The Trigger

This report describes the process of conception, development and production of the graduate thesis film The Trigger. The narrative/documentary hybrid short film portrays the journey of a young Hispanic woman with epilepsy and her trials and tribulations after waking up from a seizure. She takes a trip from her hometown Monterey, Mexico to Austin, Texas to unite with the person she is truly in love with. The film incorporates live action sequences, shot in and around Austin and San Antonio and documentary interviews with several people suffering from epilepsy. The Trigger was shot on an Arri Alexa digital film camera with a skeleton crew over several weeks. The narrative is based on a true story, experienced by the filmmaker, who was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 14. The report describes the journey of making the film and the difficulties of pursuing a lengthy creative endeavor while living with epilepsy.