Why did you make this film?

My whole life I’ve been hit with random instances of an intrusive thought where nails are scratching a chalkboard. It’s so terrifying and it got me thinking it could be a great idea for a horror film. I started researching the nails on a chalkboard sensation and found this fascinating information about primal human fears with certain auditory frequencies. I then discovered the Spanish word grima which describes this specific feeling and thought that’d be a great title. I then weaved this into a story about guilt and how if left unresolved the guilt can begin to manifest like a monster in our subconscious until it consumes our reality.

What was the hardest part about making this film?

Budget… You’re always under budget making a short film. I was truly lucky to have such an amazing cast and crew who believed in the project and was able to pull favors that allowed us to complete the project.

What’s a moment from production that stands out?

Getting the band back together. A lot of the cast and crew that worked on this had worked on my previous short films or commercials together and it was awesome to see how far we’ve all come and grown as filmmakers and friends.

How did you cast the actors?

I worked as the in house producer for the YouTube channel TalesVision and we worked with Monroe on several projects there. She was always incredible and I knew I wanted to work with her on one of my own projects, so once I finished this script and knew we were going into preproduction she was the first and only person I sent the script to for the role of Jen. She read it that day and we got coffee that week and she was in! Lynn and Brissa both auditioned for projects at TalesVision that didn’t end up going into production, but they were both so good I knew I had to work with them on something too. I sent them the script and they both were down and our cast was set. For the background actors, a mix of my friends, some crew, and some significant others of the crew agreed to come in for a few hours and helped us tremendously.

How did you land on the visual language?

I also met Larry, the DP, while working at TalesVision. He shot the hell out of everything we worked on there and we wanted to work together on a narrative short. I sent him my original lookbook and some horror movies from the 80s and early 2000s and we were on the same page. We decided to light the classroom scenes with overhead florescents and kind of stay away from what most people are doing these days to light classrooms. I think it gives the film a more unique look and calls back to those early 2000s horror films. Then for the bedroom scene we went pretty dark, which was risky, but I think looks real nice and creates a good juxtaposition for the two locations in the film.

How is this film similar or different from past work?

This was the first straight horror short I’ve ever directed. I’ve always loved horror, but my past short films were both crime dramas. I think this was the biggest in scope budget and crew wise, but at the core is always about the main character.

What do you hope happens with this film?

I hope people see it and respond to it! Whether they like it or are repulsed by it, I hope it evokes some kind of reaction. I’d love to have it play at a few festivals or online platforms and then I’ll send it out to my industry connections, but I just hope there’s some people that genuinely connect with it. I’m writing the feature length version so I hope I can use this as the proof of concept and help tell the full story because there’s a lot left to tell.

Any advice for filmmakers making their next short?

Make stuff, make bad stuff and then get better each time. Start small and scale up. Use whatever resources you have. I think I made the mistake of thinking you need a lot of money and production value to stand out, but that takes too long to save or raise money. What you should focus on is telling an authentic story you care about from your point of view. Really develop the craft and your voice and make as much as you can. I believe quantity breads quality. Also, offer to trade services, learn a different skill, and work on other shorts. Try to find likeminded people who want to work with you and help on their projects. Lastly, don’t get caught up in the film festival circuit. It’s cool to screen your project with an audience and meet people, but use social media put your short on YouTube and just focus on the next one. And have fun!