THE LAST LAMENT OF SILAS HAWKINS
7:55 BLOCK 13 LOCAL HEROES
Horror / Drama (USA) 2018
Writer / Director: Brian Muth
SYNOPSIS: What starts off as a seemingly innocent hike through the woods, soon reveals itself to be something much more sinister. As Silas Hawkins scours the wilderness for a treasured relic, a terrible evil awakens so he must fight to survive as the darkness descends and terror follows at every turn.
DIRECTOR BIO: Brian Muth is a graduate of Drexel University's Media & Design arts, class of 2004. While attending Drexel, Brian has made numerous award winning fictional shorts and documentaries including "Best 16mm short film" in 2003 for "Lawrence of Zombania". Brian currently is working on producing several screenplays he has written, creating webisodes for Dainty Hobo, and is a father of two living in Bethlehem, PA.
DIRECTOR STATEMENT: "The Last Lament of Silas Hawkins" has been an absolutely great experience through and through. Having the good fortune to collaborate with Wesley Hunt (cinematographer/producer) was the inspiration for creating this short film. Wes and I both attended Drexel University and often collaborated on projects together, but this was our first chance to do something together in many years. Since we share a combined interest in the horror/supernatural genre, it didn't take us long to decide that we wanted to do something in that vein. After some initial brainstorming and prop gathering, the character of Silas Hawkins was born. We knew we wanted to have a layered character where you learn more about him as you follow his journey. That way, the viewer can be swept up in the journey, just as Silas does, as we travel with this mysterious man. Wes and I also agreed upon setting the tone with more of a psychological horror angle. Using the "less is more" approach often seems easier on paper but the devil is in the details. We thought we could really ramp up the tension as the story progresses if we were strategic in our "Scare" moments and how much we actually reveal throughout the movie. After deciding on these key details, we embarked on our own journey to film the movie in Wes's hometown of Alexandria. Filming in late winter gave the woods that creepy vibe we needed and it definitely became a character of its own. Having a trusty DP like Wes at the helm gave me the opportunity to act as well as direct the film. Jason Leach was also a key member of our ensemble and braved the elements to provide us with much needed assistance as we filmed. In the end, we were happy with our results and hope that the audience watching this film gets a good dose of chills and thrills. As we step into the world of "Silas Hawkins," remember, that no matter how technologically advanced we get, we are still at the whims of the World around us, and have much still to understand.
