Other Worlds Austin 2018 - Heartless
A short horror film based on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart". An overlooked associate struggles to complete a corporate presentation as a horrific secret gnaws at her conscience.
Interview with Writer/Director/Executive Producer Kevin Sluder
Watch Heartless on YouTube
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks so much! I had been thinking about directing a short but hadn't come up with an idea I loved. Then, I was helping out some friends on set and we were chatting about Edgar Allan Poe's work in between setups. On the way home the Heartless idea came to me and I was, like, oooh, I should really do that. I've always been a fan of "The Tell-Tale Heart" and thought updating it to a modern office workplace would allow me to take some shots at corporate aggression. It was the first short I've ever done, so it was definitely a great way to see if I had what it took to direct something bigger later on.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think for Poe fans and horror fans, the elements are there for it to be something they would enjoy. Lots of blood. Some really tense moments. Some laughs. And did I mention the blood? There's lots and lots of blood. But I think there's something in there for everyone. If you've ever had a bad day at the office, Heartless may be the right film for you.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
When I created the office environment for the film, I knew I wanted to say something about corporate aggression and how it makes monsters out of us. To bring that across, we went with a wardrobe design right out of American Psycho and Wall Street. When the audience see these guys, it would be easy for them to get on Shelby's side. Deep down, despite the dark actions Shelby committed to get this presentation opportunity, she just wants to do a good job and be appreciated for it. I felt that would make her a more universal character and could provide some catharsis with the events at the end of the film. Everyone has had a boss who treated them badly on the job. This film takes the steps to say that maybe bosses should think twice before doing that.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I wrote a lot of drafts of the short before I filmed it and, in the course of those rewrites, the story changed quite a bit. It was a bit creepier and darker all around in the beginning, more like the original story. Then, when the three male execs came into the mix, some humor entered the office part of the story and I felt like I had something people might wanna watch. With that, the film took on a more over-the-top tone and became a bit more fun. It was always going to be bloody, and adding the humor helped to take the edge off. The script was pretty set when we went to shoot. There are always adjustments you make on set and we made a few, but I think they all really helped to amp up the film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It's been an amazing festival run (over 40 festivals so far), and audiences have had some great reactions to it. We've also had over 20 really positive reviews from different publications, so I couldn't be happier with the feedback.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
To tell you the truth, I really thought there would be a lot more people who didn't like the film. At the outset, I thought reactions to the violence and gore would be more mixed. I kept waiting for the ultimate "bad" review where I'm told I should give up film forever and find another job, but it hasn't arrived yet. We've actually only received one review where the critic didn't like it. So I wouldn't say my point of view was challenged as much as I've been overwhelmed by the positive reaction. I've had many audience members come up to me after screenings with really great comments. It's so much fun talking to them. The most popular comment is from women saying (with a cringe), “Oh, I've been told to smile so many times. Thank you for that scene". We usually give her a pen at that point – and, if you see the film, that will make way more sense.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We're nearing the end of our festival run. The film should be available in the spring. I would just love for more people to see it. As mentioned above, the reactions so far have been really exciting. I just love the reception it's gotten from audiences and I would love for that to continue.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Sales agents, distributors, buyers and journalists.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for it to continue to have the impact it has had so far. Different people get different things from it, which is always fun. Some love the blood and horror of it. Some love the social statement. Some love the look and the performances. I was fortunate to work with some amazingly talented friends on this film. I would want the appreciation of their work to continue with future audiences.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I think one of the best questions I've been asked on the festival tour is, "is this a #metoo film?” In all honesty, it wasn't written with that in mind. But the fact that people have watched the film and received it that way is rather cool. I definitely had things to say about misogyny in the work place but I didn't set out to create a "message movie". But that's the great thing about film: the interpretation is solely up to the audience not the creator. Is Shelby a feminist hero? That's a debate I would love to hear.
Would you like to add anything else?
I hope everyone enjoys the film!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I had such a great group of people working on this film, so they're all doing more great things now. My lead actress Stacy Snyder is in a couple films coming out: The Sound of Settling and Ashes (both written and directed by my Associate Producers Bryan Ricke and Melissa Vitello). I think Stacy also just wrote her first film. Her counterpart in the film, Joanna Sotomura, was just featured on My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and has a wonderful web series called Emma Approved. My DP Mike Testin and my editor Matt Mercer (who also played Deano in the film) created a midnight movie masterpiece Dementia 2, and it's playing horror festivals around the globe. My blood FX team Josh and Sierra Russell are going non-stop. They've done work on everything from NCIS to the Netflix film The Ritual. And I've just finished a horror feature script that I'm shopping around and I'm currently writing a neo-noir feature that I'm hoping to direct toward the end of next year.
Interview: November 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Heartless
A short horror film based on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart". An overlooked associate struggles to complete a corporate presentation as a horrific secret gnaws at her conscience.
Length: 12 min 24 seconds
Director: Kevin Sluder
Producer: Jose Gonzalez, Rachel Ferrell, Kevin Sluder, Jennifer Sluder
Writer: Kevin Sluder
About the writer, director and producer:
KEVIN SLUDER (writer/director/executive producer): A graduate of the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Kevin began his career as Director of Development with Esperanza Productions. After that, he started up his production company, Sunshine Boy Productions, with his wife Jennifer.
JOSE GONZALEZ and RACHEL FERRELL (producers, Constellation Films): Jose is a producer known for Get the Girl, Tail, and You or a Loved One. Rachel is a graphic designer and has created promotional materials for The Sound of Settling, Speak Now, Feeding Time, and You or a Loved One. Together, they produced The Sound of Settling and Feeding Time.
Key cast: Stacy Snyder, Joanna Sotomura, Matt Mercer, Blaine Vedros, Ron Morehouse
Looking for: Sales Agents, buyers, distributors, journalists
Facebook: Heartless horror movie
Twitter: @HeartlessMovie_
Instagram: @heartless_movie
Other: Sunshine Boy Productions, @SunshineBoyProd (Twitter), @sunshineboyproductions (Instagram)
Funders: Sunshine Boy Productions
Made in association with: Constellation Films
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? It is playing the horror shorts block at Austin Other Worlds Sunday December 9th at 8pm.