DON’T EAT THE RED SNOW (2017)

With all of the talk about democratization of filmmaking—due to reduced pricing in equipment and access to online distribution—it’s oddly rare to see a no budget short that may be a bit rough from a technical standpoint but still shows off the vision of the filmmakers. Enter 2017’s DON’T EAT THE RED SNOW, which was made by Caden Butera in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. There’s a bunch of editing and F/X plug-ins at work plus, despite being shot on Black Magic 4K Ursa Mini with Tamron 24-70mm f2.8, lacks the finished gloss of most higher-tier short films that tend to get featured on video sites or at festivals.

BUT that only adds to the charm of the short. Butera has a clear grasp on the tropes of ‘80s and ‘90s action films and is able to use them in clever ways. The vibe of “a group of friends get together to make a movie over a weekend” (even though it was most certainly longer) makes it fairly endearing, but Butera and company also infuse DON’T EAT THE RED SNOW with really smart stunts and fun gags (complete with McBain-level quips) that combines to make for a truly impressive and memorable film that should become part of everyone’s holiday rotation.

Be sure to subscribe to Butera’s YouTube page, follow him on Twitter, and enjoy the magnificent experience that is 2017’s DON’T EAT THE RED SNOW.

Special thanks and hat-tip to Michael Scott for hipping me to this video essay. Follow him on Twitter or risk my wrath.