Private Project

DOORS

The doors of our imagination are magic portals. They open to reveal hitherto unfathomed worlds of gardens, sunlight and calm - and sometimes darker things. Indy filmmaker and metaphysically inclined psychologist Peter Play captures his interviewees' journeys into an eerie part of the psyche.

  • Peter Play
    Director
  • Peter Play
    Producer
  • Richard Davies
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Psychological, Philosophical, arty, Quirky
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 10, 2023
  • 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:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Peter Play

Peter Play was born and raised in London, England. As an adult he has also lived in Brighton, Oxford and Buckinghamshire, but for the last 20 years has made his home in Sheffield.

He wears many hats, literally and metaphorically - his artistic pursuits have included poetry, DJ and jazz music. By education he is a psychologist – he holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree - and is currently fascinated by new thinking in philosophy of mind and metaphysics. Lastly, he earns his living in the tech space, because it allows him the freedom to indulge his other passions.

In filmmaking he has been influenced by the ideas of the theorist André Bazin, especially around the ideas of the central place of narrative and realism in film. In letting subjects talk freely, he seeks to capture a – perhaps even metaphysical – truth of sorts.

In documentary filmmaking, he feels, he has found his milleu. It offers the opportunity to combine artistic and poetic sensibilities with explorations of the metaphysics that Bazin hints at and which his studies of psychology and philosophy have led him to.

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Director Statement

Years ago, during a hazy night with three young Greeks, I was asked to "imagine a door" and after I'd responded, to then "imagine that which is on the other side of the door". I was told afterwards that the door signified death and what was beyond it was supposed to represent the afterlife.

I was a psychology undergraduate at the time and an enthusiastic student of the metaphysical. I found my own responses to these prompts to be highly illuminating and subsequently played this 'game' with other people in my social circle. The results were never anything less than fascinating, especially when viewed with a metaphysical slant.

The interviewees in this film had no prior knowledge of what they were to be asked (this is necessary for the thought experiment to work). 'DOORS' is an attempt to capture the unfolding of their imaginations and to allow the viewer to be party to the weird alchemy which turns such simple prompts into often otherworldly responses.

It is a film that I always knew I would make and therefore is a great way to start my filmmaking career!