too suspenseful, therefore blunt
I think that Simon was the shooter, and trying to get in (to kill them of course)
I think that people are overlooking the new teacher. I think his unsteadiness and his pretending to know details with what going on, and lack of knowing how to make the coffee (since he drinks it) in the breakroom point to him being the shooter. I don’t drink coffee, but as someone who worked at an elementary school, everyone has a routine and knows their way around the school after a certain point. There is absolutely no way this serious drill would take place right after school started, thus the new teacher should still know how the routines in the break room go.
idk, if Simon was, he could shoot through the doors as walker was literally Infront of jt
the shooter she saw was the fake one and the one in the cafeteria was the real one if u saw to orange tip on the gn it’s fake show the fact hes a actor and not the shooter 😄
This film really got my stomach all knotted up. The fact that authorities can't be called and have already been notified not to, and the intense feeling of danger at the end of the film. This really shows the amount of danger in a school shooting, and the awareness we need to have towards it. Each day 12 children die from gun violence in America. Well done with the representation, really got my heart racing.
this is m 3rd time watching this shit and its still scary
Just let the kid retake the damn test
After all of that
Yeah i agree
wat
So they basically put the whole school in harms way by telling the police not to show up? Wow! This was good..❤
They definitely should have had a cop on standby somewhere in the school. My high school had one at all times.
True, every shooting drill needs at least two to guide and instruct, in my school (Britain) we had a few PCSOs and a guy with a dog.
Obviously, the real shooter knew about the mock active shooter drill and went into the school knowing that the staff would just think he was the mock shooter and not realizing that a real active shooter is in the school.
Wow!! SPOILER ALERT. I knew it was a film but, my stomach knotted up as the planned drill started to unravel and appeared to become real. An amazing film. Two thumbs up to all the filmmakers, cast and crew.
I honestly think that Simon is the shooter, because of the gunshots down the hall it's likely he did the same thing to the classrooms down the hall and he was let into 1 or 2 of them. If he was not the shooter and wanted to get away, he should've gone down the stairs RIGHT NEXT to miss walker's room. Plus, it looks to be a bathroom to the right of the hallway facing through Ms. Walker's room. I personally think those gunshots were the new teacher and his actor students being shot after he violated the drill and got them killed. Also, the voice that was heard earlier before the gunshot seemed to be close by, and the gunshots stopped when Simon went up to the door.
On top of that, who bangs on a door and yells when there's an active shooter?
@@mattmaverick3602 Someone worried that the shooter might be there any second, and needs to escape to safety immediately. When I was in school, we literally had kids get scared that the active shooter drills were real, got stuck in the hallways, and started banging on doors crying and yelling to please let them in. So anecdotally, I've seen two kids do exactly what Simon did here, but it was during a drill.
@@HadenGregory i mean, install cameras in the school. Connect them to the PD. PD gains access only when alert is issued. You can even have an app on sudent's phones. PD goes through recent activity on cams figuring out the suspect, blocking their account on the system. Phone's GPS shows everyone's exact position.
Moral of the story, never take a drill to lightly. Great film!
*too
The way the teacher was so obnoxiously loud really irritated me!
Same no one pointed it out but you like why is she so loud
This gave me chills. I was shaking and I almost cried. I’m still in school so this is my biggest fear.
Same
😢😢😢omg
Simon is either as good an actor as the real life actor (Jackson Pace) playing his character, or there really is a real active shooter situation. The shooter may even be Simon, himself, and he is trying to trick Ms. Walker into opening the door so he can kill her - we don’t know.
The viewer is left guessing on purpose because the point of this film is to say that it doesn’t matter whether it was just a drill, or “just a drill”: when we as a society have decided to accept this as our reality to the point where we must simulate the trauma on ourselves it doesn’t matter whether it’s real or not. The whole of society is victimized by mass shootings; each of us is affected by this whether we are aware of it or not.
Well said
Why there is an option of openning the door in the first place, what's the reason in closing it then. Seems like a weak architecture, whole system poorly planned
Oh my god. Suspenseful *_indeed_* . Hearing that kid yell “open the door” over and over got my heart racing
Mines too
It would’ve made it more nerve wrecking if they added a gunshot at the end
@@ellieweirdo1798 skibidi
@@ellieweirdo1798 skib🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑
@@ellieweirdo1798 i agree
Broo what a cliff hanger. We need part 2
I agree
PART 22222
Holy smokes, that was intense and thrilling. Even though I guessed there would be a real shooting in place of the drill. Very engaging overall. Keep going 👏👏
vedo bf
ax vedo
Sad reality, but really intense and well done
ihhghhh
،
I really like how even at the end you don’t know the ending you don’t know weather that kid Simon was the shooter if there was another shooter or if it was all just a drill.
she’s so loud and turn your phone on silent
I really liked how they thought it was a drill. I wonder how it ended. If this happened in real life that would be horrifying.
Tip: Don't wear high heals to school, (especially for teachers) because they will make noise which attract the shooter, If you do, bring another set of shoes with you incase a scene like this happens.
My heart was racing so fast at the end😭
This would be terrifying. Not just the film but the scenario. Nobody would know there was a shooting for hours and the text said the police wouldn’t come even if it was real because they would think it’s a part of the dril
That’s horrifying!
I'd hope it's unrealistic and that they have code words for emergency responders to know it's real.
wow that was intense. 20+ years ago when I was still in school fire drills were a moment to be out of class and chat with classmates. I couldn't imagine having to do drills like this and have to be quite the whole time in classroom.
the fact that this is reality is absolutely disgusting.. these poor children and people who die every day to people who think its okay to hurt others quite frankly makes me wanna cry.
Just american things
I love this short film. Something that stands out to me that people can learn from are about the rules : even if there’s a certain protocol, you need to trust your instincts. I would have never just taken away the students’ cell phones and would’ve let the guy in after he said it wasn’t part of the drill. I also would’ve been prepared with a makeshift weapon once ANYONE started banging on the door. Also it was a HUGE oversight for those in charge of the drill to not tell the teachers of the exact details, and that led to the all uncertainty and potential danger.
Yeah, but the kid knew about the drill. He got upset because she wouldn’t let him take the quiz and he was upset. He could’ve been saying it wasn’t a drill for the sole purpose of getting in the room and shooting her. Unfortunately when it comes to situations like that, if someone is locked out, the teacher ultimately has to make the best decision for them and their students. Someone could be “trying to get in for safety” but they’re the actual shooter. If that makes sense
@@alexusfryman7745 The kid also could've just shot her through the door, if he had a gun. She literally looks through the little window on the door and they see each other, but he doesn't shoot. Really makes me think that Simon isn't the shooter, and it's someone else. But she was so scared that she locked a kid out and potentially got him killed.
I always coming back to watch this when the school shootings happen. I can’t believe I have to watch this again
I’ve ALWAYS wondered what would happen if there were a fire drill or shooter drill and someone took advantage of that and actually shot up the school… absolutely terrifying the country we live in… 💔
Wow, expertly done. This was so unnerving but hard to look away from
I wonder if someone knew that the drill was going on and use that as the shooters advantage
OMG THAT MAKES SENSE
Another hint at 7:53 on the walkie-talkie, a male teacher says Simon's name before the gunshots start.
I like how there are 2 possibilities, 1. The kid banging at the door is the shooter trying to get inside or 2. The kid banging will end up killed because of not being let inside
This happened to me at one point, luckily, nobody was harmed, and the situation was resolved rather quickly.
Moral of the story is never go to the bathroom or leave classroom because no one will let you in!!!
If you’re in the bathroom and there’s an active shooter don’t leave the bathroom. Close the stall door and stand on the toilet and duck so your head isn’t seen above the stall walls and door. Also, I don’t think shooters tend to go in bathrooms. They always target cafeterias/classrooms/hallways/gyms/auditoriums or any place that is crowded with students. If they see a bunch of people run into the bathroom then they may enter but typically they don’t. So if you’re in the bathroom when an active shooter starts, stay there and hide accordingly, because you may have a higher chance of surviving than others while in there.
this shit got so scary fast but at the same time it pissed me off how even while it was a drill they never put their phones on silent and still talked so loudly while it turned realistic like
This was well done. Sad that school has to prep for this. In my time we had the fire drill.
when was your time?
Probably when my time was cause that’s all we had as well… were fire drills
One of my teachers told me at her old job, they gave teachers 15 minutes to be prepared for a shooter drill. Apparently 10 minutes in they started shooting fake bullets or smth like that.
just about all of us came from the tiktok
great u can stop asking now
not me lol
Yeah, me neither
This is actually a great shortfilm
These drills always scare the crap put of me. My school’s been under lockdown three times in eight years. The first time it happened was when I was in first grade, theres was an active sh00ter at the bank that was right next to our school. The second, fifth grade. There was a stranger that broke into the schools and was wondering the arcades. The third time was in seventh grade. Some guy broke in through the back gate and went all around the school stealing back packs and other stuff.
Nothing bad happened to anyone but we didn’t know that till the lockdown was over and we we’re all terrified.
And several times my school went under secret lockdowns without telling the kids for unknown reasons. We know because we heard suspicious noises outside snd suddenly all the teachers locked the doors and windows.
Last year my brother’s school was locked down because an active sh00ter was on campus. And all the families were terrified.
Great way to raise the suspense
I go to a high school in South Carolina. After seeing the shooting that happened in Tennessee, I’ve had this really sick feeling that it’s gonna happen to us soon. I’ve never had to deal with this thought and I never would have wanted this feeling to overtake anyone. I believe that it’s gonna happen soon but I don’t know where. Most of the time the sick feelings come true. I’ve been praying that it doesn’t.
I’m a high school student myself and everyday I’m anxious for myself and siblings because I’m scared of what will happen if there ever was a school shooting at my school or theirs. I shouldn’t be scared to go to school everyday but yet I am. I just wish stuff like this will stop happening.
I wish for it to stop but it never will. The only reason why it happens is because people are so messed up. If we didn’t have messed up people then we’d be fine but living in a society like ours. Its impossible. But look it’ll be ok. It’s uncommon and the only reason why we hear so much about it is because most people are scared and talk about it and those people love and long for that fear. People are messed up. But it’ll be ok soon enough. Just have to get out of high school and get out of school in general
hey, yeah, I had this feeling too. just yesterday there was a real lockdown at my hs in 4th period, and there was a kid with a gun on campus. we never saw him but thats what the authorities said after they apprehended the shooter.
Oh god I hope you all are safe. People are just disgusting. I hope you all are safe and that you all can get through it. Sending love 💛
It’s so incredibly sad that kids have to live in fear of going to school. 😢
Have they never had a real active shooter training?
This entire thing was really good. The only complaint I have was that it showed the orange tip on the gun. It could've been a lot more realistic. But it was amazing overall
That was the fake shooter, then the teacher was confused when the comma said the shooter was immediately somewhere else
The real one was at the cafeteria, they knew this was a drill
wait i want to watch the ending.....
The guy gets the pewpew and Mrs waters ends up killing herself from the guilt :D
@@starmax1000 alternatively, it was all an elaborate prank to see how they would ACTUALLY react in an active shooter situation.
Where do you find the actual ending
@@savannahlevy97 how you know that?!
@@starmax1000 where do u find that
Im pretty sure this is why teachers never told us about lock down drills specifically... that they had to be a surprise for everyone:(
POV: your here from the TikTok comment that says the name of the vid
Yesss
yep
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSsssssdssdssssssssSSsSSsSsssssDSSSSSSSSSSS
Same lol
Yesss 😭
Imagine someone just listened and helped him
Ngl Ms.Walker did him nasty. Those were not “Just a drill” bangs on the door , they were intense and terrifying.
He could've been the shooter because if you think about it, no one would proceed to smack, bang and shout when there is a school shooter. If I was him I would've just ran the opposite direction where the shooter was because he knew where the shooter was
Nah. She did right thing. Maybe he’s a shooter. He can just run to opposite direction and run from shooter instead of banging the door and shouting. He’s acting like wanting shooter to know where he is
No she didn't. She made the correct choice. Because Maybe he's the shooter wanting to get in or the shooter is right behind him forcing him to try and get someone to open the door so they can get access to the room. That's one of the things stressed every year during scenario training. You never open the door for any reason. When it is safe, the police will enter the room themselves with keys they have gotten. You don't open the door for distress calls from students or staff and you don't open the door to anyone identifying as a police officer.
@@foxisglee The other possibility is that the shooter is trying to use him to gain access to the room. So she either opens the door and book the shooter is right behind the kid or the shooter is nearby and in the few second it takes her to open the door, let the kid in and lock it, the shooter manages to get their foot in or something.
What a great short drama! I looked up Julianne's IMDB, hoping that this had been expanded into a feature, but she only seems to do shorts 😞
Oh my gosh that was so freaking stressful
You know what’s terrifying? A school shooter taking advantage of a school shooter drill
Love it, well directed.
This is one of the reason our school and teacher doesn’t tell the students when a drill is.
I think my school tells the gifted students and anyone that would genuinely be affected by it
@@CelliPotato that makes sense
i wish i had a drama team that was good as this!
wait are u a teacher
@@mymixedbiscuit9159 nah Just a random sophomore who's bored
Part two !!!
Can’t let that go
This was so intense... I would not have wanted to be a part of that drill
Need another part to this I loved it
I want a part 2 that was intense.
This was well filmed.
As part of the first generation that did school drills for earthquakes, disasters, etc. I f*€king hated those drills…. Now as an adult, I hate we do active shooter training. I do not want my niece going through this. Good film!
Ah yes, the teacher could totally not tell the gun wasn't real by the bright orange tip on the barrel. Ah yes.
That was the fake shooter, then the teacher was confused when the communications said the shooter was immediately somewhere else
Maybe the orange part was there to make it look like a fake
that’s the fake shooter, the real shooter is In the cafeteria
The thing that first stuck out to me was that she didn’t take off her heels. I always remove my shoes, lanyard, keys, anything that can make noise.
Students in proximity to the door. No barricade. No door shade. No window shades. Too much talking. Stop yelling! That deadbolt isn’t enough if he wants to get in. They almost never try to get in a locked door, they go for the easiest targets first. They should already have improvised weapons (fire extinguisher, anything hard and sharp and the heaviest things they can manage). No clear directions.
And the worst part. The very worst. That made me so, so sick. We really can’t let them in. And that is one of my worst fears.
I thought it was interesting they showed the nature of the teacher to sticking to rules like with the test. No matter the circumstances, she doesn't make special exceptions for anyone. In a way there is also similarities in the drill being a test that can't be made up or recovered bc when it's the real deal, everyone needs to b prepared. There's a parallel with the drill n the test. If they don't do well, no matter the excuse or circumstances, the lives cannot be recovered that r lost
Good film with excellent tension. Lackluster ending though.
This is amazing 🤩
I'm being watching these videos just to see how I'd survive this type of stuff
I ain't answering the door, I'm keeping quiet, lights off, phone on silent, voices down......🤫🤫
Not me watching these a few weeks before school starts...
It's just a well crafted tension short and I didn't find it that deep like some people have said
Wow, this is intense. And so sad. Can't imagine a student or member or school staff having to do drills for shooters. Not here, at least. I wish you luck, Americans.
Just perfect
I’ve watched so many of these that the FBI is probably suspicious of me
The orange muzzle took the suspense away (means the gun is fake). Either part of the drill since the short firm seemed incomplete or an oversight.
That was the fake shooter, then the teacher was confused when the comms said the shooter was immediately somewhere else
I think that was the fake shooter. Remember on the walkie, it was stated that the shooter was in the cafeteria. Since Ms. Walker was looking at another shooter and we didn’t hear the shots fired prior to that, the shooter she was looking at was an actor.
As an Australian who has never experienced this. I am scared watching.
I wish they wouldve added the news playing at the end to really send off this message! I would’ve been scared as hell
I had a few drills in ms and hs (not shooter drills) that actually turned out to be real, but because everyone assumed it was a drill there was no organization or rush at all
It should be a full length film😩
We never did this after school. The whole school did this during the school day. They’re leaving those Gen Z’s completely unprepared, uneducated and defenseless. We did the every 15 minutes don’t text don’t drive during school and active shooter during school. After school prepares no one.
I hated these drills. They always gave me major anxiety. Not to mention they were unintuitive and impractical
I’m watching this the day before a school Intruder drill
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DRILL IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR DOORS LOCKED THAT THEY CANNOT OPEN THEM😞😞😞😞
It’s not exactly the right thing. It could be the shooter trying to get in by tricking you. It is seriously way too dangerous to open the door and let them in, the shooter could be using them as bait to get in the room. Overall, if Simon wasn’t the shooter he would’ve prob ran the other direction , away from the shooter. This is just my take tho
@spirals 73 and get your guts blown out
This would make for a fantastic actual movie. Everyone complaining about the orange tip on the gun. What if that’s the kid who wanted to retake the test who was denied, and he put an orange tip on the gun to make everyone _think_ it was a fake gun?
Yes, finally, someone who gets it!
I think that's just the fake shooter, the one from drama or something, the real shooter was in the cafeteria, or maybe there's more shooters, idk
Yeah bro if I’m in a situation like that, like hell your getting my phone
If that was me I would’ve definitely broken the window and run out
You are good. 😌
@@JamaicanRain lmao
and then get your guts blown out
....so the real shooter waited for the drill, cause he knew the police would most likely not be called. Who Is thinking Simon is the shooter due to what the teach said?
Who ever the shooter was must have planned this, he or she must have heard the drill was in a few days and started training so that they can use the shooting drill as a way to start the there attack
its the guy who got the failing grade
The fact the gun has an orange tip 😂
That's a fake actor from drama, or either that's a real gun with a tip and he is the real shooter, there are just more shooters
Modern day, "Lady or the Tiger." Well done.
So why would you take the pupils phones? Because its a drill or would you realy take them?
i need to know what happened next!!!
I am all for this.
Victims POV is and should ever be a fixture, especially when scarry doesn't mean exploitation.
Sorry girls!
*scary
@@SuperTonyony sorry teacher, engrish is my third language
Why "Sorry girls"...???
@@Uhm...no444 Three years later I have no idea whatsoever.
should have let the kid retake the damn test
My heart is beating..omg…
where is the second part?
It shows that this school shootings can be very traumatic and I can’t bear to be at school and that happening to me. I’m so scared about that happening at my school
I NEED PT2
What’s this movie called
This is awesome the acting is pretty good too
I think it's made clear that Simon wasn't the shooter, because when he pounds on the door at the end he can see that Miss Walker is right on the other side. If Simon had a gun, he could've just shot her through the door as revenge for missing the quiz. In this video we see a teacher be basically heartless, failing a student because his father has mental illness and took him out of school unexpectedly. Then, when the same student is being chased by a school shooter, she doesn't let him in the room to safety. I understand why people think that Simon is the shooter, but it doesn't make sense. If he wanted revenge on Miss Walker, he could've done it without the door opening. He was scared and wanted help.