Experiencing Interruptions?

Black Dog

A woman's loneliness and paranoia catch up with her.

  • Paul Barrie
    Director
  • Paul Barrie
    Writer
  • Paul Barrie
    Producer
  • Louise Oliver
    Key Cast
  • Terence Rae
    Key Cast
  • Struan Robertson
    Director of Photography
  • Duncan McCormick
    Sound Recordist
  • Nike Johnston
    Make Up Design
  • David Barrie
    Camera Assistant
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    150 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Paul Barrie

Born and raised in Glasgow, Paul started writing and directing films in 2008 as a student in the Digital Film Making programme at SAE Glasgow. His Graduation film, Dream Baby Dream (2009) was screened as part of the Edinburgh Short Film Festival.

Since then, Paul has worked a number of jobs to fund his films, which include the shorts Maggie (2011), Echoes (2012), Bob's Holiday (2013) and Black Dog (2016). He has also directed a number of music videos for artists including The Low Miffs, Delta Audio Club, Billy Jeffrey Jnr and Kathleen McPhail.

Since 2014 Paul has worked freelance as a video content creator for Partick Housing Association, documenting their community growing projects and social housing developments. In 2015 he made a documentary for Headway Glasgow, a support group for those with acquired brain injuries.

Black Dog (2016) was made as part of Paul's successful application to study on the BA Digital Film and Television degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a course he has been enrolled on since September 2016.

In addition to his studies, he currently has a number of new projects in development including two short films, a documentary project and a video installation to accompany a live classical music performance.

He still lives in Glasgow.

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Director Statement

Black Dog (2016) was made under strict submission guidelines - it had to be under three minutes and was to reflect how I felt about the concept of 'home'.

I took inspiration from the time I spent living alone in the south side of Glasgow. Living alone is a very liberating experience, however when things are weighing you down it can become quite oppressive. Problems can get on top of you when there's no one to check on how you're doing and it becomes very easy to shut yourself off from the outside world, letting your psychological demons run amok.

Physical manifestations of a person's sorrow or pain is something seen throughout the history of art, whether in the paintings of Henry Fuseli or the poetry of Fulke Greville (who both used similar imagery in their work).

Black Dog is an attempt to express a personal experience, using imagery inspired by Fuseli and Greville, through the medium of film.