Thriller Archives - Directors Notes

David Robinson-Smith’s ‘We Used To Own Houses’ Vividly Conveys the Despair of Those Caught in the Housing Crisis

David Robinson-Smith shares how he moved between the dual realities of his acerbic housing crisis short where a landlord is confronted by his evicted tenant.

Live Action

An Unexpected Knock on the Door Shatters a New Home Owner’s Notions of Security in Liam White’s ‘Housewarming’

Liam White explains how he aligned audience anxiety with his protagonist's feeling of vulnerability in his tension fuelled short about an unwelcome visitor.

Live Action

Gabriel Caste’s ‘Are You Awake?’ Explores the Debilitating Nature of Existential Dread Lurking in Our Subconscious

Gabriel Caste tells DN about drawing viewers into his psychological thriller probing the dread of existence which can throw us into a depressive cycle.

Live Action

A Filipino Immigrant Worker Battles the Horrors of Assimilation in Paris Zarcilla’s Acerbic Debut ‘Raging Grace’

DN alum Paris Zarcilla dissects the claustrophobic tone and character-driven visual language of his chilling gothic SXSW winning feature debut.

Live Action, Premiere

An Isolated Dog Walker Encounters a Disconcerting Loner in Rob Price’s Tense Thriller ‘Strangers’

Rob Price tells DN how he fostered the unnerving disposition of his thriller short through casting, location and wide-framed cinematography.

Live Action

Ng Choon Ping & Sam H. Freeman’s ‘Femme’ Exposes the Various Disguises We Use to Protect Our True Selves

Ng Choon Ping & Sam H. Freeman reveal how intimate handheld camera work enhanced the tense dynamism of their neo-noir seduction as revenge thriller.

Live Action, Premiere

Mass Panic Erupts When a Series of Strange Events Occur in Tom Salvaggio’s News Serial Homage ‘Bellingham’s Belief’

Tom Salvaggio reflects on how the rise of conspiratorial thinking inspired his uncanny Twilight Zone-esque short about a seemingly unexplainable mystery.

Live Action, Premiere

An Injured Young Man Incites a Surreal Encounter in Björn Rühmann’s Psychological Thriller ‘MirrorMirror’

Björn Rühmann discusses the use of darkness and shadow to emphasise the aura of mystery in his unsettling psychological thriller.

Live Action

The Sole Survivor of a Climbing Accident Recalls His Supernatural Encounter in Giles Buchanan’s Horror ‘Terror’

Giles Buchanan recounts the practical trials and tribulations of shooting on the Ben Nevis mountain face for his ambitious Lovecraftian horror short.

Film Festival, Live Action

Faris Alrjoob Crafts a Beguiling Mystery of Love with Cannes-Premiering Short ‘The Red Sea Makes Me Wanna Cry’

Through enigmatic voiceover, elliptical editing and gorgeous Super 16mm frames, Faris Alrjoob reveals how he created a mysterious reverie on closure.

Film Festival, Live Action

Grief & Political Rage Converge in Musa Alderson-Clarke’s Searing Cannes Selected Thriller ‘Killing Boris Johnson’

Musa Alderson-Clarke takes DN through the challenge of baking white hot tension into the fabric of his Cannes premiering short about a young man in turmoil.

Live Action

Abi Damaris Corbin Honours Marine Veteran Brian Easley’s Tragic Story in Gripping Heist Thriller ‘Breaking’

Abi Damaris Corbin discusses the careful blocking, Demme-inspired close-ups and deep collaboration which underpin her portrayal of a larger-than-life heist.

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