Film Trilogy by RIC Senior Picked Up By Apple TV, Amazon Prime & Tubi
At age 22, RIC senior Alex Geil, has achieved what many filmmakers spend a lifetime pursuing: the release of multiple feature-length films on major streaming platforms.
His trilogy: “Tranquility” (2021), “Tranquility: Ghost Stories” (2024) and “Tranquility: Aeterna” (2026) have been picked up by both Amazon Prime Video and Tubi, while the first is also streaming on Apple TV.
Even more striking is the quality of these films. Geil’s storytelling and cinematic approach is of Hollywood quality – a remarkable distinction for someone still at the beginning of his career.
Take a look at the trailer for Part One of “Tranquility.” It’s about ex-lifer Danny Malloy who joins a secret operative agency and uncovers sinister truths about his recruitment and recruiter.
If that’s not impressive enough, Geil writes, edits, shoots, directs and acts in these films.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Geil spent most of his life in New Hampshire before he and his family relocated to Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 2020. Two years later, he enrolled at Rhode Island College as a film studies major. However, his journey into filmmaking, began much earlier.
“I’ve been making my own films since I was 12,” he says. “When I was young, I loved playing with action figures and writing stories and creating visuals in my head. One summer when I was in sixth grade my friend made a video with iMovie. It caught my attention. I wanted to try it. I shot my first film on my track phone in the backyard. That’s where it all started.”
Since then Geil has been producing a film almost every year. They include: “The Betrayer: Resolution” (2019), “Despondent” (2020), “Tranquility” (2021), “Growing Up With God” (2022), “The Pale Horse” (2022), “Tranquility: Ghost Stories” (2024), “Blair” (2024) and “Tranquility: Aeterna” (2026).
Along the way, he has assisted other filmmakers in achieving their visions. Geil was director of photography for “Impressions of RIC” (2022), production assistant and extra for “Endings” (2023) and first assistant director for “Past, Present, Future” (2025).
Inspired by the Bourne series – action-packed spy thrillers, with complex intelligence plots – Geil says it was this series that influenced him the most as a filmmaker:
“I loved the fast pace in which the stories were told. ‘Tranquility’ isn’t fast-paced, it’s more of a slow burn, but seeing the thrilling action sequences in the Bourne films, the interesting storyline where all the details aren’t given to you and, obviously, the fight scenes, I just thought they were really cool.”
Tranquility’s fight scenes are pretty intense, too. Take a look at the trailer for “Tranquility: Ghost Stories.”
Geil has a gift for capturing images in a visually compelling and powerful way to create tension and depth.
“I use a lot of shadows and split-lighting across the face. If we took away the shadows, it would give a totally different vibe to the story. Similar to lighting, the color grading choices shape the mood and the tone. They’re darker and not overly saturated,” he says.
“Sound is very important too. In ‘Tranquility: Aeterna,’ which takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, ambient elements like a running stream serve as subtle reminders of peace amid devastation, that there’s still some tranquility to be found,” he says.
Techniques like lighting, coloring and sound Geil learned on his own through trial and error, “seeing what works and doesn’t work,” but it was RIC’s film studies program that taught him the logistics of working with a crew, how to create a shot list and how to properly format a script.
Taking on multiple acting roles within his films means Geil has to balance acting with directing and cinematography, which presents its own challenges.
He has to step behind the camera to set up shots before moving in front of it to perform. To manage this, he relies on his friend Devin, a fellow film studies student, who assists with camera work.
“Everyone is willing to help each other,” Geil says of his peers. “A lot of us do projects outside of school. We all work on each other’s projects. That’s how we get to know each other and connect with each other. Everyone is really nice and really kind and very creative. Everyone has a lot of great visions to bring to life. We help each other get better creatively as filmmakers. That’s probably the best part of the film studies program here, aside from the great faculty – it’s the students I’m learning alongside of.”
Looking ahead, Geil has just completed the rough cut of an 11-minute short film, “Fractus,” which is set within the Tranquility universe. It promises a layered, introspective narrative and is part of his senior capstone project. Viewers will also recognize the RIC campus, which features prominently in the film. “Fractus” will be submitted to film festivals across the country.
Geil is a recipient of the Hope Scholarship and has received numerous Film Studies Talent Awards. For aspiring filmmakers, his advice is grounded and direct: “stay focused and remember why you started.”
What keeps Geil passionate, he says, is “keeping it personal, allowing everything I make to connect with myself. If I didn’t do that, then it would be pretty soul-less. I’d be making it just to make it.
“As a writer, I put a piece of myself in every character – at least the main characters – because to see them as a personal reflection of me helps me connect with the story I’m creating. The characters in the ‘Tranquility’ series reflect some of the tragedies I’ve had in my own life as well as how I handle things emotionally and how I’d like to grow.”
When asked how he defines success as a filmmaker, he replies, “I honestly think success – for me – is just being able to complete the vision that I’ve been trying to get out there for so long, even if someone doesn’t connect with that vision the same way I do. Just being able to complete it is a success in itself. That’s special.”
Learn more about RIC’s Film Studies B.A. Program.