It’s the 1950s, and Billy is hunting down a cop-killer.

He works as a detective, and while he is tasked with identifying the culprit, his real battle is with the binaries of society.

This is the story of “In The Gray,” a short film from the imaginations of School of Cinematic Arts students Brian Bouffard and Scout Brodsky. The director and producer duo are both sophomores majoring in cinematic arts, film and television production. “In The Gray” presents an eerie and action-packed exploration of identity and social norms.

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“I’ve been a writer my whole life. That’s just been my outlet and my way of translating my feelings into a way that’s concrete and able for people to understand,” Bouffard said. “I want to direct because I feel like my stories are so personal that I want to be the one to bring them to life.”

Bouffard fell into the allure of filmmaking at age five when Walt Disney World’s Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular introduced them to the behind the scenes of special effects. Similarly, Brodsky fell in love with the spectacular and otherworldly aspect of film.

“I was first introduced to the medium of film in a more professional sense when my dad would make me watch so many sci-fi and space movies,” Brodsky said. “That’s really where I got my start because I was absolutely just obsessed with everything that existed off of Earth.”

Once Bouffard began conceptualizing the script, the pair collaborated to bring “In The Gray” to life.

“I was looking at those police composite sketches that are weirdly kind of uncanny. And it’s like, ‘Oh, this looks like it could be anybody,’” Bouffard said. “You can make a really interesting film of identity and living outside of a defined social code.”

Bouffard then utilized the creative message of Japanese photographer Daidō Moriyama in shaping the overall theme of “In The Gray.”

“His philosophy was basically, he would capture the gray spaces between black and white, and play with light and shadow a lot, and distortion of identity,” Bouffard said.

Bouffard and Brodsky assembled a team of fellow USC students to bring “In The Gray” to life. While the vision for the short film was clear, finding real-life locations and props proved to be a challenge, as it is a period piece set in the 1950s.

“There’s only so many places that are going to fit within, and that haven’t changed as much from the 1950s,” Brodsky said. “But that also makes it extremely rewarding when we’re able to find something that works.”

As an independent, student short film, Bouffard also found that financial limitations proved a hurdle to overcome during the production of “In The Gray.”

“I think the biggest challenge has definitely been fundraising,” Bouffard said. “Getting the money to tell the story the way we want to tell it has been the biggest challenge, but the biggest victory has, in the same vein, been finding ways around that.”

While Bouffard and Brodsky tackled the logistical challenges, the film’s lead actor explored his own journey with the content of “In The Gray.” As a recent UC Berkeley graduate, actor Eric Miller has been dipping his toes into the world of student films.

“As the actor, I feel like it’s always about continuity for me … just trying to always know where I am and trying to make it as believable as possible,” Miller said. “It’s just incredibly rewarding to feel that character and to understand more about myself in the process as well.”

The team collectively worked on relaying the importance of their story, which as an onscreen portrayal of the nuances in identity, aims to break down the pressure of societal expectations.

“It’s focused on bringing to light stories that aren’t often told, and that I think a lot of people would be refreshed to see,” Bouffard said.

The film highlights nonbinary expression, an element that is often glanced over in current media. Bouffard and Brodsky valued creating a space for all individuals to feel represented, using their creative passion as both artistic expression and social commentary.

“My goal is to make sure that it is seen by whoever needs to see it,” Brodsky said. “I think that the film has a very powerful message about identity, about social binaries, and I think that it can be very impactful to people, so making sure that people are able to see it is definitely going to be my mission.”

“In The Gray” is finishing production Oct. 6 and will then go into edits for the final product.

“I think it really says a lot [about] these filmmakers to really push themselves to make a period piece and to just make something that is so much of a world that they don’t know,” Miller said.

The creative team is keeping their audience up to date with information about the creative process, as well as behind the scenes shots from production, via their Instagram page.

“This film is a result of a lot of people’s hard work and their ideas. And I am very excited for it, and it’s been such a great experience to work on and excited for everything that comes,” Brodsky said.