The Neighbor - AWARD WINNING Drama/Thriller Short Film
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ย. 2021
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From writer/director Graham Northrup, an Award-Winning short film in which a young man having a long-overdue conversation with his girlfriend becomes witness to something that will have him second-guessing his choices forever.
Visit Facebook.com/northrupstudios to see how Graham Northrup can help you fulfill your creative vision.
Winner: Award of Merit - Best Indie Short Film - Vegas Movie Awards June 2022
Principal Cast:
Eli Pettet - Levi
Sonya Meyer - Woman - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
![Yoshi Rinrada - 'มาทำไม' [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/r41xbfRLkLs/mqdefault.jpg)
An anonymous neighbor left a packet of spousal abuse information on my doorstep 25 years ago. It helped me to see that I was in an abusive relationship .I never knew exactly which neighbor it was so I was never able to thank them . But I did manage to get away from my abuser and get into therapy because someone noticed and cared enough to put the information I needed together for me.
When I see stories like this I am so grateful for whoever that was and so wish they knew how they changed my life.
Thanks for sharing Jennie! And thanks for watching.
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 Wow, that's amazing. I'm glad you took it to heart. Some people wouldn't. And good on your neighbor. :)
I am glad you were able to get out.
Abuse comes in many forms,even phycological abuse can be dangerous too,and when we come from broken families,we also end up with broken partners some how..🙏😔💟💙
Always listen to that little voice inside you that tells you that something is wrong. 9 times out of 10 its spot on. 😢😞
Amen!
Unless you're a bit paranoid, like me . . .
I lived with an untreated schizophrenic for 12 years, 8 of them as a minor. It was hell. I missed about 1 out of 2 school days and was miserable as sin when I was present, and nobody ever did anything to help me. Like ask whether I have problems at home. All I got from teachers is hateful comments like "if you want to ruin your life, go ahead". Most people are jerks.
When I was 9yrs old my mom helped a neighbor escape from domestic violence, a big risk for my mom if the woman’s husband were to find out but that was how my mom was. She didn’t think through the risks when it came to helping someone.
That was very considerate of your mother. A mother to be proud of too. Many can't leave because they have no where to go.
What a selfish bitc
The porch full of dead flowers. That was very telling. We did'nt know that a relative was being abused by her partner until her neighbour called the police to check on her. It basically saved her life.
Glad they were looking out for her!
she's dead. What are you talking about???????
@@richardadesmond I'm talking about my relative, a real person, not the woman in the film. Its an anecdote....
When I was a little girl we rented a house next to a domestic abuse situation. You could hear it at night. My parents never did anything because we were poor and we couldn’t just leave. The man was really scary too. One day thank God she got her kids and left and never came back. Glad she made it out alive.
Thank you for sharing, and thanks for watching!
That sounds very realistic if someone is ever in a bad situation it is understandable they escape away far away, ask neighbors for support when the abuser is not around, call the police, buy a hidden camera to catch the abuser red handed or scream for help, but never accept the situation and go along with it this makes no sense and is pretty much suicidal
Your film had me on the edge of my seat guessing the outcome for this young man. What a marvelous film with a strong message for all of us who don't want to get involved. Nicely done. Actually, this has left me breathless.
Thank you, Roger! I'm glad you found it meaningful. We enjoyed exploring the themes as a cast and crew. We hope to continue that conversation with viewers like yourself!
That little voice is rarely wrong. We just don’t listen to it enough.
Well done. No one should have to put up with spousal abuse.
Thanks for watching!
Call the police to investigate. Would leave the third party with a clear conscience.
This was excellent. It had me hooked from the start. The dead flowers on the porch was foreshadowing. 🥀🥀 If you see something, say something!!
Thanks, Clarissa!
yes because everyone who doesn’t have a home & gardens porch they’re likely abusive.
@@lone-welf Sorry for you that you took it that way. You don't have to be bitter just because you're alone.
Just want to share that if you suspect someone might be in danger, you can ask the police if they can do a "well check" where they come to the house and check if things are alright or not. ❤ Love this film, we really should go with our gut instinct, if everything ends up not being something, it still shows you're a caring neighbor, and if there is something going on, asking the police to just check on your neighbor, it's something commonly done in every city, as far as I know. ❤
You're absolutely right. Thank you for the comment and thanks for watching!
This film has excellent tone, Mr. Northrup. The camework, the soundtrack, the setting: it's all there. The pacing is just right and I love the sense of anticipation you create throughout the film. One minor criticism is that I kind of sensed that the main actor was acting, so that occasionally took me out of the world you were creating for us. Otherwise, kudos!
A simple 911 call. A call. Gutsy to ring teh doorbell. but clearly missed the desperation and signs. A simple 911 call.
I knew everything I needed to know about that guy when I saw the man bun.
Really profound film. All my love and support to the cast and crew! - Mari
Thanks Mari! We appreciate it.
💔That little voice within should never be disregarded.....
This was a great short film with a moral behind the story.
Thanks Trisha!
Powerful film with an important message.
I hope women round the world gets more courage to walk out of abusive relationships n fight
No good deed goes unpunished.
Graham: Great short. Loved the mobile dialogue that distances us from reality. I wonder how many times I have missed saving a neighbor.
Eli: We have never met but I feel I know you through knowing your mom for over 30 years. She is a dear friend and I must say you have one delightfully complicated mother. You are a natural and I see your parents Brian and Tish (AKA Morwena) in both of you. Good luck and best wishes, you are a natural!
Cheers, Brian (another Brian)
Thank you for watching! I appreciate the feedback. Eli was great to work with, and I hope to be able to do it again soon! Q
Excellent movie. Thank you and Bravo!
Thank you!
Oh, spr, survival thriller ❤️. പൂച്ച, മീൻ, ആ പുഴു വരെ natural ആയ്ട്ട് അഭിനയിച്ചു. Observation അടിപൊളി ❤️
What she was doing with her hand on the door frame is something cops are trained to notice... She was too scared to speak up but her hand told that something was wrong 😔...
Good insight....
What a totally amazing actor he is!
This had me hooked. We've all known or at least have heard about sad situations like this. I just subbed you.
Thanks! Yes, this is partially based on personal experience.
God gives all of us a six sences listen and see tomorrow
Like a good neighbor . . .
I really liked this short film. Great acting by Eli Pettet
Thanks Colleen!
Excellent. We go on with things of life, but the war never stopped. We cannot go on as normal. Someone might not be in physical danger, but someone can be dying inside, from an emotional and mental attack. That is the one way, that any signs can't be traced to the murderer. So sad.
Exactly. There is emotional, verbal, psychological and financial abuse that can destroy people from the inside and people never seem to react negatively to it. If people think abuse they always think of someone punching out another person. Of course abuse often accelerates to that ultimately. Let's stop it when it is in its earliest stages.
Very fucking sad.
That POOR LADY!!!
THAT POOR GUY! HE WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIMSELF FOR NOT CALLING THE COPS. maybe she wud still be there
He went to check and the woman covered for the guy. Woman had an opportunity to run but she didn't. Sometimes we also need to take action. Not waiting on neighbors
Domestic abuse victims are, more often than not, afraid to ask for help. They should neither be blamed for the situation they are in, nor their inability to get help even when they should.
@@JustDesserts56 agree wholeheartedly. After months if not years of abuse victims are trained to be terrified and perhaps think the problem is themselves. They need help to get out of the situation and know that they are innocent victims.
Excellent film! I loved it!!
Thank you!
Wow. Thank you for making this.
Thanks, Victor!
This was fantastic. Amazing job
Thank you very much!
Interesting. My first reaction was that I didn't like it because of the downer ending. I wanted a particular thing to happen and it didn't. And i didn't think there was much of a compelling story. But...as I thought about it, the subtlety inherent in this picture is compelling. Did our protagonist make the right decicion? Was there indeed another choice he could have made? And finally, would making another choice make any difference at all? Well done!
Thanks Kevin, for watching and for the insightful response!
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 You are welcome!
Call 911. We are so fortunate to have that service here in the US, and other countries have something similar. I have called 911 a few times over the years to report accidents, a drunk driver, and once to report a neighbor who was screaming "I'm gonna kill you!" (He had been seen carrying a gun, so we know it was possible he might follow through.) In all of those cases there was an appropriate and rapid response.
Crazy, hits home. I experienced a similar situation and it broke my heart
All too common. :( Thanks for watching.
Ooohh wow!
Excellent!!!
Glad you like it! Thanks for watching.
Camera angles brilliant' Story line universal. Contrast lighting, excellent. Had me on the edge. Score A
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
LOVED IT...
Thanks for watching!
That's looks good now and resolved quickly
I once called the police to do a wellness check on my upstairs neighbor when I heard some pounding noise for some time. I overheard the police when they came. They were very polite and just asked if she was okay. It's something you can do if you're concerned about someone but don't really know what's up.
Absolutely. Thanks for sharing. Better safe than sorry! Thanks for watching
Good lord, how long has the dude been walking?? And the rain grew a chia pet on his head. Nice!
Thanks for your insightful comments! :) He has been walking to and from the bus stop. Thanks for watching.
Damn good..what would happened if he would of just knocked on the door?.
Thanks, Patience. He'll be asking himself that question his entire life...
I appreciate you and every member of your team for a grievous act of a society.
Girl puts her full effort to make her home paradise and tolerate every evil act of her boyfriend but in vain.
We should love to him , who deserves or need it .
GREAT SHORT FILM, KEEP SHINING DEAR💞💞
Thanks! More to come....
This is a really sad story.
This has been going on for years and happens more often than we think . 😢
Indeed. Thanks for watching!
A GREAT FILM
Thanks Ronnie!
Well done and what a powerful message.
Thank you! Looking forward to seeing your next projects! Hope to see you at Zions Indie Film Fest as well.
We'll be there! @@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459
Very well done!!
Thank you very much!
Very good film...
Thanks for watching!
600th Subscriber 👈 right here! Great film. I like what I see.
Awesome! Thank you! Welcome aboard and thanks for watching. Check out Stand Up when you have a moment.
New Subscriber here and a Big Like for this terrific film. Bravo!!
Thanks William! Glad you enjoyed. And thanks for the Sub!
I wish someone WOULD have gotten involved for me. Even when I disclosed to neighbours, no one believed me because he had already convinced them what a fabulous guy he was and that I was not to be believed because I was 'unstable' I know this because that is how he distanced me from other people, by telling me to stay away from THEM because THEY were mentally unstable, yet he still maintained contact with them. My abuser was far more clever than the one depicted here. When we bought a house he picked one with no functional windows facing the road. All the main rooms faced the back because of the 'view'. Also it was at the end of a cul-de-sac....no traffic. Oh, he was a clever one but I divorced him now I am safe.
Thanks for sharing, and thanks for watching! Hopefully this film inspires poeple to take better care of their neighbors....
Wasteful time on a phone, and "man-bun" . That said, Subscribed. Yes, I was and am critical..yet have a good feeling your future productions WILL be great.
Thanks for watching and for the sub!
When she said her boyfriend is an actor and they were role playing - he should have clued in right away that it was an excuse. You got to thing fast on your feet and assume the worst. Perhaps his youth/lack of experience may have been a factor or perhaps just his friendly disposition.
That was pretty good 👍 ❤
Thank you!
LIKE THIS KIND OF STORIES, GET YOUR MILLION DOLLAR FOR WATCHING🐇
FAVORITE ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks!
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 💗 ALWAYS 💗
Don't trust anyone with a "man" bun. Peace
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 bravo
Thanks Elizabeth!
Hii its amazing shortfilm
Thanks, Raju!
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 im from india
Very nice 👌
Thanks 😊
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 you're very welcome 😀
Wow
I escaped an abusive spouse decades ago. I convinced him to sign for a loan on a car for me (put the car in my name) so he didnt have to get up early every day and drive me to work. within days of getting the car I stopped working, packed up 95% of my stuff (I left clothes hanging in the closet so he wd think i was coming back and wouldnt look for me immediately) and quietly left while he was still sleeping, put my dog, my small tv, my clothes and 50 lbs dog food in my car, and very quietly drove away, 80 miles to my sister who lived in a house under a another name so he never found me. He staked out my parents house for a long time, but i never went there, i saw my parents in town instead. I got a divorce got another job, met my current hubby (now married almost 50 yrs). ladies GET OUT and DONT TELL or even HINT that youre doing anything different; and DONT GO where he can find you. ASK GOD to give you an idea of how to get out.
Thanks for sharing Lauren. Glad it ultimately worked out for the better for you.
Gut feelings are normally correct.
Trust those feelings.... Thanks for watching!
WOAH
Love it..keep it coming 👍👍👍
More to come! Shooting another major short film in September.
Sad😢😢😢
Great suburban crime thriller!
I was instantly pulled into the main character's head as the initial phone call set the tone to the film. Some unsettling feeling was something that truly made me uneasy, the hint of violence in some shots, the choice of music and other details. Especially some notes played on the piano as a dark theme. Felt uncomfortable to me.
The acting was interesting, that you made something *difficult* with just a man walking on a street and doing phone calls. At times though I just could sense it was a little bit *too obvious* that acting was involved to show emotional range to the viewers of the film. The acting could have been a little bit more nuanced still it was impressive to look at.
I have recently started to think myself that it's better to do something interesting with acting than just "being nuanced" and doing nothing interesting at all!
Great atmosphere in this one, a sense of urgency and realism and real scares to add to that!
One started to wonder if David Lynch was an inspiration for this work.
The idea of crimes happening to ordinary people in a suburban setting just like in the TV-series "Twin Peaks". You caught a little bit of that feeling in this work from my point of view. It was something about the choice of music that just felt right. In some way the theme pulled me into a subconscious feeling that this is something I maybe have experienced myself.
A good scare for sure!
If you feel like it check out my computer animated film "Alien Forever" about a lone woman confronting an international war scenario in the future and learning odd details on the way.
th-cam.com/video/9p9wMVGhBKE/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate the thoughtful analysis.
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 I was just honest. Nice to see a crime thriller with a main character that stood out and caught my interest right from the start.
Also watched a video on your homesite where you describe how letting the actors open up to their own interpretation of their character (with some direction from the director too) can make many actors perform better.
Avoiding stale acting I would suggest as becoming too immersed in the director's vision might limit the actors to abstract ideas they can't relate to and then that "the life" is drained from the acting as performed.
I think this approach was evident watching "The Neighbor" as the actor playing the main character had a method of acting that felt life-like, "open to the moment" finding something interesting for viewers to watch beyond stereotype.
Still as I said sometimes the acting sometimes felt a little bit "over-the-top" but that was a minor issue. I think the acting became even better on repeat viewings and one started to get used to the method of acting as you have taught.
Especially I liked the idea you have of making it possible to make a lot of mistakes on set doing rehearsals to not limit oneself to acting choices one easily can find in the beginning.
Great work!
So close...yet so far.
What camera was this shot on?
Thanks for watching! This was shot on a Canon R5 with an Atomos Ninja V in Apple Prores. Stand Up, my subsequent short film, was shot on a Canon c70, which is what I currently use for professional commercial projects. My latest short, GIFT, was shot on Arri Alexa 35.
The atmosphere was amazing. The filmmaker did a great job of creating tension so that though most of the film was Eli talking on his phone, it felt like a lot was going on. This is one I'll save to re-watch and send to my friends.
I think the filmmaker leaves us with two takeaways:
1) If you see something that looks like someone is being harmed, it's always better to err on the side of caution and call 911, even if it's just to ask the police to do a health and safety check.
2) It's dangerous to live near show business people. Especially if they're actors. Look at Phil Spector - Killer; Fatty Arbuckle - Killer; Natalie Woods' friends - Killers; OJ Simpson - Perhaps a Killer; Matthew Broderick - Killer; Alec Baldwin - Killer, Rebecca Gayheart, - Killer. When you look at it, let's say you pick 100 random people from the office building where you work, I bet none of them have ever killed anyone. Meanwhile, out of a hundred random actors, I bet at least 80 or 90 of them have taken a life. Now we have to add Kyle, from this short film. I think the Screen Actor's Guild has more killers on their payroll than the Gambino Family.
Re: #2: ha! Yes. Those crazy actors. Can't trust 'em. Thanks for watching.
Hoy en día nadie quiere meterse en asuntos ajenos de pareja 🤷♀️
Love the film but why does he enjoy walking the neighborhood every time he's on the phone no matter the weather?lol
He's walking to and from the bus :)
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 oh ok gotcha lol
uh oh, I hope dead plants isn't a sign of poor character. i have lots of dead plants around my house...
Ha! I agree. The visual was too good to pass up though. Along those lines, a friend of mine who watched it said, "so the moral of the story is all actors are evil." Heh. Thanks for watching!
Oof wow 🥺
He never wanted to get married..that why he imagined dragons
i 🥺 m alone
No you’re not.
Never alone 👋🙂
Well I mean, she had someone there listening and she could have said there was an issue. I know it's hard but in a real life situation if they say no you can't demand they let you in or tell the truth.
Почему все винят соседа, который не вмешался? Он вмешался, подошел и позвонил в звонок. Но женщина решила, что как можно обвинять мужика? Ну, ударил, подумаешь... научите женщин ценить себя! А не держаться за штаны в доме
Does that mean Kyle got the part?
How did the woman die?
Domestic violence.
But.... There were no police just a ambulance.Sooo she died from medical conditions. It would have been taped off too if were any kind of investigation.
So, he should have kept to himself. Weird people and things happen but sometimes.......common sense.......DO NOT RING THE DOOR BELL. .......duh! He might have gone after him!!! All well, maybe the next neighbors and nice and have a cute dog. Muffin? Enjoy your day.
ERIK
He doesn't let who ever he talking to on the phone answer ughhh and that sucks what happens in the neighbor though he interfered he should have interfered twice
In
Man buns are not for everybody
My neighbors are criminals for real, like lots of cars, wierd transactions in the middle of the night, all sorts of shit and police won't help me, it's f up
But she got neighbors help but turned him away why?
You're asking the right question! Unfortunately, a lot of people who are abused see it as a sign of shame, and don't want anyone to know about it. They may think they can get the abuser to change. They may love the person. But the abuse has to stop before healing can start. That's why situations like these are so tragic.
Yes all of what he said on this reply ..... Also just by answering the door might have given the abuser more reason to abuse or if the police were call the victim gets more nervous cuz she thinks she's going to suffer worse if attention is called to the situation or if her boyfriend is reported.
When he started to leave the first time and she spoke and almost shouted " Wait " , that would've given me a reason to think she almost said something but changed her mind and continued with the acting story ...very good tho!
It’s called battered woman’s syndrome…
Yes it is called battered woman's Syndrome . What do you mean ?
Then there are Victims of Domestic Violence
Or People who suffered or are subjects or recipients of Emotional or Physical Abusive Behavior dealt to them by a Person(s) they live with. In the same dwelling..
Wow! What a poignant movie. Its so important that if you see something, say something. Even if it comes to nothing, you tried! Listen to that inner voice, or that feeling in your body telling you something is wrong. Shouting it sometimes!! You could make the difference between life and death.
Thanks Crystal! Agreed.
The real crime was his hair-do.
Honestly I don't see where the breakthrough in this movie is at all, it's all pretty predictable. Nice effort though.
Thanks for watching!
Where the f*** is he walking? He's just "out for a [long] walk, in a suit, in a community *not* built for walking"? What adult takes a purposeless walk in a suit, tie, & dress shoes, in a car-based suburb with nothing in walking distance?
Did you watch the whole thing? He was walking to/from the bus stop, like the responsible Gen Z man he is. :)
The plot line was somewhat predictable.
But powerful nonetheless. I myself wasn't trying to guess the outcome, more focused on what he was seeing and his actions based on what he's feeling about a dicey situation. Excellent & powerful use of "what would you do" scenario. But a sad reality...
except for the man bun. 😁 kidding! ✌
Too painful to watch.
I no understand why film win award 😴
This is not a good film. Short films, like short stories, need to have an internal logic. Why would a young man go out his front door in a business suit and start wandering around the neighbourhood while making small talk on his phone? That is artificial - no-one does that. It's a device by a lazy film-maker. The film is predictable and banal. A short film, like a short story, needs to suggest things, not tell them. This young man is a cypher, there is nothing in his conversation that tells us anything about him. He talks too much about very little. This film is poor, because the talking does all the work while the visuals show almost nothing. There is no surprise, no character development, no drama. It's an important subject, could have been handled so much differently.
Thanks for the response, and for watching it intently enough to form an opinion. Just to clarify, he is walking to the bus stop on his way to work, which is not clear at the very beginning, but becomes clear when he gets of the bus to come home at the end of the day. The purpose of the dialog he is having with his girlfriend is to establish a contradiction between a new and budding relationship, and one that has deeply soured. His journey is one of considering some of the more superficial elements of a relationship, to the realization that far more insidious aspects low just behind closed doors and forced smiles. Could he have done more to help her? What should he have done? And most importantly, could that become him in the future? As far as execution is it perfect? No, of course we could have done better. That is the goal of every project! 😀 Considering the constraints we were under, we were able to pull off a pretty meaningful and impactful (if flawed) story. Again, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
@@northrupstudios-grahamnort5459 Hi Graham, I am a film-school lecturer and film critic, and I appreciate your response and your explanation. However, why don't you show the contradiction rather than talk about it? That's what film should be about - show, don't tell.
There is no sense of purpose in the opening shots, no preparatory montage to shows he is leaving to go to work. Also, if he is on the way to the bus stop, he will be walking with purpose, not wandering around. So there can be a moment of drama when he stops at the scream, and we can see him torn between hurrying to catch the bus and stopping to investigate. So you are already building tension. That could be a pivotal moment - at the end of the movie he can realise, along with us, that if he had made the right decision he could have saved someone's life.
Also, there are no clues that the first part and the second happen on the same day - they could have been a week apart.
The dialogue should only ever be there to form a frame for the visuals, it should never be an end in itself. If you want to take this discussion private, let me know.
@@nikimoore If you can show and discuss my film with your students to help them make a better movie, then by all means, please do! As for its flaws, I probably have a longer list than you have, so no worries there. :) I like to approach both the creation and the reception of my films from primarily a phenomenological approach, where I try to engage on a visceral level with the audience, and create moments where their experience in the moment is paramount. Basically, how do audience members feel at any given moment of the story, or overall. From the responses I have received, clearly there are people to whom this film is impactful and meaningful in that regard, although tweaks here and there would have enhanced that effect significantly. Secondarily, I tend to gravitate toward the semiotic, where the visual, auditory, and spoken elements have meaning beyond what they represent in reality. It's rather short, but there are definitely some symbolic aspects to the visuals as well as the story itself. As opposed to emotion, I like to attempt to engage on an intellectual level. The greatest one-two punch for me would be for audience members to be moved emotionally, as well as have fodder for discussion well after the end credits roll. I'm perpetually working toward that! As for criticism, I like to use Goethe's 3 Questions as a starting off point: What was the artist's intent?; How well did they achieve it?; and Was it worth doing? A formalist approach would spend most energy on the second question, and as you point out, there are ways the movie could have been better, both technically and story-wise. As the writer/director, my bias is skewed toward question 1 a fair amount. Hollywood box office receipts are the ultimate (commercial) measure of question 3, but for films like this, the answer to the 3rd questions is much more individual. For me, and for many others, it was worth doing. Again, none of this is to defend any of the film's flaws. My goal is always to take what I have learned and apply that knowledge to my next project, as well as to overcome whatever technical limitations I face to allow the story to shine. Thanks for your input. It's always nice to have people engaging! Take care.