Short of the Day
Set in the world of Philip K. Dick’s novel and Ridley Scott’s film.
Fan fiction is such a delicate artform. In the hands of the inexperienced is it mostly derivative and hokey, but in the hands of a craftsman, in the hands of a true storyteller, fan fiction can inform the canon from which it extrapolates, it can enrichen the overall universe of the property, and grant us new perspectives on the films or books we thought we knew so well.
Writer-director Christopher Grant Harvey is one such true storyteller, and his short film Tears in the Rain, which is set in the universe of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner as adapted from the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by renowned author Philip K. Dick, is an excellent example of fan fiction that works. Made for only $1500 ‐ which you will not believe once you see the film; I would’ve guessed closer to 15k ‐ it doesn’t feature any of the characters from the original, but it does deal with a Runner on assignment. To say much more would rob the film of its secrets, so I’ll only say in concept, look, and feel Harvey has created a perfect slice of Blade Runner’s particular sci-fi. Actors Sean Cameron Michael and Russel Savadier embody their noirish archetypes with brooding aplomb and every facet of the film ‐ cinematography, lighting, costuming, set decoration, score ‐ helps link the short to its source.
[watch] The Third Replicant: ‘BLADE RUNNER’ as Film Noir
I’ve often thought that the world of Blade Runner was too big for one film, and yeah, I know we’re getting Villeneuve’s sequel later this year, but Harvey has proven there are tangents and timelines between the two films that are ripe for exploration.
For the complete credits and some technical info, jump here.
Related Topics: Science Fiction, Short Films
