Through the eyes of a young film crew, the story of the Bleach Butcher - William Harris - a serial killer from the 1980s is told. His victims, unsuspecting and innocent, suffered unimaginable cruelty, yet despite countless efforts to hunt him down, he shockingly dies, ablaze in a warehouse fire. His legend and abrupt death leads the filmmakers to create a biopic, involving one of his victims Joseph Campbell. However, their experience retelling this horrific tale is marred by a seemingly supernatural force, halting their progress; and perhaps testing their true intentions.
Inspired by BBC’s “Ghost watch” and the 2018 Halloween special of “Inside No.9”, among other things, we want to make use of the deliberate distortion and corruption of video and audio files, along with non-linear storytelling and abrupt scene transitions to create a unique style that leans into the idea that something other than the filmmakers are now controlling the broadcast.
This film has four different camera types, each for a different purpose. The first camera is the camera that the fictional film is being shot on. This should look cinematic, with relatively high quality. The film should look amateur, with occasional overexposure and uninteresting lighting, shot handheld, or on a shoulder rig. The next type, the security cameras, should be of very low quality. Washed out colours, interlaced, and timecoded.
The third type, camera phone footage, should be consistent with current phone camera quality. High quality, but due to no manual controls, is consistently under or over-exposed. The final type is an old 80s video camera. This camera type should be consistent with most home video footage from that period. Very shaky whenever handheld, ripples of white noise rising up the screen, and timecoded.
As for Art Design, the 'horror-house' would be derelict, old and messy. This would simulate the murderer's location and it will be important to be authentic to achieve a believable result. For the other locations, we will simulate an audition room and a student's bedroom, keeping the tone warm and cosy; in contrast to the dark and cold tone of the previous location. Costumes for all characters will be consistent with the appropriate period; Freddie and Ben being the contemporary counterparts to William and Joseph respectively.
Obsession and morbid interest are the main themes of this film; inspired by the recent trend of serial killer dramas, their unethical productions, and their virality online, such as Conversations with a killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019), and Dahmer – Monster (2022). These television shows were seemingly made with little care for those affected by the actual events, with Dahmer specifically being made without the consent or knowledge of the families of the victims portrayed in the show, along with the portrayal of their gruesome deaths. This is paired with the fact that following these shows, the killers in question gained positive online attention, a disturbing side-effect of the television shows portrayal of them as charismatic and mysterious, yet one that shows no sign of disappearing.
Every donation makes a big difference to realising our goal with this film. Funds will be used to source appropriate locations, professional cast and authentic Art Design. Below is a brief summary of where your money would be going. Admittedly, while we're trying to make a good film, we also want to keep our crew safe and ready for the shoot everyday, so every extra cent puts a smile on a tired filmmaker.
DIRECTOR:
Jack Elliott
Surrounded by art from a young age, Jack has always had a deep love for Creative Storytelling. Be it learning music, or taking acting lessons or watching films, his open-minded nature, willing to take on any and every challenge to tell his story, led him onto the path of filmmaking; perhaps just another medium, but it was one he chose, inspired by the ever extending boundaries of visual storytelling.
"I also grew up in the age of internet horror, and I was obsessed with it. While works on the internet varied in quality, the great ones just had an edge you couldn't find in the theatre. I always wanted to contribute to this culture in some way and with this project, we all have an opportunity to do it. My aim with this film, since I started developing it in 2019, is to bring that unconventional edge to the big screen."
PRODUCER
Myles Kamaria
Specialising in Production Management, understanding the importance of organisation and teamwork when working on projects, Myles was almost subconsciously drawn to Producing. However, over the numerous projects he has been a part of during and before his time at Arts University Bournemouth, he has grown to understand that the story is always at the forefront, growing an appreciation for all the people that make stories what they are and always giving a platform for such people and such stories to thrive.
"I was drawn to this film because of the experimental nature that the story was being told in. I really appreciate boundary pushers and I am excited to be a part of the project."
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Sky McIntyre
In her time at Arts University Bournemouth, Sky has worked numerous short films, whether as a Director or a Cinematographer, tempering her skills and gaining a greater appreciation for visual storytelling. Her meticulous and expressive nature leads those around her to better their craft and create more meaningful art.
"Why did you decide to join this production? What really drew me to Bleach Blind Youth was that it follows the innovative film within a film concept and what's exciting about this film is that it plays with multiple levels, allowing more room for experimentation and imagination. It has elements of found footage films which tests you of what's real and what's fake. As DoP for this, I aim to elevate the authenticity and unsettling nature of this experimental horror, through the visuals."
GAFFER
Katie Hancock
A passionate cinematographer at heart, Katie's love for visual storytelling has been evident among the many projects she has been a part of during her time at Arts University Bournemouth. The ability for lighting to completely elevate the audience's experience in particular, has been a staple of her visual storytelling. As Head of Lighting, her talents will be on show through every frame.
"I am a massive horror fan, especially found footage style horrors. I am also a sucker for good lighting in film, and find it adds a lot to the experience. This is why I chose to be part of the Bleach Blind Youth crew as I am up for the challenge to light a piece of cinema like this and I am determined to make this film a success."
CAMERA OPERATOR
Tiger Omar-Ali Young
Always one for a challenge, Tiger was fascinated by the experimental cinematography that Bleach Blind Youth offered. As Camera Operator, she is excited for the opportunity to better her abilities as she coordinates the visual storytelling of the film.
"As a lover of horror I wanted to work on this film so that I can experience the other side of this genre that I love so much. As the camera operator I will be responsible for camera movements that the genre holds so dear which will also give me a chance to further my abilities and make something that I would enjoy"
EDITOR
Ben Yeadon
Admiring the art of editing, Ben has worked on numerous films during his time at Arts University Bournemouth. Now in his third year, he is drawn to colour grading, an aspect of post production he has always been drawn to. His experience will be invaluable to keep the tone of the final product horrific, yet authentic.
"I chose this film as it is a unique challenge to mould my editing style to compared to the more conventional style I've tuck to. I'm excited for the production and can't wait to get stuck into cutting the vision together."
EDITOR
Ricards Ozols
While the work of an Editor mostly comes after Production, Ricards passion extends far beyond that. An aspiring filmmaker with a passion for storytelling, his talents lie in his eye for creating immersive experiences through visuals and narratives.
"When I first leaned about this film, I was captivated by its unique vision. As one of the editors for the film, I find this project very exciting with the prospect of editing with glitch effects and experimenting with various different formats. With the cut in my and Ben's hands, you can be left assured that you'll get a thrilling viewing experience."
SOUND
George Merritt
George, Sound Recordist and Designer for Bleach Blind Youth is thrilled to bring his talents to the set. Drawn by the interesting concept and scope for the expansive soundscape, his creative expression through sound will definitely be heard.
"I love being on set and working with other departments and this film gives me the perfect opportunity to develop my skills. Horror is one of my favourite genres and I can't wait to get on set and do my bit to bring this film to life
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Jemima Picton
The ability to craft immersive worlds; spaces for characters to interact and explore is just a summary of the expansive sphere of Production Design. Jemima, ambitious when bringing these worlds to life, was drawn to Production Design by the ability for her designs to shed light on personal and important matters.
"I love how Production Design can bring a story to life. My passion for set design stems from my love for creating beautiful interior spaces, allowing people to feel comfortable in their own home. From meticulously designing sets to selecting props and costumes, every detail is just as important, big or small. It combines creativity, problem solving and collaboration which are things I love to do."
COSTUME DESIGNER
Casper Oskwarek
Casper is a Costume Designer and lead Breakdown Artist on Bleach Blind Youth. Currently in their final year at Arts University Bournemouth, the horror elements of Bleach Blind Youth immediately caught their eye, igniting a desire to push the creative boundaries of the film through their work.
"Working in costume I consider helping the viewer get an understanding of characters and setting to be my most important responsibility, which is why I enjoy working with filmmakers to help realise their visions."
COSTUME DESIGNER
Derin Uyguner
A 20th century fashion fanatic, Derin was thrilled with the opportunity to express her interests through the medium of Costume Design. Her experience working with period specific menswear, will especially be invaluable to bring the characters to life, while being authentic to the true nature of the themes we are discussing.
"Working on this film will be a great challenge with the different elements of period costuming and costume breakdown but one I am very excited to take on."
MAKE UP DESIGNER
Grace Clennell
Grace is the Make up Designer for Bleach Blind Youth and she is excited to take this opportunity to make a jump into the Film and TV industry. Her way with prosthetics with be crucial to bring authenticity through the screen.
"I wanted to work on this film as I am a huge horror film fan and love anything gory so working on this film is a great opportunity for me to get creative and produce lots of SFX make ups."
End of the page! Thank you for taking the time to read through all of this; your support really means the world to us. Stay tuned through this page and through our social media channels for updates throughout production.