The Brain Hack Project is an expertly crafted short film about 2 students who are trying to create images who hacked the brain to see God and how they become target of militant religious forces. Shot with 400 unique set ups in 14 different locations the film was shot over a period of 9 days.

The Brain Hack has received over 230,000 views in the 1st few weeks of being online. And has been translated into 6 different languages. Probably, one of the biggest success stories as far as online short films is concerned, it also has been part of many film festivals.

We speak to the director Joseph White to get more insight into his mindspace and knowing more about his approach to the medium of short films .

Thank you Mr. Joseph White for agreeing to give us your interview. We would like to know more about you, where did you grow up and how did the film making medium excite you?

I grew up in Oxfordshire, England. In a small village. There was nothing much to do there, but I had a camcorder, so I’d make short films with my friends. Mostly gangster movies. I wanted to be like Tarantino. But I have to admit, it’s difficult to make gritty urban gangster movies when you’re a bunch of 12 year old boys living in the quaint English countryside!

What are your key creative influences and what are the personal, philosophical questions that made you think of the story ? How did the whole story come to shape?

I was inspired by films like Moon, Primer and Pi; low budget films that are contained in terms of cast and location, but still have epic themes and ideas.

The Brain Hack came from reading about Neurotheology. I found the subject fascinating and relevant, and knew I wanted to make a film about it, but was waiting to find a device to make it dramatic. Then I read the twist at the end of Now Zero by J G Ballard, and the idea clicked.

The film is intended as an entertaining conspiracy thriller, and not to be taken too seriously. But at the same time, i hope it sparks some interest and encourages people to think about the brain and religion, and research the subject for themselves.

The film has a very interesting, brash, cutting edge treatment which really works for it, how did you arrive at that. How much time did it take you to make the film from start to finish, what were they key shooting challenges and post production challenges?

I worked very closely with the Director of Photography, Dan Stafford-Clark, to decide on a philosophy for the shoot. We wanted to make something that looked slick and polished enough to keep people watching, but that also had the simple, low-fi vibe of a student film - in order for the twist to work at the end. So the audience could believe, at least on some level, that those guys made the film themselves. So for example, we decided to only go hand-held when it was feasible one of them could be holding the camera; and keep it static when they were both on screen together. It was a fun game to play, and we broke the rules sometimes, but overall I think it pays off and creates an atmosphere that is right for the film.

As a short film maker, we would like to know how you raised money to make the film? Besides that, the film is talked about and shared in lots of online communities. How did you leverage the online community to make the most of it post its release.

I tried my hardest to make a film that could be made in low budget. Just two actors. Simple locations. But then I was really lucky to work with the production company LWH, who managed to transform the project into much more than I was expecting. They don't usually make short films, but they believed in me as a director and put their full weight behind getting the film make.  Additionally, a lot of the crew were good friends from film school, and they helped me out so we could spend the little money we had on the things you see on screen. It would’ve been impossible to do it without them.

We didn’t do anything unusual to promote the film. Just a website, Facebook page and submitted to a few blogs. But we put a lot of work in early on, during the writing process, to construct an idea that was suited to viewing online, and sharing.

We didn’t know how people were going to react to it. It’s not the easiest film to watch; there’s a lot of fast dialogue and information to digest, so it was a big relief that people have connected with it and responded so positively.

What advice and tips would you like to give to other short film makers. Short films are sometimes seen as stepping stone to feature films. But do you think, the medium is evolving and with power of internet one can actually see it as a viable career in itself?

With the quality of current technology, loads of people can make films that look like Hollywood productions. There is so much slick looking content online. Prime lenses and VFX aren’t enough to stand out any more. So for me, it’s all about telling a story thats worth telling. That offers something new. Or makes people think. In that respect, I don’t think a short film should be seen as a stepping stone, or a ‘showcase’. It’s a thing of itself. And it’s audience should be respected. Whether it’s online or interactive or a feature film shown in the cinema, at the end of the day, it’s still the story that matters.

Thanks Joseph for the interview. If anyone is willing to collaborate/fund in his future projects, please do reach out. We wish you lots of luck for your future endeavors.