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SYNOPSIS

 

“There is a manhunt in the town of Gaunts; a woman lies dead in Harrow Woods with a very unusual wound and a dangerous man is on the loose. Jack hasn’t seen his eccentric Father in over 25 years, but when he is forced to return to the quaint little town where he was raised, the two are reunited and the secrets both have been holding onto for so long are finally revealed.”

 

ABOUT THE FILM

 

When I originally read Sarah Scanlan's original short story "Dead Wood", I was instantly captivated with its dark themes, haunting images and fascinating characters. More so than anything though, I was drawn into its central story - a fascinating look into a reunion between Father and Son that takes the story on an unexpected journey full of twists and turns.

 

 

I asked the author to allow me to adapt it into a short film, because I could see the potential, and I wanted to be able to visually share this story with everyone else too. At its heart, it is a human story about family ties, love and the consequences that come with the difficulties in life and achieving those.

 

 

The film will very much be a psychological thriller genre, with filmic influences coming from "Insomnia" by Christopher Nolan, the HBO show "True Detective" and the recent "Prisoners" by Denis Villeneuve.

 

 

It will be a fascinating film visually, set in the heart of the deep countryside - which I believe to be a welcome change from the confined and busy feel of the city, as is present in many short films. The powerful acting, amazing and unique location,cinematography, sound design and haunting soundtrack will all come together to create a mood-scape for the film that is both terrifying, intriguing and captivating. The narrative allows us to create a story free of cliches with surprises around every corner.

 

We have an incredible filmmaking team already on board, with an enormous amount of experience between us. Along with the cast, everyone has agreed to come onto the short film from the strength of the script and wanting to tell the story in the best way possible for you as an audience. Everyone that has read it, always agrees that it is an incredibly engrossing story with a real ride from beginning to the end - one that would translate perfectly to a visual medium.

 

Rather than just being a stepping stone onto bigger projects, the cast and crew believe that this is a piece of work that they will be proud to have a credit for and put into their portfolio. A short film comes with its own set of challenges as opposed to television or a feature film, condensing narrative and being able to tell a smaller story that doesn't feel lacking in any way as opposed to a larger one. We can genuinely see it making a large impression on the festival circuit and eventually come to on-demand services, and hopefully more.

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