A tourist attempts to enjoy his vacation at a beach resort during the off season. The holiday becomes uncanny and frightening as a horrible realization closes in on him – he is no longer in the land of the living and is never going home.

Director’s Vision for ‘Dead Tourists’

At a moment when the industry is ablaze with questions about artificial intelligence and when CGI is often the default over practical effects, I love the challenge of making things by hand and weaving these elements into comprehensive worlds. I focus on texture, costume, and practical effects to transport the spectator into spaces that are strange and fleeting, collaborating closely with painter and production designer Sarah VanDerMeer to choose materials that lend images the distinct hand-crafted feel that is foundational to our style. Although I typically use bold color to enhance the film world, for this video, it was a new thrill to instead think in tone. We built the sets from scratch over one week at Sideshow Props in New Orleans East. The paper mâché masks were made by Sarah, while I made the hair-face mask. I painted the suit jacket that Dan wears throughout the video. We used forced perspective to make the miniature house into a beachside inn exterior. All of the effects, save the disappearing head, were done practically. DEAD TOURISTS was shot using wide angle lenses and features a circular narrative, various demons, and grotesque elements. It was a true pleasure to work with Dan and the SubPop team to realize this vision.