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Logline

A Japanese high school senior drummer ditches the most important exam of her life for a once-in-a-lifetime drum corps audition overseas, forced to choose between her dream and the future already decided for her back home.

Synopsis

Eighteen-year-old Japanese snare drummer Yuuka has spent her life following other people’s rules, but never her own voice. On the morning of her college entrance exam, she takes the biggest bet of her life: walking away from the future she was expected to choose and boarding a flight to California to audition for one of the world’s most competitive Drum Corps. This grand act is something she is not ready to stand by.

Just before she steps into the audition room, her mother calls. Calm on the surface, her voice carries a disappointment that cuts deep. Sudden doubt grows in Yuuka’s heart. The audition room is filled with drummers who are louder, freer, and more certain of themselves. She shrinks into the background, hands shaking. Precision, discipline, and perfection have defined her, but now she needs self-expression to carry her forward. Was this leap the biggest mistake of her life?

Then, in an unexpected moment, something shifts. The world begins to fall into rhythm; not the one she was taught to follow, but one she can finally call her own. 8 and Out is a story about the space between who we are raised to be and who we cannot stop ourselves from becoming. Intimate, powerful, and quietly triumphant, this is a story about trusting your own voice and finding the courage to be free.

Meet the Filmmakers

Masora Fukuda — Filmmaker
Masora Fukuda is an award-winning filmmaker from Nishinomiya, Japan, based in Los Angeles, and a 2025 Film Independent Project Involve Fellow. She won a 2024 Telly Award for Best Music Video with Shania Twain’s “Giddy Up!” and has collaborated with talents including Shohei Ohtani, Quincy Jones, and Pharrell Williams. Working across narrative projects, commercials, and international productions, she recently served as Line Producer for the LA unit of Alice in Borderland (Netflix, Season 3). In Japan, she produced the short film Mirai To Future (Pramana Asian Film Festival 2023) and was Assistant Producer on Happyend (Venice Film Festival 2024).

Her creative foundation is rooted in the drum corps community, where she has spent over a decade documenting Japanese performers navigating identity and belonging through music. Drawn to cross-cultural, “fish out of water” stories shaped by her own journey, Masora brings a nuanced understanding of both home, and everything beyond it. With 8 and Out, she steps into the role of writer-director, telling a deeply personal story about the courage to leave home, challenge expectations, and find one’s own rhythm.

Ewea Teresa — Producer
Ewea Teresa is a Los Angeles based producer passionate about storytelling’s ability to change the way we see one another. Growing up she was either considered to have far too many or too few feelings, and is now drawn to the coming-of-age narratives of chaotic women and girls and the exploration of different forms of love. She sees her career in film as one way of fostering the world she wants to live in.

Ewea is committed to supporting women of color and queer filmmakers. Outside of film, she also works in digital communications for progressive organizations. She is a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow and Reel Champions Next Gen Mentee, and has previously worked for The Gotham Institute, Wattpad Webtoon Studios, and Paramount Pictures.

Dahlia Hamdan — Producer
Dahlia Hamdan is a filmmaker and producer dedicated to elevating underrepresented voices and niche stories with broad audience appeal. A graduate of the Producing Program at the American Film Institute Conservatory and UW–Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts, she brings a strong track record of supporting diverse, multiethnic, and female-driven storytelling. She has worked across commercials, independent features, and digital platforms, with credits including Small Town Wisconsin, an award-winning feature starring David Sullivan and Kristen Johnston. At AFI, she produced five short films and served as Unit Production Manager on six fellows’ projects, demonstrating her ability to lead and support filmmakers across a wide range of voices and visions. She also produced Sixteen, a Japanese-American short for AFI’s DWW+.

Her experience spans development through production, including roles at Hello Sunshine and as a creative producer at PodCo. She currently manages projects for leading vertical platforms such as Dramabox and ReelShort, as well as the upcoming Tubi feature Death to the Mean Girl. A collaborative and highly adaptable producer, Dahlia is committed to serving filmmakers and bringing ambitious stories to life across communities.

Iris Lee — Cinematographer
Iris Lee is a Taiwanese-American cinematographer from the Bay Area, CA. She grew up people-watching on family travels with her dad’s camcorder, and as a result, is often drawn to diverse stories that explore the complex relationships between people and their environments. She was named a WIF Cinematography Fellow in 2024, a Film Independent PI Cinematography Fellow in 2025, and is a member and supporter of the ICFC. She has a special place in her heart for analog formats, enjoys theatrical releases of independent cinema, and working with collaborators who enjoy both too.

Nick Parsons — Drum Corps Creative Consultant
An eight-time world champion drummer, former drum corps member, and educator, Nick Parsons has been on a musical journey since 2002, building an impressive career through performance and education. He has taught and performed with world-renowned ensembles including The Walt Disney Company, The LA Chargers, The Blue Devils, RCC Indoor, Broken City Percussion, and many more. For 8 and Out, Nick serves as the Drum Corps Creative Consultant and Drumline Director, bringing authentic representation and precision to the film’s musical world.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.