Take a break from the everyday
Inspired by current anthology series like Black Mirror and Inside No. 9, each episode of REST STOP is connected by the odd locations one tends to only encounter on a road trip. Rest stops, landmarks and roadside stopovers of all kinds serve a transient mix of people from all walks of life, and are often strange worlds in and of themselves. Our characters approach these unique spots carrying a sense of reality conceived by the world from which they came, but will leave with their realities forever altered. Following in the footsteps of the legendary Twilight Zone, REST STOP twists together a mix of genres and a myriad of interesting characters, appealing to a wide audience
The episode titled “Big Things” was a Semifinalist in the ScreenCraft Shorts Competition
Two young women, on their way to an annual weekend of outdoor debauchery with friends, discover the long abandoned Portico Diner, but when they return, just days later, the formerly dilapidated diner is suddenly fresh and full of life. Once inside, they will discover that things aren’t always what they appear to be at the Portico Diner.
While on the solo road trip of his dreams, Sherman removes his hearing aid in order to enjoy a peaceful picnic by a blaring highway, rendering him totally deaf and completely unaware of the chaotic events unfolding right behind him. An homage to the comedic greats of the silent movie era, most of this episode takes place in complete silence.
A newly formed family unit uses their move from the Gold Coast to Sydney as a bonding opportunity, road tripping to every famous “Big Thing” they can visit along the way, but a trip to the big “ ? ” that has just appeared on their map, might turn out to be the best bonding opportunity of them all.
A group of tourists, trapped in a national park by the crash of an unidentified flying object, get wrapped up in a tense whodunit as the local ranger tries to figure out which one of them is responsible for the mysterious footprints leading away from the crash site. This tale of prejudiced perception is a re-imagining of Rod Serling’s teleplay “Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up” enhanced by some modern storytelling twists.
The small cast and crew of a reality ghost-hunting show, explore the most haunted highway in the world, but by going out of her way to assure they capture something film-worthy, their director might have scared up a few real spooks.
Back at the Portico Diner, the Waitress and Fry Cook, former low-level crims serving out a stint in purgatory, spend a confusing night trying to meet the needs of their only customer; two small children. As suspicion of the children’s real reason for being at the Portico Diner mounts, so do tensions between the Waitress and the Fry Cook.