There are tons of bite-sized horror films popping up online everyday…each a potential quick fix for your fear addiction. Here at BD, we’re happy to show some love to the good ones. We even have our own show dedicated to just that! “World of Death” exposes some of the best up and coming talent in the horror world. But, even beyond our weekly anthology of underground goodies, there’s a bevy of films deserving of a few minutes time with your eyeballs. We hope to shed some light on the hidden corners and dark shadows of the internet where the most gruesome shorts may lurk with “Short Film Spotlight.”
It’s amazing what can be accomplished with a free weekend and a strong concept. Just take a look at David Sandberg. His itsy-bitsy short, “Lights Out,” not only scored himself a Hollywood feature based on the same material but an upcoming mega budget DC flick (Shazam!). The truth is, it’s hard, especially within the horror genre, to cram a miniature dose of terror within a coherent package in just under 10 minutes, let alone craft a story worthy of the big screen treatment. Filmmakers Todd Spence and Zak White have certainly cracked the code with “Your Date is Here.” The six minute spooker produced for the duo’s Midnight Video outlet tells the story of a mother and daughter sitting down for a girls night in with a delivery pizza and an old school board game.
The game, aptly titled Your Date is Here, is a clear takeoff on the classic gender stereotype enforcing Mystery Date. A game in which players have to collect cards in order to build the perfect outfit to match the possible dream boat lurking behind a little plastic door affixed to the game board, likely wouldn’t fly off shelves today. Oh, and you also had to ensure you avoided winding up with “The Dud,” a nerdy zero who was sure to be the death of your social life. Spence and White use the dated concept and retool it to feature a telephone for communicating with the mystery man. Suffice to say, this is a horror film, and what ‘s behind the door and on the other end of the line is far from a pretty sight.
I had the chance to chat with the writer/directors about “Your Date is Here,” and I’ll be sharing that convo below. However, you should totally check the short out first to avoid spoilers! So…here ya’ go.
Still here? Great! Hopefully you enjoyed that as much as I did. I wanted to pick their brains about their inspirations and find out just what led them to make “Your Date is Here.”
Todd Spence: Growing up in a small town, there’s not a whole lot to do beyond getting into trouble or going to the movie theater and video store. I chose the latter. Horror/Comedy might be my favorite subgenre. Movies like American Werewolf and Innocent Blood have always been great. I grew up loving John Landis movies and can thank “The Making of Thriller” for peaking my interest in filmmaking and possibly horror movies overall. I think that’s where Zak and I connected in our writing. I’ve known Zak since college when we went to Webster University and joined the film program there. Actually a lot of those guys that we became friends with worked on this short and our other horror short“Where is It”. I have to say, I didn’t learn a ton of technical skill in college but you meet some really great people.
Zak White: You learn the most in film school by just going out and making something and we were both very lucky to meet a group of really talented people who had similar tastes and goals. We spent most of our time focused on comedy, but when we started to focus more on horror, things began to click.
While I’ve never actually played Mystery Date, I did (unknowingly) wind up with a “Saved by the Bell” board game as a kid that was practically a rip off. I had no idea that when I asked for a game based on one of my favorite shows that I would be playing to win a date with either Zack, Slater, or, heaven forbid, Screech (“The Dud”…or in this film’s case, “The Dweeb”). So, had Spence or White ever played the game themselves, and what drew them to this particular concept?
TS: We never played Mystery Date but we vaguely remembered the commercials growing up. The game was released in the 50’s but then they reproduced it in the 90’s and when we were thinking of an idea we hadn’t really seen before, that game entered the conversation. It’s already creepy without meaning to be creepy. There’s some dude behind the door, you don’t know who it is, you don’t know what he looks like but you’re about to go on a date with him and trust this guy? Yeah, that’s scary.
ZW: A horror Jumanji seemed like too much fun to pass up. Plus, blind dates might’ve seemed fun and exciting a half century ago when the game first came around, but in this day and age that concept is straight terrifying.
Of course, I had to know about the actual board game design used in the short. It was so authentic that I forgot while watching that the original game was called Mystery Date and not Your Date is Here. I just assumed they found this in a thrift store somewhere and decided to use it in their short. I should’ve known better.
TS: We took a Mystery Date board and put our own logos, aged the board a bit and added the phone and call button. The phone isn’t a part of the original Mystery Date design, but we liked that extra level of contact within the game. Tate Marshall designed the logo and box art. Incredibly talented artist.
ZW: It was a lot of fun taking the existing design and seeing what we could warp and change to fit our needs. Obscuring faces and aging corners, it really gave an eerie feel to just an ordinary piece of cardboard. I would absolutely play this game.
The Dweeb feels like a piece of a much larger story. Did you know the backstory for the spirit (or demon) going into the film? If there were interest, is there potential to see this expanded into a feature?
TS: Going into the completed short script, we didn’t know what the back story would be, but we actually just completed a feature script we’re shopping around, which explains not only who this guy is, but all of his friends. In the game, you have a few date options so it’s the Dweeb times five. The script also has a lot to do with today’s social commentary in regards to male and female roles and what’s going on with abuse.
ZW: We really enjoyed taking this monster and digging into the “how and why” of him. He’s not just popping out and doing this thing, he’s having fun with it. Teasing his victim, toying with them, it really says a lot about him and not to spoil anything, but turns out… he’s a big creep.
I, for one, would be all over that. Let’s get a Dweeb movie, people! The shoot itself was filled with the typical foibles of indie production: hot lights, no AC, angry neighbors making noise complaints. It’s a testament to anyone out there who wants to get behind the camera. Just do it! Plan it out, be smart, and get creative. If you have a roof over your head, you already have you location. Of course, if you keep this up you might find yourself in the same position as Spence and White.
ZF: We shot our first short in Todd’s apartment, our second short in mine. We’ve run out of free apartments!
If you or someone you know has an awesome short worthy of the Short Film Spotlight, hit me up on Twitter. Until next time, later, fiends!