This is a teaser for the short film Dudley's Raft, directed by Robert Matthews. It's set to screen next month as part of the Shorts Online Contest held by the FirstGlance Film Festival. Check it out on March 10.
The movie looks like it's going to be a white-knuckle thrill-ride. Based on a true story, it tells the harrowing tale of a group of sailors who get stuck out on the high seas with only a life raft to save them. I love movies like this. Open Water was also based on a true story. That one was about a young couple named Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who got left behind by a scuba diving group in 1998. They didn't even have a raft to protect them. It was just them, their scuba gear and the sharks.
Sharks make an unwelcome appearance in Dudley's Raft. This is actually the only part of the teaser that I don't get. Somebody yells, "Shark!" and then one of the guys immediately dives into the water. What the hell? Maybe this will be better explained in the film. At any rate, the movie looks to be a significant technical accomplishment, with close, rainy shots used to suggest stormy weather and a claustrophobic tone throughout. Frankly, I'm stoked.
