F-Stop — Antony Johnston

Nick Stoppard is a struggling photographer who just can't seem to make it in his chosen profession. He's lousy behind the camera and not much of a businessman. His studio bleeds more money every day and his empty appointment book isn't helping matters. One night, while trying to soften his harsh reality with some hard drinking, Nick spots her -- Chantel, a Latina goddess with a bar tab better suited to a table full of sailors than a stunning beauty. Before Nick even has a chance to lay on his pathetic sob story, something strange happens. His buddies start talking him up. Before he knows it, he's no longer a failing photog, but the hottest shutterbug in the five boroughs and the darling of the N.Y.C. fashion world. It's an impressive, if not accurate résumé, especially to Chantel, who happens to be an up-and-coming runway model in need of a flashy film-slinger. What starts as a harmless barroom exaggeration steamrolls into a series of comedic and romantic misadventures through the fast-paced, vain, and more than a little bitchy world of fashion. In a world where image is everything and models' egos are even bigger than their billboards, does Nick have what it takes to live up to his legend or is he destined to be exposed, losing both his career and his girl in the process?