Still Dark
A young man lives in a derelict East London council flat alone, with only the things he hears and reads for company amidst the claustrophobia. His daily routine and reason behind it, which at first seems harmless, only becomes clear as he descends into a state of madness, along with his shocking intentions.
The film is a comment on the negative influence of the media and society in creating paranoia and racial tension in modern-day London.
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Patrick NichollsWriter, Director & Producer
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Robert AnsellKey Cast
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Deepu JamesKey Cast
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Maya MarkelleKey Cast
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Jacapo NardonDirector of Photography
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Sam RolfeEditor, Colourist & Script Supervisor
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Ivan EastleySound Recordist, Designer & Mixer
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Caitlin BlackCasting Directors
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Emma LindleyCasting Directors
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Lucy EarleyProps Master & Catering
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Katie WellerStills Photographer
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Neo-Noir, Psychological Thriller
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Runtime:13 minutes 1 second
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Completion Date:July 31, 2016
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Production Budget:1,600 GBP
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Country of Origin:United Kingdom
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Country of Filming:United Kingdom
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:2.35:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Austin Revolution Film FestivalAustin, Texas
United States
July 5, 2017
Semi-Finalist -
Los Angeles CineFestLos Angeles
United States
January 14, 2017
Semi-Finalist -
Bucharest ShortCut CineFestBucharest
Romania
October 5, 2016
Official Selection
Born and raised in Moston, Manchester, Patrick wrote, directed, and produced three short films on black & white 16mm film in New York City, while studying abroad in the US for his degree in 2014 (graduated from University of Nottingham in 2015).
Whilst having previously worked at Metrodome, Feel Films and for a BFI short film ‘Middle Passage’, his first directorial effort since moving back to the UK came in the form of brooding psychological thriller short Still Dark, which he also wrote and produced.
Recently, he has just wrapped on his next short film, an existential dark comedy that he had written and directed entitled 'Teaching A Whore About Romance'.
The concept of 'Still Dark' approaches our modern society through the eyes of a growingly disturbed and impressionable young man. The darkness of which he refers isn’t necessarily that of physical darkness, but that of the way in which he sees our current social climate. The film explores the psychological effect that has on people.
The film came from the present day hostilities, in which I feel we are overpowered by paranoia and fear, cultivated by the media and the insecurities that politicians and opportunists exemplify. After frequent reports of a rise in hate crime in the wake of the EU referendum result and 'Brexit' in the UK, shortly after the completion of 'Still Dark', it is a tragic reminder of what this dangerous fear can do.