- Aug 15
- 9 min read
Purple Jack
2025 - 15min
Short-film Psycho-thriller
Director: Mateus Nardini
Writers: Mateus Nardini, Léa Bouché, Antoine Thebault
Stars: Carlos de Sa, Katie Picton
Production: Nblu Neptune, AT80 studio
Two strangers. One ride. A meeting that was never meant to be a coincidence.
Purple Jack is an indie psycho-thriller set under neon-soaked city lights, pulsing with hypnotic synth-wave beats. It dives into the intoxicating thrill of fame, where admiration twists into obsession, and the rush of being seen comes with the fear of being watched.
SYNOPSIS
A ride-share driver becomes obsessed with the rising DJ named "Purple Jack", not for who she truly is, but for the persona the world has crafted around her. When fate places her in his car after a late-night party, the line between admiration and fixation blurs.
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STORY
ACT 1. HIM, THE DRIVER
In an empty rooftop parking lot, a meticulously dressed driver prepares for the night. Every motion is controlled and deliberate. He packs earplugs, concert tickets, a purple flower. His compulsive rituals betray an underlying obsession. His world is sterile and precise until she takes the screen.
ACT 2. HER, PURPLE JACK
Cut to a world drenched in neon purple: the world of Purple Jack, a rising DJ. She moves effortlessly behind the decks, lost in her music. Heavy eyeliner, wet hair, a massive purple fur jacket wrapped around her, giving off a futuristic, viking-like aura.
ACT 3. THE ENCOUNTER
She leaves the club and steps onto a dark street. A cigarette burns between her fingers as she waits. A car approaches. She gets in. He shuts the door. They drive.
ACT 4. THE RIDE
At first, it’s casual. Small talk. But something feels off. A song on the radio, one of her unreleased remixes. A box of matches on the car floor, marked with a familiar purple flower. The tension spikes. She realises too late that this meeting was never a coincidence. She reaches for the door handle. Click. The lock slides shut. Blackout.
ACT 5. THE GRAND FINAL
Then, chaos. Or epiphany.
Under his car’s headlights, he stands outside, wearing the purple fur jacket. His fingers, drenched in purple paint, smear across his face. He spins, dances, consumed by obsession and transformation.
The final image: him, bathed in light, hunched over, frantically drawing a purple flower onto his leg. Again. Again. Again.
Cut to black. Purple Jack logo. Credits.
THEMES
FIRST FAME DANGER
In today’s world, anyone can be catapulted to fame overnight. Instantly visible, instantly vulnerable. Purple Jack explores how social media builds illusions, turning people into icons and followers into fanatics. When reality doesn’t match the fantasy, frustration breeds fixation, and admiration can turn into something much darker.
FEELING UNSAFE
Under the lights, she owns the stage. But once the music stops, she’s just another woman walking alone at night. No matter how empowered, every woman knows the unease of being watched, followed, or alone in a stranger’s car. Purple Jack taps into this universal fear, recreating the feeling of being trapped in a car with a stranger.
PERCEPTION VS. REALITY
Everything is a matter of perception. To her, she’s just another girl chasing music. To him, she is everything: an untouchable star, privileged and perfect. Social media fuels his illusion, turning her into an obsession. The film itself plays with perception, leaving space for interpretation. Who is the main character? Who holds the power? And what really happened that night?
TONE & STYLE
THE COLOUR PURPLE
More than just an aesthetic choice, purple is the language of the film: a symbol of obsession, identity, and transformation. It provides visual clues, tying the storyline together.
CONTRASTS
High-contrast cinematography heightens tension, shifting between neon-soaked nightlife and cold, sterile spaces. His clenched jaw vs. her natural nonchalance. His neutral universe vs. her purple world.
SYNTH-WAVE CINEMA
Drawing inspiration from films like Drive, Blade Runner, and Atomic Blonde, Purple Jack uses synth-wave music and neon-drenched visuals to create an atmosphere of tension, nostalgia, and surrealism.
THE CHARACTERS
Purple Jack
Backstory & Context
A rising DJ whose music is taking off overnight. Thanks to the internet, her tracks go viral, and suddenly, the world is watching.
Personality & Mindset
Offstage, she’s quiet, unassuming, just a girl lost in her music. But on stage, she becomes Purple Jack, a character the media and fans build around her. She doesn’t chase fame, but she doesn’t reject it either. She’s not a diva, just an artist in an ordinary body, carrying main character energy without the ego.
Character Design
She is never referred to by any name other than Purple Jack, reinforcing the idea that she exists more as a persona than a person.
Her signature look—bold purple eyeliner, slicked-back wet hair, silver jewellery, and a massive purple fur jacket—makes her instantly recognisable. Designed to be iconic, the jacket isn’t just fashion; it’s a statement piece, a symbol of power, like a Viking chief’s cloak.
She embodies the colour purple—not just through her name but in the lighting and atmosphere surrounding her. Whenever she appears, the screen is bathed in purple.
The driver
Backstory & Context
A private driver who blends into the background. With the radio always on, he hears about an emerging DJ, Purple Jack. His frustration with the world turns into curiosity, then fixation. Then, one night, he gets the call to pick her up.
Personality & Mindset
Polished. Ordinary. Invisible. A man who never stands out: clean, well-dressed, unremarkable. But beneath the surface, he’s wired tight. An obsessive personality hidden behind restraint. The kind of person you wouldn’t notice… until it’s too late. Psychopath energy in a Clark Kent body.
Character Design
Control defines him. His strong OCD manifests in clenched jaws, tapping three times, and subtle nervous tics. His glasses are a key element: with them, he’s composed, contained. Without them, something shifts. His transformation unfolds throughout the film: by the end, he is no longer the man we met at the start.
THE CASTING
Director Mateus Nardini wanted contrast: two actors who would subvert expectations and redefine their archetypes. Their dynamic isn’t just about appearance but about presence, energy, and how they embody their roles beyond words.
KATIE PICTION
AS PURPLE JACK
Katie Picton’s soft yet magnetic presence challenges the typical “rising star” image. She’s something more elusive, more human. There’s a naturalism to her performance, a sense that she’s not performing at all. Her wide, expressive eyes hold entire narratives, making every moment feel lived-in rather than acted. She exudes an effortless vulnerability, drawing the audience into her world.
With a background in psychology and theatre, Picton helped refine key dialogue, making conversations feel more natural and fluid.
CARLOS DE SA
AS THE DIRVER
With his sharp, intense features, De Sà brings an unsettling charisma to a man who hides behind restraint. His perfectionism, clenched jaw, and precise diction naturally convey obsession and control, making him the perfect fit for a character on the edge; exactly the kind of enigmatic psycho role he gravitates toward.
Carlos De Sà added extra layers of mannerisms to the character, enhancing his eerie precision. His final scene is a masterclass in transformation, impossible to look away from.
THE CREATION OF A UNIVERSE
A FIRST FILM PRODUCTION
ONE CREW. ONE VISION. UNITED BY PASSION.
There’s a thrill in bringing a short film to life: every element, from the story to the locations, the crew, and the cinematography, is a piece of the puzzle. Everyone involved believed in Purple Jack’s vision.
Some say working with friends can be a challenge, but here, it was pure symbiosis. A shared passion that pushed the project further, making each scene stronger. It’s our first short film, and we wanted to make a bold statement: no hesitation, no creative limits (except, of course, time and budget, because we all have full-time jobs).
This is just the start, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us.
THE CREW
Mateus Nardini
The visionary behind the project. He directed the film, wrote the story, and brought together the team that made it all possible.
Laura Schiavinato
Crafted the visual identity of the film through production design, shaping both the settings and characters.
Antoine Thebault
Director of cinematography and colour grading, capturing the film’s distinctive look.
Vinicius Paixão & Louis Carter
Assisted on set and managed behind-the-scenes content.
Alexis Petitcuenot
The ultimate problem solver, working as both production and directing assistant.
LOCATIONS
Finding the right locations took weeks of scouting, driving around Sydney, testing lights, angles, and compositions to ensure every frame matched the film’s vision.
Rooftop Parking Lot
Entertainment Quarter, Sydney
A vast, grey, empty space with the Sydney skyline in the background, like an abandoned city.
Scenes: The Driver’s introduction and his final transformation scene, filmed at sunset for maximum impact.
Back alleys
Newtown, Sydney
Gritty back-alleys covered in graffiti, dark and unpolished—a behind-the-scenes look at club life, far from the public eye.
Scenes: The moment she exits the club, her first encounter with The Driver, and the decision to get in the car.
The Lucky Cat Club
Oxford Street, Sydney
A vibrant club setting with purple lights, a retro-Asian aesthetic, and disco balls—a striking and immersive world for Purple Jack.
Scenes: Club sequences, including her introduction.
Inside the Car
Driving Through Newtown
The neon lights from buildings and streets create an intimate, intense atmosphere. Inside the car, it’s just the two of them: claustrophobic, tense, inescapable.
Scenes: All dialogue sequences.
The set up: Some lights were rigged outside the car, and only the two actors, the cameraman, and the director were inside. The cameraman set up the shots, then drove, freeing Carlos De Sá to fully immerse himself in the performance.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
TIME FRAME
Two months of writing and planning, refining the script, casting, scouting locations, gathering props, setting shot references, and building mood boards.
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
Costume & Makeup: $200
Props (including car rental): $1,200
Equipment: $300
Locations: FREE
Talent: FREE
Festival Submissions: $1,500
Production Costs: $150
Total: $3,350
SHOOTING SCHEDULE
/ DAY 1 - Rooftop parking lot.
Carlos De Sá’s solo scenes, filmed in daylight for the intro and at sunset for the transformation sequence.
/ DAY 2
1. Afternoon: Club scenes at The Lucky Cat, with costume and makeup prepping Katie Picton on-site.
2. Sunset: Newtown alleyway – the first encounter between Purple Jack and The Driver.
3. Night: Chinatown – dialogue scenes inside the moving car, shot guerrilla-style with a minimal crew.
THE POST- PRODUCTION
Over three weeks, Mateus Nardini and Antoine Thebault meticulously crafted the film in post-production. Nardini handled the editing, shaping the rhythm of the narrative and building the sound design, while Thebault refined the visuals through colour grading. The soundtrack wasn’t an afterthought. Mateus had chosen the music even before filming began, carefully cutting a free copyright track to fit each scene’s distinct energy.
THE MUSIC
The film’s soundtrack is deeply rooted in synth-wave cinema, drawing inspiration from Blade Runner and Drive. Pulsating beats, dreamy melodies, and brooding undertones create a soundscape that is both hypnotic and unsettling, heavy yet intoxicating, oppressive yet strangely euphoric. As the story revolves around a DJ, music isn’t just background noise; it drives the film’s emotional pulse, shaping the tension and atmosphere of each scene.
THE SOUND DESIGN
Every sound in the film serves a purpose. The Driver’s world is built on precision: loud, sharp sounds heighten his obsessive nature, while moments of silence create space for unease. The ambient noise of the city, layered throughout, reinforces the sense of detachment and isolation.
THE COLOUR GRADING
The film’s aesthetic leans into a muted, cinematic palette. Greys and greens dominate the frame, giving it a raw, moody texture. But purple must pop. It’s not just a colour; it’s an identity, a presence. Careful light mastery enhances facial expressions, ensuring every emotion is subtly illuminated, drawing the audience deeper into the characters’ minds. (See references.)
COMMUNICATION & MARKETING POTENTIAL
Our short film has strong potential for communication: its universe is bold, its colours striking, its music hypnotic, and its style instantly recognisable. It’s the kind of film that lingers in the mind, making it ideal for digital storytelling.
Social media will be our main stage, teasing the film’s world and building intrigue until its festival selection. Through @nblufilm on Instagram and TikTok, alongside the accounts of our actors and crew, we’ll promote Purple Jack before and after its release, following a structured editorial schedule.
BEFORE THE RELEASE:
/ The mystery of the Purple Jack flower: its meaning and a collage of its representations throughout the film.
/ Behind-the-scenes glimpses (photos, videos, raw moments on set).
/ Nblu founder’s face-cam talk and reaction clips.
/ Movie posters.
/ Iconic quotes: “Anyone would do.”, “What’s your stage name? Purple Jack.”, “Everyone has a purpose in life.”, “I have some followers, but…”
/ Trailer drop.
AFTER THE RELEASE:
/ In-depth interviews with the director & actors.
/ A deep dive into the final sequence, its intensity, symbolism, and execution.
/ Behind-the-scenes of the in-car sequence: just four people, the tension, the creative constraints, the fun facts.
/ The Purple Jack playlist.
/ Alternative edits of the final scene (changing the music for different moods).
IF PURPLE JACK WERE
A FEATURE FILM
A Hypnotic World
We’d craft a retro-futuristic aesthetic—Blade Runner meets Mad Max—a universe so bold and iconic, it would feel like stepping into a dream.
Deeper Characters
We’d delve into their pasts, the turning points that shaped them, and build the tension with slower, more deliberate traps. Obsession would unfold like a web.
Unforgettable Music
Music transforms cinema, and we’d amplify the emotional beats with an iconic score or a legendary song, making key moments unforgettable. Fun fact: we experimented with a playlist for the final scene, and it changed everything—an addictive process we’d love to push further.
BEHIND THE SCENES
WATCH PURPLE JACK HERE:
MORE OF WHAT WE DO:
Virtú and Fortuna, a cinematic travel film across Europe by @nblufilm
In Sarah's Garden, a short documentary-portrait by @at80_studio
Dear Geraldine, an original short film screenplay by @labouche.media
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