Experiencing Interruptions?

The Art of Waking Up

A psychological horror about a man battling his inner demons, who is forced to take a journey into his own mind. The fictional short film explores three stages relating to altered states of consciousness (astral projection, lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis).

  • Tomaso Luongo
    Director
  • Tomaso Luongo
    Writer
  • Ethan Jordine
    Writer
  • Leonard Kuhn
    Producer
  • William Furriello
    Key Cast
    "Tim"
  • Rachel Elizabeth Smith
    Key Cast
    "Kate"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Horror, Psychological Horror
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 21 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 13, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Westminster
Director Biography - Tomaso Luongo

I'm a creative practitioner from Suffolk, UK looking to work on new projects and contribute to new ideas. My attitude to the arts has always been driven by an interdisciplinary focus. My interests in film roles cover writing, directing and composing - I also have work experience in video editing, and photography. My previous filmmaking credits include the sci-fi puppetry pilot 'Rogue Element', and music videos for rapper Bxrbarian.

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Director Statement

For ‘Waking Up’, which I worked on for my final year university project and have since re-edited for festivals, me and my group set out to make a fictional short film that explores the concept of altered states of consciousness in relation to mental health. In the film, our protagonist Tim isn’t enjoying life, struggling to find happiness, and is being haunted by the ‘Monster’, a manifestation of his inner demons. As a group, we aimed to engage with the project in a creative way by making the film a really immersive experience, through which we see the story through Tim’s perspective. This included utilising elements such as POV. The idea for the film is influenced by experiences of mental health young people have faced due to the pandemic, and also the addictive effects of technology. It is a story I personally wanted to tell as it is inspired by experiences I’ve had, and many other people too, with being isolated, and the journey for self-acceptance and happiness. If there’s something I want people to learn from ‘Waking Up’, it’s that the key to overcoming the problems you’re running away from is inside of you, you just have to learn how to unlock it.