Detox
While away on a technology detox in the northern reaches of Maine, an impressionable social media addict becomes the target of an unexpected visitor.
Interview with Director Alex Hanno
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Writer Wes Hopper and I decided to make Detox for three primary reasons. First and foremost, as indie filmmakers striving to carve out our place within the entertainment industry, we're constantly creating new projects in an effort to share stories we're passionate about with the world, while continuing to hone our craft at the same time. Suffice it to say, after a few years stuck behind our keyboards (thanks to COVID), it felt like the perfect time to produce something new, which ties into our second reason; we had a fantastic location available to use on the coast of Maine that, as you'll see in the film, is stunning and eerie and perfect for a horror flick! Last but not least, it's hard to ignore society's increasing dependence on technology and addiction to social media, and as artists, we felt like this subject was ripe for lampooning in the most tongue-in-cheek way possible. The result of all this was Detox.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Do you love tense, creeping horror? How about biting satire? Or even campy monster movies? Good news; Detox has all of this and more!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
As a writer and director, I want my stories to be personal, yet also relatable. They tend to stem from one or more themes that I'm passionate about - such as the environment, identity, or technological dependency - but ultimately are adapted in a way that I hope will prove universal to any that watches. Detox is no different. It was born from a theme I and Wes were inspired to explore on screen, but manifested itself in an accessible form; a satirical critique wrapped in the tropes of a classic horror movie.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Funnily enough, Detox actually started out as a completely different film. Wes and I set out to develop a feature by the name of Rune together, and after drafting the script, we decided to film a short proof of concept for it. However, when we tried to crack the script for this shorter version of Rune, we found that condensing what we loved about the movie into 15 minutes was proving nearly impossible. By that point though, we were dead set on filming something together, and so, Detox was born, with all of the pieces - including the script - coming together quite swiftly!
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Thus far, the response has been fantastic! We've screened at DC Shorts (where we took home an audience award and an award for Best Genre Short), as well as Tallgrass Film Festival, and will be screening at Screamfest Horror Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival on October 14th and 15th, respectively. Audiences have seemed to really enjoy it and our festival run (fingers crossed) is showing no signs of slowing down, with a few more to be announced soon.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Mostly it's energized us, I would say. Folks are cringing and laughing and gasping at all of the right moments, as well as latching on to the themes we're trying to speak to. Seeing this has reaffirmed our love for the project we created and inspired us to continue building out the world of Detox into a feature film in new and exciting ways.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
More than anything, we're looking to find the right producer to bring on board for the feature edition of Detox. Our aim is to partner with someone who not only understands our vision, but is equally passionate about it, and about finding the right way to ensure we all get to share it with the world.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
As mentioned above, attaching the right producer is key for us to amplify our film's message, since a short film can only reach a certain audience. Thus, turning Detox into a feature is the natural next step, and finding a stellar producer is a huge part of that. In the meantime though, connecting with film festival programmers and directors who identify with the story and want to share it with their audiences is a major help, as it expands our network in so many artistic and fulfilling ways. Most importantly though, finding horror fans who love smart, yet ridiculous content is the biggest win, because at the end of the day, the main reason any of us make movies is for people to simply watch them, and enjoy them.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
In a perfect world, we would love to see Detox become a sort of cult classic within the horror community, and part of achieving that would be for us to play at a string of festivals that passionate moviegoers regularly attend. Since we're currently deep into a strong run, I feel like we're on the right road already. Here's hoping it continues!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What would it genuinely take for the world to step back from its social media addiction?
Would you like to add anything else?
I would love to shout out some of the amazing crew members who helped make Detox come to life. Cinematographer: Kat Castro. 1st AD: Taylor Corriell. 1st AC: Lexi Hadley. Steadicam Operator: Qianzhi Shen. Gaffer: Sam Robinson. Puppet Designer and Head Puppeteer: James Ortiz. Hair and Makeup: Elisa Abend-Goldfarb. Production Coordinator: Matt O'Connell. Sound Recordist: James Louis Levine. Composer/Actor: Bill Prokopow. Colorist: Brandon Jones. Sound Designer: Noah Chevan.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
As mentioned, Wes and I are working on a feature edition of Detox. We are also part of the interactive audio experience known as SoundTrip, which is available wherever you find podcasts. Lastly, I'm in pre-production on a pair of features set to shoot next year and recently wrote the script for the upcoming thriller, A Social Contract, starring Sean Astin.
Interview: October 2023
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
Detox
While away on a technology detox in the northern reaches of Maine, an impressionable social media addict becomes the target of an unexpected visitor.
Length: 8:40
Director: Alex Hanno
Producer: Wes Hopper
Writer: Wes Hopper
About the writer, director and producer:
ALEX HANNO is the writer/director behind the apocalyptic thriller A Social Contract starring Sean Astin, the romantic dramedy Elephants streaming on Amazon, and the award-winning TV show Served. His pilot script, Seabrook, was the winner of CineStory’s TV Fellowship (Drama Division) and in 2023, he was part of the creative team that launched SoundTrip – the award-winning interactive audio experience – at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, which was then released online as well.
WES HOPPER has developed TV series and movies for companies like Shifting Gears (Patrick Dempsey), Timber Ridge and Moai Films. He’s written short horror stories for Hooked, a mobile media app with over a million subscribers worldwide. Wes grew up in Maine and started reading Stephen King books at far too young an age, instilling a lifelong love of all things creepy.
Key cast: Caitlin Morris (Shelly), Bill Prokopow (Dr. Hal Levinson)
Looking for: film festival directors, producers, distributors
Instagram: @detoxshort
Hashtags used: #detoxshort #horrorshort #drhal #needtogetaway #horrorfilmfestivals #indiefilm #shotinmaine #horrorsatire #digitaldetox
Website: www.detoxfilm.com
Other: IMDb
Funders: Self-Funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Screamfest Horror Festival / Los Angeles - October 14th; Newport Beach Film Festival / Newport Beach - October 15th