Combining comedy with sci-fi and a critique of for-profit healthcare systems, alumnus Michael Plewa’s short film “Freemium 911” is now circulating in film festival circuits.
The writer, director, editor and producer of the film, Plewa originally pitched and created this three-minute short film as an assignment for a UCLA Film and Television graduate class. The film stars screenwriter and Plewa’s wife Hayley Tyler, UCLA alumnus, actress and writer Rachel Stubington and UCLA alumnus and actor Kevin Hinton. Drawing inspiration from a personal health scare he experienced during his time at UCLA for the film, Plewa said there is something amusing about searching the web to find a medical diagnosis.
The film itself is a satirical, science fiction take on modern healthcare applications and the healthcare system’s for-profit model. Highlighting the comedy in a free app including “in-app purchases” that are actually fundamental to the app, “Freemium 911” shows the app 911 Home failing to assist a woman going into cardiac arrest.
“The trick with effective satire is to sort of tweak reality, but not too far, so that it feels like you’re actually making a statement about our current conditions,” Plewa said.
Plewa said his film has played twice in Los Angeles, and he is currently waiting to hear back from a few more festivals as well. Often dabbling in the combination of comedy with more serious issues, Plewa said there was something to be said about the commerce inherent in new technologies in creating augmented realities.
“I hope that people will see it when they laugh about this idea that this app could come and wreck our lives,” Plewa said.
Plewa’s idea for “Freemium 911” was solid from the get-go, lecturer Mark Rosman said, something that not all students have. Channeling a personal, scary experience, the script for “Freemium 911” came up quite developed, Plewa said. A driven student, Plewa was proactive in asking questions and seeking feedback throughout all stages of the film’s life, Rosman said.
As this film was created during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Plewa had to overcome a number of restrictions, Rosman said, as he was unable to cast and film in the same in-person manner and with the same equipment as before the pandemic. The limitations Plewa faced ultimately led to a very creative movie, Rosman added.
“I think restrictions have a tendency to really push creative artists to, sometimes, do their best work. … And I certainly think Mike got a lot of benefits,” Rosman said. “Those restrictions really focused him, and every student, on how to get an interesting film under those very rigid and restrictive circumstances.”
Plewa said the film’s limitations of remote filming ultimately contributed to the film’s success. Public health was very much on everyone’s mind at the time, Plewa continued, making the themes topical in 2020. He added that he hopes the catharsis of laughing at this film inspires people to fight back against the sense of hopelessness they may feel in the status quo.

Stubington, who plays the mobile app operator, said that the underlying emotional depth of the film allows the comedy to shine. People are more inclined to laugh when they like, understand or connect with the characters, she added.
“Especially in this film, there’s a really serious situation, and it’s grounded by this woman who’s literally going into cardiac arrest,” Stubington said. “You’re able to have the comedy with some Gen-Z operator who clearly should not be in charge of someone’s life.”
The message of the film, Stubington said, is also very relatable. Plewa did a thoughtful job at conceptualizing the frustration that protagonist, who is played by Tyler, experiences as technology continues to advance, she added.
Regarding the value of the audience’s interaction with a film, Plewa said a film becomes a conversation between a creator and the audience – they work together. Plewa added that he is very delighted that his film found an audience in multiple countries, as it is difficult to anticipate how a film will do, especially given the restrictions his film faced in its initial stages.
The short film’s success in festivals is something Plewa is grateful for, he said. Because audiences view so many movies in succession at festivals, Plewa said it is more rewarding to receive positive feedback.
“If you’re not the first thing (the audience) sees, you become more grateful the longer the day goes before they get to see yours,” Plewa said. “When they do respond and tell you that they liked it, you are really gratified and a little bit amazed that they were able to keep their stamina going.”
His experience in combining both documentary and narrative filmmaking allows him to improvise when necessary, Plewa said. Similarly, Rosman said Plewa’s background brings a unique, hybrid approach where he focuses on representing a story from both documentary and narrative lenses.
“(The film) is just damn funny,” Rosman said. “It is a satire on medical commercials and the future of AI, which is very timely at this moment.”