Private Project

O' Black Water

Beneath the forests of the Appalachian Mountains, three students have gone missing with no trace inside the infamous Sensabaugh Tunnel, not too far from the place where many a ghost story took place. Elias Stevenson, a young, restless, and naive content creator seeks out the truth - but what he stumbles upon instead of easy clicks and views is a horror the Bible belt hasn't seen in eons. As the investigation pulls Elias further into the tunnel, it's not a matter of if he can solve the case, but whether he can pull himself away in time.

  • Jalyn Weston
    Director
    "Halloween: Campus Horrors"
  • Jalyn Weston
    Writer
    "Halloween: Campus Horrors" (writer)
  • Jalyn Weston
    Key Cast
    "Elias Stevenson"
    "Halloween: Campus Horrors" (The ETSU Michael Myers Guy)
  • Jackson Cochran
    Key Cast
    "Alex Avery"
  • Michael Waters
    Key Cast
    "Isiah Sensabaugh"
    "Golem" (Kurt), "The Cardinal Sinner" (The Monk)
  • Kirkland Dunn
    Also Starring
  • Hope Krell
    Also Starring
  • MJ Bryant
    Also Starring
  • Joshua Lively
    Executive Producer
    "Golem" (Director of Photography), "The Cardinal Sinner" (Director)
  • Jordon Clem
    Director of Photography
    "Golem" (Director of Photography), "Halloween: Campus Horrors" (Director of Photography), "Beachball Bestie" (Camera Operator)
  • Samuel F Johanns
    Music
  • Jordon Clem
    Producer
    "Golem" (Director of Photography), "Halloween: Campus Horrors" (Director of Photography), "Beachball Bestie" (Camera Operator)
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 5, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - East Tennessee State University
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Highlands Horrorfest 2025
    Jonesborough, TN
    United States
    October 11, 2025
    Best Student Film
  • Tennessee Film Nights 2026
    Johnson City
    United States
    March 24, 2026
Director Biography - Jalyn Weston

Jalyn Weston, (Sweetwater, Tennessee, 2002) grew up with the love of creating art, no matter the medium. With his work, it has gone places like Nashville, TN and Washington D.C., he would work on any medium or artform he had access to, including paints, sketching, 3D modeling in both physical and computer-generated senses, and cosplay.

Weston has performed multiple roles in filmmaking, starting with his first major short film and directorial debut, "Halloween: Campus Horrors," where he reprised his real life persona, the ETSU Michael Myers Guy, as well as put together the VFX and editing. The film was selected in 2024's Highlands Horrorfest - and before 2025's "O' Black Water," he has taken on even more roles, like cam op, sound designer, special effects designer, and starred in other shorts and student projects.

He, alongside Jordon Clem - cinematographer of both of Weston's directed films ("Halloween: Campus Horrors" and "O' Black Water") is a key collaborator for Clem's production company, Wheely Good Productions.

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Director Statement

"I think when creating, you always try to get or find something out of other people, even if sometimes the work you make could be just for yourself. That collaboration and that excitement is what, to me, makes the process all the more enjoyable. So, if I make something scary, or sad, or whimsical, no matter what I make - because I want to make all kinds of stuff - and I get to see how people react, that makes my process worth it."