Hello ladies and gentlemen, Muldoon here on this lovely Saturday with a fun lineup of interesting short films created and submitted by AICN readers like you and me. Whether you're here to see great animation, great comedy, or twisted tales of horror, you're in the right place as this week's picks are all over the map. This past week for me has been filled with 13 hour days of post on my own wild passion project, so I can't help but be inspired by the films below (and every film that's ever screened on SATURDAY SHORTS really), as the primary driving force behind these films isn't to sell a product or to sell ads on Youtube... they're in existence because a passionate filmmaker set out to create something new, something personal and in a way that only they could bring it to life. Ultimately the goal is to entertain, so fingers crossed that you folks enjoy the stories being told today. I make a point to link to the filmmakers' website/Facebook pages as often as possible as I truly do hope if you see something you like, that you explore that person's work. You never really know what these individuals will go on to do next...
Go grab yourself some popcorn, lock your kids in a closet, kill the lights, relax and check out this little weekly film fest we've got ourselves here:
OH, POSSUM!
TRT: 3:50
To kick this Saturday lineup off right, let's start out with a cartoon from Justin Hilden that answers the question "What really happens when possums play dead?" "OH, POSSUM!" is a hand-drawn, 2D animated short that explores the strange inner workings of passed-out possum brothers Switch and Ellsworth while they're "playing possum." When the terrors of life become too much to handle, Switch and Ellsworth - along with every possum in the world - are forced by their instincts into a shared consciousness, where they work through their problems by re-living them in a sedated environment." Justin's created a rather clever short with a fun style of its own. I'm curious to see more from the guy. He's put together a pretty interesting behind the scenes page that's full of concept art and details on how he brought the short to life.
Oh, Possum! from Justin Hilden on Vimeo.
GEEKS, GIRLS, GUNS AND GHOULS
TRT: 2:32
Up next is a taste of absurdity from director Steve Carino and writer/producer Newt Wallen. It's a Grindhouse style trailer for a feature I hope is actually in the works (though I have no real clue). This trailer is full of flavor, a visual feast of cheese that's grabbed my attention. Carino's Vimeo Page links to an incredibly interesting look at the film with a story reel that's shot for shot of the end product. I find this utterly fascinating, to see the planning that went into this short... It's something to check out for sure.
INTRICATE VENGEANCE (Pilot)
TRT: 11:44
Up next is a rather interesting pilot episode for what I presume will become a pretty fun web show. Wilson Cleveland's built an interesting first episode that's got me eager to see what's next for this bizarre group of individuals. "Four recovering crime victims become "professional accomplices" and form an organization dedicated to producing intricate vengeance with their justice-starved clients as the stars." Check out the show's website if you're curious to see more!
SEND IN THE CLOWNS
TRT: 10:42
"Muldoon... This is SATURDAY SHORTS, not SATURDAY TRAILERS/WEB SHOWS..." Yes! You're right, so let's get this train back on the tracks with a short that's equal parts creepy and quirky from Kate Shenton. Kate's been known to create some pretty dark films and has a distinct style of her own where she presents some unbelievably bizarre characters in such a believable way. (I think that makes sense.) She's absolutely a filmmaker to keep an eye on and I hope to see more of her work in the future. "David is an artist with one ambition in life, to dress up as a scary clown and terrorise local pedestrians. This is his story in his words." Check out Kate's website for more info on her future works!
Send in the Clowns from kate shenton on Vimeo.
PREGNANCY TEST
TRT: 1:49
Next up is a rather disturbing PSA, for a mature audience with an immature sense of humor. Fergal Costello is back with 2 minutes of gore filled comedy that might have you a tad uncomfortable at times. The film's only become available just this past week and has already begun making waves. Be sure to take a look at Fergal's website if you're a glutton and wish to see more from the man!
PREGNANCY TEST - Horror Comedy Short Film from Fergal Costello on Vimeo.
Bonus Trailer: 100 BULLETS: DEAD GHOSTS
TRT: 2:31
You might remember the kickass South Korean Revenge flick IF I HAD A HEART from back in 2013. Well, The Halsall Brothers are back with a new project, based on the comic book series created by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. In the years since IF I HAD A HEART, the brothers have been meticulously planning and crafting their follow up in the form of a four part web series, a sort of "fan film" with a purpose. "Set within the dark, dystopian and desperate confines of North Korea, this heavily researched four part drama dives deep into the harrowing lives of those within the brutally oppressive 'Hermit Kingdom,' their constant threat of execution and what they are forced to suffer in order to survive." If you're curious to hear more about their project, think about hitting up their Indiegogo page. As always, I'm by no means telling you to give up your hard earned money, merely saying "This exists and it involves people who I believe are incredibly talented." Best of luck to the bothers with the show!
100 BULLETS: DEAD GHOSTS - Trailer from SIMPLE PICTURES on Vimeo.
Boom! That's enough fun for this week, ladies and gents. Hopefully you found something here that you just wouldn't have seen otherwise, perhaps something that made you laugh or will give you nightmares. I had fun, so I'll be back next week with another handful of interesting shorts to share with you all! In the mean time, feel free to click on any of the links below to be transported to the past to see a few films you might have missed.
SATURDAY SHORTS 2012
SATURDAY SHORTS 2013
SATURDAY SHORTS 2014
SATURDAY SHORTS 2015
Hank & Honey: A Holiday Horror; Black Christmas; Grammy; Pick Ups (1/2/16)
Lilitu; Auld Lang Syne; Chronoshred; Ash Vs. Lobo Vs. The DC Undead (1/9/16)
Believe; The Dragon's Blade; Native Immigration; The Problem With Friends (1/23/16)
Harbinger; Hyperthermia; The Chickening; Head (1/30/16)
Erebus; Boldly Gone; Cupcakes; City In Crisis; Vandalaze "Great Big Things" (2/6/16)
Blurry; American Virgin; Azarkant; The Homing Bird; Sex, Lies, And Terminators (2/13/16)
Connected; Terry And Brenda; Fuck Buddies; Audrey; BigHead Walking Dead Parody (2/20/16)
Absence; The Adept; MAT ZO - "Sinful;" Dreamco; Hoot (3/12/16)
Pop Music; Tumble Dry Low; Rooms; Promise; Darth Maul: Apprentice (3/19/16)
Status Update; Kafka's Little Fable; Ghoster; I Got Your Nose; Creature Feature (4/2/16)
If you have a short and think it belongs here or are on the fence about whether to send it in, please do send it in - I'd love to see what you've put together. I've already seen hundreds of fresh new filmmakers' shorts and like any good addict, I need more!
Shoot me an email at "Mike@aintitcool.com"
In the subject line include:
“SHORTS” + “Your film’s name” + “The film’s genre”
Then, in the body of the email, please include a synopsis of the film and any contact information you might think I need or would want published. The more info you send my way, the more info there is to put with your short.
Please don’t feel the need to submit multiple times.
Remember, the filmmakers might still be in the audience, so feel free to share your thoughts in Talkbacks below. (JUST DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE). I picked them, so you know I think highly of all of these, but how about you fine folks? How'd you like 'em?
BY THE WAY: If you've had a short featured here, that means that I personally am a fan of your work, so feel free to shoot me any kind of news on new projects/films/whatever. I can't say I'll be able to help or in what capacity, but I'm interested in your work and am always down to see more! (Keep making cool stuff, everyone!)
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
