Semi-Finalist Stories is a new series from that highlights past Script Competition Second Rounders and their experiences attending the Festival & Conference.

This week, we hear from Chance Muehleck is a writer, filmmaker, and theatre artist based in Los Angeles. His work is primarily in the genre space (sci-fi, thriller, satire). He’s a two-time semifinalist at AFF and a finalist for the Warner Brothers Television Writers Workshop. He wrote and directed the award-winning short films Sponge and Advent. He’s currently creating story content for a gaming app based on his original pitch, and has a feature in development with a director and producer attached. Chance's audio drama Dreamland reached 10,000 unique downloads in its first month of release, placing it in the top 5% of all podcast debuts. He’s co-founder of The Nerve Tank, an acclaimed independent theatre company that develops new work. His plays have been commissioned and produced by Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Dixon Place, and La MaMa, etc.

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival.

On this week’s On Story, writer/director Van Ditthavong discusses his feature film Sleeping in Plastic. The film tells the story of a high school wrestler who becomes ensnared by an alluring drifter. Desperate to escape her sadistic lover, he is drawn deeper into the dangerous underside of his small Texas town.  

Van Ditthavong was born in Vientiane, Laos and immigrated to the US when he was 4-years-old. He began his career as an award-winning still photographer before transitioning to filmmaking. His short films have been screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, The Independent Filmmakers Showcase, The Atlanta Shortsfest, and The Pasadena International Film Festival. 

Sleeping in Plastic stars Alex MacNicoll, Addison Timlin, Nick Chinlund, and Dash Mihok and is produced by Red Entertainment and goPOP FILMS. This is Van Ditthavong's first feature directing debut.