Nicholas Schmid, Co-Writer
Kunal Sengupta, Co-Writer 

Sloan Grant(s) Received: 2022, American Film Institute, Production Award

Project Type: Short

Genre: Drama

Length: 16 pages 

Field of Science: Engineering

Stage: Sales and Distribution

Synopsis: 

The year is 1988. Maya Chowdhury is the hardest working intern at NASA. And the most brilliant. So, why is she always being given such menial tasks? When the Chief of Mission Control tells her to check-in on her supervisors who are making the final preparations for the next shuttle landing, it’s about all Maya can take. Those supervisors, George and Michael, spend more time on drugs than on their calculations, and Maya is tired of covering for them.

However, she soon realizes this could be her moment. George and Michael, fuelled by acid, cocaine, and who knows what else, believe they have messed up the calculations for the landing. They think the shuttle is about to touch down in the middle of Red Square, Moscow. Their solution to averting World War Three? Blame the calculations on the intern. Blame it on Maya.

As they seek a way to do so, Maya realizes that there is, in fact, no problem at all. The calculations – her calculations – are fine. If George and Michael want to make her the fall-guy, she’ll ‘fall’ willingly. Once the shuttle lands in the Texas desert as it was going to all along, she’ll be the one responsible. And she’ll never be stuck as an intern again.