THE STAR, 3min., UK
Directed by Alex Brady
The light of a distant star brings revelations to the Earth from the depths of space.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

One component is people close to me getting cancer. Another is my Catholic background (I'm agnostic now) but which shaped a lot of my early imaginative life, particularly a sense of cosmic horror and dread. And my love of pulp science fiction, which combined some whizzbang scifi fun but also have a core concept that fires the imagination and leaves an impression long after reading. That was the case with The Star: I consumed Arther C Clark as a kid and remember that story as going particularly hard. It's a bit dated now and of course, I thinj it was written in the 50s, the Catholic religious iconography doesnt necessarily have the same punch to me as it did as a kid, warching Evangelion and The Exorcist, but I wanted to translate some of its creepy cosmic mystery to the screen. The viewer can be the judge of whether I succeeded!

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The first half, ending as the camera zooms into the angry red eyespot from above, made a long time earlier than the second.. it was almost a way of dealing with uncertainty in my life, like a nightmare of worry and dread. Then later I saw how I could use that first part and build a second half, beginning from the vertical panning shot down to the blue braided ringworld orbiting the wounded star, and use it to tell the story of The Star in a succinct visual way.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Spooky Christmas

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Time, I have a young baby so only have time to work when she sleeps, and most of that time is spent on my "day job" working as a freelance industrial designer for paying clients

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was so shocked thrilled and overjoyed. I wish I could thank the kind commenters personally, it was such a joy to have my work analysed by such thoughtful people. I take their feedback very seriously and also their kind words.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Something about the way images and music and words can merge and carry eachother along into something more than the sum of their parts is so powerful to me. I've always loved movies and can't remember a time I didn't dream of making them.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Probably 'Aliens' 'Predator' or 'Starship Troopers'

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I think your audience feedback videos are great and I don't really have many ideas for improvements over them.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Very good, simple well designed site that seems to work well. I bought a front page featured slot for $20 and as a result got lots of offers to submit to festivals at a reduced rate which was very helpful.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Korean barbecue

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I always have so many ideas in a big list, when I have the time I will attend to each item: I have some other short films I've made that need a little polish and which then might be worth promoting and submitting to festivals and then from there I will begin on new ideas.