An astral traveller and a detective risk everything to save a child from the clutches of a rogue demon.
Director Statement
With Terror By Night my goal has been to craft a thrilling fifteen minute treat for genre fans, delivering a story that’s part supernatural mystery, part demonic creature feature (short) and inviting audiences to delve headfirst into a horror adventure. Core to achieving this has been giving our leads Jack and Ayla strong introductions, genuine agency and as a sense of history without heavy handed exposition so our audience quickly becomes invested in their struggle and survival.
A massive focus for me has been trying to maximise momentum and sheer entertainment by nailing the pacing. Although I thought I’d developed a strong structure in the script, I quickly realised in post that I needed to become comfortable letting go of scenes and shots that simply fail to propel the story forward.
I’ve strived to set clear stakes early, hook the audience, deliver a gripping ride, and hopefully - a fulfilling climax.
I just want to acknowledge that without the talent and patience of the crew and cast I’d have nothing to show you and I’m incredibly grateful to them for all their hard work.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for watching.
- Year2024
- Runtime15 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryAustralia
- DirectorDean Butler
- ScreenwriterDean Butler
- ProducerRobert Faulkner, Dean Butler
- CastDean ButlerKey Cast"Jack" Gemma CavoliKey Cast"Ayla" Sam WertheimKey Cast"Harry" Olivia BeamanKey Cast"Lilly" Andressa LemosKey Cast"Bev" Avie Cleaver-WilkinsonKey Cast"The Imp" James BroadhurstKey Cast"The Demon"
An astral traveller and a detective risk everything to save a child from the clutches of a rogue demon.
Director Statement
With Terror By Night my goal has been to craft a thrilling fifteen minute treat for genre fans, delivering a story that’s part supernatural mystery, part demonic creature feature (short) and inviting audiences to delve headfirst into a horror adventure. Core to achieving this has been giving our leads Jack and Ayla strong introductions, genuine agency and as a sense of history without heavy handed exposition so our audience quickly becomes invested in their struggle and survival.
A massive focus for me has been trying to maximise momentum and sheer entertainment by nailing the pacing. Although I thought I’d developed a strong structure in the script, I quickly realised in post that I needed to become comfortable letting go of scenes and shots that simply fail to propel the story forward.
I’ve strived to set clear stakes early, hook the audience, deliver a gripping ride, and hopefully - a fulfilling climax.
I just want to acknowledge that without the talent and patience of the crew and cast I’d have nothing to show you and I’m incredibly grateful to them for all their hard work.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for watching.
- Year2024
- Runtime15 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryAustralia
- DirectorDean Butler
- ScreenwriterDean Butler
- ProducerRobert Faulkner, Dean Butler
- CastDean ButlerKey Cast"Jack" Gemma CavoliKey Cast"Ayla" Sam WertheimKey Cast"Harry" Olivia BeamanKey Cast"Lilly" Andressa LemosKey Cast"Bev" Avie Cleaver-WilkinsonKey Cast"The Imp" James BroadhurstKey Cast"The Demon"