PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Weight of Guilt is an all-new, animated short film from Justin Bourne Boring and Tracy Allen’s SameDamnBrain Productions. It’s a five-minute peek into the mind of a weary, human survivor and his faithful dog as they navigate a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The vignette is the first incarnation of a larger story the team is developing into a digital comic. SameDamnBrain hooked me up with an advanced look at the short film and asked me for my opinion on the project. I was happy to oblige!
Read on for my short film review!
Weight of Guilt (2022) Synopsis
Weight of Guilt is an animated horror short about the journey of a single man and his canine friend as they travel through the apocalypse of the undead and their ghosts.
Joseph Daniel Rodriguez (Ghost of the Deadlands) directed the film from a story by Tracy Allen (Seasons). It stars Bill Oberst Jr. (3 From Hell, Circus of the Dead) and Marisa Duran (Requiem of the Rose King).
Here’s a look at the official poster art!
What’s To Like?
I really enjoy the animation style of this film. It’s elegant in its simplicity but gets much more detailed and complex when the scene calls for it. There are some really nifty shots scattered throughout with a great deal of subtle detail that really hits home. The particle FX (snow and smoke and sparks) are particularly well done. I also like the fact that there’s almost always something in the foreground, which grounds the shots and gives them a much greater immersiveness and depth of field.
Landing Bill Oberst Jr. to voice the main character is a major coup for a small, indie production like this. His gravelly, weathered tones match the character perfectly and add a new dimension to a man who’s obviously been through Hell and back.
The soundtrack is AMAZING. Oh my gosh, I love it so much. I would love to have an isolated .mp3 of the score. It’s haunting and powerful. Serious kudos to composer Dorian Britton.
What’s Not To Like?
Very few complaints, to be honest. The opening monologue is a little rough, only because it’s a very complicated string of really descriptive sentences. I have no doubt it reads just fine on the printed page, but it was a little awkward to hear it spoken aloud due to the complexity of the language. It’s a minor quibble, really, as the dialogue quickly evens out and sounds much more natural.
My only other gripe might be that I wanted to see more of this wasteland and its inhabitants. I’d very much like to see an expanded version of this story set in this universe. I imagine that’s what they’ll be going for in the upcoming digital comic. Count me in. I look forward to seeing what else they have in store for Bill and his furry, four-legged companion.
Weight of Guilt – Final Thoughts
Weight of Guilt is a dark slice of post-apocalyptic Heaven set in a Hell on Earth. I really enjoyed the look and feel of the film and I’m impressed with the production value achieved by such a small team. This was also music to my ears…literally! I can’t say enough good things about the film’s musical score.
Thanks to SameDamnBrain Productions for giving me an early look at your indie film. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what you do with the animated comic!
Watch the short below from the SameDamnBrain YouTube Channel!
