The Importance of Playing Yardball

The Grim Reaper
I've always enjoyed seeing abstract concepts personified, especially takes on the grim reaper. For my first time working behind the camera, my mind went to placing Death itself in the silliest predicament I could. As the script and the titular backyard game developed, we found a misanthropic reaper who would rather be home watching movies, fumbling around someone's back yard.
"The Importance of Playing Yardball" was the 'little film that could.' Its premiere audience chanted our title in expectation of winning the preliminary round of the Campus MovieFest competition. Which it did not. Nevertheless, "Yardball" placed high enough to advance it further and further in the competition, until we found ourselves at the Campus MovieFest International Grand Finale. Placed alongside more technically sound films, Yardball's strength was its heart. Though it never received the big award, I was touched when our peers would speak on its behalf, and again when it became a favorite of the CMF team. It remains a favorite of mine.