STRING HEAD, 7min., USA
Directed by Matthew Vargas
A man in bed, after failing to fall asleep, is forcefully kept awake by String Head – an entity made of string that psychologically tortures him by wrapping him in a cocoon made from the deepest, darkest thoughts of his mind.

Conversation with director Matthew Vargas & Cinematographer Ryan Wilson Subscribe to the podcast:

Get to know Matthew Vargas

What motivated you to make this film?
One night at 3:00 AM I had a vision of String Head walking into my room. A thread of red string was on top of me. Thinking of String Head at the end of my bed was a creepy fascinating image – I had to make it and explore it. I also wanted to push the boundaries with Production Design as I never have before and use it to really convey symbolism and tell a story.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I love the reactions and I feel so giddy about the different analyses. The positive reaction to the final song made my sound designer, Rochelle, very happy as they wrote + sang the song themselves under their artist name La Roche. The comparison of the film to night terrors that occur in real life was so on point that I felt a great sigh of relief. Many ideas had to be conveyed in this film and I feel as though they all landed. I was worried because there is no dialogue, but that is intentionally so in the film because these terribly anxious moments usually occur wordless and in the brain.

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EP. 1375 - Filmmakers Matthew Vargas & Ryan Wilson (STRING HEAD)

Matthew Toffolo

KITE, 6min,. Canada
Directed by Jerry Trieus
A short film about a dancer on a mission to experience flight. The journey is disappointing and filled with challenges. The result is a transformation as the dance artist finds strength through perseverance and ultimately freedom.

Get to know writer/producer Virginia Duivenvoorden:

What motivated you to make this film?

Kite began as a stage piece where I incorporated film on stage in the form of projections. I knew that I eventually would like to also see it as a film on its own. It all began as a photograph by Brooke McAllister. in one of the photos, I was wearing a black skirt and dancing with a 7 yard piece of tulle fabric. I loved the photos. In 2021 I decided to choreograph a dance to match them. That’s when Kite was born. When I started the choreography, I was in too much physical pain to think about performing. That’s when Brynne Harper started working on KITE. We spent two years developing the stage piece and we shared it in three different performances two were outdoor performances and one on stage for a work in progress showing. I approached Kites in all aspects from building and flying them to studying the history. All of the processes became part of the kite story from the failed kites that never flew and then to the handmade windsocks , which were actually amazing. It became a story about transforming from looking outside oneself to looking inside and finding that sense of flight and freedom from within the body. That was a journey that I really needed to make in order to process what was happening in my body with the pain and other medical conditions that I was coping with during the creation process.

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

I felt emotional seeing that the piece was clear in its message and was being received very much in the way that I had hoped for. It was rewarding to see that the message of resiliency and strength had shone through.

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EP. 1374 - Writer/Producer Virginia Duivenvoorden (KITE)

Matthew Toffolo

NEW WORLD, 3min,. USA
Directed by Kevin Brayant Osorio
New World is a chaotic and bizarre song, featuring a stop motion music video just as chaotic and just as bizarre. New World has an angular dark burn and a certain obliqueness. New World is the kind of chaos we all get

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/faine1/faine
https://www.instagram.com/werefaine/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
Originally, we were going to make a hand drawn, frame by frame animation for the music video. It was laid out and storyboarded, but it didn’t pan out. The best alternate/immediate option seemed to be making a stop motion music video instead.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It’s very nice and flattering to see the audience’s reactions. Most times, you know people have viewed something you’ve made, but that doesn’t mean you’ve gotten a “reaction” from them; especially online. Creating can be very one sided. Initial/immediate reactions are interesting to me. You can only make one first impression.

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EP. 1373 - Musicians Kevin Osorio, Felix Goransch, Sawyer Smith (NEW WORLD music video)

Matthew Toffolo

ATLS, 11min., Canada
Directed by Mishka Balilty
In a dystopian future where a powerful elite class prolongs their lives by exploiting young women for their babies’ organs, two women, find themselves on the run from their oppressors. Desperate to escape a fate of forced impregnation and organ extraction, they flee to a remote cabin. Their refuge becomes a sanctuary where they share their dreams and fears, finding solace in each other’s company. However, their fleeting happiness is overshadowed by the ever-looming threat of capture. Their love story, which began in desperation and hope, culminates in a tragic and devastating finale. ATLS is a powerful exploration of love, freedom, and the inescapable shadows of a world that seeks to tear them apart.

https://www.wtfimproductions.com/registration
https://www.facebook.com/wtfim
https://www.instagram.com/whothefuckismishka/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
I was inspired by Romeo and Juliet one day while listening to the soundtrack from the movie, I started to see this film come to life in my mind. I always loved the reading the play when I was younger… and so I began writing a tragic love story and soon I had a script.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was very nervous how it would be received. But I was overjoyed to see that people understood our creative vision and enjoyed the film.

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EP. 1372 - Filmmaker Mishka Bality (ATLS)

Matthew Toffolo

WAKING CONUNDRUM, 11min., Canada
Directed by Dale Loon, Alyssa-Rose Hunter
Waking up in a room with a ceiling that seems to never end. A man struggles with his memory of recent events but remembers everything else from the past. The man meets a woman and brings him down to great disbelief and shock that shakes every atom in his body. A scheme is planned to escape this room. But is the plan for real?

Get to know filmmaker Dale Loon:

What motivated you to make this film?

Your not gonna be so impressed, but at the time when I was in school. I came to a point where I needed a script in order to advance in the Toronto Film School program. And I only had one class, 4 hours to do it. 20 minutes was spent making beats of the story. Another 40 minutes character building. Then the last 3 hours was spend writing the script in a rush.

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

The one thing I expected for sure was the unseen betrayal from Venora. The audience saw a connection sparking between them, then at the end? They were shocked and shooked. Everything I wrote is what I wanted in the audiences reactions, and it was puuuuurfect!

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EP. 1371 - Filmmaker Dale Loon (WAKING CONUNDRUM)

Matthew Toffolo

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMJRNPKTfgY

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about the Hulder, a mystical human-like creature with a cow’s tail, famous from Norwegian folklore, who has to go to Earth on a dangerous mission to con an orphan teenage boy in order to save her young brother from dying.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Adventure/Fantasy (low fantasy)

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it is an action-packed story centred on making impossible choices, woven into a layered mystery where nothing is as it seems.

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EP. 1370 - Screenwriter A. E. Guaake (TRUST ME)

Matthew Toffolo

TAINTED, 11min,. Singapore
Directed by Ian Wee
In a world driven by corporate greed and unethical genetic experimentation, Darien, the pioneering human clone, finds himself obsolete against a superior 2nd Generation Clone, leading to his and his mentor’s targeting. Following his mentor’s death, Darien’s hidden hybrid nature—combining human and vampire DNA—surfaces during a critical confrontation, granting him unexpected survival. Marked as a “Tainted” failure yet possessing newfound powers, Darien faces an ambiguous future, embodying the narrative’s critique of ambition’s perils and the poignant fallout of manipulative sciences.

http://www.brightvoxelstudios.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551387412655
https://www.instagram.com/film_tainted/

Get to know writer/producer Graham John Lamb:

What motivated you to make this film?

I was Virtual Production Supervisor on a film in Singapore, when the IMDA (InfoComm Media Development Authority Singapore) announced that they were funding projects in this particular area. My producer, director and director of photography were at the time over in the UK at the National Film and Television School also attending a Virtual Production immersion program aimed at industry professionals to learn about this new way of film making. So excited with this new surge of enthusiasm I asked Jeffrey about joining this content creation initiative and we all got together and created Tainted.

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

Honestly I got a little teary, when I was looking at the reviews, I am greatly appreciative that the reviewers talk about the whole film in general from stunts, makeup, sound & music to performance and that really shows that the team was really the best – such a dynamic group all around and I have nothing but high praise for everyone involved.

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EP. 1369 - Writer/Producer Graham John Lamb (TAINTED)

Matthew Toffolo

TURNCOAT, 28min., South Korea
Directed by Jason Montgomery
A shrewd merciless crime boss must investigate the scene of his brother’s assassination for answers, revenge, and to avoid the same fate.

https://www.facebook.com/turncoattheshortfilm
https://www.instagram.com/turncoattheshortfilm/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I had spent the last several years living in South Korea; teaching English and writing screenplays. I got the itch to actually shoot something and direct it, as it had been way too long. Even though I didn’t have much of a network, few resources, and little money, I decided to use what I had and make something. My ex-teaching colleague and neighbor Maurice (Rob in the film) had left our teaching academy to pursue acting, and over some drinks in the local bar the film was shot in, we got the idea for me to write and direct something with him as the lead.

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

It was kind of surreal. I’ve seen, heard, and given reactions like that many times, but to see people I’ve never met giving such deep and intelligent consideration to my film was amazing.

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EP. 1368 - Filmmaker Jason Montgomery (TURNCOAT)

Matthew Toffolo

CATHY & HARRY, 40min., USA
Directed by Marta Renzi, Daniel Wolff
A revealing and humorous double-portrait of Catherine Murphy and Harry Roseman whose work is in collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Metropolitan Transit Authority. “Cathy & Harry” documents how their lives revolve in joyous, dizzying intensity around work, food, friends, and each other.

Get to know the filmmakers:

What motivated you to make this film?
We thought these two were special people, whose work and relationship should be documented.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
We were pleased that the message came across – and a little surprised that the message seemed to be so much about their relationship.

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EP. 1367 - Filmmakers Marta Renzi, Daniel Wolff (CATHY & HARRY)

Matthew Toffolo

WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST?, 10min., Lebanon
Directed by Raafat Abou Daka
“What Makes an Artist” is an introspective documentary that delves into the lives of the internationally renowned sculptor brothers Assaf, exploring the unexpected paths that led them to their craft. The film peels back the layers of their fame to reveal the human side of their journey, offering a rare glimpse into their early struggles and the alternate careers they nearly pursued.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
The idea that people always strive to create something special and achieve a goal. Whether an artist or a doctor, everyone wants to stand out and prove themselves, often to their parents. I believe this is a universal drive, and I wanted to capture it from the perspective of someone famous—showing that even they were once like us.

What were your initial reactions to the audience feedback?
I was happy to hear the details they shared—it showed they were really focused while watching the film.

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EP. 1366 - Filmmaker Raafat Abou Daka (WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST?)

Matthew Toffolo

AN UNDOING, 10min., USA

Directed by Lyall F. Harris

In this 9-minute and 55-second experimental film, viewers are taken on a journey of "undoing" as the film's author-protagonist unstitches her way to healing and catharsis, one stitch at a time, after the end of an abusive 20-year marriage. The subject: their wedding garments.

http://www.lyallharris.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lyall_harris

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EP. 1365 - Filmmaker Lyall F. Harris (AN UNDOING)

Matthew Toffolo

CHERRY ON TOP, 15min., Brazil
Directed by Laura Reis
A girl with a bunny head tries to escape from her hunted reality when she discovers a group of colorful and hungry girls to be a part of…but things are not as sweet as it seems

https://www.instagram.com/cerejadobolofilme/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I can think that my motivation came from the desire to send an environment message about animal’s safety, global warming, and the problems our future is warning us about. Obviously, I wanted to do this in my own way, full of visual astonishing images and satire, targeting horror movie fans that can walk out of the section and rethink their views of the world. Another part of me wanted to make this film to honor my inter child that always dreamed about becoming a filmmaker and creating my very unique universe were everything is possible, even magical forests filled with pink, cakes and weird girls scouts to be a part of.

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

Not gonna lie, I cried a bit. Is a fantastic feeling to watch people from another part of the world talking about your film, and specially to understand everything you wanned to express. Cherry on Top is a non-dialogue short film, I wanted it to be that way so it was easier to start conversations all around the world, and I’m so beyond happy that is happening. Right after watching the feedback video, I sent it to the entire crew and cast so we could exchange of the same exited feelings.

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EP. 1364 - Filmmaker Laura Reis (CHERRY ON TOP)

Matthew Toffolo

THE COREY DAVIS EVOLUTION STORY, 134min., USA
Directed by Corey Davis
The metamorphic journey of Corey Davis, a young filmmaker as he reflects on a decade of his career. Through personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes footage, the documentary highlights his creative growth and challenges, showing essence of his passion.

https://www.facebook.com/CoreyDjokester?mibextid=LQQJ4d
https://x.com/coreydjokester?s=21
https://www.instagram.com/coreydjokesterdavis

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EP. 1363 - Filmmaker Corey Davis (THE COREY DAVIS EVOLUTION STORY)

Matthew Toffolo

THERAPY TIES, 30min., USA

Directed by Christine Evette Giles

The effects of Wanda’s unresolved childhood trauma forces a tsunami of events to take place in the her family. This leaves her husband, Malcolm, as the primary caretaker of two children, one of which has a disability. Traditional and nontraditional therapy becomes the epicenter of their daily life.

https://doc.storydoc.com/DJgAFJ

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EP. 1362 - Filmmaker Christine Evette Giles (THERAPY TIES)

Matthew David Toffolo

SING ME TO SLEEP, 25min,. USA
Directed by Mario Valdivieso
“Sing Me To Sleep” follows the story of a young couple by the name of Marc and Julia. Julia has been diagnosed with cancer and she is at the point where her disease has become terminal. Marc decides to take his dying wife home so they can make the most of their last days together.

https://www.instagram.com/sing_me_to_sleep_film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I’ve been with my partner Kira (also a producer on the film) for five years now. We started dating three months before covid. When covid hit, we decided to move in together as she is immune compromised which made the prospect of her getting covid extra dangerous. Unfortunately she ended up getting covid and spent several weeks in the hospital with double pneumonia and even the doctors at the time were unsure if she would survive. She did recover thankfully, but it got me thinking a lot about telling a story about a relationship ending when it was just getting started. The nugget of that concept became “Sing Me To Sleep”. I also wanted to tell a realistic portrayal of what it is like to care for someone who is sick.

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

My reaction to watching the feedback video was relief, relief that what we set out to do with the film was clear to the audience. I was moved by how moved the audience members that provided feedback were. And I was so impressed at how thoughtful all the comments were, the three members really took the time to give us some great feedback. When you make a movie, a filmmaker always wants to feel validated that what they put together will be enjoyed and felt by the audience so watching the reactions was extremely validating.

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EP. 1361 - Filmmaker Mario Valdivieso (SING ME TO SLEEP)

Matthew Toffolo

PLAIN AS NIGHT, 4min,. Canada
Directed by Seth Mackie
A man witnesses a murder from his dorm room.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

The initial motivation was an assignment for a digital media program I enrolled in, where I had to make a short film. The idea for the project, however, came from the really late nights I would spend in my dorm room, listening quietly to music and looking out my window, where I would often see a few running cars parked next to each other for long periods of time. I always wondered what they were up to, so I imagined a scenario where someone found out.

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

I was very pleasantly surprised to hear all of the positive things they had to say about the film. Hearing someone say that it was ‘masterfully done’ or that it’s ‘a great work of passion’ was hugely inspiring to hear.

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EP. 1360 - Filmmaker Seth Mackie (PLAIN AS NIGHT)

Matthew Toffolo

11 BLOCKS TO GO: THE BET, 10min., USA

Directed by Nathaniel P. Claridad

Samantha, a free-spirited hapless romantic, discovers her 30-something-year-old BFF Drew, a gay high-functioning drug-addled sex addict, hosting an orgy in lieu of honoring his personal commitments.

http://www.11blockstogo.com/

https://www.instagram.com/11blockstogo/

Conversation wth the screenwriter & stars of the film Jack Utrata & Ashley Alexander.

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EP. 1359 - Actor/Writers Jack Utrata & Ashley Alexander (11 Blocks To Go: The Bet)

Matthew Toffolo

THE VISITOR, 11min., USA
Directed by Nikolaus Aldrich
With his relationship in a rough patch and his career stalled, A man tries to find new purpose by retreating to the Pacific Northwest. While there, strange things begin to happen as he grapples with his sense of reality.

https://www.instagram.com/thevisitor_shortfilm2024/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

As a kid I was always fascinated by the subject of UFOs and Aliens. But I never really spent much time thinking about it as an adult. Then last year it was in the news a lot. It sort of re-ignited that curiosity I had as a child. There was so much storytelling potential that I drafted out a whole trilogy of films based on an idea that had come to me. I decided to start small and develop this as a short. The short film is essentially the opening prologue for the feature. While writing the short I wanted to make sure that it could work both as an intro to a feature but a self contained story as well.

I wanted to map the films in a way that naturally progresses through the emotions of what I imagine one would go through if they were to experience this. So starting in a Sci-Fi/Horror genre made sense to me. But if I’m lucky enough to expand this further it wouldn’t necessarily stick with that genre throughout the story.

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

It was surreal. There were some things mentioned that honed right in on specific points I was trying to make. The idea of the Visitor(s) and how technically all the characters are alien to this location was a very intentional bit. I was happy to see that point come across. It was also so fun to see how the audience brought their own interpretations to it, what kinds of genres it fit into and filmmakers it reminded them of. There was a lot of hard work put into the film from every department and I was very happy to hear that those teams were given mentions. They really pushed the film into the next level.

The reaction to the film has been so positive. With its inception coming from a relatively dark time in my life. I really don’t have words to describe how incredible it feels to hear others talking about the film and engaging with it enthusiastically. My initial reaction was that this whole strange journey was worth it. I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out and hearing the reactions to it made me a bit emotional if I’m being honest. I was very moved by the whole experience because it’s surprisingly pretty rare in the festival circuit to really get that kind of direct feedback on your work.

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EP. 1358 - Filmmaker Nikolaus Aldrich (THE VISITOR)

Matthew Toffolo

THE DAYS OF KNIGHT, 9min., USA
Directed by John P Martinez
A highly trained operative, belonging to a clandestine ancient group of expert mercenaries, is given a mission to recover a valuable item for one of the 13 most influential families on Earth. As war breaks out and alliances formed centuries ago crumble, survival becomes the top priority for everyone involved.

https://www.instagram.com/1018filmsaz/

Get to know the filmmkaer:

What motivated you to make this film?

This was on my bucket list of things to accomplish. I always wanted to create a short film and decide to just do it! I should have done this long ago…

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

It was a fanatastic experience seeing their reaction. I was stunned, speechless and amazed.

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EP. 1357 - Filmmaker John P. Martinez (THE DAYS OF KNIGHT)

Matthew Toffolo

And The Balls Roll On… The Real Story of the Beautiful Game of Skee-Ball, 93min., USA
Directed by Thaddeus O. Cooper, Kevin B Kreitman
This is the story of Skee-Ball—a unique game, patented in 1908 by a long forgotten inventor living in Vineland NJ: Joseph Fourestier Simpson. The film explores the era in which the young inventor grew up, as the industrial revolution created the new middle class, and the explosion of amusement parks that allowed them to flee their crowded industrial neighborhoods for a few hours of pleasure.

http://www.nomoreboxes.com/AndTheBallsRollOn.html
https://www.facebook.com/atbrothemovie

Get to know the filmmakers Thaddeus O. Cooper, Kevin B Kreitman:

What motivated you to make this film? 

Thad wanted to get back into shooting video and was looking for a small project—a 10 minute YouTube video about the history of Skee-Ball. He started digging into the real but unknown inventor, and discovered a surprisingly dramatic and moving story, and then the rest of the saga that has its own drama and memorable characters…and we knew we just had to tell the story.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Thad: Dumbfounded! When you work on a project for this long, you don’t know what the impact is going to be. You have a skewed perspective.
Kevin: I was just thrilled. It hit exactly what we were trying to get the film to do. They appreciated the drama, the weaving of history through the Skee-Ball story, they liked our narrator and voice actors, and it made them nostalgic!

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EP. 1356 - Filmmakers Thaddeus O. Cooper, Kevin B Kreitman (And The Balls Roll On)

Matthew Toffolo