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The Witching Hour

One October night in a small radio station, an "old-time-radio" horror play becomes a terrifying reality for an unsuspecting DJ.

  • Graham Burrell
    Director
  • Graham Burrell
    Writer
  • Graham Burrell
    Producer
  • Jake Erickson
    Key Cast
    "Ben Bradley"
  • Gabe Walsh-Shore
    Key Cast
    "Johnny Harrison (Voice)"
  • Josh Cooperman
    Key Cast
  • Gabe Walsh-Shore
    Crew
  • Josh Cooperman
    Crew
  • Naida Urena
    Crew
  • Uriel Salazar
    Crew
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 6, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    100 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Muhlenberg College
Director Biography - Graham Burrell

Graham Burrell is a Philly-based filmmaker who has had a deep passion for the craft ever since he was old enough to say the word “camera.” Burrell solidified his drive for filmmaking when he was only in the third grade and he won his first film festival at the age of twelve. Throughout his high school and collegiate career, Burrell created countless short films and won numerous festivals; he graduated with a double major in Film Studies and Media and Communication and a minor in Philosophy from Muhlenberg College in 2021. Since then, Burrell has worked as a Video Producer for a company outside of Philadelphia and devotes every second of his free time to creative passion projects. He has over a decade of filmmaking experience and has written, directed, and edited over 25 short films and one feature-length film. These films have been accepted into festivals over 40 times and have won over 20 different awards. He has currently garnered over 6 million views online, has films available both on Amazon Prime and DVD/Blu-Ray through Amazon, and has been contacted by educators across the globe for permission to incorporate his films into their curriculum. His daily passion continues to be creating stories that are both entertaining and meaningful.

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Director Statement

Several years ago, I discovered “old time radio” horror plays from the 1930s and ‘40s, and I have utterly fallen in love ever since. I spent countless hours listening to classic episodes of radio dramas including Lights Out, Suspense, and Quiet, Please!, and I was shocked at how engrossing and genuinely disturbing these stories are--especially for being over three-quarters of a century old. Ultimately, I decided that I had to craft a film to serve as an homage to these stories I have come to revere. In the fall of 2019, I initially wrote The Witching Hour as a short story, and proceeded to shoot and edit the entirety of film with a crew of 2 people and all within the span of a mere 5 days in order to meet a self-imposed deadline of creating a new short film prior to Halloween. I was happy with the product but largely ignored it until earlier this year, when I decided to do a significant re-edit. I massively altered the film, trimming it down by several minutes and creating a taught, thrilling experience that I am incredibly proud of. I hope that the final product will keep you on the edge of your seat, while clearly conveying the love I have for “old time radio.” Thank you for your time and your consideration.