The Community: A Feature Film

Logline: A lonely musician orders a mystery box on the dark web and becomes a pawn in a blackmail network that costs him everything.

Production is planned for Summer 2026. Thomas and the production team would be so appreciative if you would join us for the ride and subscribe for updates on the film’s journey using the form below.

Director’s Statement

I wrote this screenplay while I was waiting. I distracted myself by doing anything I could think of around my apartment — playing music, pacing, staring at the ceiling. While I was waiting, I remembered the concept of the mystery box someone had told me. You can order a cardboard box on the dark web without knowing its contents, and it can be some wild stuff. I didn’t order one, but I did start writing about John, a character who does.

THE COMMUNITY represents the darkest film I’ve ever written, and it’s deeply personal. It deals with John’s descent into the criminal underworld and explores themes of isolation, acceptance, and father-son relationships. I’ve written and directed dark comedies until this point — “Son of Blackbeard” and “The Toms” — which explore similar themes, and while there exist some darkly comedic moments in THE COMMUNITY, it’s anything but a comedy. John gets launched into a system in which he has no agency — or so he thinks.

Lars von Trier has been a major influence, as has been the early work of Christopher Nolan.

THE COMMUNITY will not be an easy watch. It will make you question everything.

Characters

John Maunder – A 30-year-old musician finishing his debut album, John is introspective and creative but struggles with anxiety and obsessive tendencies. When a woman he’s dating suddenly goes silent, his inability to sit with uncertainty pulls him into a nightmare he never saw coming. Beneath his artistic sensitivity lies a deep loneliness and a desperate need for connection.

Jessica Smith – Charismatic and disarmingly warm, Jessica enters John’s life at a vulnerable moment. Her easy charm and genuine interest in his music make her seem like exactly what he’s been looking for.

Max Goldstein – John’s best friend and an accountant who prides himself on being rational and risk-averse. Loyal and grounded, Max serves as John’s voice of reason — the stable counterpoint to John’s spiraling anxiety. Their friendship is tested as John’s situation grows increasingly dire.

Production Team

Currently on board the production are Thomas Verdi as writer, director, and executive producer, as well as William DeJessa as director of photography. DeJessa served as director of photography for Verdi’s two previous short films.

Sign Up for Updates on THE COMMUNITY

Production is planned for Summer 2026. Thomas and the production team would be so appreciative if you would join him for the ride and subscribe for updates on the film’s journey using the form above!