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Were

Were is a dark, tense and atmospheric horror short about three girls camping in the woods who are approached by a somewhat sinister stranger.

  • Julie Robinson
    Director
    "Death, Interrupted", "Me Time", "Refuweegee", "Finding Maggie's", "Socks & Shoes Off"
  • Julie Robinson
    Writer
    "Death, Interrupted", "Me Time", "Accidents Happen"
  • Julie Robinson
    Producer
    "Death, Interrupted", "Me Time", "Accidents Happen", "Refuweegee", "Finding Maggie's", "Socks & Shoes Off"
  • Rhona MacKay
    Key Cast
    "Breath", "Serving The Community"
  • Lara McBride
    Key Cast
    -
  • Serena Doran
    Key Cast
    "Subject 7", "Scrotal Recall"
  • Alan Symington
    Key Cast
    "Burns Night"
  • James Kerr
    Key Cast
    "Death, Interrupted"
  • Gary Fyfe
    Key Cast
    "Death, Interrupted"
  • Allan Brown
    Director Of Photography
  • Jenn Ruxton
    Sound & Music
    "Me Time", "Death, Interrupted"
  • Julian Robinson
    Practical & Special Make Up Effects
    "Death, Interrupted", "Me Time", "Accidents Happen"
  • Jacquie Bruin
    Make-Up Artist & Creature Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Horror, Black Comedy
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 10, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Ultra High Definition
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Jennifer's Bodies for Women In Horror Month
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    February 19, 2017
    World
  • Glasgow Horror Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    November 4, 2017
  • Blueprint Scottish Independent Shorts
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    January 11, 2018
Director Biography - Julie Robinson

I grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, and moved down to Glasgow at the age of 18. I got my BEng Hons in Electronics with Music at Glasgow University in July 2000, then in September of that same year, started a Traineeship at BBC Scotland as a Vision Engineer. I worked my way up to Lighting Vision Supervisor, where I continue to work Part-Time, whilst looking after my two children.

In my limited spare time between work and kids, I run Jumbled Up Productions, through which I enjoy working on various film projects with friends and colleagues. They are all made in my own time, with my own pocket money and an awful lot of favour pulling.

In 2012, I began making films by writing, producing and scoring the black comedy "Accidents Happen". I followed this up in 2017 by writing, directing, producing and editing the short horror film "Were", and the same roles again for short horror film "Me Time" in 2018. I have also produced and directed several documentaries, including "Socks & Shoes off" in 2015, plus "Refuweegee", "Paired Reading" and "Finding Maggie's" in 2018. My latest short "Death, Interrupted" is in the final stages of Post-Production and should be released later in 2020.

I also run a Karate class for all ages at Tora Black Belt Academy, and an Educational Award Winning Film-Making class at my local primary school, for kids aged 8-11. We have so far completed 5 short films that have been screened in front of the school and local dignitaries.

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Director Statement

"Were" was a passion project right from the very beginning, and at every turn was intended to be subversive.

As a lover of the horror genre, and an avid watcher of short films, I was becoming weary of the emerging trope whereby a film would have a long creepy build, provide a jump scare reveal and then immediately run credits. I wanted to use that now familiar format. To start with a slow, creepy tension burner, but then right at the point of reveal when my audience would be expecting me to run credits, provide the most over the top bloody gore fest that my minscule budget would allow, in the hope of leaving the audience bemused and with their jaws left wide open.

As a huge fan of the Werewolf genre, I knew that with a tiny budget I had very little chance of competing, parodying or properly paying homage to many of my favourite transformations, so I chose to go for something that I hoped would be a little different - a very quick change done through close-ups, hoping that we could ride the audiences' surprised reactions at the sudden turn of events, and pummel them with the bloody onslaught before they had a chance to catch their breath.

As well as turning the expected format of a low budget horror short on it's head, I also wanted to play with the idea of the expected female victims becoming empowered bad guys, and I really wanted to make that power moment enjoyable. I made sure to convey that to my actresses and convinced them to have fun with it... to properly run with it and relish every moment of their gruesome finale, and they certainly did! I also chose not to have the male victims scream as I wanted it all to be so fast that they didn't have time to. And so that the audience could hear every choke, slash and gurgle very clearly.

For the look of the film, I wanted to go with something somewhat surreal. To have an almost comic book-like blue moonlight contrasting with the warm tones of the fire, and for the appearance of each of the men to be in the deepest blues and blacks. As soon as I spoke about Comic Books, my DOP Allan and Creature Designer Jacqui both knew exactly what I was looking for, and both delivered beautifully.

"Were" was my first attempt at Directing a narrative film and I feel that every aspect of it - from the tongue in cheek tone and the subversive twists, to the vivid colouring and the strong female roles - encapsulates everything about my voice as a film-maker and a person. For the size of the budget and the limited time that we had to shoot, I am very proud of this short film, indeed.