Private Project

The Bomb

WINNER at Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival, and London Independent Film Festival - please see awards sections for details.

The year is 2039. Great Britain and Europe are now separated since leaving the European Union in 2020 AD.
Britain has been amassing armies and power for its own protection.
The terrorist group Liberté are causing havoc across Great Britain and the United States.
Britain and Europe are poised for a possible war.
In this political climate, certain operatives are called upon to work for the Sentient Bomb Disposal Unit.
Due to the rise in technology, explosive devices and weapons of mass destruction are equipped with intelligent holographic protection units that can protect the explosive device on its discovery, and dissuade anyone trying to disarm it, by looking into the person's memory and duplicating a character from their past. This should stop them from getting close enough to stop it counting down.
The sentient bomb disposal expert must be trained in both psychology and advanced electronics devices to be able to perform their job. Normally ex military, they are forced or coerced into a vital role of trying to stop these units from being effective.
Dave Walker is such an operative, and although hardened in pyscho- warfare and bomb disposal even he did not expect the level of personal grief that he would be exposed to in his attempt to outwit an intelligent holographic unit that is constructed to destroy the city.
This is the story of the day he met his match.

  • Martin Richards
    Director
  • Martin Richards
    Writer
  • Robert Ansell
    Key Cast
    "Dave Walker"
    Curse of the Witch's Doll, Rotten Retail
  • Claire Carreno
    Key Cast
    "Hologram Claire"
    Curse of the Witch's Doll, Jurassic Predator
  • Chris Brady
    Key Cast
    "Head of Operations SBDU"
    Never Ending,
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Sci-Fi, Drama
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 6, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival
    Miami
    United States
    March 22, 2019
    North American Premiere
    WINNER - BEST THRILLER/HORROR and also WINNER - Honorable Mention for VFX
  • London Independent Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    April 12, 2019
    United Kingdom Premiere
    WINNER - Third Best Short 2019
  • Lift Off Manchester Film Festival
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    March 13, 2019
    North England Premiere
    Members Nights Presentation
  • SHORT TO THE POINT Festival
    Bucharest
    Romania
    March 31, 2019
    Eastern Europe Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Lift Off New York Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    June 17, 2019
    Online Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Scandinavian International Film Festival
    Helsinki
    Finland
    August 9, 2019
    Scandinavian Premiere
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • LIFT OFF - Vimeo
    Country: United States
    Rights: Video on Demand
Director Biography - Martin Richards

After studying for a Degree in Video Arts at Kent Institute of Art and Design, Martin went on to be a runner in Soho, and then from offline to online Editor. He went on to be a runner on 'Milk', Sky's first funded feature film in the UK. He then worked for Wiltshire Police Force in the video department filming murder cases, reconstructions, filming from helicopters, and using video technology to assist in crime analysis. After a short stint as a Forensic Analyst for a private firm in Chambers London, he then worked freelance as a graphics operator for TV while attending a second Degree in Film Production.
After this he worked for the Discovery Channel, the Disney Channel and Sky Television as a Transmission Controller while always writing scripts. He has recently completed a postgraduate course at the National Film and Television School in camerawork.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This film originated as a show reel piece for the main actress in the film, from a cooperative film group. It began as a play on the movie Dark Star, and the idea of talking to a thinking bomb. Sensing it had parallels with terrorist activities and ISIS suicide bombers originating from Syria at the time, a deeper script presented itself instead and the piece was extended from three minutes to just over 14 mins, due to persistence and the will to see it come to light.
The film group got involved over a two and a half day shoot. As the piece was written and story boarded, and organised with a 1st AD and cameraman to a very fine degree, it was not the filming that was hard (with some obvious hold ups, like an illegal church gathering striking up above us half way through a days filming). The real struggle was to take the footage from being filmed to creating believable effects to match it. An odyssey of hard work to finally craft a piece of futuristic film poetry,