‘Inventive and fresh’ storytelling: FogFest to debut a vertically shot horror film

Most movies are made to be watched on the big screen, but a new local horror film was made specifically to watch on your smartphone. Parts of it was even shot on one. Two St. John's women, Bridget Ricketts and Michelle Clemens, are the filmmakers, and their first vertical film will premiere at Fogfest this weekend. We wanted to do this one and challenge ourselves to shooting it vertically, because vertical storytelling is becoming quite a thing. Ricketts and Clemens' movie, Tourist Trap, is a five-minute short following a family hosting a group of tourists, and things get spooky. The pair say the story is inspired by their time working as tour guides. Their film was made as part of a two-day film challenge through the Nickel Film Festival, but will premiere alongside 40 other shorts at Fogfest. There's a really big resurgence coming out in vertical filming, and it's a huge influx of a new way of storytelling. Tourist Trap marks Rickett and Clement's first vertical film and their eighth 48-hour film challenge together. Shane Mills, festival director for Fogfest, calls the vertical film exciting. He says it's the first time a vertical film will play at the festival. I love to see inventive new ways of making DIY films, and that's really what this is. Mills says the 48-hour challenge is a rush for filmmakers, and because the Nichols Challenge is a horror one, he partnered with them to give the short movies a home. Screening the shorts during the festival brings Fogfest's lineup up to 90 movies total. He says while they always try to screen as many movies as they can, this is a banner year for the festival. And we're really excited to bring that group of filmmakers in. Thankfully to the Majestic, we're able to offer that as a free screening. Tickets are still available, but selling out quick for the five-day festival, says Mills. Fogfest kicks off on Friday in St. John's. Cameron Kilfoy, CBC News, St. John's.