Rob Munday
The proof-of-concept short has gained something of a bad rap in recent years. Anyone with a real passion for short film will talk devotedly about the merits of the format, how it should be praised for all the opportunities it offers filmmakers and not just seen as a stepping stone for career progression. The proof-of-concept short feels like the antithesis to this belief: a film made entirely with the purpose of showcasing a project’s viability. But what if that short wasn’t just about introducing a narrative to studio execs and potential audiences? What if instead it is offering proof of a filmmaking ethos and evidence of how a director works with his crew? Would that change your mind?
This is the approach Rod Blackhurst took with his 10-minute short Hysteric (originally-titled Murmur), a film he created as evidence of how he’d tackle the “the tone, style, and craft” of a studio film he was being considered as director for. He wasn’t trying to sell this particular premise or build a fanbase for a new fictional universe, he was trying to showcase his own directorial talents and prove that he had what it takes to be ‘trusted’ with this studio movie. That particular project never materialised, but Blackhurst wants to use that experience, and the resulting short film, as a call-to-arms to fellow filmmakers.
“Everything I’ve succeeded with professionally I was told ‘no’ too”
As the director of an award-winning survival horror, a critically acclaimed Netflix doc and a true-crime series, it may come as surprise to hear that Blackhurst has suffered his fair share of setbacks over his filmmaking career. Stating that “no matter what us creatives do, gatekeepers find reasons to say no”, the director reveals, in conversation with Short of the Week, that “everything I’ve succeeded with professionally I was told ‘no’ too”. Those rejections obviously had an effect on Blackhurst – who describes the creative process as “gambling on ourselves over and over again, proving our vision, our talent and our ability to do what people think we can’t” – but instead of stewing on them and becoming bitter, he’s used them as motivation and wants to use those experiences to help emerging directors.
With that in mind, Blackhurst laid out his filmmaking philosophy in this open-letter, titled The Calvary is Not Coming (credit for that title goes to indie-filmmaker Mark Duplass), which details 12 important lessons, he wished he’d discovered earlier in his career. Snippet below:
- A filmmaker is a storyteller. Humanity needs stories to help understand the world. And stories need storytellers — people who both know how to tell a story, and which stories to tell. Filmmakers are part of this ancient and grand tradition.
- A filmmaker has “vision”. A filmmaker identifies what story they are going to tell and not just why they are telling it, but why they are the only person for the job.
From my own conversation around the proof-of-concept film, I’d surmise that one of the main issues with this particular sub-genre of short is that it feels like it’s cheating the format. It isn’t taking up the challenge of telling a rounded, complete story in a limited run-time, but instead presenting a snippet of a larger on-screen universe to entice an audience, and funders, to invest further in it. While this is certainly a criticism that could be levelled at Hysteric, as the opening titles do a lot of the heavy-lifting with regards to the exposition and the nature of the ending feels a little unsatisfying, the many positives here surely outweigh the negatives?
Blackhurst’s a firm believer that “craft matters” and that’s certainly on show in this film, which is immaculately crafted. Presented as a one-take short – even if you notice the joins, it’s hard not to be awed by the camerawork – the continuous action amplifies the tension to 11, immersing the audience in the nightmarish scenario of Hysteric. That taut atmosphere is again intensified by a number of other filmmaking choices, the weather and setting (close to a lighthouse). Both of which would have added extra complexities (rain towers and lights on telescopic construction lifts) to the shoot, but end up feeling vital to the tone of the film and again, showcase the dedication to craft from the director and his crew.
Blackhurst explains that Production Designer Rob Ebeltoft “cut a hole in the roof a car (purchased in cash off Craigslist) so we could get the camera inside the car in our unbroken shot”
Despite those earlier complaints about the storyline not exactly feeling complete, there’s potential in that narrative as well. Based on a global phenomenon (which is said to have originated in Bristol, UK) known as ‘The Hum’, Blackhurst has taken this real-life mystery and crafted a fictional storyline with multiple interpretations and outcomes. Is this ‘Hum’ man-made? If so where does it come from and why does it exist? While we may complain about these proof-of-concept shorts feeling incomplete, we also don’t want a film to provide all the answers and often, the sign of a good short is when you’re left wondering about the future of its characters and its universe long after watching. If Hysteric was another short to join that ever-expanding list of titles that became features, there are plenty of avenues for expansion.
With Hysteric now released, we’ll have to wait and see whether Blackhurst returns to its universe in the future. In the meantime, details of his next feature Blood for Dust, an action thriller starring Scoot McNairy and Kit Harrington, have just been released and the director is also pitching another project, Babygirl, to potential investors.