An angry depressive film student uses a controversial, guerilla-style movie as a platform to release his aggression.

SYNOPSIS:

Raw Cut is a psychological thriller that tastefully satires the self-absorbed, millennial generation and one student's need to call them out for their ignorance and lack of moral responsibility. The story likens to a new age Taxi Driver for the high school world. Also, the story hits on social issues with an edge similar to Boyz N the Hood and The Breakfast Club, while its satirical edge compares to the film American Psycho. I'm Nickey Lewin Jr., the writer of Raw Cut. I'm a Jamaican American who lives in the South Florida area and I describe myself as the 'anomaly of my environment' much like the main character to this story. The environment I speak of, which this story takes place, is what I like to call the 'New Modern South'. Recently this area was under the national spotlight with the George Zimmerman Trial. The trial showed that a tension still remains in these communities between classes and ethnic groups as they view the other through a stereotypical lens. Down in the 'New Modern South', the racial tension, though taboo, is very much present and is one of the factors that shapes the Raw Cut nominal hero in this story. Meet Cody Anderson, an anti-social, multi-racial (Caucasian father and an African American mother) senior at New Riverside High School. Cody is the 'anomaly of his environment'. Although a loner, he grew attached to the only person that understood his social dilemma, Shane Gladstone. Unfortunately, Shane commits suicide on school grounds, a month into the school year, due to reasons unknown. Looking for closure after the haunting events of that day, Cody brings more perspective to the situation, in the only way he knows how—Film. With the help of Shane's journal he writes a student film patterned after his journal entries to examine the psychology of Shane's behavior and casts himself as the role of his former best friend. His film is met with little fanfare from the popular crowd. Especially from his arrogant cousin Troy Walker, the nationally-known high school star athlete. The only support Cody receives is from a group of social outcasts who can relate emotionally to what Shane went through. Our main character uses guerilla filmmaking tactics to manipulate unknowingly involved participants, all in the name of making everyone feel the hate and anger his best friend felt. What began as artistic expression begins to weigh on Cody emotionally. He finds himself morphing into Shane but with a new found rage. As he shoots his film, he desires to avenge his friend and all others who are ridiculed with a bang. His guerilla filmmaking tactics grow from the use of harmless spur of the moment improvs, to putting innocent bystanders at risk with dangerous prop effects and instigating riots amongst his peers. The efforts to heal his own pain are now leading to some sort of destruction far greater than he ever imagined. Raw Cut is a unique psycho film, where the psycho is the nominal hero and the antagonist of the story is the high school itself. The Audience will observe a young man that wants to scold the popular kids, like his cousin Troy, for their intimidation of those they feel are beneath them. As the plot unfolds, Troy is the only one that notices Cody becoming a psychotic character in real life, so he must act before his cousin self-destructs and unleashes the story's violent ending, which could leave many students hurt or worse.