Houndstooth Studios 🎥🤟🏽🎬

We’re going to @slamdancegroup baby! Still pinching myself, excited to share my latest short film “Staring Contest” with the world next month in Los Angeles. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Slamdance for believing in me. Poster design: @marksposato Sound design & mix: @youtoocanwoo

Tonight’s the night! Come see BETWEEN TWO WAVES at the CHINESE THEATER in Hollywood! It’s a dream come true to premiere our first feature at such an iconic LA landmark, at such a prestigious and beloved festival. Thank you DANCES WITH FILMS, from this realm to what lies beyond the thin veil of space-time 🫶🏽 🎟️ Tickets in bio. LA friends and those who know LA PEOPLE, it’s not too late to join the creepy fun. We’ve already met such amazing people here, and made wonderful connections. Our red carpet starts at 6:30pm and we’ll be taking photos again before the screening at 11pm. Come by and say hi, all are welcome 👋🏽 One more time - thank you @danceswithfilms . This is the opportunity of a lifetime and a dream come true. @courtneysposato #worldpremiere #danceswithfilms #scififilm #scifihorrormovies #midnightmovie #horrorfilmfan #independentfilm

TRAILER DROP for our first feature film, BETWEEN TWO WAVES! World Premiere at @danceswithfilms LA at the iconic @chinesetheatres 🎞️ Get your tickets for June 27th at 11:30PM! Link in bio 🎟️ 🎥 Starring @koko.marshall @therealdavecoleman @marabeier @mila.falkof @mflooram @betsywindy & @d.dicosimo_actor 🎬 Written & Directed by @courtneysposato & @marksposato Gaffer/Chief Lighting Technician: @bchcinematography Key Grip: @director_alex_morales DP: @courtneysposato Production Designer: @susanspencer7 Additional Photography: @arthurwoodotcom Original Music by: @jaysakong Swing: Joshua Edwards Electrician: @kevinbarber.studio @nora.hj.althani Sound: @kalanihubbard @richpatriciaproductions HMU: @bethicaofficial Art Director: @brittlebrittlebritt Wardrobe: @emilyrose_verdi Key PA: @gichaelmervase PA: @_jacobmarcus @rina.peter.son @kaesavanna VFX Compositor: @brandondanowski Casting: Lance Kistler Set Photographer: Ann Knerr #danceswithfilms #featurefilm #trailerdrop #movietrailer #scifi #horror #betweentwowaves #houndstoothstudios #thesposatos

Infrared as a filmmaking tool #indiefilm #projecthailmary #kolari #filmmaker

Infrared Filmmaking Part Two: Color Grading Infrared #indiefilm #infrared #filmmakers #davinciresolve #resolve

Infrared Filmmaking Part One: Sony A7s camera test #projecthailmary #filmmakers #infrared #davinciresolve

Great time bringing BETWEEN TWO WAVES to @gardenstatefilmfestival , where we won BEST SCI-FI FEATURE 🏆 The support and recognition means everything, and it was amazing connecting with friends old and new 🫶🏽 Huge congrats to @theinstagraham52 @annabelohagan and the entire cast and crew of The Door, who won Best Sci-Fi Short. Honored to share a block with you 💪🏽 Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. Your work was selected out of thousands, and we’re proud to be part of this group of inspiring and talented artists ✨ On to the next adventure! #GardenStateFilmFestival #AwardWinningFilm #IndieFilm #SciFiFilm #filmfestival

Attention New Jersey! BETWEEN TWO WAVES will play GARDEN STATE FILM FESTIVAL tonight!! ✨ Catch us at 8:45PM 66 Main Street, Ocean Grove NJ TICKETS IN BIO 🎟️ Starring: @koko.marshall @therealdavecoleman @marabeier @mila.falkof @mflooram @betsywindy @d.dicosimo_actor

Official poster post! Still riding the magical Slamdance vibes + so grateful to be part of the fam 🌈 STARING CONTEST is a 99 second animated short about the loss of innocence. It’s a plea for hope and kindness in the current dystopian darkness. And it’s a celebration of the innocence and purity of childhood. Written, directed, and animated by @courtneysposato Poster design by @marksposato @slamdancegroup #movieposter #posterdesign #filmmaking #slamdance #slamdancefilmfestival

Slamdance recap: what a whirlwind! Thank you @slamdancegroup for everything. And thanks to our friends who came out to support our film, it means the world ❤️ We learned so much, met so many great people, & saw such incredible work. Very grateful. See you next year!!!

Tonight’s the night! So excited to premiere STARING CONTEST at SLAMDANCE!! 💥 This is a huge milestone for us, and we can’t think of a better champion of our voice and ethos. Thank you @slamdancegroup , to the moon and back. 🫶🏽 To celebrate our acceptance to the 99 Special category, here are 99 reasons why we love… JKJK we won’t put you through that. Catch us at 2220 Arts + Archives at 6pm. Can’t wait to see all the other incredible films 🌈 — The Sposatos @2220arts #slamdance #slamdancefilmfestival #trailerdrop #filmpremiere #99special

MOVIE REVIEW Staring Contest NR - 5 out of 5 stars Genre: Animation, Short Year Released: 2026 Runtime: 1m 39s Director(s): Courtney Sposato Writer(s): Courtney Sposato Where to Watch: shown at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival RAVING REVIEW: What happens to innocence when those in control no longer recognize it? STARRING CONTEST doesn’t frame that question through dialogue or exhibition; it lets it unfold in silence, trusting the viewer to feel the shift rather than having it explained. In just 99 seconds, the film constructs a space that feels harmless, then quietly dismantles it to an absolutely devastating effect. The opening is simple, showing two children locked in a staring contest inside a classroom. The animation is a light-hearted, claymation-style, inviting, and playful. The cadence is gentle, and the stakes seem genuinely small. But there’s a subtle imbalance embedded in the image from the beginning. One child is not like the others. No one comments on it. No one reacts. The film doesn’t underline the difference because it doesn’t need to. The difference simply exists. That restraint is crucial. The classroom feels neutral, even safe. It reflects a version of society that insists it treats everyone equally, that rules apply evenly, and that childhood is protected. The staring contest becomes a metaphor for belonging, for endurance, for the quiet competition of assimilation. Hold steady. Don’t blink. Prove you deserve to stay. When unshown figures enter the room, the entire emotional wave shifts. The game becomes irrelevant. The rules evaporate. Nothing about our focus changes, but the system surrounding everything does. The surrounding children remain seated. There’s no accusation, no disruption, no wrongdoing presented. The change isn’t framed as a consequence; it’s framed as inevitable. That distinction matters. The film isn’t exploring misconduct. It’s examining how power operates when it doesn’t need justification. By avoiding dialogue, it avoids debate. There’s no rhetorical cover, no policy, no comforting euphemisms... My full review on my Letterboxd and www.OHMR.us #OverlyHonestReviews #staringcontest #slamdance