In this special edition of The Cinematic Schematic, When Shadows Lay Darkest writer/director Jacob Leighton Burns and Flint director/producer Chris Oz McIntosh join the show to talk about their new short films ahead of the Los Angeles premieres at the North Hollywood (NoHo) Cinefest.



When Shadows Lay Pays Homage to Another Type of Horror Filmmaker



Between Electric Nostalgia, Shifter, and a handful of other short films, Burns is no stranger to genre filmmaking. When Shadows Lay Darkest adds another subgenre to the filmmaker’s portfolio—giallo horror.



Burns reteams with his brother Zachary Burns(Hell Hath No Fury) and frequent collaborators Leah N.H. Philpott(also Hell Hath No Fury), Clinton Joseph, J. Alan Davidson, and producer Vinnie Hogan.



Flint Explores the Horrors of a Broken System For Teens



Chris Oz McIntosh came to Flint hot off the success of his short film Stick Up. Unlike the more relaxed energy of Stick Up, Flint leans more into the trappings of an intense David Fincher thriller. Enjoying the collaboration on his first short, he was excited to collaborate with other talented peers in the Oklahoma film industry (including Jacob Leighton Burns as the director of photography of Flint.) After running a successful Indie Go-Go campaign in 2022, the film brought on a larger crew and stars P.J. Sosko as Eric and Owen Trumbly as Scotty.



The film explores the experience of one teen confined to a rural group home. The short delivers a more intense, if memorable, story about predators and cycles of abuse. The film provides plenty to unpack, so we’ll leave it at that.



In his review, Daniel Bokemper said Flint delivers “a jarring look into a broken system where predators run rampant,” and continues “The film delivers a powerful villain without diffusing the real issues it sources.”







Both films will play at next weekend’s NoHo Cinefest at the LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale theater.







Special Guests







Jacob Leighton Burns



Writer/Director/Producer of When Shadows Lay Darkest



Director of Photography of Flint



Planet Thunder Productions