Just A Drill (2019) is a gripping drama short film by Julianne Donelle. This powerful cinematic experience explores the emotional turmoil and personal growth of its characters during a high-stress drill simulation. Discover the compelling storytelling and exceptional talent in this must-watch short film.
🛡️ Just A Drill (2019) — Drama Short Film by Julianne Donelle
A taut, nerve‑wracking 10‑minute drama, Just A Drill 2019 short film takes the all‑too‑familiar ritual of an active shooter drill and turns it into a slow‑burn nightmare. Written and directed by Julianne Donelle, and produced through Women in Film, the short asks a chilling question: When the line between practice and reality blurs, what choices will you make?
🧭 Overview
- Genre: Drama / Suspense
- Writer & Director: Julianne Donelle
- Producer: Sabrina Stoll
- Co‑Producer: Megan Jordan
- Music: Emer Kinsella 🎻
- Production company: Women in Film (WIF)
- Runtime: ~10 minutes
- Country: USA 🇺🇸
- Language: English
- Streaming: Featured on Short of the Week
Watch full short:
📖 Story in Brief
In an underfunded elementary school, an overworked teacher is determined to follow every rule during an active shooter drill.
- The Setup: The principal’s voice crackles over the intercom — “This is just a drill.” The teacher locks the door, dims the lights, and huddles her students into a corner.
- The Shift: Footsteps echo in the hallway. A shadow passes the door. The teacher’s eyes flicker — is this still a drill?
- The Dilemma: She must decide whether to break protocol to protect her students or stick to the rules she’s been told will keep them safe.
- The Question: In a world where drills are routine, how do you know when it’s real?
🛠️ Creative “Tools” & Style
- Suspense through ambiguity: The audience is never told outright if the threat is real — we feel the teacher’s uncertainty in real time.
- Minimalist setting: A single classroom becomes a pressure cooker.
- Sound design as menace: Muffled voices, distant thuds, and the hum of fluorescent lights build dread.
- Character‑driven tension: The camera stays close to the teacher’s face, capturing every flicker of doubt and fear.
- Personal roots: Donelle, a former educator, drew on her own experience participating in active shooter drills.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Immediate stakes: No warm‑up — you’re in the tension from the first frame.
- 🎭 Authentic emotion: Grounded in lived experience, avoiding melodrama.
- 🎥 Tight craft: Every shot and sound serves the suspense.
- 💬 Social relevance: Speaks to the unsettling normalization of school shooting preparedness.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you wanting more about the teacher’s life beyond the drill.
- 🌀 Emotional intensity: The realism may be triggering for some viewers.
🌟 Themes & Resonance
- Preparedness vs. reality: The paradox of practicing for horror.
- Leadership under pressure: The impossible choices educators face.
- Systemic failure: How drills reflect a society tolerating a problem rather than solving it.
👥 Who Is It For?
- Educators & parents: Those grappling with the reality of school safety.
- Social issue advocates: Viewers seeking art that sparks conversation.
- Short film fans: Lovers of compact, high‑tension storytelling.
💡 Humanized Takeaway
Just A Drill isn’t about a shooting — it’s about the psychological toll of living in a world where such drills are necessary. Donelle’s film captures the creeping unease of a “normal” that should never be normal, and the quiet heroism of teachers who must make split‑second decisions with lives on the line.
🔍 Find More & Support
- Short of the Week feature & review — full film and critical analysis.
- Julianne Donelle’s official page — director’s notes and background.
- YouTube screening — watch the complete short.