Short films are special. No, not like a holiday or anniversary, but more like that cat with the strange skull - that type of special. No one cares about them except really nice eccentrics and retired smelly academics. In film school they will tell you that short films are like your business card to the industry. And like a business card they are glanced at then used to dispose gum... like so much unwanted gum. This does not deter our hero Joe LaRocca from continuing to perfect the form.

Hail Mary

Stuck in the hospital with CF complications Mary decides she will attend prom no matter what anyone says. It is a rod for Mary.
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Starring: Maggie Haesler, Miki Pfeiffer, Hadley Durkee | Running Time 9:47 |
​LaRoccaFilms © 2020


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​Smoke Grenade

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​One Track Mind

Darkness has consumed a small New England town after the disappearance of 17 year-old Emma Buxton. Commuter Tim Stowe falls deeper into paranoia after witnessing a disturbing incident along the tracks. Tim takes it upon himself to answer the burning question. What happened to Emma Buxton?
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Starring: Doug Cochrane | Running Time 11:12 | LaRoccaFilms © 2009
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​​​​Robert is peer pressured into setting off a smoke grenade in his high school bathroom as a prank. After running home early he stumbles across a family secret that will change his life forever.
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Starring: Luke Macannuco | Running Time 9:46 | LaRoccaFilms © 2018

Slowpoke

Charlie is having trouble with what to do with his life. He tries to get back on the right path with the help of a graduation gift from his Grandfather, a GPS tracker. Through the hobby of Geocache he finds some meaning in life. Perhaps it is the little things that matter. This is the second in "The Box Trilogy".
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Starring: Anthony Gaimari | Running Time 9:00 | LaRoccaFilms © 2009

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Post Grad

Made as part of a Narrative Documentary course where the goal is to examine a topic and construct a story based on true observation as opposed to interviews and inauthentic recreated footage. Many many hours of footage were shot to make this short film. By shooting the subjects all the time they begin to forget about the camera and let their true nature show.
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Subject: Jon Pickering | Running Time 5:00 | LaRoccaFilms © 2008
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Very Old Fitzgerald

A lost man finds what he is looking for at the bottom of a bottle. This film is the third in "The Box Trilogy". It was shot using a Bolox 16mm hand-wound camera on reversal film. It takes place in Allston. My BU teacher didn't like that it was handheld. It was all he said.

Starring: Derek Kimball | ​Running Time 5:00 | LaRoccaFilms © 2008

​Paul's Box

This is a short film about letting go of a loved one. Sometimes the only thing that can be done is have a Viking burial. This film along with "Slowpoke" and "Very Old Fitzgerald" makes up a trilogy of box-centric films, cleverly named "The Box Trilogy". This is the first of the group. Produced in 2007 as part of my internship with Boston Camera Rental Company, now Rule Boston. 

Actor: Jon Pickering | Running Time 3:35 | LaRoccaFilms © 2007

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Kickin' It

A boy with restless leg syndrome attempts to overcome his affliction and become a dancing champion at the local Talent Show. Our first serious attempt at making a "real" looking movie. We were semi-sucessful. Enjoy
All Music by Dennis Driscoll.

Actors: Jon Pickering, Erin Reilly, Ted Wallenstein, Bob LaRooca
Running Time 21:00 | ​LaRoccaFilms © 2006

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Black Horse Terrace

Finding your place in the world after college can be difficult. Here is a zombie film about that. 2005.

Actors: Derek Kimball, Matt Kristek, Ted Wallenstein
Shot by: Andrew Spieler | Running Time 10:19 | ​LaRoccaFilms © 2005