Fade In: To Murder

Directed by Declan Smith

2023

Local filmmakers and festival organisers look out, you are in the firing line in a new ‘whodunit’ which comes from writer-director Declan Smith. Prepare yourself as a young woman begins sleuthing her way through a group of creatives to find the culprit of a dastardly deed.

We open with an intense Hitchcockian score from composer Vaughn Teufel which sets an appropriate sweeping old-timey feel for the 12-minute short, before Will (Simon Crudgington) appears as a host to a film-screening event.

Taking a break from the films, he sits down only to receive a sinister “I-know-what-you-did”-style phone message from a distorted Scream-esque voice on the other end.

As Wil wonders who sent the message, the crowd mingle with each other over champagne and we are introduced to Grace Goodman (a really terrific Sherice Banton), a woman who underestimates her abilities but is here supporting the filmmakers.

From the start, it’s great to see a film about local filmmaking itself and the small but passionate community we have in our area. It’s a fantastic and unique story angle that I’ve not seen before (and I’ve seen A LOT of shorts). And it’s a little point sure but it’s also refreshing to have a script where dialogue uses the characters’ names. You’d be surprised how often this is missed out in short films and takes milliseconds to help establish some basic personalisation.

Back to the plot, we then track to the venue’s toilets where we are witness to a murder taking place as Will garrots a man to prevent whatever secret he’s hiding from getting out. But the crime is quickly discovered and an air of suspicion falls upon the event’s attendees.

Another huge shout-out should go to cinematographer Todd Franklin whose impressive camera movement is first-class throughout, with excellent shot composition to tell the film’s story in a limited time. Not a second is wasted in either character or plot.

A hand-held camera adds some reality too and ensures the audience are an active observer as we are taken through corridors and theatre spaces to follow characters who whisk in and out for fast, but important, conversations.

And it is those moments where Grace picks up clues and is helped by piecing these parts together by an excellent editing job by Amy Taylor. A smattering of comedy using background gags and witty dialogue is another plus from the director and co-writer Tom Mead.

The culprit is shown early on and hiding their identity may have just been the one ingredient the film could have considered adding. It would increase its air of mystery and give more weight to the final denouement. As it is, we get a twist on a Columbo-inspired explanation from the perceptive Grace as she delivers her revelations in front of police and the gathered guests.

Fade In: To Murder is a top-notch film with a host of very positive attributes going for it. The technical aspects are a great introduction to the skills of the crew, the main and support cast know exactly where to pitch their playful performances and the intelligent meta-nods to the tropes of the genre are the icing on the cake. It therefore ends as an absolute hoot of a murder-mystery that Agatha Christie herself would be proud of.

★★★★★

5 / 5

Michael Sales