Toc-Toc (2016)
Joa pasa la noche sola en casa, cuando la puerta empieza a tocar. Desde adentro del apartamento. En un quinto piso.
Toc-Toc (Knock-Knock) was something a bit more experimental. The concept was born from a Facebook post from friend, model and collaborator, Izasha (of whom you can find several sets on this very website) where she was completely freaking out because she heard knocking coming from the door across from her room. From inside the room. Behind a locked door. On a 7th floor. She then proceeded to freak out on social media and the rest is history.
As funny as it was, it got me thinking, what if there really is something there?” So I asked her permission to base a story off her post and I got writing.
While writing, I decided to challenge myself and add an element of digital visual effects… Something very far from my area of expertise. I decided to make most of the dialogue happen via text messaging, which would pop up on-screen in a similar mode to how they were presented in Netflix’s House of Cards. It was a painstaking endeavor, and if I may be honest, it didn’t quite turn out the way I originally envisioned. While the visual effect itself looked OK enough, and the actors did a great job (particularly Rosamarie, my former student, who was a complete rookie and knocked it out of the park) the timing was completely off. I made the of timing how long it took Rosamarie to write each text, slowed down the pacing considerably. I guess it’s another case of live and learn.
However, the kind folks at the Puerto Rico Horror Film Fest took a liking to the concept we presented and included the short film in their 2016 catalogue. Most importantly, I learned a lot during this production… Not just about digital effects, but about something much more important; pacing.
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