Experiencing Interruptions?

Dulse

At a party in West London, outsider Morgan quietly observes the pretentious interactions around him, as the line between sincerity and performance blurs. As he navigates a world of intellectual peacocking and virtue signalling, “Dulse” offers a satirical glimpse into the insecurities and absurdity that often accompany the quest for originality within creative communities.

  • Thomas Bugg
    Director
    ‘The Cosmic Tree’ (2024), ‘The Warmth of Pixels’ (2024), ‘I Find Peace in this Place’ (2024), ‘Everything’ (2024), ‘Shuffle off this mortal coil’ (2023), ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ (2021), ‘Organised Noise’ (2019), ‘Space Dust’ (2018)
  • Thomas Bugg
    Writer
    ‘The Cosmic Tree’ (2024), ‘The Warmth of Pixels’ (2024), ‘I Find Peace in this Place’ (2024), ‘Everything’ (2024), ‘Shuffle off this mortal coil’ (2023), ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ (2021), ‘Organised Noise’ (2019), ‘Space Dust’ (2018)
  • Beatriz Gonçalves
    Producer
    DIESEL LIBRARY SPRING/SUMMER 2022 CAMPAIGN (Frank Lebon), A Day and the Life of Dodge E. Cherry, (Frank Lebon), Lime Garden - Pop Star (Sal Redpath), Lime Garden - I Want To Be You (Sal Redpath), Sarah Meth - Sister You Said (Sarah Meth and Sal Redpath), Pretty Sick - Self Fulfilling Prophecy (Frank Lebon), Pretty Sick - Human Condition, (Frank Lebon)
  • Thomas Bugg
    Producer
    ‘The Cosmic Tree’ (2024), ‘The Warmth of Pixels’ (2024), ‘I Find Peace in this Place’ (2024), ‘Everything’ (2024), ‘Shuffle off this mortal coil’ (2023), ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ (2021), ‘Organised Noise’ (2019), ‘Space Dust’ (2018)
  • Morgan Beale
    Key Cast
    "Morgan"
    *Untitled (Noah Baumbach), Wednesday (Tim Burton), Doctors (BBC), Orphans (Georgie Farmer), Mayfly (Jodi Rilot), Killology (Ian Higham), DNA (Giles Croft), Edinburgh Fringe, Order From Chaos (Jonny Khan), Doctor Faustus (Daniel McVey), Kes (John Padden)
  • Kitty Falcon
    Key Cast
    "Aiou"
    Doghouse (Rally Ridberg), Lost Souls in New York (Janhvy P), Paranoia (Rally Ridberg), Bye Bye Baby (Jessie Barnett), The Ride (Tara Aghdashloo)
  • Camilla Anvar
    Key Cast
    "Phoebe"
    Book Club (Barbra Wiltshire), La Rupture (Olli Slatter), Inadequate (Sean Liondh), Strong is Better Than Angry (Hope Dickson Leach)
  • Anna Toogood
    Key Cast
    "Performance Artist"
    A Little Night Music (Tom Cooper), Company (Tom Cooper), With Out (Maisie Fawcett), Spring Awakening (Jamal Ollier), Adams Family (Alexander Runicles), The Fear (Christopher Pope), Sweeney Todd (Kerry Robinson)
  • Miles Clifford
    Key Cast
    "Jonah"
  • Johnny Fry
    Key Cast
    "Leo"
  • Guy Clayson
    Key Cast
    "Eli"
  • Beatriz Gonçalves
    Key Cast
    "Una"
    DIESEL LIBRARY SPRING/SUMMER 2022 CAMPAIGN (Frank Lebon), A Day and the Life of Dodge E. Cherry, (Frank Lebon), Lime Garden - Pop Star (Sal Redpath), Lime Garden - I Want To Be You (Sal Redpath), Sarah Meth - Sister You Said (Sarah Meth and Sal Redpath), Pretty Sick - Self Fulfilling Prophecy (Frank Lebon), Pretty Sick - Human Condition, (Frank Lebon)
  • Oscar Ferguson
    Director of Photography
    Arlo Parks - Devotion (Ali Raymond & Joel Barney), Sports Direct & Nike - Get Mad Ready (Jamie Sivers), Southampton FC - Our Place (Joel Barney), Lana Lubany - Another Year (Joel Barney), Soho House + Bowers & Wilkins (Danny Chan), Nike - Forward (Joel Barney), Royal Blood - Honeybrains (Joel Barney), Axel Arigato - SS23 (Joel Barney), Gang of Youths - in the wake of your leave (Joel Barney)
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Satire, Realism, Mumblecore, Comedy, Drama
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 16, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    400 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:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Royal College of Art
Director Biography - Thomas Bugg

Thomas Bugg is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice bridges film, theatre, and performance. A recent graduate from the MA Information Experience Design programme at the Royal College of Art, Thomas previously earned his BA (Hons) in Graphic Communication Design (with Creative Computing) from Central Saint Martins in 2021. During his studies, he spent time at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, learning filmmaking under Michel Negroponte. Beyond his personal practice, he has taught Visual Communication in the MA Biodesign programme at Central Saint Martins.

Throughout his career, he has spent time working for Ben Kelway Studio, Gareth McConnell, AnOther Magazine, Accept & Proceed and Bibliotheque Design. Thomas has worked on projects for the likes of M.I.A, Nike, Wales Bonner, Arena Homme+, &Daughter and with institutions like Kandinsky Theatre, Royal College of Art, The Open Data Institute and Central Saint Martins. Thomas’s work has been exhibited at the Barbican Centre, Centre Pompidou, Iklectik Art Lab, Saatchi Gallery and Dutch Design Week.

His work has been featured by Thames & Hudson, Fashion Revolution, Design Week, and Campaign and has won a D&AD Yellow Pencil and been shortlisted for the LVMH Maison/0 Green Trail Award.

Thomas’ previous credits include ‘The Cosmic Tree’, (In Progress), ‘The Warmth of Pixels’ (2024), ‘I Find Peace in this Place’ (2024), ‘Dulse’, (Short, 2024), ‘Everything’ (2024), ‘Shuffle off this mortal coil’ (2023) ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ (2021) and ‘Organised Noise’ (2019). ‘Dulse’ (Short, 2024) is currently in consideration for a number of international film festivals.

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Director Statement

"Dulse" explores the tension between self-expression and social conformity within the creative community. Set at a West London party, the film follows Morgan, an outsider trying to make sense of the performative and often pretentious dynamics around him. Through his perspective, Dulse delves into themes of ego, individuality, and the search for authenticity in a world that prizes uniqueness, especially within the arts.

Unlike traditional narrative-driven films, Dulse intentionally embraces realism and the subtleties of everyday interactions, drawing inspiration from Joanna Hogg's work and Jesse Armstrong's dialogue-driven storytelling. My goal was to depict life as it unfolds— nuanced, and laden with ambiguity. This choice allows the film to stand out by creating an environment that feels genuine and invites viewers to find their own interpretations. The handheld camera work and naturalistic performances further emphasise this immersive realism, anchoring the audience in the immediacy of the moment.

The satirical elements in Dulse are subtle, reflecting the often absurd nature of social performance. This approach, akin to Chris Morris’ Nathan Barley and Kristoffer Borgli's Sick of Myself, allows the humour to emerge naturally through the interactions rather than overt punchlines. The film’s dry wit and focus on human behaviour encourage the audience to second-guess the sincerity of its characters, highlighting the tension between genuine self-expression and the curated personas that pervade the creative industry.

Ultimately, Dulse invites viewers to reflect on the performative nature of identity and the quiet complexities of social navigation. It is a meditation on the push and pull between blending in and standing out.