Remotely-Shot Horror Short UNUSUAL ATTACHMENT Asks Us to Log-On to Doom!
Who says you can’t make a movie in quarantine?
Now streaming on June Gloom Productions’ Vimeo Page, Unusual Attachment is a comedically-tinged tale of terror about the dangers of looking for love in the digital landscape. Give it a spin embedded at the top of the article!
Synopsis:
When Hunter (Ben Baur) thinks he’s found…and lost…the love of his life on a sketchy video chat site, he scours the net to reunite with his missed connection…only to find something far worse in the process.
Created and shot entirely remotely, the short, which unfurls over an array of video calls, chats, and news broadcasts is a strangely relatable exposé on our reliance on technology as a modern means of connecting with one another.
Telling the story of a man who thinks he’s found…and lost…the love of his life on an otherwise sketchy video sex chat site, Unusual Attachment details what happens when his search for his missed connection turns up something far worse.
Written and directed by Michael Varrati (A Halloween Trick), Unusual Attachment initially began as an experiment in quarantine filmmaking before blossoming into a fully-realized project thanks to the encouragement of a network of creatives who weren’t content just sitting still at home.
“When the stay at home orders due to Covid-19 were issued, so many of us were at a loss,” Varrati says, “My natural response when I’m feeling listless is to make something, which is easier said than done when you can’t leave your home. When the idea occurred to me that we might be able to use the technology at our fingertips to create a story, I called my production partner Brandon Kirby and frequent cinematographer/visual effects wizard Andrew J. Ceperley to see if this was something we should even attempt…and they were immediately on board. From there, I began working on the script and reaching out to actors who I thought might be interested in joining us on a little filmmaking adventure. The response was overwhelming. We were able to build a cast and crew of remarkable artists spanning three different cities who weren’t willing to let a little thing like being stuck inside stop them from making a movie.”
Lead by queer cinema mainstay Ben Baur (The Office is Mine, Hunting Season), Unusual Attachment features an impressive cast of celebrated performers that includes Francisco Chacin (He Drinks), Danny Plotner (HBO’s Euphoria), Peter Stickles (Shortbus), Charles Chudabala (The Gallows Act II), Navaris Darson (The Other Two), Sean Doherty (The Lightning Thief – First International Tour), drag performer Meredeath (San Francisco’s Stereo Argento), and horror icon Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp). The short also features the voice talents of Lotti Pharriss Knowles (Chastity Bites) and Patrick Falvey (From Hell She Rises).
Admittedly, with such a strong, but scattered ensemble, shooting the piece was not without its challenges, considering that no one could be together in a room. However, it’s a hurdle that Unusual Attachment was able to overcome using modern technology.
“We found a way to still operate as a film set,” Varrati explains, “Both myself and my visual effects coordinator (Ceperley) would get on a video chat with each individual actor. We would work together to use whatever lighting and items they had in their homes to set up the shot, and then I’d direct them through the scene as if we were on a normal shoot. I know social media and online found footage films have been made in the past, but those had us as the disadvantage of still being able to have cast and crew together in most cases. We worked with what we had and managed to pull it off. We also owe a lot to all the roommates, spouses, and partners who became our de facto crew in each home to help set up. It was often experimental…but a nice return to the indie spirit of filmmaking.”
The result of that indie spirit is Unusual Attachment, an indie horror short for the lovelorn app generation. It’s a story about the digital landscape, our relationship to it, and how we live entire lives on our screens.
“I thought about the salacious aspects of that world,” Varrati says, “All the apps and sites people use for sex and love like Grindr or those video roulette sites. I saw the beauty, tragedy, comedy, and…yes…horror…of it all…and that’s what this story is about. That sometimes when you’re looking for something…something else might be looking for you. It’s a reminder to be careful who you get attached to out there.”
Unusual Attachment is written & directed by Michael Varrati, produced by Varrati, Brandon Kirby (I’m Fine, Is This a Date), and Andrew J. Ceperley (Narcos: Mexico), and features motion graphics, editing, and music by Ceperley, as well as graphic design work by Brendan Haley (Eastsiders).
What do you think of Unusual Attachment? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
