Experiencing Interruptions?

The Chairman

Corporate researchers go behind the back of their mysterious employer to test the telepathic abilities of a traumatized girl and her father.
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The Chairman is a retro sci-fi/horror short about the intersection of business, media, and the supernatural. Featuring an original analog-synth score by OGRE Sound.
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Unsanctioned by the board of directors at their powerful multinational, The Pantheon Group, Joy and her supervisor, Vincent, run an experiment on telepathic abilities. Katie, an unwilling research subject and powerful psychic antenna, prepares to silence the chaos in her head by drowning. Her father Miguel, held in a nearby warehouse, must intervene by contacting his daughter telepathically, or watch her drown via hidden cameras. When the experiment is ultimately interrupted by a call from corporate headquarters, Joy must return to the office and face her reclusive, unnatural employer, the Chairman.

  • Frank White
    Director
  • Frank White
    Writer
  • Jason P Schumacher
    Producer
    Sad Clown, This is Home, Hearts Want
  • Bianet Diaz
    Key Cast
    "Katie"
  • Al Clemente Saks
    Key Cast
    "Mr. Perez"
  • Jessie Scarborough-Ghent
    Key Cast
    "Joy"
  • James Michael Detmar
    Key Cast
    "Vincent"
  • Tessa Meath
    Key Cast
    "Samantha"
  • Lori Roovers
    Key Cast
    "Woman in Red"
  • Lee Fillingsness
    Key Cast
    "Stevens"
  • Tim Herkenhoff
    Key Cast
    "Smoking Man"
  • Jesse Griffith
    Key Cast
    "Park Ranger"
  • Jeremy Frandrup
    Key Cast
    "Rupert"
  • Charles Deeter
    Key Cast
    "Tobacco Baron"
  • Ben Enke
    Director of Photography
    Level, Hearts Want, Shear Madness
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Sci-Fi, Horror, Thriller, Retro
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 59 seconds
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    4K Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cinepocalypse
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    June 23, 2018
    World Premiere
    Best Actor: Al Clemente Saks, Best Actress: Bianet Diaz
  • Northern Frights Festival
    Sudbury, ON
    Canada
    October 20, 2018
    Canadian Premiere
    Winner: Best Editing, Best VFX
  • Buried Alive Horror Film Festival
    Atlanta, GA
    United States
    November 17, 2018
    Georgia Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Arizona Underground Film Festival
    Tucson, AZ
    United States
    September 16, 2018
    Arizona Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Northeast Wisconsin Horror Film Festival
    Oshkosh, WI
    United States
    October 13, 2018
    Wisconsin Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Oregon Scream Week
    Portland, OR
    United States
    October 20, 2018
    Oregon Premiere
    Nominee: Best Film
  • Sin City Horror Fest
    Las Vegas, NV
    United States
    October 21, 2018
    Nevada Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Fargo Fantastic Film Festival
    Fargo, ND
    United States
    September 29, 2018
    North Dakota Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Eau Claire World Film Fest
    Eau Claire, WI
    United States
    October 21, 2018
    Official Selection
  • St Cloud Film Fest
    St Cloud, MN
    United States
    November 7, 2018
    Minnesota Premiere
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Amazon Prime
    Country: United States
    Rights: Video on Demand
    Country: United Kingdom
    Rights: Video on Demand
Director Biography - Frank White

Frank White is a Minnesota based videographer and editor with a passion for genre filmmaking and a conflicted relationship with the world of advertising. The Chairman is his directorial debut.

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Director Statement

Why is it so common for the faceless, shadowy boogymen of this generation to be found behind a suit and tie?

The genesis of The Chairman was an attempt to dig below the surface of the late 20th Century retro aesthetics currently marbling popular culture, particularly when it comes to the horror genre. Instead of mere nostalgia for the analog era, The Chairman seeks to explore how it underpins a mythology for our digital present.