Beyond the Blue Light Wraps Principal Photography - A Quiet Short With Big Heart

Reporting from the last day of principal photography with the cast and crew of Beyond the Blue Light . Bringing to a close a four‑day sprint that signals the final push toward post‑production. The short film, written, directed by, and starring Simone Brazzini, is a student‑led production by Vibes Video under the guidance of producer Jasmin Haugstuen Please and associate producer Alex Wolf.

WATCH THE TEASER HERE:

A story rooted in quiet truth

Brazzini, born in Lima, raised in Dallas, and now residing in Los Angeles, brings a deeply personal lens to the film as a filmmaker committed to amplifying BIPOC, queer, trans and neuro‑diverse voices. (SB) This commitment is reflected in the story of Beyond the Blue Light, in which young actor Jude Atencio plays “Gia,” an 8‑year‑old trans girl navigating a pivotal confrontation in a single afternoon.

“I wanted to write a story about the numbness we feel about the things we see and hear and social media and how two people with similar identities on paper can have vastly different privileges, and lived experiences.” Brazzini shares

"The camera watches this person struggle with what we all are struggling with to some degree right now” Haugstuen Please remarks. “Simone's presence on camera is striking, and their performance is so human and relatable but still very poignant if that makes sense” With cinematographer Arman Meinecke, an AFI‑trained rising visual storyteller behind the lens, the creative team aimed for an intimate aesthetic that reflects both internal tension and external quiet. (AFI CONSERVATORY)

The team behind the scenes

Brazzini and Producer Jasmin Haugstuen Please assembled a nimble cast and crew who filmed on location in Los Angeles. Alex Wolf served as associate producer, keeping creative vision anchored and production logistics moving.

“Brazzini directs with purpose and with meticulous planning, and is yet able to be so present in the scene as an actor” Jasmin remarks.

On‑set: four days, one story

Filmed over four focused days, Beyond the Blue Light was a production defined by intensity, intimacy, and intention. Under the sharp coordination of 1st AD Sophie Emma Wells, the team moved efficiently through emotionally layered scenes while never losing sight of the human core of the story.

Wells’ approach to directing background talent reflected this ethos. In one pivotal scene set just after an ICE raid, she reminded the group, “You know Gia. She’s your neighbor. What’s going to happen to her?” The prompt turned what could have been a static background moment into something lived-in, urgent, and deeply personal. “This film is so important, It’s snapshot of what it’s like to live in LA right now. ” Wells shared.

What’s next?

With principal photography almost wrapped, the team now moves into post‑production. Brazzini and Wolf are already lining up festival submissions and discussing plans for the film’s release. The story, though rooted in a specific youth experience, is poised to resonate broadly with audiences.

“I hope the audience takes away heart, understanding, and eye-opening compassion for our communities that need it most right now. I hope this sways the course of modern politics to everyone it reaches that needs to hear and feel this, and we can garner more support and empathy in the spaces that we desperately need right now.,” Wolf remarks.

Stay tuned for more updates on festival appearances and release plans. A deeply emotional visual piece is on the horizon from this dedicated group of collaborators.