We are moving stories

“The film is definitely divisive – people usually pick a character they relate to and defend their actions pretty vehemently. That’s sort of the point for us – to get people talking about who is right and who is wrong. Ultimately maybe they’re both a bit wrong and both a bit right, but the film sparks discussion about our behaviour as human beings, which is what we hoped for.”

“My co-director Dusty had really encouraged me to make a film that was personal to me, and I sort of sat with that for a long time, and realized that most of my work was a criticism or commentary on society, and that maybe I was a bit afraid to write something deeply resonant. When we started working together I asked him if he wanted to write something with me that was based on an experience from my childhood. Through writing Chubby we really mined our own personal traumas! It wasn’t an easy film to create, but I think if it can resonate with someone in the audience and make them feel less alone, then it was worth it.”

“The biggest surprise for me was when I screened the film at York University. People were offended because the film depicts a woman who wants to be raped. But they didn’t grasp that that is contextual to a society in which she will inevitably be raped and that it was part of the point we were making.”

“We certainly set out with the intention of making it a psychologically disturbing film, and that seemed to evolve into including a horror atmosphere. It may be considered part of the ‘smart horror’ genre as nothing is ever explicitly revealed and it is left to the audience to imagine and work out what is happening.

Ultimately we were interested in building an atmosphere and sense of dread as opposed to scaring people with shock and gore. We were both inspired by filmmakers such as Hitchcock and Kubrick who really create a strong sense of tension without always showing much. We were keen to make a film that presents a series of scenarios and lets the audience figure it out.”

“Our goal in making SCARS is to present a different side of mental illness that isn’t often portrayed in the media. I think anyone who suffers from mental illness will see a little of themselves in this film. At the end of the day, we hope we’ve done the subject matter justice, and will help people understand and empathize with people who are struggling on a daily basis.”

“If you’re into Stephen King, definitely check it out. But for non-horror fans, In The Deathroom isn’t your “typical” Stephen King story. It’s very much grounded in reality — there are no ghosts or demons, nothing supernatural. The monsters in this film are the people. Like in his stories Misery and The Green Mile, the horror comes from the atrocities that everyday people are capable of doing to each other. And like any good Stephen King tale, there are rich, layered characters and unexpected twists and turns along the way.”

“It’s spooky, surprising, visually splendid, especially once we get to the Berkshires. We grew up with shows like Tales From the Darkside, and the horror movies from the 70’s/80’s made a huge impact on us as kids. We wanted to pay homage to those horror films, in particular The Shining. ”

“Thank you! THE RUINS is part 2 of our horror short trilogy. The first film, THE HOOSAC, was a huge success. It won the Audience Choice Award for Best Horror Short at the International Haunted Horror Film Festival and was nominated for Best Horror Short and Best Actor at the New York City International Film Festival. We are filmmakers with an itch for throwback horror. We want to keep the genre alive and based on feedback from our audiences, it is working. Their itch is being scratched so to speak.”

“This is the final installation of our trilogy. We’ve been actors and directors for a very long time and with access to gear, tutorials, and peers, we thought, “why not us?” These days there is no excuse not to create your own material. We look to many influences in the short film world including the latest breakthrough director David F. Sandberg and his wife, Lotta, who started in the short film world.”

“On one level, I want it to entertain and have an emotional impact. On another level, I want it to have an impact on feminism and gender identity.”

“It’s funny and sexy and fucked up. If you’re a millennial who has dabbled in online dating, you’ll laugh for sure because it hits close to home. If you aren’t, you’ll like a modern urban legend about what it’s like out here for queer singles in the digital age.”

“Horror films and stories often darkly mirror real societal fears and the social media #metoo movement was a turning point in our culture that empowered women and incited fear in some men. This is a subversive, feminist revenge tale that turns the tables on familiar tropes.”

“My approach to horror films are always exploring something deeper under the surface, but entertainment is always a major part of the craft for me. At under 6 minutes, The Gaze is a playful ride meant to put a devilish smile on your face.”

“The film comes directly from my dreams, which were affected by all sorts of doom-inducing things from the pandemic, the housing crisis... and possibly a sleep paralysis demon.”

“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”

“I wrote I Should Have Run in the wake of my best friend’s suicide in 2015. I was working as a runner on a BBC show at the time, and had a lot of time to think whilst attending to the red light and bell. It was extremely cathartic for me to channel my grief into something that reflected the darkness of my feelings at the time.”

“At four minutes and change, it’s a very digestible bite if you’re in the mood for a little thrill!”

“THE END OF MARA is the third film in a trilogy of shorts set in an underground world in NYC where people can resurrect from the dead. We made the film to complete the trilogy but the trilogy itself is about how different individuals deal with death and grief.”

“I knew I wanted to make a horror film with a strong female lead. As a huge fan of the genre I often find myself frustrated with how women can be represented, or rather, misrepresented within it.”

“The overall theme in LIZ DRIVES would be inherent racism, and on a lesser scale, jealousy. It also looks at how one person’s decision can affect many lives.”

“One of the universal themes that Bloodsport addresses is that of fox hunting, and hunting as a sport in general. We wanted to challenge people’s thoughts on this theme, by making humans the ones who were being hunted instead of animals.”

“In Cairn, Ada is forced into a corner by a seemingly simple question: does he mean me harm? This is a question that most women have asked themselves at one point or another.”

“KR: I want to scare people. I’ll just put that out there. My favorite types of horror films are the types that don’t have to show you that much and cause you to fill a lot in with your imagination, and that’s what I hope people are receiving from this.”

“Because INK is about one woman’s personal struggle with her own mind and body, there’s a link between the universal fear that body-horror elicits and the very personal and female-centric themes of fear of motherhood, pregnancy and everything that goes along with that.”

“A Tricky Treat is a provocative film that will make you feel mixed emotions raging from fear to disgust, and at the end, everything will make sense, and make you laugh! It’s a very quick short with an impactful and surprising ending that will make you think! In my work, my characters and viewers are given a space to think, act, react and reflect on very contemporary issues. A Tricky Treat allows this same approach, but in a “gory” setting.”