The Awkward Toast That Sparked My New Short Film

Sometimes a film starts in the quietest moment. The idea for Crumbscame during a parent-teacher conference. I was on the phone with the teacher, eating toast, and every time I took a bite it made a loud crunch. I thought: this would make such an awkward short.

A man calmly enjoying toast while receiving devastating news. Simple, strange, honest. It stuck with me.

Recently, I finished a draft of the script. I always try to get the first version out while the idea is still fresh, then go back through it a handful of times before sending it to a few I trust. This story is absurdist  – think Coen Brothers, like Burn After Reading. The kind of awkward where you're not sure if you should laugh or cringe, and that balance is tricky to nail without tipping too far in either direction.

As I write this I know I'll keep revising the script but why wouldn't you want to make sure you present your story in the best light?

I also built the pitch deck. I tested a few platforms and landed on Shorthand. The clean flow, the way images and text move together – it matched the quiet, observant feel I'm going for.

Putting this deck together made the idea feel more real. Seeing the visuals, the tone, the pieces coming together reminded me that small steps matter. 

If you're curious where this is headed, you can read the script and view the pitch deck at the link below: https://crumbs.shorthandstories.com/crumbs_pitch-deck_a-short-film-by-roberto-lopez/

Roberto Lopez

P.P.S. My indie feature that I wrote, directed, and photographed myself is now streaming on Amazon. It helps me tremendously if you can review/rate it. 

Watch my film The Wild Dreamers → bit.ly/4lhwCD3