Private Project

Control Room

Singer/songwriter Eli Fretter’s manager, Gill, has booked him into a state of the art studio space, in an attempt to encourage him to leave his traditional sensibilities and penchant for acoustic music and analog recording techniques behind, instead taking his place in the digital landscape of modern, electronic, music.

The night before his booking, Eli finds himself stranded in the studio with the strange receptionist, who insists that, with nowhere else to go, he spend the night in one of their live-rooms. Things take a surreal and nightmarish turn for Eli as reality appears to bend and distort, transporting him to-and-fro from the studio to a mysterious music venue and eventually to a dungeon, followed by a monstrous cloaked figure. Able to trust neither the eerie receptionist nor his controlling manager Gill, Eli discovers an otherworldly connection between his rapidly mutating body and the studio’s electronic equipment, which builds into a shocking climax that goes out with a flash.

  • J.A.G Hodges
    Director
  • J.A.G Hodges
    Writer
  • Haydn Wakeling
    Producer
  • Dylan Matthews
    Key Cast
    "Eli Fretter"
  • Nikolina Holuk
    Key Cast
    "Anya (Receptionist) "
  • Anna Shaw
    Key Cast
    "Gill (Manager)"
  • Olga Walus
    Director of Photography
  • Thaer Al-Shayei
    Other Cast
  • John Atkinson
    Other Cast
  • Loren Goes
    Art Directors
  • Ciera Chapman
    Art Directors
  • Madison Garland
    Hair and Make-up Designer
  • Scarlet Millward
    Hair and Make-up Team
  • Ciara MacMahon
    Hair and Make-up Team
  • Casey Watkins
    Hair and Make-up Team
  • Marysia Maciejko
    Costume Designer
  • Mellt
    Music
  • Daniel Lewis
    Sound Recordists
  • Gabriel Strange-Wood
    Sound Recordists
  • Olga Walus
    Camera Operators
  • Dewi Allen
    Camera Operators
  • Oliver Mitchell
    Camera Operators
  • James Clark
    Camera Operators
  • Osian Clement-Evans
    Camera Assistants
  • Harry Ellis
    Camera Assistants
  • Daniel Lewis
    Sound Design
  • Jo Haynes
    Sound Design
  • Sion Teifi Rees
    Colourist
  • Eve Meare
    VFX
  • Richie Evans
    Graphic Designer
  • Haydn Wakeling
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 31, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    H264, MPEG-4, 3840x2160 (4K)
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Focus Wales Film Festival
    Wrexham
    United Kingdom
    May 10, 2024
    Best Welsh Film, Narrative Film
  • Phantasmagoria Horror Film Festival
    Wrexham
    United Kingdom
    October 12, 2024
    Finalists
  • RS FilmFest
    Bristol
    United Kingdom
    November 30, 2024
    Finalists
  • Cynon Valley Film Festival
    Aberdare
    United Kingdom
    October 26, 2024
    Best Narrative Short
  • International Media Festival Of Wales
    Swansea
    United Kingdom
    November 14, 2024
    Finalists
  • Wales International Film Festival
    Swansea
    United Kingdom
    December 19, 2024
    Best No Budget Short Film
  • Carmarthen Bay Film Festival
    Carmarthen
    United Kingdom
    May 22, 2025
    Finalists
  • Chapter MovieMaker
    Cardiff
    United Kingdom
    January 5, 2025
    BAFTA Qualifying Screening (Non-Competitive)
  • Film Fest International
    Cardiff
    United Kingdom
    July 10, 2025
    Best Short Film
  • UK Film Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 21, 2025
    Finalists
Director Biography - J.A.G Hodges

Jacob Hodges, the writer/director of Control Room, was born in Corning, NY, and raised in Wales from age nine. Deeply immersed in Welsh culture, he attended Welsh-language schools and is a member of the band Mellt.

His work blends film, music, and a strong sense of place - having directed music videos for artists such as Papur Wal, Ffug, and Mali Hâf. Likewise working across documentaries and having a BA in Film.

At Black Swan, Jacob brings creative leadership to our podcasts, branded content, and now our narrative slate. A fan of filmmakers like Ari Aster and David Lynch, he is passionate about genre storytelling that gives Wales a distinctive voice on the UK film landscape.

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