GATOR BITES (2025)
Award-Winning Short Film
Directed by Pablo Rojas
Music by Pablo Godoy-Chaves
Produced by Marian Montilla & Ely Martinez
A Miami-set creature feature where rhythm shapes pacing, momentum, and dramatic flow.
The Score Doesn’t End Here.
In Gator Bites, music follows narrative structure.
In interactive media, it responds in real time.
SYNOPSIS
When a mutant gator named Gustavo threatens a restaurant’s survival,
Manolo “El Kapitan” Suarez Jr. and his dog Pipo are pulled into an increasingly chaotic pursuit.
The film shifts between comedy, action, and mounting pressure.
The score evolves alongside these changes—guiding movement, energy, and dramatic momentum throughout the narrative.
SCORING APPROACH
The score uses rhythm as a core structural element within the film.
Rather than simply accompanying scenes, the music shapes dramatic motion, emotional pressure, and momentum through evolving rhythmic movement.
MUSICAL PROGRESSION
The score unfolds through a sequence of rhythmic states:
Atmospheric Foundation — suspended, non-rhythmic
Sustained Tension — unstable, non-metric movement
Cultural Identity Emerges — salsa introduces pulse
Momentum & Instability — merengue increases propulsion
Escalation — layered rhythmic density
Resolution — return of core material
Each state reflects narrative escalation rather than decoration.
CHARACTER VOICES
​​
Pablo Rojas
Gaby Fernandez Sanchez
Dan Acosta
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
-
MDC Student Film Festival — Official Selection (2026)
-
EPIC ACG Fest — Official Selection (2025)
-
Florida Supercon — Audience Award (2025)
SCREENINGS
-
2026
MDC Student Film Festival
Miami, Florida
-
2025
EPIC ACG Fest
Mountain View, California
Florida Supercon
Miami Beach, Florida
MENTORSHIP & CONTEXT
Developed under mentorship from:
Cesar Sakai, Susan Guzman, and Eddie Bragin.
Completed within the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC)
at Miami Dade College.