Willing To Go There | Horror Short Film (Deborah Ann Woll)
Vložit
- čas přidán 20. 08. 2024
- An actress answers a call from an unknown number and the conversation takes a strange turn as the man on the other end preys on her deepest vulnerabilities.
A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.
SUBMIT A FILM: www.shortofthe...
FULL REVIEW: www.shortofthe...
Subscribe to S/W on CZcams!
Website: www.shortofthew...
Instagram: / shortoftheweek
Facebook: / shortoftheweek
Twitter: / shortoftheweek
Willing To Go There
Directed by Laura Beckner
vimeo.com/laur...
"Phone calls are inherently contradictory in nature: intimate yet physically distanced-there’s a little voice whispering in your ear that is potentially thousands of miles away. Or, perhaps, it belongs to someone who is hiding in the bushes outside…
Playing like an amalgamation of the legendary Scream opening, Compliance (the 2012 thriller from Craig Zoble), and a scammer narrative ala the Hollywood Con Queen, Laura Beckner’s Willing to Go There is a sparse and taunt cinematic thriller, utilizing very simple cinematic collateral (a single actor and a location) to craft something both uncanny and creepy in equal measure.
Based on a true story (one Beckner had personal experience with) of a strange phone predator who preyed upon vulnerable actors back in 2018, Willing to Go There mines a lot of very “of this time” material (isolation, anxiety, a desire to connect, the way Hollywood preys on female actors seeking opportunities) and centers it around one very creepy phone call. It’s the rare horror thriller that is unnerving without ever resorting to cheap tricks: no “boo” jump scares, no lame monster reveal and/or cut-to-black ending. Instead, it’s a taunt and psychologically gripping piece that patiently builds its sense of dread.
While the film’s plot is simple, the craft is next-level. It’s an accomplished and patient piece of filmmaking: every shot feels purposeful, and the dim and moody lighting is scary without feeling over-stylized (e.g. not an excessive amount of teal and tungsten lighting). Beckner wields all the cinematic resources at her disposal-sound, cinematography, location-with aplomb, resulting in something that feels meticulous and controlled.
As Beckner relates to Short of the Week:
“I wanted to explore the roles we play to please others and the danger of openness and vulnerability. My idea was that the camera, the sound and cinematography, would enhance these movements of danger, shame, and power already woven into the story. I come from a comedy background, I am comfortable with wit, landing a beat with laughter. Here I went the other way. I wanted to have something primarily mental and emotional play out visually… to build a sense of dread, a slow burning bridge to nowhere.”
Although they may ostensibly seem simple to produce, handling phone calls on screen can be a tricky endeavor. Typically, actors are simply “pretending” to hear the other caller and the voice on the other line is added via ADR in post. But, Beckner knew this wouldn’t give the conversation the tension and precise timing she wanted: she needed both actors to be able to respond and react to one another in real time. As such, both the central actors used earpieces to talk to one another for each take. I think the verisimilitude of this approach-the authentic back and forth of their interaction-is, ultimately, why the piece feels so gripping.
I do think the film fizzles by its conclusion. I can sense it’s striving for something “more”, drifting to something surreal where the protagonist is able to reverse the power imbalance of the dynamic. But, I’m not completely clear what the film is attempting to say and I sort of wish it would have stayed in the unnerving discomfort of it all-in this feeling of being taken advantage of by someone via the power of their voice. But, it’s still a compelling ride, the kind of short film that shows burgeoning potential from a talented director. With talks to convert Willing to Go There into a feature, I have no doubt we will be seeing a lot more from Beckner in the future. - S/W Curator Ivan Kander
Starring: Deborah Ann Woll, Dylan Kenin
Cinematography: Ludovica Isidori
Editor: Max Goldblatt
Music: Benjamin Wynn
Sound Design: Rolando Nadal
Executive Producers: Lori Berlanga, Stevin Knight
Production Design: John Isaac Watters
Set Designer: Sydney Wayser
Set Decorater: Jeremy Rocine
Hair & Make Up: Nikki Powell
Sound Mixer: Josh Gerson
Gaffer: Olesia Saveleva
Grip: Michael Liska
Production Assistant: Robert Spuhler
Assistant Camera: Nobuyoshi Sakurai
Colorist: Élodie Ichter
Covid Compliance Officer: Jessica Dowdeswell
Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
I believe this is about sexual assault, the inner turmoil she has between blaming herself yet knowing it wasn't her fault. Keeping it a secret which leaves her with no one other than herself to talk to. So many metaphors. I am sure I'm wrong, but it all fits together in my eyes.
I think it is about the actual struggles Deborah is currently having in her career
OK, after watching it that’s what I get, very strongly. I saw very strong ties between flirtation, asking for it, giving consent, the question of what consent is, inappropriate advances and confusion about it all. Coming from a woman’s point of view, which is mine, sex and concerned seemed like a really heavy theme.
@@automaticcreation2271 I feel both, I feel that, worrying notion about not knowing who you are talking to being a scary thing and often you don't know what their intentions are and worrying that if you're not as the title says Willing to Go There some ass hole will just take your career and give it to someone else. It's why I (while not willing to discuss certain things about it) was wary on the idea of approaching my career too soon, even if that meant I was a bit reclusive for more than a decade after being forced to drop out of High School due to excessive abusive bullying and even torture from the other students.
Deborah Ann Woll is So Good! She is Meryl Streep of our days! I wish she get an Oscar!
Really think so
Dang Deborah Ann Woll is astonishing 🔥
Why’s Karen all alone? Where’s Matt and Foggy?
Those crazy avocados at law.
I've loved Deborah Ann Woll since I saw her in True Blood. Deborah as a vampire... OMG!!!
I LOVE TRUE BLOOD
@James cool, thanx for the info, I'll definitely be checking it out.
I love her since I saw her in escape room 1&2
I love when she suddenly switches to a powerful character 🔥
Thank you. You don't know how long I've been waiting to see this, lol.
This was uncomfortable in a lot of ways, but then that was the point I'm assuming, since the artists intent is obviously to show what it is like for survivors like us. The artist has to input the obviously distinctly uncomfortable moments because without that, they can't express to the audience how horrible these feelings are that we've faced, and I think Deborah as always has done an amazing job displaying that horridness that a lot of us felt. I'm not going to name names, point fingers I could have been in situations worse than I've been in, in reality if I had actually been in this business that I maybe not so obviously almost was in. I can't say I would have been one of the luckier ones, I'm not as tough as these actors and I am probably not going to be acting anytime soon either. But I do have some things in that pipeline that are being worked on as a writer/director which could still mean I would be in the spotlight but I also intend to not be too visible. I only bring this up because this did kind of stir my thought on things. I have to be careful what I say, I have to be careful what I do even if I'm not a person who really does the wrong things. But more than that or really anything I have to be careful whom I trust, this is important to me, and I definitely intend to be cautious, but this film is short of both a reminder and if I'm not mistaken about the artist a narrative warning about being careful who you're trustful enough to speak to.
I didn’t get this ,,horror“ short movie
I didn't get it...
I think that the ideal actress to replace amber heard in DCEU would be this beautiful actress, Deborah Ann Woll for the role of Mera, because besides beautiful she is also a good actress.
Deborah wears socks with red ball then walks barefoot
Great cinematography and Deborah showed a different side here. Riveting.
Deborah is awesome
Alguem legenda em portugues por favor 😂
SW please switch on the CC's‼️✌️
I didn't get this one at all.
Me either.😕
Great actress
Is that Karen? She's come a long way since DD
Yes it's her. Did you see her in True Blood?
❤
Brilliant!!!
Salute
2:15
someone explain me this short lol
I think someone was watching her, while they called her & it wasn’t a director or whoever they claimed to be, perhaps a creep who got her # when she auditioned for something ?
@@vickys.love00 maybe, the short was really cool and interesting but the end I don't get it
@@yanguemilio was it a camera in her eye?
@@vickys.love00 idk it looked like a gem or something, the one she was looking for that she had lost
Here's what I got from it. She's on the couch and he asks her about her secrets and then asks if she's thinking of one. She says yes and then he asks if she's thinking about him. This is when I believe he asking if she's thinking about the man who assaulted her which. She hangs up on him after she realizes he's the one who attacked her. The object she found in her eye might be a metaphor for how she views herself. When she asks for Margaret(which is her name if you didn't catch it) on the phone could be a metaphor for subconscious telling her everything was her fault. I'm sure the necklace is another metaphor. She starts out with it, losses it, then she's wearing it again. I think she truly believes it wasn't her fault, but has times where she torments and blames herself for what happened. I think the end when she's wearing it again is when she realizes what's really true. The asking to speak with herself I think she doesn't have anyone to talk other than herself. The story definitely has metaphors, but they are anyone's guess.
Omg???
6:25 If only her answer to that were actually true xD
To slow. I made me nervous!
That's the point
True blood. Ifykyk.