Confidence Boost (2018)

Sixteen year-old Jesse Garza can't go through one day without getting bullied. The only way to stop that is with courage, confidence and a firm sense of self. When an opportunity arises that allows Jesse to manifest these traits, he takes full advantage of it. F.B.I casualties are on the rise. Jesse's father was an F.B.I. agent killed in the line of duty. Because of this and Jesse's low self-confidence, he becomes an ideal candidate to be the subject in an experiment to assist in the development of a drug that will help agents in the field perform better and hopefully reduce casualties. Jesse is injected with the drug and the two agents running the experiment observe and analyze Jesse's behavior. It doesn't take long for this drug to cause immediate effects. Jesse's confidence skyrockets. He finally stands up to the bullies that we're tormenting him and wins the affection of Heather Grey, the girl that he has had a crush on for a long time. Problems arise when the agents want to end the experiment. Jesse doesn't like that idea. He loves the way he feels and doesn't want it to end. He can't go back to the way he was and risk being bullied again. This is the story of Jesse's journey- a journey that ultimately becomes one of self-discovery. How clear is the line one would cross in the transformation from bully victim to perpetrator? That question is the backbone of this short film and will hopefully provoke and stimulate answers and interpretations of this very important question.