My Alien Cowboy
Mary-Sue and her alien boyfriend have the most unusual, out of this world meet-cute story.
Written & directed by Kate Lloyd
A comedy short about Mary-Sue and her alien boyfriend, who have the most unusual, out of this world meet-cute story.
ABOUT THE FILM
MY ALIEN COWBOY screened at our Short Film Open Mic Night earlier this year and we’re exicted to spread this alien invasion to the web with it’s online premiere.
ABOUT THE FILMmaker
Kate Lloyd is a writer/director born and raised in London, UK. Her short films have screened at numerous film festivals around the world including London Short Film Festival, Lisbon and Hamburg. She previously worked in production/producing for companies including Manchester International Festival and the BBC. Kate has an unhealthy obsession with the weird, so she writes dark comedies inspired by a punk sensibility to disrupt the status quo. She likes to write about good people who do bad things, complicated characters who grab the audience by the heart and genitals.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH kate
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I started off in a fine art background, and studied Video Art at Brighton University, which is sort of like a fine art degree but in film. This provided me with a lot of education around theories, concepts and ideas, much more of an “intellectual” approach to art, which I later rejected in my work.
I am more interested in people - relationships and narrative, so I started making my own short films with more emphasis on these subjects..which was also much more fun than having to win intellectual points!
Tell us about the genesis of My Alien Cowboy. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the film?
I absolutely love cheesy 70s B Movies, like early John Carpenter and David Cronenberg. So I knew I wanted to play around with this genre and make a film that was really sludgy, gnarly and off-beat film.
I also wanted to see what I could make with a limited budget of 300 pounds. There is a hotel in Brighton that has themed hotel rooms and one of them was an Americana themed room which looked absolutely fantastic, so I purposely wrote something I could set in that hotel.
And I wanted to explore in a comedic way the desperation people could go to in love, even losing your eye for a partner!
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making My Alien Cowboy and how did you overcome them?
Definitely the accent! I’m pretty new to on screen acting and I underestimated what a challenge an accent like that could be.
The shot where the eyeball falls on the floor also took a few practice shots to get right as you have to get the exact part of the eyeball to line up in focus.
Not sure if it’s was an “obstacle” exactly but I know the colour grader Alex Marshall and the DP Andrew Butler worked hard on making the flashback scene look like film, which I think it really does and adds a lot of texture and old school B Movie vibe to the short.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights.
We’re waiting to hear from a few genre festivals and local festivals in Brighton, due to financial limitations I am being cautious with over submitting and instead putting most of my finances into the budget for my next short.
It was a real pleasure to see it in front of an audience with Kino Short Film Open Mic, and I was super delighted to hear the laughs from the audience, it’s interesting that some parts I didn’t expect to get much laughs were the biggest.
Also excited to be part of Kino’s Short of the Week! Thanks for having us.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
If you can find an interesting location and write your film around that, it will instantly stand out.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Love Lies Bleeding by Rose Glass, I’m obsessed.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Dating Violet
In a small-coastal town, where everyone knows everyone, Violet’s life crashes down when she is dumped by her boyfriend and her parents contemplate divorce.
Written & Directed by HOLLY TRENAMAN
Produced by MADELEINE JURD
In a small-coastal town, where everyone knows everyone, Violet’s life crashes down when she is dumped by her boyfriend and her parents contemplate divorce. Violet realises she has never known love at all and it affects her personal relationships. Violet is imprinted with scars of domestic violence, her parents failed marriage, and the pain of heartbreak, but through her friendship with Hunter Thorn, who is dealing with similar issues, she begins her road to recovery. Together, they depict different perspectives of broken families and exhibit the healing power of love, as they learn to accept the love they deserve.
ABOUT THE FILM
DATING VIOLET is the short film directorial debut of writer/director Holly Trenaman. Earlier this year we had the pleasure of screening it at our Kino Short Film Open Mic, however, the film enjoyed it’s World Premiere at Flickerfest International Film Festival. Additionally it won Best Director at Far South Film Festival and the Young Australian Filmmaker of the Year Nominee at Byron Bay International Film Festival.
ABOUT THE FILMmaker
Holly Trenaman is a writer and filmmaker from a small town south of Sydney. She has a Bachelor of Screen Production from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, and a Masters of Creative Writing from The University of Technology, Sydney. She’s the writer and director of 6-part 'SISTAS' web series on YouTube, the award-winning short film 'Dating Violet', and she's in post-production on her first documentary short film. She works freelance in the TV industry - across reality and scripted - working her way up to screenwriting, while also writing fiction on the side. She hopes to address mental health topics, sex positivity, and darker issues through comedy, as well as alleviate standards of perfection in society by creating work that showcases imperfect characters.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH HOLLY
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I consider myself a writer first, and I actually decided to explore the film industry as a writer/director after stumbling upon the BFI London Film Festival in Leicester Square in 2017. I was on my gap year, and looking for 'purpose' as you do, and I ended up going to two weeks worth of premieres and screenings, and networking with other filmmakers, and knowing I needed to be part of this world. Being from a small town south of Sydney, I'd never seen anything like it, so I'm always very grateful that I decided to take that walk that night.
Tell us about the genesis of Dating Violet. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the film?
Dating Violet is an allegory for domestic violence, which explores mental health issues and the different forms of violence in relationships through the perspectives of Violet and Hunter, who have both grown up in abusive homes. It details how this can affect children who have witnessed violence second-hand, since they are equally afraid that they will grow to perpetuate these violent behaviours in their romantic relationships - and I hope to expand on this if I can develop it into a longer form piece. Again, I thought of the title while standing in the crowd of a film premiere at the BFI LFF in 2017. I knew I wanted to explore these themes, but when the character of Violet came to me, it gave the whole idea clarity, and I went back to Sydney to study Film Production to understand how to execute ideas. I made this film in 2020 as my graduation film.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making Dating Violet and how did you overcome them?
Filming the ocean scenes were the most challenging. They were so key to my vision for the film, since I wanted to capture visceral highs and lows, the turbulence of the ocean, and see Violet 'beneath the surface'. Violet and Hunter surf for the escapism, and I wanted to give the audience this feeling of freedom to contrast with their darker lives on shore. We filmed this at my local beach with a small but dedicated team, with volunteer lifeguards, and many friends and family members on set offering their help too. That is the only way we overcame and got these incredible shots on no budget!
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and some of the festival circuit highlights.
Our world premiere at Flickerfest in 2022 was special because that was a goal of mine, in a dream location, with Flickerfest being held on Bondi Beach. Byron Bay International Film Festival was also a highlight, since the night was hosted by Jack Thompson, an Australian veteran actor. But also I won prize money in other film festivals, so they are close contenders as well! I've also since done local screenings for people in my hometown who hadn't seen it, and it's been well received. The film is dedicated to my ex boyfriend Kane Richardson, and to my late cousin Zane Cahill, and I really felt their love during our screening at the KINO Open Mic night in London 2024 too.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Just do it! But also, I had written and directed a no-budget web series consisting of six 6-minute episodes before making Dating Violet and this was a masterclass in filmmaking do's and don'ts. I don't think I would've been able to pull off the quality of this short film without having the experience of the web series, as I was able to delineate certain production standards and up my game a little bit professionally too.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
My favourite movie is 17 Again and nobody can tell me otherwise.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Ball
A painter has to deal with a hostile subject.
Written, directed, PRODUCED & starring Enrico Mughetti
In this hybrid live action and animation short comedy, a painter has to deal with a hostile subject.
ABOUT THE FILM
BALL was shot on a camera phone and screened at our Short Film Open Mic. Additionally, festival selections include the XXV Festival Internazionale Corti da Sogni Antonio Ricci, the Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions, London Cinefest, Deptford Cinema Film Festival, SmartPhilm Festival, and the African Smartphone International Film Festival.
ABOUT THE FILMmaker
Enrico Mughetti started making short films in his hometown (Ravenna, Italy) to express his evergreen passion about cinema. He explored other video forms (documentaries, film concerts and spots) made on commission before moving to London, England for studies. The multicultural background of London and its rich artistic network gave Enrico a renewed creative flair. Enrico does not see short films as a business card to move to more complex projects but as an artform on their own. What fascinates him the most is the expressive freedom that comes from having a limitation from the start (duration of the movie).
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ENRICO
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your filmmaking background?
I was born in Ravenna (Italy) where I started making short films with the help of friends and no budget. Later on I explored other video forms (documentaries, film concerts and spots) made on commission before moving to London for my studies. Having then pursued a career in fire engineering, my passion for cinema never turned to a profession. I deem filmmaking as a means of self expression, not as a job opportunity. In time I realised my interests as a creator lay entirely on making short films where in few minutes an impression and/or emotion is conveyed to the audience via a combination of images, sound and music. I strongly believe in the power of experimentation that short movies have and feature films, not always but often, lack of, as these are burdened by commercial goals and the need for conventional storytelling viewers can easily digest.
Can you tell us about the genesis of Ball and how you came up with the idea?
In conjunction with filmmaking I'm also passionate about painting, which I find is another exciting means of artistic expression but more flexible and, very often, more practical. One of my favourite subjects is still life, which is called "dead nature" in italian. This sparked the idea of a subject, supposed to be "dead", taking on a life on its own and rebelling against its painter. I was also intrigued by the idea of making a sort of "live action cartoon", which is something I never tried before.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making of Ball and how did you overcome them?
One of the main issues was shooting in the very tight space of my studio. Luckily, cast and crew were minimal (only 2 people) and it was a location I always had access to. Blocking beforehand, which I'd always recommend and even more when filming in small rooms, also helped. Another challenge was integrating the animation of the ball with the live action. Meticulous storyboarding to provide clear and effective communication with the visual effects artist and ensure all the necessary footage was captured was the key.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
I sent Ball to a number of festivals via few platforms (FilmFreeway, ShortFilmDepot, etc...). Competition is very high but with perseverance I was able to get my movie screened in front of an audience, which is my ultimate goal.
We first saw this film at our Short Film Open Mic event. Can you talk about that experience why you think short filmmakers need more accessible open mic type events?
It is a great opportunity to get used to talk in front of an audience and pitch your work. Also, knowing that each filmmaker has a chance to get his/her movie screened is also a very good motivation to create. Furthermore, I find invaluable the possibility to connect with like-minded individuals, who may become future collaborators. One of my short films, Mosquito, was made as a result of a networking event at Kino.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
Given that filmmaking is a group effort grab every opportunity to network. However, bear in mind there are a lot of people who love the idea of filmmaking but much less people who actually love filmmaking in itself (and, therefore, are willing to make the necessary effort and disrupt their daily routine). Learn to recognise who is really motivated, disregard who is not and trust your instincts: few enthusiastic and reliable individuals are much better than a big team of time wasters. Also, as a director you have the final say but always listen to and respect any advice that may come your way. In the end all team members should share the same goal, which is not displaying egos but producing the best work possible with the available resources. Furthermore, enjoy the process, instead of considering filmmaking as a means to an end. Every short film I made was a passion project and I would not do otherwise. Last piece of advice is: catering. Your movie may be no budget but always keep your cast and crew (who are likely giving up their time for free) well fed!
What's next for you?
I'm writing the script of my next short film, which is intended to be a mix of horror and family drama. As always, I'm going to fund it out of my own pockets and, hopefully, build up a team of people willing to dedicate their time/energy and sharing the same enthusiasm as mine about the project.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Not many as I spent the past year reading novels (something I neglected for too long), rather than watching movies. However, I'd recommend the works of Kyle Edward Ball (the feature "Skinamarink" and his Youtube channel "Bitesized Nightmares" containing all his short films), which go beyond traditional horror storytelling and provide a more visceral experience.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Plantman
A humble gardener shares his philosophy of finding meaning in simple living and nature.
Written, Produced & Directed by TIM ASTLEY
The day begins, and so does the Plantman's work. This is a look inside a day and the life of a humble gardener. Plantman is a film about understanding and believing in our life choices and recognising the difficulties we face along the way; however big or small our impact, we can be proud of our achievements.
ABOUT THE FILM
Plantman was an official selection at the Wolverhampton Film Festival & Derby Film Festival. It first caught attention at our March 2023 Short Film Open Mic and was recently release via Klipist.
ABOUT THE FILMmaker
Tim Astley studied Film & English in Leicester, moved down to London to pursue a career in filmmaking. He has found a home in editing, but directing is his passion.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH TIM
Welcome to our Short of the Week series. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your filmmaking background?
I’ve been interested in filmmaking for a long time, it became my life ambition to become a director from about the age of 16. It did take me a while to actually realise what that meant and how I needed to get there. I didn’t study practical filmmaking, my degree was in English Literature and Film studies, so it was very academic. I think that gave me a good grounding in the cultural importance of films and film history.
Then after uni I worked as a runner on set on some low budget features and shorts, and then I eventually ended up getting a role as a runner in a post-production facility in the advertising industry. I worked there for a while and trained as an assistant editor; this was like film school part 2 where I actually learned how to do something practical. Editing is maybe the most satisfying part of the filmmaking process because you see all the pieces come together.
I love editing, but directing is where I want to be - it’s the central role where you can use so many different skills beyond even your creativity. You have to think practically, you can have a great idea but there’s no use in it if you can’t actually do it.
Tell us about the genesis of Plantman and how you found your subject?
Sort of following on from what I was saying about thinking practically, I felt like I only really had one weapon as a first time filmmaker: me. I asked myself what could I bring to the table that no-one else could? I didn’t have a big budget, I didn’t have access to big names and I had basically no experience and no idea what I was doing. So I needed to make something only I could make.
As long as I’ve been alive my Dad has always been a gardener. He’s a rare example of someone whose passion is his vocation; which is basically my life aim because my parents always encouraged me to pursue something that I actually wanted to do - not just make money. Gardening also feels kind of similar to filmmaking as well in that you have to combine creativity with a certain physicality and have faith in what you’re doing is the right thing.
So bearing all this in mind, it felt like making a film about my Dad and what he does was the perfect film to make because it brought together my own sense of self, could be told my perspective and only I could make the film about my Dad. He also worked in a beautiful location with few to no other people around so we could shoot it very peacefully and it was at least going to look really nice. This meant that it could be heart-felt, true and have a feel of professionalism because we had a champagne location on a lager budget.
What were some of the main obstacles you experienced when making of Plantman and how did you overcome them?
I think the most difficult thing was figuring out what story we were telling. I think I always wanted to do a straight case study and just tell Dad’s story of his journey but I was worried it wasn’t perhaps interesting enough so I kept trying to think of different general interest themes to give it a broader appeal. For example I was trying to tie together how gardening is an excellent way to relieve stress and help with mental health to give it that angle. But in the end I knew it just had to be his story that was the central theme, which as it turns out has a universality to it because it’s just as simple as: this is a man who knows what he likes, gets up every day and does it. That’s all something we can admire and relate to.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
This was tricky because I knew we had a good film, but it was pretty slow and soft so that it might not make the cut for a lot of big festivals. I didn’t really bother applying to the Sundances of the festival circuit because I knew it would be a waste of money, of which I had little. There was of course a small part of me that hoped it would be accepted and then somehow be nominated for all these awards but that’s just not how this works for most people.
So I decided to apply for more regional festivals that I had more of a personal connection to. We went to Wolverhampton Festival, for their first year, because that’s where my Dad is from and then we also went to Derby Festival because that’s where we shot the film. I didn’t have a huge audience at either screening but just the event of going up with my Dad and other friends and watching it on a big screen was so satisfying.
Then bringing it down to open mic nights (like the legends at Kino) in London has been amazing. Everyone is so keen to share their praise and exchange ideas, I think in part because they know what it takes to put one together so they appreciate it more. It’s a really lovely thing to be able to do.
Then through Kino I discovered the wonderful Klipist! They have put the film on their site which was so great because it has a platform dedicated to showcasing short films and new talent. It’s gone better than I could have expected really.
What advice or hacks would you give to other short filmmakers?
All filmmakers tell each other to do is go out there and start shooting which is great advice because the only way to learn is by doing. BUT - I am a big supporter of thinking a lot about different ideas. Have a long think about what you can bring to the table. What is it that you want to do? You will probably be restricted by budget and other resources, so you really need to dig deep inside yourself and think about what it is you want to do. Don’t just make a film for its own sake: make your film. Once you figure out what kind of film you want to make, then the right idea will become apparent - whether it’s a small drama about a piano teacher or a broad comedy about Instagram influencers, your voice can shine through any idea - you just have to figure out what it is.
Then the next thing to do, which I didn’t do soon enough the first time, is get people on board who will help you. Once you’ve got your idea, it probably won’t feel ready to shoot but filmmaking is the discovery of that idea through this medium so you kind of have to feel a bit out of control for it to work.
Then it’s those collaborators who will make the film what it is. Choose those people carefully. You need to be able trust them and they need to understand your idea for you to be able to execute it. Probably the best thing about filmmaking in my experience, is the bond I created with those I worked with - particularly if you all like and believe in the idea to begin with, because you watch it grow and develop as a team because of your co-operative work.
So in summation: have a great idea and find an equally great team, easy.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
For me it’s finding an audience and the person or people who will take me to the next level. You can make all the short films or low budget features you want but if no-one sees it, then you’re going to stay at the same level because like every business, it’s not a meritocracy. I’m not trying to peddle a cynical viewpoint here, I just think it’s important to know what you’re up against and not care. If you know how hard it is to get your feature made or break into the mainstream and you still want to make films, then you’ve already won because you’re dedicated to making it no matter what.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I was really struck by “a film made entirely of mushrooms” when I came to the Kino Open Mic a few months ago - aka The Boat. It’s a stop-motion short film, with a kind of psychedelic jaunt. It was so creative, and it looked amazing. It was a simple idea, executed beautifully.
Continuing the theme of forest delicacies, I recently watched Pig for the first time. It was a great twist on the revenge thriller, and so great to see a quiet, lean film with such a resonant message. It really spoke to the depths of my soul!
One more that maybe not as many people have seen is, Sweet Smell of Success which again I watched only recently. It’s an Alexander MacKendrick film, who for many might be best known as the writer of the great filmmaking book: On Filmmaking. It’s extremely sharp and quick-witted, kind of Sorkin-esk, but it’s got a great ending.