Tealight By Matt Taylor
A sensitive portrayal of battling one’s own demons.
This film is a great portrait of isolation and phobia, with many elements of a psychological thriller. It draws the viewer in and does not let go until the mystery is solved and the “tealight” wins over the forces of darkness in the protagonist’s own mind.
It is a well written script that moves the story along, shot in contrasting dark and light frames to bring home the idea of inner fear and its powerful grip on the main character.
We are introduced to Evelyn, and in the first few minutes, realize that she has a paralyzing fear of opening her front door. Through the dark shots, the soundtrack, and the emptiness of the house she lives in, we get a great sense of isolation, despair, fear, and loneliness. The actress playing the main role was very believable in her portrayal of the inner struggle of the character she was playing. She did embody the feelings of fear and desperation, and those of hope and courage.
This short film was done with great sensitivity and empathy towards the issue of a person coming to grips with grief, loss, fear, and the inner demons that are most often more potent than any external threats.
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Through the movie the only main point of light that comes into Evelyn’s life is through her cellular phone, and contact with a friendly and loving cousin. The film maker made it a point to contrast the dark and bleak shots in the house, with a bright and vivid telephone image coming through to shine a “tealight” on Evelyn’s life.
It is certainly and engaging visual feast that the film maker has created. He uses a lot of symbolism and subtle hints to make the viewer figure out the main character’s psychological state. Symbols such as the doll house, the tattoo, the globe keychain, etc.
All in all, this was an enjoyable short film with a message of compassion and reconciliation with one’s own fears and anxieties, and a message about how we all need someone to be that “tealight” in our times of darkness.
R.Barotta, Ph.D
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About Matt
Matt is an idealist writer/director committed to telling emotionally-driven stories of discovery using his own concoction of excitement and magic.
As the founder/creator of Taylor Made Media Productions, the writer/ producer of Transition (2018) and Best Film Award nominee at the International Filmmaker Festival (Amsterdam and London), Matt is well-versed in collaborating closely with his creative team focusing on creating emotional stories that excite audiences and reminds us of the movie magic we felt in our childhood.
Working with Matt has resulted in new feature film development with Solarus Films showcasing the North East and local talent, a dedicated and friendly videography service and a passionate educator who aims to equally develops others as well as his own skillset.
When this Creative and Media PGCE grad isn’t daydreaming about film, you can find him with his PlayStation escaping to distant worlds and sharing satirical memes to bring a smile to someone’s face.
