After working an unfulfilling job as a janitor, an anthropomorphic mop aspires for more despite of his current situation.

Director Bio:

My name is Reagan Becker and I am from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. I am a college student studying English, film, and digital media at the University of Wisconsin- Parkside. As a kid, I started making “cheesy” commercials and parodies with my sibling. Now, I am grateful that I can produce my own films and share them with people who share the same passions as I do.

Director Statement:

The making of my short film, “Moptimist” created an inventive experience that challenged my problem solving skills. Over the lockdown, I got the idea from a sketch I drew of a personified cleaning mop. As I continued to sketch, the mop became janitor and I made short notes about a potential story for the character. I held onto the idea and, eventually, made the film.

Personally, I wanted to tell a story that people could relate to even if the main character is an object. Many people settle for an unfulfilling job, instead of striving for a better opportunity. I wanted the audience to see themselves as the mop.

The most important aspect was the creation of the piece. The experience I taught me to think quickly on my feet. I had multiple problems filming by myself and getting the most out of the day of shooting. Plus, I never used Adobe Premiere Pro before so I had to teach myself how to edit using the advanced software. But, if something went wrong, I never gave up. That lesson is incredibly valuable to me. It showed my resilience and determination to create as well as my passion for the art of filmmaking.