Joey Luthman is Andy Shaw in the film "Burn Brightly" by director Lauren Ludwig of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women, 2013. Burn Brightly is the story of Andy Shaw, a 15-year-old who is allergic to the sun. He was born with From his second-story room, Andy watches the suburban street outside. It’s through that window that he falls in love with the 40-year-old woman who jogs by his house each day. He’s watched her for months. And today is the day Andy will profess his love, somehow -- even if it means putting himself directly in harm’s way.
The film was shot July 2012 in Los Angeles, California, as part of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. It was completed April 2013. It is now in the process of submitting to festivals. The AFI DWW is a program that takes 8 women a year and helps them make a short film. The program's goal is to increase the number of women working as film and television directors. Right now, less than 10% of working directors are women. That's crazy! This program aims to fix that.
