The Custodian

Created by David Tallon, The Pitch 2019

You must confirm that you are 15 years or over to view this video.

Description

Within the murky and secretive world of a content-moderation office, the side-effects of social media are explored. Mary is the new girl and her innocence is contaminated when she witnesses horrific content daily. In a cruel and intolerant world where popularity is the currency of our time, the fight for social - status is fierce and Mary struggles to compete while her life seems down on luck. Her underprivileged truth hides behind a veil of gaudy filters and hashtags.

When Mary becomes the subject of a viral sensation, her life and character changes forever. A bitter rivalry emerges between Mary and her better-trending counterpart: Ella. She finds ways to sabotage Ella by using her new job as a tool for revenge. Now that Mary is the gatekeeper of disturbing content, she gradually finds a taste for it and grows from underdog to anti-hero.

Biblical Connection

Judges 6 - 8: Gideon. Just like the outsider Gideon is thrown into the impossible task of defeating the Midianites, Mary is alone in a new and dangerous world facing an uphill struggle. The impossible task of cleaning the internet in the name of good backfires and changes her forever because her task is simply too great and unlike Gideon, there is no angel of God over her shoulder. She must defeat the Midianites by herself. When her anonymity is spoiled, so is her nature. Instead of conquering her new position, she falls down the rabbit hole of social-media content moderation. We begin to wonder: What side is she on? What binds her to this hell? Is she a saint, or a sinner?