Award winning, surreal short film

GLOL is a surreal short film set in the ruins of London, driven by a contemporary music-hall libretto. The film contrasts the beautiful and grotesque in a narrative focusing on the universal question - are our lives driven by destiny or chance?

This first directing effort by Stacy Harrison utilises lavish costumes & breathtaking historical English architecture to paint a sweeping painting of a little film. This powerful melodramatic short narrative embodies key aspects of the classic Gothic tale, with echoes of Du Maurier's Trilby and Le Fanu's dark stories. The mystery of the 'true' nightmare of the narrative is left to the viewer to decide.

As a lover of cinema, I especially appreciate the lavish fantasy of 1930’s filmmaking. The intent was to transport the viewer to another place. Away from the worries of life & the hardships of the great depression….if only for an hour or two. Any storyline was plausible & no costume was ever too much. In Gorgeous Labour of Love we’ve created a fantasy world to the best of our abilities with a budget of just £4500. It gave me an opportunity to meet & work with people who were truly passionate about the historic locations used in the film & was a pleasure being an enthusiast with them. The editing & special effects taught me so much about the subtlety & nuance that a slight change in film grain & texture can make. We sought to create a cyclical effect with the story’s look that supports the narrative throughout & ends in the same manner in which it began.

I love a story that doesn’t give everything away. A ‘happily ever after’ ending often leaves little to savour when the film is done. A little ambiguity leaves more for the imagination.