Kelly Needleman ’26 submitted a prospectus for a film as his thesis project while in the MA Media Producing program. The project Web of Deceit is now a 15-minute narrative film which will have its world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on October 22, followed by a Q&A. Read below for our interview with Kelly.
What was the influence behind this story?
I've always been fascinated by ambitious people who convince themselves they're doing the right thing, even when they're clearly crossing a line. Web of Deceit came from that curiosity, particularly around academic pressure, the obsession with success, and how far someone might go when they feel the system is working against them.
The film follows a college student who builds an underground academic cheating empire using AI, eventually finding himself at the center of a federal investigation. What interested me wasn't really the cheating itself, but the psychology behind it. Here's someone who's so consumed by building a better future that he starts destroying the present. I think that fear of future regret is something a lot of young people can relate to.
I also wanted to tell a story that felt relevant to the moment we're living in, especially as AI challenges how we think about education, ambition, and what it actually means to earn success.
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Please tell us about the mentorship you received for your thesis while in the MA Media Producing program. What did you take away from it and how did that mentorship lead you to a world premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival?
One of the greatest things about Tisch was being surrounded by people who cared about helping each other become better filmmakers. I came into the program with a background in directing and production, but the MA Producing program really challenged me to think beyond the creative side and understand how to position a project, build relationships, and give a film a life beyond its production.
I was fortunate to receive guidance from some incredible filmmakers and industry professionals, including many professors, whose perspective on storytelling and having a distinct creative voice was especially meaningful to me.
The biggest takeaway was learning to trust my instincts while remaining open to criticism. A film gets exponentially better when you're willing to listen to people who see things you don't.
Web of Deceit started as my thesis and became something much bigger than I originally imagined. To now have its world premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival on October 22, especially so soon after graduating from Tisch, is incredibly rewarding. It's one of those moments that makes you appreciate everyone who helped you get there.
Please tell us about securing management representation for the film. What was that process like?
I'm currently represented as a writer and director by Cinterra Entertainment based in Los Angeles.
One thing I've learned from working in the industry is that relationships are everything, but having actual work to show is what makes those relationships meaningful. Web of Deceit gave me something tangible that demonstrated my voice, my ambition, and the kinds of stories I want to tell.
I think early in your career, there's a temptation to focus on finding representation before you've really established who you are creatively. For me, it was much more important to keep making things, meeting people, and developing material I believed in. Having a completed film helped turn those conversations into something more substantial.
It's exciting to have people in my corner who believe in where I want to go, but I also recognize that representation is just the beginning. There's still a tremendous amount of work ahead.
What has been your experience navigating the film festival circuit? Do you have any advice for other producers and filmmakers?
The festival circuit has been one of the most humbling parts of making this film. You can spend an enormous amount of time, money, and energy creating something you're proud of, only to discover how competitive the submission process really is.
We were fortunate to have some encouraging early results, including being waitlisted at Sundance, SXSW and receiving recognition from other festivals, before ultimately securing our world premiere at Newport Beach.
My biggest advice is not to let festival decisions determine how you feel about your film. There are so many factors outside your control, from programming themes to available screening slots. A rejection doesn't necessarily mean your film isn't good.
I'd also encourage filmmakers to think about their festival strategy long before picture lock. Research where your film genuinely belongs, be intentional about premiere status, and take advantage of every opportunity to meet other filmmakers. Sometimes the most valuable thing you leave a festival with isn't an award, but a relationship that lasts for years.
And above all, finish your films. A finished project will open far more doors than a perfect idea that never gets made.
What's next for you and Web of Deceit?
The Newport Beach premiere is really just the beginning for Web of Deceit. The short was always intended to serve as a proof of concept for a feature film, which I'm currently developing and writing. There's a much larger story to explore, particularly around the consequences of Jake's decisions and the world he's created.
I'm also continuing to build my career as a writer, director, and producer while working in film and television development. I've been fortunate to spend the last several years at Wayfarer Studios and have recently stepped into a Creative Executive role working alongside director Rupert Wainwright at Adore Creative.
It's a really exciting time to be entering the industry, especially with how rapidly technology is changing the way stories can be created and distributed. But at the end of the day, I still believe everything comes back to character and telling a story that makes people feel something.
My hope is that Web of Deceit continues to find an audience, creates opportunities for the incredible people who helped make it, and eventually becomes the feature I've envisioned.