Emilia GrillascaBrand Strategy · Marketing · Creative Direction

The GEEKS creature, in a striped dress, sits alone in a single spotlit seat among rows of empty theater seats

003 · Film & Creative Direction · Original short film

GEEKS

A creature film, made by hand in Miami Beach.

An original short film I co-created, co-wrote, and co-directed with Eric Corbin. One of two horror shorts commissioned by the City of Miami Beach, produced by FANGORIA Studios and WEG Films, and filmed largely at the Colony Theatre, the 1935 Art Deco landmark on Lincoln Road.

On September 26, 2026, Eric and I spoke at The Bass, Miami Beach’s contemporary art museum, on the panel Practical FX & Building the Monsters of Horror Shorts, alongside WEG Films producer Eddy Moon and FANGORIA co-owner Tara Ansley, and screened a teaser of the film. On October 30, GEEKS premiered on the outdoor wall at SoundScape Park in Miami Beach, and it is slated for international genre festivals in 2027.

Role
Co-creator, co-writer, and co-director, with Eric Corbin
Also
Production and creative development · Promotional strategy and partnerships
Produced by
FANGORIA Studios · WEG Films
Commissioned by
City of Miami Beach
Premiere
October 30, 2026 · SoundScape Park, Miami Beach

Behind the scenes

A crew of about twenty, a landmark theater, and the open beach.

Practical, not digital: a hand-built creature by Eric Corbin, directed on set from the Colony Theatre to the open beach, with no computer-generated effects.

I brought in photographer Brenda Brooks to document the production, building a library of behind-the-scenes images for the film’s promotion.

Emilia on set in a lilac dress, focused on the scene, with the camera operator, boom and sound crew working around her
On set with the crew
  • Emilia in a lilac dress and sunglasses carries the creature puppet down a backstage corridor
    Backstage with the creature
  • Emilia, smiling, dresses the creature puppet on the floor between setups
    Dressing the creature
  • A young actor in a pink leotard, ruffled tutu, and stage makeup kneels in the sand beside a glass terrarium as the camera rolls
    The beach scene
  • A field monitor mounted by the crew lounge door, showing a crayon drawing of a monster mid-take
    Playback by the crew lounge

Direction & leadership

Leading a film from set to premiere.

As co-director, I led a crew of about twenty across a landmark theater and the open beach, brought in a photographer to document the production, represented the film alongside FANGORIA and WEG Films at The Bass, and saw it through to its premiere at SoundScape Park.

  • Partners

    Produced with FANGORIA Studios and WEG Films.

  • Commission

    One of two horror shorts commissioned by the City of Miami Beach.

  • Place

    Filmed largely at the Colony Theatre.

  • Launch

    A panel and teaser at The Bass, a premiere at SoundScape Park, and festivals ahead in 2027.

Building the audience

One story, told across five accounts.

Promotion ran as collaborative Instagram posts shared between me, Eric Corbin, WEG Films, FANGORIA Studios, and The Bass, so every announcement reached each partner’s audience at once, building from the wrap to a full room at the museum and a full lawn at the premiere.

Views across four collaborative posts
49,000+
Partner accounts per post
Up to 5
Shares of the panel announcement
174
Emilia speaking on the panel at The Bass, creature artwork behind her
The full four-person panel at The Bass, with Emilia and Eric Corbin, before a seated audience
A full audience seated for the panel at The Bass Museum of Art

The wrap · 13.4K views — The announcement · 12.6K views, 174 shares — The panel recap · 14.5K views

The panel at The Bass Museum of Art, September 26, 2026 · Photography by Kevin Ondarza

Soundtrack

Homicide Jenny

The soundtrack features Homicide Jenny, a Miami punk band that has played Churchill’s Pub, the city’s landmark punk venue, and III Points, one of Miami’s major music festivals. I also directed the band’s companion music video for “Mean What You Say,” one of the songs featured in the film.

Premiere

SoundScape Park, October 30, 2026.

GEEKS premiered on the outdoor wall at SoundScape Park in Miami Beach, before a full lawn, with the premiere sponsored by Tony’s Chocolonely.

The premiere · SoundScape Park, Miami Beach

Campaign & Audience Development

  • Co-marketing. Collaborative posts across up to five partner accounts, including FANGORIA Studios and The Bass.
  • Audience. 49,000+ views across four collaborative posts.
  • Events. A museum panel and a public premiere, sponsored by Tony’s Chocolonely.
  • Stakeholders. A city commission, two production companies, and a museum, aligned on one release.