Finalists
The World's First Global Film Festival

At The End Of The World

Directed by: Fon Davis

Country: USA

Time: 13:08

Synopsis: In an apocalyptic future, a lonely government worker finds solace with a soldier during the last World War. But their future together is threatened when the soldier is sent back into battle.

Amazing set. It feels like a Hollywood blockbuster, how did you come across it?

I knew we had to shoot indoors to control the in-camera atmosphere and practical falling ash effects. So, we built the sets on our film stage with flats and used platforms for the sidewalks. In order to give the street enough length we had to dress the far walls of the stage to look like buildings.

What films and filmmakers inspired the look and feel of the film?

I was really trying to create something original that drew from the world described in the script. We almost cut the ash effect because it was going to be financially difficult, but decided the difficulty was worth it. I am glad we made the extra effort because I feel like the atmosphere is a large part of the story telling. With that being said, I do really admire Ridley Scott and Christopher Nolan for their world building, relatable characters, pacing, and use of in-camera effects. There is no doubt my admiration for their work influences my creative decisions.

How did your work on big feature films like Mission Impossible, Terminator and so many others influence how you approached the making of a short film?

My work on major motion pictures helped me recognize how very important every little detail is to the production value of any movie, especially when you are putting together your cast and crew. Every department tells a part of the story. Everyone knew that and poured that in to the movie.

This may be the most charming film ever made about the end of the world. What qualities did you look for in the actors in the casting process?

Casting for this story was very difficult because there is almost no dialogue between the characters. Therefore we needed to find two actors that had good chemistry and could readily express their character's feelings without words. I also felt very strongly that they both needed a vulnerable quality, because allowing yourself to be vulnerable is so much a part of being in love.

The romantic leads bond over documentary-style footage of penguins. So what is it about the penguins?

The penguins are a symbol of unconditional love forever. In the wild, penguins pair up and mate for life. That is something I think we all want to believe exists but life has a way of keeping us from such romantic concepts in reality. This idea of meeting our "penguin" is such an overwhelming emotional idea, people shed tears when they read the script, crew members were crying on set, and if we told the right story, the audience should feel some of what we felt making this beautiful story into a movie.