Watch the full film here: LINK

Concept & Ambition

A psychological horror short that subverts audience expectations through meticulous, slow-burn dread. Centered on Stephen, a solitary man governed by rigid routine and order, the story deliberately paints a vivid portrait of a sinister, untrustworthy loner guarding a dark secret beneath his feet, only to flip societal stereotypes and preconceived notions on their head in a tense, subverted climax.

Role & Craft

As Writer and Director, I guided the creative vision and visual execution alongside Oscar-winning Cinematographer Michael Paleodimos and lead actor David Langham, supported by Producer Jen Gelin. The film's distinct look was forged through weeks of extensive pre-production research. We submerged ourselves in visual imagery, dissecting films and television shows, and the clinical discipline of David Fincher’s Mindhunter was a powerful reference. We spent weeks debating every scene, building bespoke visual guidelines for wardrobe, props, locations, and lighting to reflect our overall ambition to set the style, tone, and mood.

Production

This was my fifth short film, and like all the rest, it was an enormous challenge to pull off with a very limited budget. David Langham had just wrapped His Dark Materials for HBO, and agreed to play the lead. A gifted actor and true collaborator who brought total devotion to the role. Casting the young boy was a challenge, and we ended up finding Ethan at a small community drama school 250 miles from our shooting location. Beyond the cast and crew, the film was built entirely on goodwill. Favours were pulled from every direction: from camera, lighting, art department, and wardrobe, right through to post-production, and even the film's artwork.

Execution & Reach

The film screened at multiple film festivals including the prestigious Court Métrange, MonsterFest, Cabane à Sang, TerrorMolins, and it won The Best Horror Short Film at The Brititsh Short Film Awards. ALTER optioned the film for their YouTube where it's been viewed over 400,000 views. It was also featured on Short of the Week, Kino Short Film, Indie Shorts Mag, Beyond the Short, Bureau of Creative, Booooooom, and Shorted.