Private Project

Fickle Matters

While shackled to his toilet, a spiritually bankrupt man must confront his recurrent nightmares or else suffer a lifetime of creative constipation.

The portrait of an exhausted average Joe with artistic ambitions, Fickle Matters tells of the frustration in needing to create, but not being able.

An absurdist take on the artist's tale, it dispels the romanticized narrative we've so often seen on screen. Instead depicting the uncomfortable relationship so many have with creativity, and the raw, ugly journey to accepting it.

  • Nick Burton
    Director
    Chekhov's: A Work of Art
  • Ron Bowman
    Writer
  • Nick Burton
    Writer
  • Kamal Jarrah
    Producer
  • Tom Edgerton
    Producer
    Chekhov's: A Work of Art
  • Tank Buzadi
    Key Cast
    "Jack"
  • Daryl Marks
    Key Cast
    "Therapist"
    The Taste of Blood
  • Dan Guiry
    Key Cast
    "Bob Henry"
  • Brennan Asbridge
    Key Cast
    "Dr. Stella Long"
  • Sam Kilpatrick
    Cinematographer
  • Leah Lalich
    Editor
  • Christina Kim
    Production Designer
  • Tess Johnson
    Casting Director
  • Drew Thomas
    Sound Design
  • Quinn Hoodless
    Sound Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Absurdist Comedy, Surrealism
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Alexa Mini
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Lightwood Green
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Nick Burton

Born in Toronto, Canada, Nick is an award winning musician, illustrator, and Director. He graduated from Humber College in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Film Production before becoming an artist fellow at Casa Tagumerce in Spain.

His Directorial debut 'Chekhov's: A Work of Art' was shot on 16mm in Berlin, and premiered at UDFF in Odessa, Ukraine earlier this year where it was awarded 'Best Short Film.' It was subsequently nominated for a British Short Film Award and now streams on Shortverse.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Fickle Matters is return home for me in style and substance. An absurdist and light hearted look at what has been an often uncomfortable journey over the past eighteen months, one relatable to most emerging artists.

Balancing expectation, self-critique and ambition with the minutiae of life; searching for a creative voice, and gaining the confidence to let it shine through. The film serves as a projection of our imagination when it's put to task - the isolation, doubt and frustration of needing to say something, but not knowing how.