Fremont, CA – December 11, 2023 – Blackmagic Design today announced award winning filmmaker Mike Pecci used Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro digital film camera and DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, color grading, visual effects (VFX) and audio post production software to complete the new horror short film, “COME HOME.”
“COME HOME” is a psychological thriller starring Lance Williams that tells the story of a man desperately fighting his inner demons while racing to finish a Christmas gift for his daughter. Alone and battling temptation and addiction, the film is a tight, claustrophobic look at a man that is alone and struggling to keep his life together.
As a seasoned horror filmmaker with more than 20 years of experience, Pecci is celebrated for his masterful storytelling in the traditions of cinema. His films expertly blend elements of sci fi, horror and surrealism, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats. Pecci’s work has earned him accolades and recognition from industry experts and horror enthusiasts alike.
He has directed and shot films such as the Russian sci fi epic “12 Kilometers” and the Dario Argento inspired thriller “Who’s There?” He is also the creator and host of the hugely popular “In Love with the Process” podcast.
“COME HOME” takes place in a small, cramped workshop and in the nightmarish confines of the lone actor’s mind. At the start of “COME HOME,” Pecci and Williams had intended it to be just a single scene set in a garage. They dedicated two days to shooting, but after Pecci’s fiancée, Gina Manning, saw the first scene her response was, “Is this it? It’s fantastic, but I want more!”
Pecci explained, “This led us to devise a plan for the character to confront his demon within the constraints of our budget. The surreal hallway you see is actually the corridor leading to my bathroom, and my friend, Mike Tran, informed me about a somewhat obscure studio in downtown L.A. where we could rent an underwater tank by the hour.”
Pecci described his vision for the film and the challenges he faced with shooting a short horror film: “The biggest challenge with a short film is making the audience care about your character in a mere minute or less. Unlike feature films or slow burning TV series that have hours to develop characters, I have to rely on how we, as humans, form judgments about a person at first sight. It’s the purest form of character building, without relying on dialogue and exposition as a crutch.”
In the film, Pecci felt that there were several standout moments where the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro excelled. Using its small design, he was able to get up close and personal with Williams and shoot scenes that needed an intimate perspective, including when Williams facing a haunting image from his past after hearing a mysterious noise and when he takes a swig from a bottle while bathed in a warm backlight.
“Later in the film, a riveting sequence unfolds when Lance is startled by persistent knocking at his door. We adopted a Sam Raimi inspired approach, with the camera dynamically maneuvering up and down walls, navigating over tools and even crashing into Lance’s eye, all skillfully executed with the Blackmagic camera,” said Pecci.
Pecci continued, “I am a disciple of the David Fincher school of inserts. Whenever a camera focuses on an object, it must narrate a story, unveil fresh insights into the character, and illuminate their actions. To me, those first few seconds of a film are like stepping into a stranger’s house for the first time. The Pocket camera was a big part of helping me do this. Some of the most emotionally resonant shots came from the 6K Pro camera as it was always within reach next to my edit machine.
“While editing, I’d frequently reach out to Lance, asking him to come over for a quick close up to enhance the audience’s connection with his character. An hour or two later, he’d be in costume, positioned in my garage with the perfect lighting. This type of filmmaking allowed for an incredible sense of creative freedom, akin to the spontaneity of capturing emotions.”
Following production, Pecci used DaVinci Resolve Studio for the film’s color grading and VFX.
“I relied heavily on Resolve for color grading and compositing in this film. I’ve been involved in color grading for years and have a deep appreciation for Resolve’s capabilities. The face tracking features never cease to amaze me, and, with the support of my high performance Puget Systems edit machine, I was able to conduct some quite extensive compositing work in Resolve in real time. I hold a strong affinity for this program and have become particularly enthusiastic about its AI features. Truly remarkable stuff,” Pecci finished.
Press Photography
Product photos of Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/images
About Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com
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COME HOME Completed Using Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio’s AI Features
