The Kidnapping was my most personal and difficult project. I originally had the idea while writing a screenplay for RTF 333. My feature is called Miscarriage, and it involves two familes losing faith in life. That concept fascinates me to no end. Luckily, I have never experienced anything that has made me lose hope. I could not ask for a better life, and I love my family and friends with all my heart. I believe there is a God out there, and I hope that once this life is over that there is something more. But the questions are too strong to ignore.

I decided to put myself in an extreme situation where I would be forced to confront my own mortality. I would kidnapp myself, lock myself in the bathroom, and plunge head first into the abyss. The night before, I tried writing out a script. I just couldn't find the right words. Everything sounded too fake and movie-esque. I knew that I would have to improvise. I needed to let my fears take over. That would make the more powerful, riveting project. When the morning came, I locked the doors, and pressed record. It began.

First, I will tell you that a sock tastes horrible! It wasn't a dirty sock, but I could taste the laundry detergent. UGH! The angry/funny parts of the video came easy to me. I know how to yell and react to strange situations pretty well. The first two shots only took 2 or 3 takes to perfect. The emotional scenes, however, were ALOT more difficult. I spent take after take beating myself up. I would start and stop, curse, then start again. It was a painful process. I walked the fine line between horrible camp and riveting drama, and I had no clue which way it was falling. The next day I edited the footage together, and I quickly realized that I needed a little more humor to balance with the dark storyline. I added titles, giving the kidnapper a bit of wit and irony.

The presentation itself went very well. I had my roommate Luis Cobos come into class wearing a suit. I left the room, and he sat down. Once my name was called, he stood up and delivered a small white box to Sandy Stone. She opened the box to discover flowers, a letter, and the video. Sandy read the letter: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. -Shakespeare, Macbeth. I have kidnapped Michael. Please pass out the flowers. One flower for every dead soul. Once completed, watch the video.

Sandy passed the flowers out to the class, and then played the video. The class reacted very strongly. Some laughed, some were creeped out. All in all, it was a successful project that I'm glad I undertook. Hopefully, there is a lot more to life than just blackness.