In a world where humans can harness the power of the sun when exposed to sunlight, and the controlling of this power is still being understood, a mother and daughter must figure out where their intentions and loyalties lie.

Daylight Rules, a science fiction short film by Alex Browning presents a gripping vision of a world where sunlight is more than just a source of energy—it’s a force that can be harnessed by humans in extraordinary ways. As society struggles to understand and regulate this newfound power, a mother and daughter find themselves at a crossroads, navigating the tension between control, responsibility, and survival. Their relationship is tested as they grapple with the moral and personal implications of their abilities, forcing them to confront where their true loyalties lie.

Browning crafts a compelling narrative that blends emotional depth with high-concept sci-fi, immersing viewers in a universe where power—both literal and metaphorical—is still being defined. With striking visuals and a thought-provoking premise, Daylight Rules explores themes of trust, self-discovery, and the unpredictable consequences of human advancement. This is a sci-fi story with a heart, one that challenges audiences to consider not just what we can do with power, but what we should do.

Daylight Rules presents such a unique concept with solar-sensitive characters. What was your inspiration for this story, and how did the idea of harnessing sunlight come to you?

The central conceit of Daylight Rules is the love language between a mother and her kin, specifically in this case, her daughter. That was the primary motivator and driving force in creating the story. With the power of the sun and harnessing its energy, I wanted to project the idea of a community thriving in the future, rather than a depressed, dreary post-apocalyptic setting where resources are scarce. The commune within Daylight Rules envisions actualizing a sustainable future interconnected with nature and community. On one level, the sun represents the divine and how we tap into the divine power within us all. And then perhaps more subtly, the film has an environmental subtext in how we can use solar power to re-energize and inspire how we can live in sync with the natural world.

The relationship between Sasha and Jenn is central to the film. How did you approach portraying the mother-daughter dynamic in such a complex, high-stakes world?

My approach was to really listen to my intuition, as the relationship between Sasha and Jenn has a personal connection to me. It’s inspired by my own relationships. With T’Nia Miller (Jenn) and Ella Dacres (Sasha), I was really taken by what they each brought to the characters in our meetings and conversations prior to filming. I feel what made those characters so believable in Daylight Rules is that we each got to know each other as people first. There was a humility in that, and the meetings felt sacred. I feel this allowed a sense of discovery in the performances and how we conveyed the tension, the angst, the stubborn love that won’t let go—the poetry of it all. It felt real.

To really find the moments and real human connection between these two people—a mother and daughter—I had to let go of what was on the page (in the script). Put simply, what Ella and T’Nia brought to the film and their characters really took the film to another level.

What was your vision for the film’s visual style, and how did you bring that to life?

I have a form of color synesthesia*. So, color association is not just important to me, it’s vital to how I see the world and how I communicate in the everyday. This translated into the textures of the film. For example, the blood-red scarf that Frank wears represents love and protection. The color of the protective hooded robe that Sasha wears—they all have an emotional significance.

With the overall look and feel of Daylight Rules, Yinka Edward—the director of photography—and I developed a sense of knowing each other after Yinka really tasked me with sharing what this story meant to me and how it was birthed. Yinka’s kind approach and curiosity allowed me to be vulnerable and open the wider spiritual themes. This created a sense of freedom in how we could communicate what was needed for the story first.

I am passionate about shooting with available light in beautiful natural locations. Yinka brought so much wealth of experience that allowed the film’s motif to be compelling and believable while also realizing my ambitions for the genre tone. It got to a point on set where, while shooting, Yinka and I found we could often tell what the other one was thinking—we developed a form of telepathy. And from there, a lot of what we shot felt intimate and personal because we felt we knew each other through a bond of us both reaching for the same goal.

*Color synesthesia is a neurological trait that causes people to associate letters, numbers, or sounds with specific colors. It’s a type of synesthesia, which is an involuntary and consistent experience.

The lore of “solar-sensitives” and the society they inhabit seems incredibly detailed. Can you share more about the world-building process and any additional backstory that influenced the film?

Thank you, that’s really kind of you to say. After deciding on the film’s overall conceit, I went down a rabbit hole of literature and looked at solar activity and the wider effects of the sun on humanity.

With the story history of Daylight Rules—the film is set almost two decades after solar flares* hit the Earth. After a period of devastation from the radiation and effects on the planet’s population, within the film’s lore, it is later discovered that a unique genetic mutation had occurred in pre-pubescent children at the time of the solar flares’ impact. Once they hit teenagerhood, they are able to harness the power of the sun! That’s as much as you’re getting for now! The true power of the solar-sensitives—the young people that can harness the power of the sun—and their ‘surging’ (releasing of this energy) will be revealed in the feature-length version of the film.

*A solar flare is a massive explosion on the sun that releases energy in the form of radiation, heat, and particles.

This film not only explores power but also themes of loss and legacy. How do these ideas shape the characters’ journey, particularly for Sasha as she comes of age?

It’s touching that you have brought this up, as the themes of loss and legacy are so key to the film’s central ambition. I wanted to pose the question: what would you do as a mother in a situation similarly to Jenn? Rather than just making it a coming-of-age story for Sasha, I wanted to show Jenn’s point of view and agency (or lack thereof) as she desperately tries to protect her daughter and cling on to their relationship.

What changes for them both is that they are both coming of age; Sasha is realizing her potential and understanding her sense of self, and Jenn is coming to terms with the fact that their mother-daughter dynamic has fundamentally changed, and she must shift with that. Together, they’ll find a new way of being, with the foundation of their relationship being the strong bond and love they’ve developed after years on the road and finally finding a place to call home that can help Sasha flourish.

What was the casting process like, especially for the characters of Sasha and Jenn? How did you work with the actors to convey the nuances of their relationship and internal conflicts?

I am a huge fan of T’Nia Miller and David Ajala’s body of work. I had them in mind from the beginning of the process. By the grace of God, we were fortunate for them each to be taken with the material and accept the roles. With Ella, this was a beautiful, organic process working with the film’s casting director Tamysn Manson. I’ve known Tamsyn for a number of years now, and she is one of the most encouraging casting directors I’ve ever worked with. Tamsyn is highly intuitive and gave me support in believing what this film could be. Finding Ella for this role has always felt like it was meant to be. Ella has such grammar to her performances and came with so much curiosity to the piece and role that it felt so seamless in talking to her about Sasha. After meeting with Ella, I couldn’t think of anyone else for the role.

With the trio, Ella, T’Nia and David, we had several meetings and short rehearsals and then a few longer honest conversations about the world and the characters. Each actor’s lens gave me a new insight into the story that felt fresh and real.

What were some of the biggest challenges of blending action, drama, and sci-fi elements in the film? Was there a particular scene or moment that required a different approach?

We shot the film in 8K and for certain scenes, with two cameras, Steadicam and a fixed camera. This was key to the shooting schedule – in achieving what a film of this scale demands – and with the limited time we had to shoot the film. Weather also played a large part in this. The film is almost shot exclusively in an exterior setting, in a dense forest in England. And requires an abundance of sunlight. This isn’t easy to plan for in the seasonal temperament of the British Isles! Whilst honing in the different elements of genre, the film had to feel like one seamless concept. We were very particular when it came to what this world looks like in terms of production design and costume.

Are there any films or directors that inspired the visual style or thematic direction of Daylight Rules? And do you have any favorite sci-fi or genre films that influenced your storytelling?

I’m just going to say thank you to a few directors / filmmakers that have helped shaped me. I hope that’s okay!
Barry Jenkins, Alex Garland, Clio Bernard, Ali Abbasi, Ridley Scott, Alfonso Cuarón, George Lucas, and Claire Denis.

What are the books, podcasts or even YouTube Channel that you recommend young filmmakers to get their hands on?

Short Of The Week, Vibrate Higher Daily by Lalah Delia, DUST (YouTube channel), Omeleto (YouTube channel).

Finally, what are your favorite short films?

Story of a Gun by thirtytwo a.k.a Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace.
Bagman (Watch on FS) by Twin a.k.a Josh Baker and Jonathan Bake