There is a particular kind of dread that lives in fluorescent light and secondhand merchandise — the hum, the dust, the sense that everything on the shelf once belonged to someone else. Nathan Judd's Helltapes finds its hell there. An unassuming retail clerk heeds the call of darkness when a mysterious VHS tape shows her a promising future, and the film builds its unease not from shock but from the quiet persuasion of what she sees on screen.
Judd was drawn to the idea of connecting to hell in a visual, unreal way — a conceit that is as playful as it is pointed, since it turns damnation into a matter of picture quality. Helltapes arrives at FilmQuest, a festival Judd had in mind from the start, with its moral questions intact and its atmosphere humming.
Key Takeaways
- Helltapes uses a thrift store, not a haunted house, as its site of temptation — and the ordinariness is the point.
- Judd's hardest creative decision was casting; figuring out what these characters should look and feel like on screen kept him up at night.
- The short is touring festivals over the next year while the feature script is already underway.
Judd spoke with us about moral decisions, collaborators who reframed his own story, and why FilmQuest was the target all along.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
I thought the idea of connecting to hell in a visual, unreal way was fun and brought up interesting moral questions about decisions.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process, creatively or logistically, including any moment on set or in post that changed how you saw the story?
Every collaborator I brought on this project helped me understand my own story in a new light. I found myself enjoying the process of working alongside people who had their own angle of creativity to contribute.
What moment in the film feels most like you, or like something only you could have made?
It's not a particularly scary film, but I think the atmosphere of the store, despite being a thrift store, is quite spooky.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?
Who to cast. It kept me up at night trying to figure out what these characters should look and feel like on screen.
How does your film fit within, or push the boundaries of, its genre or form?
There's always interesting themes of sin and morality within horror and fantastical narratives. Helltapes explores the power of imagery in pushing even the worst decisions we could make.
What does it mean to have your film selected for FilmQuest?
FilmQuest provides a festival with a tasteful dash of eccentric electricity. I made this with FilmQuest in mind, and was ecstatic to be a part of the selection.
Where do you see this film going next?
The feature script is currently underway. The short will be screening at several festivals over the next year.
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