A high school wrestler struggles to cut weight, poised between the conflicting forces of his father and coach.

Water Weight is a tense coming-of-age drama that follows a high school wrestler caught in the punishing ritual of cutting weight. As he pushes his body to its breaking point, he finds himself torn between the relentless demands of his coach and the uncompromising expectations of his father. The pressure mounts until he must decide whose approval is worth sacrificing for — or if his own well-being can survive the fight.

What inspired the story behind Water Weight, and why did you choose high school wrestling as the backdrop for this emotional struggle?

Our lead actor and my good friend, Levi Peterson inspired the story. He was a high school wrestler and, after failing to make weight at an important meet, (spoiler) he punched himself in the nose and bled out the last few grams in order to compete. Levi told me this story in passing and I thought it was the perfect climax for a film that explored achieving success at all costs. The dynamic between the coach and father was my way of personifying the two opposing forces of self-acceptance and self-improvement.

The film explores the intense pressure young athletes face, especially from figures of authority like coaches and parents. How did you approach developing those relationships?

Separate rehearsal days with coach and parent roles allowed Levi (Emmett) to settle into each relationship as a separate world, and get to know Richard (Coach Davis) and David (Emmett’s father) in different contexts. I think this added a sense of stress to the scenes in which all three characters overlapped.

Cutting weight is both physically and psychologically grueling. How did you portray that process authentically without relying on exposition?

The DP Gabe Armstrong and I talked a lot about the camera always being rooted in Emmett’s subjective experience, and using macro close ups to show the unnerving details of cutting weight like sweat, spit, and dehydrated urine. Levi is also an actor who wants to experience the real sensations of a moment, so he pushed himself physically and brought a visceral authenticity to the film.

The lead performance is incredibly restrained but powerful. What was the casting process like, and how did you work with the actor to bring that inner conflict to life?

Casting was a no-brainer, as it is based on his true story. We talked a lot about bringing everything inward and never indicating an emotion. I think that’s especially important when the external situation is so dramatic. If Emmett was supposed to be exhausted in a scene, Levi’s instruction was to do the opposite and try to convince Coach Davis that he was fine.

The film walks a fine line between discipline and damage. What commentary were you hoping to make about masculinity and endurance in sports?

I was never any good at sports growing up, but I’ve been a Martial Artist for most of my life and I’ve always been drawn to the discipline that high performance requires. On one end our culture seems to idolize sacrifice and even damage in the pursuit of a goal, and on the other we promote self-acceptance and trying your best. I see Emmett’s coach and father as two models of masculinity that must be carefully balanced.

The sound design and pacing contribute greatly to the film’s tension. Can you talk about how you used sound and silence to build atmosphere?

Sound designer/mixer Andrew Grossman worked long and hard on building different ambiences for each scene. The sauna was surreal as Emmett drifts in and out, the first weigh-in scene has the background sounds of raucous high school wrestlers, and the proceeding two weigh-ins are quiet as everyone is already at the competition, adding to a sense of isolation. Andrew’s use of water sounds throughout peak our anxiety, and hard sound cuts like the empty scale create an unpredictable tension. In the final scene, Andrew had the great idea to use the sound from Levi’s actual high school wrestling footage.

Water Weight feels very grounded in realism. Did you use any non-actors or real locations to heighten that sense of authenticity?

All were experienced actors, but as stated before, Levi was pulling from his own experience.

The story is intimate but resonates widely. Have you heard from athletes or families who connected personally with the film’s themes?

We haven’t shown the film to many people yet, but I’m so excited to have it out on Film Shortage and available for new eyes to experience it!

Do you see this short as part of a larger project or world you’d like to explore further—possibly as a feature or limited series?

I see Water Weight as a stand-alone short.

What are the books, podcasts or even YouTube Channel that you recommend young filmmakers to get their hands on?

Standard Story Company is my current favorite Youtube Channel. I grew up on Film Riot and FreddieW, so I’d always recommend people to check out those classics. “On Directing Actors” by Judith Weston has been transformational, and I’m finally getting around to reading “In the Blink of an Eye” by Walter Murch.

Can you share with us some of your favorite short films you’ve seen lately?

Safe by Ian Barling is an amazing short that I watched many times in the lead up to Water Weight. Yes, We Love by Hallvar Witzø is a short that I have returned to every few months for nearly a decade. It’s got some of the best long-take blocking and timing I’ve seen, and is responsible for my unhealthy obsession with oners.