Blackout

Chicago meets Black Swan meets Whiplash in this coming-of-age thriller about Benny, an emerging performer rehearsing his first solo show, who must choose between either his passion or his safety when he discovers that his promising director, Jason, has more sinister ideas in mind for him.

The film merges two worlds: The deep rich colours and imaginative performance of the stage world with the cold, sterile world of the rehearsal room.

Blackout is equal parts revelry in theatrical aesthetic pleasure as it is an unrelenting dive into the horror lying just behind the wings.

Made as part of the Victoria University of Wellington MFA Film Programme

We need your help to make this electric love letter/peek at the underbelly of the world of NZ Theatre; an industry as full of magic as it is often overlooked, undervalued, and underrepresented. Whatever you can manage, we will accept with open loving arms. How's say, the cost of a coffee? Maybe a movie ticket? Make that a combo with popcorn and coke?

Written and Directed by Shaun Swain.

Swain is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara based theatrical storyteller, writer, actor, and director with rave-reviewed and sold out shows such as Arcade Theatre's "No Exit," Vixen Temple's "Just The Tip," and the OUSA Annual Capping Shows "Cat in the Cap" and "Scarfie Things" under his belt.

A diverse and versatile artist, playfully toeing the line between farcical comedy and psychological horror. Visceral yet cerebral; energetic yet penetrative. Whether it be their Playmarket award-winning children's play "Prince Charming" or their debut short film "RAT," Swain strives to tell stories that punch-up, punch hard, are vital, and rightfully unsettling.