Author

About the Author /

James is DN’s resident horror fan and is inspired by all academic, formal and Ethan Hawke-related aspects of filmmaking. When he isn’t writing for DN you’ll most likely find him on Bluesky, reading a graphic novel or and being sat on by his cat Peanut.

Music Video

A Couple Are Trapped in a Violent Embrace in Andrew Jim Gannon’s ‘United (Why Can’t We Say Enough)’

Andrew Jim Gannon deconstructs the purpose of the ever-evolving frame mask in his precise and psychological single-shot music video.

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Animation

Naaman Azhari Combines Dance and Rotoscoped Animation in His Touching LGBTQ Drama ‘Breathless Puppets’

Naaman Azhari digs into the process of scriptwriting to best showcase Akram Khan’s poetic choreography in his poignant what could have been LGBTQ drama.

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Live Action

Andzej Gavriss Reveals the Untold Story of PTSD in His Powerful Ukraine Refugee Short ‘Uprooted’

Andzej Gavriss describes how he channelled the devastating stories and experiences of Ukrainian refugees into his powerful campaign film.

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Music Video

Kimberly Stuckwisch Channels Angel Olsen’s Journey of Self-Discovery in Her Dreamlike Short ‘Big Time’

Kimberly Stuckwisch opens up about the process of collaborating with Angel Olsen throughout the making of their dreamlike LGBTQ album film.

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Art & Fashion

Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah Highlights the Vibrancy of Black Stories With Celebratory MTV Branded Short ‘Noitamalcer’

Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah explains how she subverted stories of black pain with her vibrant joyous Juneteenth-set branded short.

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Live Action, Premiere

A Starving Wolf Crawls Inside Human Skin in Solmund MacPherson’s Absurd Comedy ‘Wolf in Dude’s Clothing’

Solmund MacPherson reveals how the farcical nature of everyday life inspired his short film about a wolf hiding inside a human skin.

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Live Action

The Masked Serial Killer Just Won’t Stay Down in Alex Montilla’s Inventive Comedy Slasher Short ‘Overkill’

Alex Montilla throws light on how he overcame a major technical setback for a pivotal scene mid-production on his inventive self-aware comedy slasher.

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Music Video

Two Chefs Prep for a Big Date in Marco Santi’s Subversive and Cathartic Music Video for Nother’s ‘Us’

Marco Santi tells DN how he smoothly juxtaposed the grimy environment of a working kitchen with the sensuality of dance in his Nother music video.

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Animation

Kenzie Sutton Highlights the Mundanity of Everyday Life in Stop Motion Short ‘Somebody Take the Wheel’

Animator Kenzie Sutton breaks down how she solo managed the lengthy yet rewarding production process of her impressive cyclical stop motion short.

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Music Video

Ian Roderick Gray Blends Body Horror, Romance and Drama in His Video for On Man’s ‘Worse Than it Seems’

Ian Roderick Gray explains how his VFX team created the naturalistic, body horror inspired look of his protagonist's unusual condition.

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Live Action

Varun Raman & Tom Hancock’s 16MM Comedy Short ‘Man or Tree’ Sees a Plant Ponder Its Metaphysical Reality

Varun Raman and Tom Hancock discuss the freewheeling approach to filmmaking on their 16mm comedy short about a tree which thinks it's a man.

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Live Action

A Mother and Son Fall Into a Toxic Masquerade in Émile V. Schlesser’s Darkly Twisted Satire ‘Kowalsky’

Émile V. Schlesser explains how he made the unlikeable conniving protagonists of his tragicomic short film satire so effortlessly compelling.

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