Legend of the Harvest Curse
It’s become a bit of a tradition for director Jeremy Major and his team to make creepy short films at Halloween.
This year, the director wanted to create a piece that didn’t show gore, but packed a good thrill for viewers of almost any age. And so the story of “Legend of the Harvest Curse” centres around two young siblings. When the brother is attacked by a fearsome creature in the woods, the sister and her parents discover the legend of a cursed creature that, if true, could destroy her brother by morning.
The film is set in 1800s New England. Westfield Heritage Village was chosen to capture the rugged simplicity of the era. Meanwhile Director of Photography Chris Sherry shot on 1960s anamorphic lenses to capture a vintage cinema look.
Stylistically, the film is part homage to creature features of the past, and part celebration of the suspense genre. Expect to watch much of it through the gaps between your fingers - especially the ending.
For Major, the delightful part of making a story like this is putting characters in uncomfortable situations. The girl has to be brave and daring if she’s going to help save her family.
This production was an opportunity to bring newcomers to a film set and work alongside seasoned pros. Stars Katherine Arafat and Knox Covello make their big screen debuts in Harvest Curse. Additionally, behind the camera were some fresh filmmakers, including Angela Shaw from The Butcher Shop FX Makeup team. While she’s been working in the shop for some time, she brought her artistry to set on her first short.
