Followers of Sigmund

On the run from a deranged cult in what surely will be his final moments, a Man tries to get in contact with his family.

  • Alex Koebke
    Director
  • Emily Willson-Quayle
    Director
  • Alex Koebke
    Writer
  • Emily Willson-Quayle
    Writer
  • Terrence Williams
    Key Cast
  • Michael Clendenin
    Key Cast
  • Alex Koebke
    Producer
  • Emily Willson-Quayle
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Horror, Drama
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 8 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 31, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.66:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Savannah College of Art and Design
Director Biography - Alex Koebke, Emily Willson-Quayle

Alex Koebke is a writer/director from Northern Virginia. To date, he has written, directed, and edited over half a dozen short films. His official debut short film, Alien, premiered in beloved local arthouse theater, Cinema Arts, before a screening of Tenet (dir. Christopher Nolan). Alex now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, working as a Location Scout on several feature films. He aspires to direct his first feature in 2024.

Emily Willson-Quayle graduated early with her bachelor’s in Cinema and Political Science from VCU. Emily has written and directed two short films that were finalists in the Vancouver Independent Film Festival and SoCal Film Awards. Emily now lives in Atlanta, GA and works as a Production Coordinator for films on the Lifetime Network and Tubi.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Followers of Sigmund is, at its core, a story about family. Reconnection. Forgiveness. Big themes for a five-minute short that all takes place in one room. We wrote and filmed this movie during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and our aim was to tell a story as big as possible despite our limitations. Our crew was made up of people we were quarantined with and our script needed only one actor. Everything - the set construction, camerawork, lighting, was done by 5 people.

Part of what makes the film work is Terrence Williams' sensitive performance as Shawn, a man who has finally learned that he's been led down the wrong path, and wants to return to the people who really mean something to him. This was his first film, and many of our first or second films as well. All in all, we are proud to present what we have created despite the limitations on film school students during COVID-19.