Please select full-screen mode in the lower right corner of the video. Video defaults to 1080p HD. If you are having problems with playback, either wait for the video to buffer or lower the resolution by clicking the “gear” button.
Newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on our short film, “Towed.”
Download our Movie Poster
Director’s Statement
Liza, in “Towed,” is at such a crossroads. At the beginning of the film she feels as though the world owes her something. Recovering from a recent breakup and finding herself parked in a tow-zone and out of gas, she reacts indignantly when the Tow Truck Driver attempts to take her car. It’s this same attitude that landed her in a run-down part of L.A. with no money, no gas, and seemingly no way forward.
As the story progresses, Liza realizes the Tow Truck Driver is simply doing his job and that the rest of the world cares little for her personal problems. It’s only after accepting that she needs to give up her old way of thinking – as symbolized by her stalled car – that she can allow for real change in her life, as well as a very surprising resolution to her problems.
Writing and filming “Towed” was tricky. The chemistry between the two leads – between Liza and the Tow Truck Driver – had to be palpable. And yet the Tow Truck Driver had to be, at least initially, perceived as a real threat: “Jaws” circling the boat.
Also, the on-screen action had to be literal and engaging – while the themes of change and self-awareness had to stay “under the hood” (to run with the metaphor of the stalled car). No one wants to watch a sermon on “emotional growth.”
I hope I succeeded in walking this fine line. While we faced numerous challenges (time, budget, etc.), I knew if I always hewed closely to the core of the story – the relationship between the two leads and how their interaction re-directs both of their lives – I would have a short film that an audience would thrill to.
Film Festivals






Accepted into the appropriately designated “Shorts Program 2 – “Transitions,” the festival will host three screenings of “Towed,” in competition, with the world premiere screening event on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 9:30 p.m. at Camera 12 Cinema, San Jose, CA.

Production Credits
Cool Red Star Films wants to thank everyone involved in this project. We couldn’t have pulled it off without a great team!
Directed by | Grant Janes | |
Written by | Tonya Agurto | |
Grant Janes | ||
Produced by | Tonya Agurto | |
Director of Photography | Sean Conaty (imdb) | |
Production Design | Jeremy White | |
Casting | Rebecca Gushin (imdb) | |
Unit Production Manager | Joseph “J” Virdone (imdb) | |
Additional Photography | Greg LeFevre (imdb) | |
Set Director | David Atash | |
Production Sound | Kelly Wright | |
Wardrobe | Mallory Bradley (imdb) | |
Art Production Assistant | Max Hom | |
Gaffers | Greg LeFevre (imdb) | |
Ted Rysz | ||
First Assistant Camera | Leonard Walsh | |
Spencer Goodall | ||
Second Assistant Camera | Mimi Phan | |
Devon Taafe | ||
Key Makeup Artist | Judy Haft | |
Key Grip | Lee Winborn (imdb) | |
Best Boy Grip | Justin Langston | |
Best Boy Electric | Andrew Simone | |
Zak Ettlinger | ||
Production Assistants | Hunter Bowen | |
Brian Ott | ||
Ben Westley | ||
Zach Chamberlin | ||
Edited By | Grant Janes | |
Credits Sequence | Grant Janes | |
Supervising Sound Editor, Re-Recording Mixer, Dialogue Editor | Fred Paragano (imdb) | |
Sound Effects Editor | James Miller | |
Foley Supervisor | Nick Neutra | |
Foley Mixer | John Guentner | |
Foley Artist | Noel Vought | |
Foley Editors | Andrew Mayer | |
Casey Barker | ||
Music By | Fight Mannequins | |
“Hex” Vocals | Tonya Agurto | |
“Hex” Background Vocals | Michael Culhane | |
“Hex” Vocals Sound Mix | Joerg Stoeffel | |
Publicity | Tracy Balsz | |
Still Photography | Carinne Meyrignac | |
Post Production Sound Services | Paragon Studios, LLC | |
Foley Services | Post Creations, Inc. | |
Mixing Facility | Blackrock Audio, Inc. | |
Motion Graphics | District Bureau, Inc. | |
Extras Casting | Extra Extra Casting | |
Extras | Trish Mertesdorf | |
Blaine Vedros | ||
Gabriel Berber | ||
Carlos Chavez | ||
Catering | Vicky’s Restaurant | |
Jennie Cook’s | ||
Special Thanks | Brian Metran | |
George’s Drive-in Burgers | ||
Zumba of Boyle Heights | ||
Joyce Kim | ||
David L. Hovey | ||
Frank Bancalari | ||
Salvador Venegas | ||
The Vanishing Angle | ||
Lynn Kressel | ||
James Thornton | ||
Tim Crabtree | ||
The City of Los Angeles | ||
The People of Boyle Heights |