The Midnight Shorts section of the Sundance Film Festival is known for creative, weird, and visually innovative horror. The 2023 lineup features short films with dark, weird, cringey stories that were created with love and intention.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with the filmmakers behind these shorts to discuss:

What each short film is about and what the stories were inspired by
Digging into our own fears about love, our bodies, the world falling around us
Taking specific topics and situations and making it relatable to the general audience
The biggest cuts that had to get made
Removing redundant scenes that embody similar meaning
How the motion of the camera translates meaning into the final cut
What it’s like to work with live animals on set
The biggest technical challenges
Divulging set secrets
Filming in random people’s apartments in NYC

Memorable Quotes

“Wanting to tell a story about fear and desire and the places that those intersect.” [5:14]
“Every word, every sentence is scrutinized on that level.” [18:50]
“I can’t stand anything redundant at all.” [19:50]

Resources

Pipes

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Alien0089

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Unborn Biru

Follow Per-Josef on IG

Claudio’s Song

Connect with Andreas online

A Folded Ocean

Follow Ben on IG

Power Signal