About the film
"There was a man in the sun..."
Darkness is the eighteenth short by Wingless Films, and was released in September 2011. Initially intended as a prelude to the Sunrise series, Darkness is a visual narrative with a voice-over set in a post-apocalyptic world.
The film was originally pitched as a post-apocalyptic setting in which the last source of light was a single match, kept by the narrator. It was decided to tie the story in to the proposed Sunrise series, and was expanded to include references to the death of the sun, and the story of the Star Child. However, with the series put on hold, the would-be prelude remains as a stand-alone film.
The story was influenced by Lord Byron's poem "Darkness"—explicitly referenced in dialogue with parallels to the prayers for light and burning homes as beacons—and the short story "A Pail of Air" by Fritz Leiber. The reference to "nuclear habitats in America and Iceland" was based on research suggesting that humans could survive in nuclear- or geothermal-powered habitats were the sun to go out. Iceland, already using geothermal energy to heat homes, would be a prime location for such habitats. The story of the man in the sun was intended as a direct reference to Sunrise, and the loss of a father was an indirect reference to events in that narrative.
The figure of the Star Child was shot on greenscreen in Plymouth, played by Tom Menary, who also provided the voiceover, which was recorded in Bridgwater on 21st August, 2011. Jim Elton created the visual effects; a single-shot sequence showing the Star Child appearing in the star, which then fades to darkness. He also stood in for the narrator's character for the final shot, in which the match is lit.
The original score for Darkness was composed by Tom Menary. Comprised of a single instrumental cue playing for the duration of the film, the music is largely strings-based, and shifts between several themes as it progresses. As the project was intended as a prelude to Sunrise, the music featured was based on themes created for that series. When the narrator speaks about his father, "The Father's Theme" is heard, followed by the project's main theme as the "man in the sun" is mentioned. The end titles are also underscored by a variation of this theme. "The Father's Theme" was later reprised for the soundtrack to Petriarch.
Darkness was released on 16th September, 2011.
The film was originally pitched as a post-apocalyptic setting in which the last source of light was a single match, kept by the narrator. It was decided to tie the story in to the proposed Sunrise series, and was expanded to include references to the death of the sun, and the story of the Star Child. However, with the series put on hold, the would-be prelude remains as a stand-alone film.
The story was influenced by Lord Byron's poem "Darkness"—explicitly referenced in dialogue with parallels to the prayers for light and burning homes as beacons—and the short story "A Pail of Air" by Fritz Leiber. The reference to "nuclear habitats in America and Iceland" was based on research suggesting that humans could survive in nuclear- or geothermal-powered habitats were the sun to go out. Iceland, already using geothermal energy to heat homes, would be a prime location for such habitats. The story of the man in the sun was intended as a direct reference to Sunrise, and the loss of a father was an indirect reference to events in that narrative.
The figure of the Star Child was shot on greenscreen in Plymouth, played by Tom Menary, who also provided the voiceover, which was recorded in Bridgwater on 21st August, 2011. Jim Elton created the visual effects; a single-shot sequence showing the Star Child appearing in the star, which then fades to darkness. He also stood in for the narrator's character for the final shot, in which the match is lit.
The original score for Darkness was composed by Tom Menary. Comprised of a single instrumental cue playing for the duration of the film, the music is largely strings-based, and shifts between several themes as it progresses. As the project was intended as a prelude to Sunrise, the music featured was based on themes created for that series. When the narrator speaks about his father, "The Father's Theme" is heard, followed by the project's main theme as the "man in the sun" is mentioned. The end titles are also underscored by a variation of this theme. "The Father's Theme" was later reprised for the soundtrack to Petriarch.
Darkness was released on 16th September, 2011.
Credits
"...and he walked away."
Cast
- The Narrator (voice) / Star Child .... Tom Menary
- The Son .... Jim Elton
- Creator/director, camera operator, sound recorder, visual effects artist, editor .... Jim Elton
- Scriptwriter, editor, composer .... Tom Menary
Links
"I'm going to go outside."
