1950’s domestic drama is told in one consecutive shot, delving into Marjorie and Kenneth’s struggle with their respective roles in the marriage.

Both shocking and disturbing, ‘Let’s Be Civil, Kenneth!’ is a brilliant masterpiece with a macabre approach, illustrating the the social restrictions of ” The American Dream.” It stars Luke Baybak and the formidable Beth Riesgraf, which you might remember from one of our firsts and favorite shorts: A Standard Story.

The one consecutive shot films are becoming a trend in short films, but the immense pleasure is that they all turn out so unique in their own ways. As dark as ‘Kenneth!’ is, director Eric Pumphrey takes us on an intense, immersive and just incredible journey of tension, suspense and disbelief.

The idea to do this as an all-in-one short film came about while writing it. I thought it would add to the suspense and tone I was trying to create. By having a bit of surrealism in it, I hoped to make the subject matter a bit easier for the audience to take in. Once we got Beth on board, we had about two weeks of pre-production, 2 days of rehearsal and then just one day for shooting. We shot on 35mm film and only had enough film for 7 takes. It was amazing shooting on film (my first time) and we wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on film without our awesome DP, Sing Howe Yam. I have mainly work in comedy short form content, so the goal for me was to branch out into another genre and take some risks.

The entire experience from beginning to end is simply jaw-dropping. As it might draw attention and critics by some people for its intense domestic violence, the film’s stylistic approach towards the unveiling of what happens under the roof of a 1950’s American Dream home is showcased in a brilliant and surreal way. The performances were simply blown away by Beth and Luke, sending shivers down our spines for 9 full minutes!

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