MR. CLAW, 5min,. USA
Directed by Matthew DeLisi
Cute and fuzzy on the outside, but despite his fluffy interior, he is nothing short of evil. he is smart and deceiving, preying on young men and women who don’t feel comfortable in their own

https://www.brainchildvfx.com/
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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

My very first short film was called, "I DONT WANT TO GO HOME" and it was an abstract story about running from your inner demons and not wanting to address them. Eventually, as we know, those things catch up with you. Sticking to a similar theme, this time around I wanted to explore what it looked like to give in to your inner demons instead of fighting. Obviously, things end up bad for our hero character. While I believe you should always fight the good fight it was really interesting to explore such a topic in a scifi-horror genre.

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

The idea came around during a time where I was itching to do another passion project. I saw a photo on the internet like 3 or so years ago that stuck with me. It was an anime style artwork of a girl looking into a claw machine and it had a very unsettling atmosphere. I fell in love with it and I kept thinking what the story would be behind that. I had decided to take some time away from my everyday job and make something for myself. I decided to take three weeks off where I finished writing the script and planned a shoot date. We shot the entire thing in like an 8-hour day with just three people (one being myself). I spent a few weeks editing and then another few months doing all the VFX myself.

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

Cosmic horror

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

The time it took to get all the VFX shots completed. I do VFX for a living so the last thing you want to do after a long day of composting is do more hours of compositing. I got into a stride though.

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

I was so thrilled people picked up on little nuances I put in the film. As a director it's very rewarding. And hearing people were genuinely freaked out makes me think I did my job haha.

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

I was in college. I always wanted to do music and never thought about film. Once I got to school, I fell in love with making music videos and from there got into film. I did a few internships and started freelancing. Now I run a VFX studio called BRAINCHILD VFX. Its been a journey!

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

Most? Maybe The Notebook to be honest haha.

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 mean, like I said it's an honor to be a part of one let alone be a winner. I think these post follow up interviews are awesome as well as the podcast!

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

It's such an easy way to find festivals and also keep track of the ones you've applied for. It feels really streamlined.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I'm an Italian from the north east so shrimp scampi all the way.

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

I'd love to work on a few title sequences for TV shows and movies. I've always thought that has gotta be a pretty cool gig.