Rob Munday
Originality is one of the core qualities we seek in our Short of the Week selections, yet as Managing Editor, I often wonder if our curation truly live up to this standard. Genuine originality in filmmaking is rare, yet in a format mostly free from commercial constraints, shouldn’t we expect short films to push creative boundaries even further? If you’re craving something truly unique in your short film experience, today’s pick – Space Plug by Marcus Anthony Thomas (The Retreat) – delivers exactly that.
The story of a young boy growing up in a blank white room suspended in the vastness of space. Thomas wrote the script “very quickly” after completing a 16-month shadowing experience on Season 1 of House of the Dragon. Inspired by the show’s intricate world-building, and after attending numerous design and VFX meetings, the NFTS graduate set out to create a short that would be both “surprising and visually arresting.”
The film follows this stranded child from baby to young adult.
Speaking to Short of the Week, the director shared that he was careful not to “overthink anything” while writing the script, using each redraft “as an opportunity to see how far [he] could take it.” Determined to “remove self-censorship” and “break the conventions” he had learned about short filmmaking, Space Plug became his attempt at a storytelling rebellion – a chance to experiment and push creative boundaries.
And push boundaries it does. Shot in stark black and white and entirely without dialogue, the film quickly establishes its surreal tone with the introduction of the alien, worm-like creatures that nurture the boy, hinting at the bizarre journey Space Plug will take. Thomas admits he wasn’t overly concerned if viewers fully “get it,” though he hopes it leaves plenty to “sit, ponder, and talk about.” Describing his short as “pure visual storytelling,” he adds that he believe this is a “story that can only be told through this medium.”
“There’s a window that looks out into space for the duration of the film, is that VFX?” – Thomas discussing one of the many challenges of his production.
With countless elements to manage – the space setting, zero gravity, creatures emerging from walls, and working with child actors – Thomas relied on a skilled team to bring his ambitious vision to life. Shooting in black and white also proved challenging, as the director explains:
“We had to do quite a bit of testing with all of the materials that were in the film to hit the right level of contrast. This meant Sehar Kidwai our production designer providing various shades of vomit and urine ahead of time. Our costume and prosthetics guys Sophia Denny, Eve Kann and RedGirl FX providing various skin tones for the creature and there was a lot of precise work from our DoP Sonja Huttunen to work out the direction and placement of the ‘Space Plug’ itself to motivate the light and VFX in each scene”.
Space Plug was obviously an intense production, one that would have tested Thomas’ craft and commitment every day. The filmmaker credits mentor Nick Rowland (Slap, Group B) for helping him get through the process, his advice – “whenever things are going badly or I’m finding things difficult when making a film, I tell myself that this is exactly what I asked for, then I carry on” – providing vital motivation. A striking, distinctive, and unforgettable short, Space Plug showcases the remarkable talents of Thomas and his producer Jordi Morera. With two features film in development, it’s certainly an exciting time for the pair.