Hi everyone, I wrote and directed VILLAIN - I'd love to hear what you all have to say about it and answer any questions you might have about how it came to be!
Why are they turning into dragons? I assume the dragon that was killed was the actual human mother of the child. Or maybe the dragon is more symbolic of the darkness of human nature?
@@Faultlesssymmetry There's definitely a lot of metaphor in the story (your last point is definitely a part of it), but it's meant to be literal too. The scales were always there.
Love it. There is no dragon, it's all about the circle of violence. The attacker probably got wronged by the protagonist's parents in the past and just like her now in the present, came to pay them back, leaving behind a traumatized and angry child that will sonner or later repeat the same journey to get back at their "villain". Everyone is the bad guy in someone else's story, no matter how justified they think themselves.
funniest thing about that is, Bella is playing Ellie in The Last of Us, which the 2nd game/2nd series is about the exact same message with cycles of violence and revenge, which is quite a dope coincidence
Bella has really cemented herself with all this short sci-fi work. She's such an incredible actor, capable of saying so much just with her expression. Mark my words, she will be one of the greatest actors of her generation. I expect a lot of Oscar winning performances in her future.
she's objectively a terrible actress who's saving grace is a large mostly featureless face that can be shot from many angles and still appear symmetrical. Let's not get things twisted. She's not getting these roles because she's a phenomenal actress.
@@SparkyTehnsuko well, to be fair, just because you make films doesn't mean you're any good at casting. And I am fairly certain this comment would hurt Catriona's feelings since she's your casting director. What exactly would YOUR film be without these people: Sej Davé, Hana Tadafe-Swinscoe, Andreas Neo, Collette Creary-Myers, Sharona Prior, Charmaine Fuller, Catriona Dickie, Gareth Tandy, Jonathan Cohen, Manex Efrem, Mike Peel, Adrian Rigby, Alex Gladstone and Becky Bazzard, Alix Milan, Sarah Bowden, Jo Quail, James Yeoman, Hayley Garwood, Midas VFX, AnimTom, Ookosound, and Emanate Studios? I appreciate what you do, and what it takes to be a director. But I don't appreciate over zealous Producers taking credit for the work of many other people. I find it quite vile and reprehensible. People who attempt to take credit for everyone else's work because they paid some of the initial bills are why all those people I just listed have to be in Unions and companies have to have strictly negotiated contracts. It's the whole reason every film has credits. So credit can never be arbitrarily claimed by someone in a position of implied or financial power. Welcome to the internet. If you wanna learn the rules, I'll teach you. But I have to charge. My milkshake is a premium, locally-sourced, olfactory experience. Very pricey. But I think it's worth it. Have a good one.
💜 Bella Ramsey is an absolutely phenomenal Actress. To be able to convey SO much feeling without dialog is something most actors can never master. Well done, Bella. Kudos!!! 💜
Formula = Opening shot: Bella Ramsey watching loved one/something she loves burn to a crisp. I´ve seen 2 like this so far, how many more start like this? Forgive me haha, literally the only other one of hers I have seen starts like this also! Secondly: This is not Sci-Fi! This is Fantasy. Thirdly: The acting here is truly world-class. Actually that is an understatement, the sheer power both these actresses wield with facial expressions alone is unnerving. 6 out of 5 stars.
Bella hunted the dragon, who killed her family...wouldn't the natural progression be for Isla to hunt Bella (ffwd a couple years) for killing her dragon protector? I'd LOVE to see that! Bravo all around. Great film.
GREAT short film!!! Not sure if was planned in the cinematography, but Bella has a light reflection or sparkle in her eyes in every scene. Similar to how Ridley Scott did in Blade Runner. That technique ensured we kept focus on Bella's face and emotions. I hope Sparky and Bella can work together again!
I'm so confused. Everybody singing the video's praises, how fantastic it was, the great acting, bla bla bla, and I'm sitting here thinking....wtf happened? What's the story? Who's dead hand was hanging out the burning house? Who was the girl in the cave? Why was the hero not affected by the dragon's fire before she stabbed it? Why did she stab it to begin with!! It was not threatening her in any way. What's the meaning of the ring? Literally nothing makes sense throughout the entire video!! I feel like I was watching a movie, which had all the storyline scenes cut out, and I was just seeing a couple of random snippets from it. Wtf did I miss?!?
The writer has said in other comments that the dragon is somewhat of a metaphor, perhaps for the darkness in human society or indeed all of us. Maybe the child is representative of a more innocent form of us or a former us trying to hold on to something intangible or familiar, and Bella's character is an older, more vengeful iteration who is out to seek closure or vengeance, or indeed take the place of the person whose body we see in the burning hut at the start of the film. Maybe it's even a metaphor for war or conflict/division in society and depicts how nobody wins or feels any sense of victory despite one side feeling they have slain the figurative dragon. Note that the dragon recognises her and seemingly offers no resistance when the ring is shown, indicating some symbolism. The scales could maybe represent resilience or tolerance to the evils of the world. Note how the child has less developed areas of scaling whereas Bella's character can be seen with more scales as the plot progresses. There's many possible interpretations, this is just one moderately literal example. Another example might be how the dragon represents an embittered, dangerous relationship, the ring representing the union of Bella's character to the dragon character more literally, and while the dragon is slightly antagonistic perhaps it realises that its time to "die" has come - the child being her actual child, who doesn't truly understand what's happening around her. The body of the person lost at the start of the film may be the partner, the hut the life shared up to that point, and the dragon the figurative representation of their relationship. The progression of the scales may represent the gradual hardening of her emotions to the trauma they are both undergoing, with Bella's character gaining more through the actions of the last scenes. There's so many literal and figurative readings into the deliberate ambiguity, that's what makes it fun. I do wish it had been shot or graded eeeeever so slightly lighter though!
@@ChristopherWoods If none of those things are even remotely explained in the film, the point is completely lost and, just like circomnia, I'm clueless. A person shouldn't need to go searching the comments for a short film to make any kind of sense.
It IS metaphorical: that's the whole point. This is a mood piece, not a A-then B-then C-then D narrative ... and quite a few of the shorts we see on Dust are mood pieces. If you can't figure it out, then this kind of short work isn't for you.@@biashacker
Agreed....the "story" is nonsense....people here praising the actresses because there is nothing else to praise. Mediocre acting, mediocre effects....horrible story. The best thing about this was the dialog...
The special effects for the dragon was excellent. The actresses' portrayed their roles well. The one revenging the death of her family were the little girl and the dragon in the cave reminded me of a she wolf raising a human child.
The young girl was amazing, the cinematography was perfect....but the soundtrack!!?? Gave me goosebumps! Jo Quail at her absolute best and what an amazing combination, audio and visual in perfect harmony. Wonderful and the best 10 mins I've had for ages!
Bella is a superb young actress, with a very bright future ahead. These short movies, along with The Last Of Us, have made her a big name. She was amazing in Game Of Thrones too.
That would be quite sad if it were so (indicating no development in about nearly ten years of acting), but I have to disagree. She didn't have to display nearly that large range of emotions in GoT as she did in Last of Us. @@livinglifeinanrv5473
One of the points people miss is that the person who died in the fire had a ring on their finger. The protag. took that ring and placed it on their neck. When the dragon saw the ring, it somehow did not recognize protag as a threat, which gave the protag time to get close enough to attack. Also, the ring could have had a physical effect similar to the LOTR ring's mental effect. The facts that the ring hid the protag as a threat and the protag had armor that resisted dragon fire, makes me think the protags family were dragon hunters. This, therefore was just the latest in a circle of violence between dragon and human, until the dragon child becomes an adult and continues it.
It reminds me of many things, but mostly ancestral/generational trauma. The young woman watches as a parent fogure dies, perhaps at her hand. At the very least, she seems relieved to let them perish. The traumas borne by that generation still live on though, in the form if the dragon. The dragon knows it's going to die now, that this new parental figure is here to do away with the older generation's dysfunctional way of things, and protect ghe new generation. The all have scars from the fire this dragon (trauma) has wrought, but the hope is that when she slays the dragon, she is sparing the child, the youngest generation, of having to deal with this inheritance of trauma. My partner and i are trying to undo genrations of trauma by not repeating the psychological damage our parents passed on to us with our kids. It's fucking hard to undo the way you were raised and not default to the familiar that will simply burn everyone. The sad part is that the killing od the deagon also traumatizes the young one, meaning that this process is imperfect and doesn't always look like we want it to.
Despite the silence of what was happening and the very sketchy plot, I liked the work because of the abundance of vivid images. The dragon, two girls and the visual component as a whole are etched in the memory quite well. Revenge is not always a good thing, and by killing the dragon that kept the girl, the other girl in fact became like him because there was one more loner in the world. The dragon influenced her as well as his ward. I don’t know how right I am, but it seems to me that this short film calls for not doing anything based on emotions, and if this is so, then I agree with the authors.👌
I really enjoyed this short overall, great tone, incredibly talented actors, and I especially liked the cinematography. My issues are: 1) Where did the sword and shield come from? I needed a scene of Bella pulling them out the rubble or finding them in the cave, instead of them just appearing. 2) Was the impact of the sword stabbing between the dragon’s scales hidden offscreen intentional in order to lighten the gore or was it a byproduct of blending cgi and practical effects? 3) If Bella having scales it supposed to represent her becoming a villain like the dragon, why is the kid emotionally attached to the dragon like it’s a positive entity? I understand the intent, but it calls the dragon’s motivation for burning down the house into question.
In fact, I also don’t understand why he burned down someone else’s house... In fact, the dragon didn’t even eat anyone, as animals do, but simply killed a person. POSSIBLY the main character's family somehow deprived the family of the girl who had to live with the dragon before all this, but I don't think the audience is obligated to figure something out on their own, so... I think this plot convention can be considered a kind of plot hole.
I'm not a film critic, I'm a friend of Sej and Sparky. Here's my attempt at an amateur review! I would say I liked it, but didn't 'enjoy' it, if that makes sense. I thought the technical aspects were great, such as camera angles, framing things, colour, sound.. although I did have to turn up screen brightness to maximum during the night/cave scenes. I struggled to connect with the main character. Her acting was amazing, but I didn't feel as much empathy for her as I could have done. Perhaps some brief rose-tinted flashbacks, to give the loss of her mother some emotional weight may have helped. Some nod to her arduous journey to the cave as well, making an effort to take her stand, as it seemed like she teleported there! The second actor was very good too, she came across as a very intriguing character, however I was confused by the dynamic between the two. Perhaps some dialogue may have helped here. It feels like it was a creative decision to have no dialogue. Perhaps only having one or two lines could have been just as meaningful? The dragon was outstanding. I couldn't tell if the close up shots were CGI or practical, they looked very real either way. The firey special effects were as good as any big blockbuster Hollywood movie too. My interpretation of this film is, you may seek revenge on someone you hate, but they may not have realised what they'd done, and they will likely have those who love them. So by exacting revenge, you become a Villain yourself, in their eyes. Certainly the scene at the end, the girl remains alone, lost, and afraid. She reflects on the impact she has had on the other girl. She still has no home, her family will never come back, and so realises she has gained nothing from slaying this dragon. Quite a sad and actually a depressing end. Which is why I say I liked the film, but didn't enjoy it. It didn't leave me feeling great! If that was the intention, then, Bravo! I think it's so courageous to make a film like this, with all the challenges and setbacks, knowing there will always be critics, and AI increasingly taking over much of the human creative process. As a work of art it is amazing, and it's a pleasure to know the fine creative minds who brought it into being. 🐉
Take the dragon as a metaphor to represent the person who killed her mother, likely as a representation of something scary and due to the fire connection. So a quick explanation: Bella's character's family (or perhaps just her mother) was murdered. The ring on the mother's hand who died in the fire was important; more on that in a bit. Bella went to murder those responsible. The murderer (dragon) did not find her dangerous; he/she/the dragon simply believed she was some girl who came across the camp and was trying to protect herself and thus walked by her to show that they were not a threat to her. They laid down away from her and looked at her. She then showed the ring around her neck...the same ring her mother was wearing. This was to show that she was related to the woman murdered in that home. By that point she was close enough to attack him/her/the dragon, who, recognizing the danger Bella presented, attempted to attack her. The reason the dragon's fire did not burn Bella in the end was because it simply represented the failed "attack" the person attempted on her when Bella attacked. The little girl was a real person. Perhaps the daughter of the murderer or perhaps even another girl who had been orphaned but was now being taken care of by the murderer. The girl was scared at the end having witnessed what Bella did. The scales on Bella's character were a marker. As guessed by others, probably a mark to show that she was now the villain. Of course, this brings up two important questions: If this is a vicious cycle...that would mean her mother (or family) had done something horrible to the dragon (person murdered). And does this mean the little girl left at the end will end up murdering Bella's character at some point in the future?
The opening was as intense of a introduction on a short film that I've ever seen. Immediately got me hooked to the Film and what story lies ahead. I stopped at the 0:59 mark because I simply had to show respect to the all out quality and "time-to-get-closer- to-the-screen-and-time-to-pay attention" vibe the Film immediately demands! Looking forward to commenting on the complete piece. With so many short films that are out there, having one make an impact on you, becomes harder to stroll upon.
Bella Ramsay is an actress,not an actor. She's been in quite a few sci-fi videos since she first came out in some post-after War World Three and Four mini-flick. She had been younger back then. Her father had an artificial heart,and an EMP attack had instantly killed him.
PERHAPS... Was this all real (not just in the girl's mind ?) I couldn't help but think that A) The two girls are multiple personalities of the same girl (both have same burn on right shoulder), who was abused by the father (burnt in the house by Bella), and The dragon is either a metaphore of B1) The abusive father/protector or B2) A 3rd personality that saved the girl(s) from the abuser by burning the house and killing him. and Killing the dragon is either a metaphore for C1) Killing the abuser (little girl cries because father protector is dead) or, C2) Killing that 3rd personality that is no longer required to protect the girl(s) since the abuser is no longer (little girl cries because the protecting dragon personality is gone). So at the end, the personality of the little girl is no longer (left in the cavern with the dragon), leaving just the stronger orlder girl to go on. Just a tought.
Yup 110% fantastic art work and that acting well nothing but Top Class all the way thank you to all involved making this film. The RiGz award of Awesomeness is awarded lol (I loved it before I even saw the Dragon lol) & Bella Ramsey what a star ! your just brilliant.
I love this. Like real life, there is always a need to look at how it makes you feel and interpret from this what you think is really going on. Deeper. Relationship. True Art. ❤
I enjoyed this, but have quibbles with the ending sequence. Having slain her foe, she would still be flush with Vengeance Victorious. She would have retrieved the sword, and grabbed back the shield from the child. At her mother's grave, she should be placed at the foot of the grave, looking back at the mountain. (Current staging has her at the side, looking away from the mountain). After her gradual realization at what she had done/become (which was beautifully acted and shot), cut to a close-up of her hand holding the sword... Ending 1: "This is not what I want to be" - the hand slowly loosens its grip, and the sword falls away (music softens) Ending 2: "This is who I am now" - the hand slowly tightens its grip confidently (music hardens) My two cents. [Edited now that I've read the blurb from the author]
I wholeheartedly agree! Since there was no dialogue, a lot of responsibility fell on music to guide the narrative and Jo NAILED the score from start to finish. Love it.
Is it because of the word “fiction” in that unique genre called “science fiction” that you confound fantasy (and/or horror) with such a quite distinct film-genre?
I didn't get any of it. Maybe I'm not artsy enough. Maybe my cell made it too dark and I missed stuff. Don't think most audiences would get it. Sorry just my opinion.
I was left yearning for my last 10 minutes back. makes me wonder how many people who said they liked it are just pretending they got something out of it. 🤷♂️
This question is for the programmers at DUST: why is it that videos previously released are re-released with newer dates? "Villian" is a terrific shot, but it was released several years ago. Now shows up as only having been released TWO MONTHS ago. Why?
Hi Joshua! ‘Villain’ actually only premiered at its first film festival in April 2023, and we agreed for it to be published online here on 20th December. Hope that helps!
@@SparkyTehnsuko I am so absolutely SORRY! I had totally confused your wonderful film with another short with Bella Ramsey that appeared on DUST ("Zero" (2019) produced by the Lynch Bros.). I am SO sorry for the confusion. Congrats on your success! Terrific film and terrific casting!
this reminds me of dragon's dogma... the dragon takes your heart (in this case figuratively) and the hero goes forth on a quest to slay the dragon in the name of vengeance, justice, or what have you... but as the monster falls, the twist in the story is that the slayer goes on to become the very thing they sought to slay...
I liked the pace, the music, the lack of words. I didn't like that it is too dark. What was she burning in the end? What are the round things she took? I can't say I understood the plot too well, but I understood enough to enjoy.
Hi everyone, I wrote and directed VILLAIN - I'd love to hear what you all have to say about it and answer any questions you might have about how it came to be!
Why are they turning into dragons? I assume the dragon that was killed was the actual human mother of the child. Or maybe the dragon is more symbolic of the darkness of human nature?
@@Faultlesssymmetry There's definitely a lot of metaphor in the story (your last point is definitely a part of it), but it's meant to be literal too. The scales were always there.
It was interesting and well-made, but I could make no sense out of it.
@@menow. Might deserve a rewatch, then! There's clues.
@@SparkyTehnsuko ..What was she burning at the end?
Love it.
There is no dragon, it's all about the circle of violence.
The attacker probably got wronged by the protagonist's parents in the past and just like her now in the present, came to pay them back, leaving behind a traumatized and angry child that will sonner or later repeat the same journey to get back at their "villain".
Everyone is the bad guy in someone else's story, no matter how justified they think themselves.
funniest thing about that is, Bella is playing Ellie in The Last of Us, which the 2nd game/2nd series is about the exact same message with cycles of violence and revenge, which is quite a dope coincidence
Bella has really cemented herself with all this short sci-fi work. She's such an incredible actor, capable of saying so much just with her expression. Mark my words, she will be one of the greatest actors of her generation. I expect a lot of Oscar winning performances in her future.
she's objectively a terrible actress who's saving grace is a large mostly featureless face that can be shot from many angles and still appear symmetrical. Let's not get things twisted. She's not getting these roles because she's a phenomenal actress.
This isn't SciFi, but she's that Bella is fantastic
@@ZennExile I mean, I feel slightly more qualified to confirm that Bella actually got the role in THIS film by being a phenomenal actor.
@@SparkyTehnsuko well, to be fair, just because you make films doesn't mean you're any good at casting. And I am fairly certain this comment would hurt Catriona's feelings since she's your casting director.
What exactly would YOUR film be without these people:
Sej Davé, Hana Tadafe-Swinscoe, Andreas Neo, Collette Creary-Myers, Sharona Prior, Charmaine Fuller, Catriona Dickie, Gareth Tandy, Jonathan Cohen, Manex Efrem, Mike Peel, Adrian Rigby, Alex Gladstone and Becky Bazzard, Alix Milan, Sarah Bowden, Jo Quail, James Yeoman, Hayley Garwood, Midas VFX, AnimTom, Ookosound, and Emanate Studios?
I appreciate what you do, and what it takes to be a director. But I don't appreciate over zealous Producers taking credit for the work of many other people. I find it quite vile and reprehensible.
People who attempt to take credit for everyone else's work because they paid some of the initial bills are why all those people I just listed have to be in Unions and companies have to have strictly negotiated contracts.
It's the whole reason every film has credits. So credit can never be arbitrarily claimed by someone in a position of implied or financial power.
Welcome to the internet. If you wanna learn the rules, I'll teach you. But I have to charge. My milkshake is a premium, locally-sourced, olfactory experience. Very pricey. But I think it's worth it.
Have a good one.
💜 Bella Ramsey is an absolutely phenomenal Actress. To be able to convey SO much feeling without dialog is something most actors can never master. Well done, Bella. Kudos!!! 💜
That was interesting. I love Bella, and this little story was a solid tribute to her non-verbal acting skills.
wait... we're pretending she's a good actress now too?
Hey genius, if you have understood the story, please, be a good boy and give the explanation. Because for it's a full vacuum !
Formula = Opening shot: Bella Ramsey watching loved one/something she loves burn to a crisp. I´ve seen 2 like this so far, how many more start like this?
Forgive me haha, literally the only other one of hers I have seen starts like this also!
Secondly: This is not Sci-Fi! This is Fantasy.
Thirdly: The acting here is truly world-class. Actually that is an understatement, the sheer power both these actresses wield with facial expressions alone is unnerving. 6 out of 5 stars.
Me and the director of Requiem decided to do the “Jennifer Connelly standing at the edge of a pier” thing with Bella
Bella hunted the dragon, who killed her family...wouldn't the natural progression be for Isla to hunt Bella (ffwd a couple years) for killing her dragon protector? I'd LOVE to see that! Bravo all around. Great film.
GREAT short film!!! Not sure if was planned in the cinematography, but Bella has a light reflection or sparkle in her eyes in every scene. Similar to how Ridley Scott did in Blade Runner. That technique ensured we kept focus on Bella's face and emotions. I hope Sparky and Bella can work together again!
I'm so confused. Everybody singing the video's praises, how fantastic it was, the great acting, bla bla bla, and I'm sitting here thinking....wtf happened? What's the story? Who's dead hand was hanging out the burning house? Who was the girl in the cave? Why was the hero not affected by the dragon's fire before she stabbed it? Why did she stab it to begin with!! It was not threatening her in any way. What's the meaning of the ring? Literally nothing makes sense throughout the entire video!! I feel like I was watching a movie, which had all the storyline scenes cut out, and I was just seeing a couple of random snippets from it. Wtf did I miss?!?
The writer has said in other comments that the dragon is somewhat of a metaphor, perhaps for the darkness in human society or indeed all of us. Maybe the child is representative of a more innocent form of us or a former us trying to hold on to something intangible or familiar, and Bella's character is an older, more vengeful iteration who is out to seek closure or vengeance, or indeed take the place of the person whose body we see in the burning hut at the start of the film.
Maybe it's even a metaphor for war or conflict/division in society and depicts how nobody wins or feels any sense of victory despite one side feeling they have slain the figurative dragon. Note that the dragon recognises her and seemingly offers no resistance when the ring is shown, indicating some symbolism. The scales could maybe represent resilience or tolerance to the evils of the world. Note how the child has less developed areas of scaling whereas Bella's character can be seen with more scales as the plot progresses. There's many possible interpretations, this is just one moderately literal example.
Another example might be how the dragon represents an embittered, dangerous relationship, the ring representing the union of Bella's character to the dragon character more literally, and while the dragon is slightly antagonistic perhaps it realises that its time to "die" has come - the child being her actual child, who doesn't truly understand what's happening around her.
The body of the person lost at the start of the film may be the partner, the hut the life shared up to that point, and the dragon the figurative representation of their relationship. The progression of the scales may represent the gradual hardening of her emotions to the trauma they are both undergoing, with Bella's character gaining more through the actions of the last scenes.
There's so many literal and figurative readings into the deliberate ambiguity, that's what makes it fun.
I do wish it had been shot or graded eeeeever so slightly lighter though!
Yes please can someone explain what this is about. Something concrete and not metaphorical.
@@ChristopherWoods If none of those things are even remotely explained in the film, the point is completely lost and, just like circomnia, I'm clueless. A person shouldn't need to go searching the comments for a short film to make any kind of sense.
It IS metaphorical: that's the whole point. This is a mood piece, not a A-then B-then C-then D narrative ... and quite a few of the shorts we see on Dust are mood pieces. If you can't figure it out, then this kind of short work isn't for you.@@biashacker
Agreed....the "story" is nonsense....people here praising the actresses because there is nothing else to praise. Mediocre acting, mediocre effects....horrible story. The best thing about this was the dialog...
Bella 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
That was phenomenal. Great CGI. Would love to see it as a full !length movie or part of a series.
The special effects for the dragon was excellent. The actresses' portrayed their roles well. The one revenging the death of her family were the little girl and the dragon in the cave reminded me of a she wolf raising a human child.
The young girl was amazing, the cinematography was perfect....but the soundtrack!!?? Gave me goosebumps! Jo Quail at her absolute best and what an amazing combination, audio and visual in perfect harmony. Wonderful and the best 10 mins I've had for ages!
Bella Ramsey is a superstar.
Mr director bella Ramsey is a great actress
Thank you so much to all worked on Villain. That was lovely.
That had me going in several directions, and without a word, was all wrapped with a tiny bow. What an accomplishment.
Bella Ramsay Will be de Merril Streep of thus generation .
Bella is a superb young actress, with a very bright future ahead. These short movies, along with The Last Of Us, have made her a big name. She was amazing in Game Of Thrones too.
She was great in game of thrones. I don't think anything she did tips that. Not even the last of us
That would be quite sad if it were so (indicating no development in about nearly ten years of acting), but I have to disagree. She didn't have to display nearly that large range of emotions in GoT as she did in Last of Us. @@livinglifeinanrv5473
I think she's extremely amateur, she ruined the last of us
@@Dalmore_Duke Shut up👍
It's so cool Bella does stuff like this. I love their acting
Love it. Love your actress, she’s brilliant.
She is such an amazing actress
One of the points people miss is that the person who died in the fire had a ring on their finger. The protag. took that ring and placed it on their neck. When the dragon saw the ring, it somehow did not recognize protag as a threat, which gave the protag time to get close enough to attack. Also, the ring could have had a physical effect similar to the LOTR ring's mental effect.
The facts that the ring hid the protag as a threat and the protag had armor that resisted dragon fire, makes me think the protags family were dragon hunters. This, therefore was just the latest in a circle of violence between dragon and human, until the dragon child becomes an adult and continues it.
Bella Ramsey Is Evil Laughing
Interesting take.... and very plausible.
Thank you, as that makes total sense to me because before reading other comments, I was very confused about the plot.
Such good acting!! Blown away!
yes agree!
Bella is such a unique actor. She has such a depth to her. Hope to see more of her in movies in future
It reminds me of many things, but mostly ancestral/generational trauma. The young woman watches as a parent fogure dies, perhaps at her hand. At the very least, she seems relieved to let them perish. The traumas borne by that generation still live on though, in the form if the dragon. The dragon knows it's going to die now, that this new parental figure is here to do away with the older generation's dysfunctional way of things, and protect ghe new generation. The all have scars from the fire this dragon (trauma) has wrought, but the hope is that when she slays the dragon, she is sparing the child, the youngest generation, of having to deal with this inheritance of trauma.
My partner and i are trying to undo genrations of trauma by not repeating the psychological damage our parents passed on to us with our kids. It's fucking hard to undo the way you were raised and not default to the familiar that will simply burn everyone. The sad part is that the killing od the deagon also traumatizes the young one, meaning that this process is imperfect and doesn't always look like we want it to.
Bella says so much w/o speaking a word! 👏🏽
Impeccable
Brilliant, surprisingly gripping. Very well acted. We'll done to all. Great work to the writer.
Amazing actress and amazing acting
Very talented young lady & a fine yet sad tale of love , death & revenge .
agree thats great
Good short. The girl is a beaut!
Bella is extraordinary ❤
I have a great monitor and the film was super dark. To dark to understand anything. Needed more FIRE! :)
Definitely needed more fire
You sound like Beavis! FIRE! YEA FIRE!
Definitely more fire is always good. But, sorry to say, your great monitor needs some adjusting 👍
i also think it's to dark. while it contributes to focusing on the faces, it is also straining.
Despite the silence of what was happening and the very sketchy plot, I liked the work because of the abundance of vivid images. The dragon, two girls and the visual component as a whole are etched in the memory quite well. Revenge is not always a good thing, and by killing the dragon that kept the girl, the other girl in fact became like him because there was one more loner in the world. The dragon influenced her as well as his ward. I don’t know how right I am, but it seems to me that this short film calls for not doing anything based on emotions, and if this is so, then I agree with the authors.👌
It could have been a female dragon, as in the mother of the child.....
Amazing job! Love it!
I really enjoyed this short overall, great tone, incredibly talented actors, and I especially liked the cinematography. My issues are: 1) Where did the sword and shield come from? I needed a scene of Bella pulling them out the rubble or finding them in the cave, instead of them just appearing. 2) Was the impact of the sword stabbing between the dragon’s scales hidden offscreen intentional in order to lighten the gore or was it a byproduct of blending cgi and practical effects? 3) If Bella having scales it supposed to represent her becoming a villain like the dragon, why is the kid emotionally attached to the dragon like it’s a positive entity? I understand the intent, but it calls the dragon’s motivation for burning down the house into question.
In fact, I also don’t understand why he burned down someone else’s house... In fact, the dragon didn’t even eat anyone, as animals do, but simply killed a person. POSSIBLY the main character's family somehow deprived the family of the girl who had to live with the dragon before all this, but I don't think the audience is obligated to figure something out on their own, so... I think this plot convention can be considered a kind of plot hole.
I don't think they're scales on Bella, I think they're burns.
A dragon raised child, well done !
Also great acting !
Great acting. The dragon was done very well, but surprisingly easy to slay. 👍 👍
Critical strike with her rusty blade.
Enchanted Sword:
Armor Penetration +50
Critical Strike +50
Luck +1000
😄
yes your right
Both actors we excellent in this short film. The score was haunting and set for an atmospheric tale. Congratulations to all involved.
Great video, if you don't care if there's no indication of what's going on.
Hilda negotiation with the Lindworm is a lot darker than I remember.
Does anyone else think that the dragon ignored Georgia when it first entered because it could see her protecting the child?
Vengeance and truth is what makes a Villain. ✨🔥
I'm not a film critic, I'm a friend of Sej and Sparky. Here's my attempt at an amateur review!
I would say I liked it, but didn't 'enjoy' it, if that makes sense. I thought the technical aspects were great, such as camera angles, framing things, colour, sound.. although I did have to turn up screen brightness to maximum during the night/cave scenes.
I struggled to connect with the main character. Her acting was amazing, but I didn't feel as much empathy for her as I could have done. Perhaps some brief rose-tinted flashbacks, to give the loss of her mother some emotional weight may have helped. Some nod to her arduous journey to the cave as well, making an effort to take her stand, as it seemed like she teleported there!
The second actor was very good too, she came across as a very intriguing character, however I was confused by the dynamic between the two. Perhaps some dialogue may have helped here. It feels like it was a creative decision to have no dialogue. Perhaps only having one or two lines could have been just as meaningful?
The dragon was outstanding. I couldn't tell if the close up shots were CGI or practical, they looked very real either way. The firey special effects were as good as any big blockbuster Hollywood movie too.
My interpretation of this film is, you may seek revenge on someone you hate, but they may not have realised what they'd done, and they will likely have those who love them. So by exacting revenge, you become a Villain yourself, in their eyes. Certainly the scene at the end, the girl remains alone, lost, and afraid. She reflects on the impact she has had on the other girl. She still has no home, her family will never come back, and so realises she has gained nothing from slaying this dragon. Quite a sad and actually a depressing end. Which is why I say I liked the film, but didn't enjoy it. It didn't leave me feeling great! If that was the intention, then, Bravo!
I think it's so courageous to make a film like this, with all the challenges and setbacks, knowing there will always be critics, and AI increasingly taking over much of the human creative process. As a work of art it is amazing, and it's a pleasure to know the fine creative minds who brought it into being. 🐉
Take the dragon as a metaphor to represent the person who killed her mother, likely as a representation of something scary and due to the fire connection. So a quick explanation:
Bella's character's family (or perhaps just her mother) was murdered. The ring on the mother's hand who died in the fire was important; more on that in a bit.
Bella went to murder those responsible. The murderer (dragon) did not find her dangerous; he/she/the dragon simply believed she was some girl who came across the camp and was trying to protect herself and thus walked by her to show that they were not a threat to her. They laid down away from her and looked at her. She then showed the ring around her neck...the same ring her mother was wearing. This was to show that she was related to the woman murdered in that home. By that point she was close enough to attack him/her/the dragon, who, recognizing the danger Bella presented, attempted to attack her.
The reason the dragon's fire did not burn Bella in the end was because it simply represented the failed "attack" the person attempted on her when Bella attacked.
The little girl was a real person. Perhaps the daughter of the murderer or perhaps even another girl who had been orphaned but was now being taken care of by the murderer. The girl was scared at the end having witnessed what Bella did. The scales on Bella's character were a marker. As guessed by others, probably a mark to show that she was now the villain.
Of course, this brings up two important questions: If this is a vicious cycle...that would mean her mother (or family) had done something horrible to the dragon (person murdered). And does this mean the little girl left at the end will end up murdering Bella's character at some point in the future?
The opening was as intense of a introduction on a short film that I've ever seen. Immediately got me hooked to the Film and what story lies ahead. I stopped at the 0:59 mark because I simply had to show respect to the all out quality and "time-to-get-closer- to-the-screen-and-time-to-pay attention" vibe the Film immediately demands! Looking forward to commenting on the complete piece. With so many short films that are out there, having one make an impact on you, becomes harder to stroll upon.
What was she burning at the end, and why? Too much darkness for me to see much of anything.
It was the grave of her mother that was killed in the first scene. You can see her burying her before she leaves for the cave.
She was great in Game of Thrones. Similar theme here. Pretty good short.
Bella, as usual, played her role just admirably! 🫀
hey! good stuff and...thanks g - Neeshie
Bella Ramsy is an incredible actor. Deep and nuanced, especially at such a young age. I couldn't understand it until I saw her mother act. Wow.
Who is her mum??😳❓❓Real question...
Remember the birth scene? That was her mum.
Bella Ramsay is an actress,not an actor. She's been in quite a few sci-fi videos since she first came out in some post-after War World Three and Four mini-flick.
She had been younger back then.
Her father had an artificial heart,and an EMP attack had instantly killed him.
Excellent. All the best in 2024 for you and family
How sad. I think the younger girl was the dragons friend.
I love the use your mind type movies
PERHAPS...
Was this all real (not just in the girl's mind ?)
I couldn't help but think that
A) The two girls are multiple personalities of the same girl (both have same burn on right shoulder), who was abused by the father (burnt in the house by Bella), and
The dragon is either a metaphore of
B1) The abusive father/protector or
B2) A 3rd personality that saved the girl(s) from the abuser by burning the house and killing him.
and
Killing the dragon is either a metaphore for
C1) Killing the abuser (little girl cries because father protector is dead) or,
C2) Killing that 3rd personality that is no longer required to protect the girl(s) since the abuser is no longer (little girl cries because the protecting dragon personality is gone).
So at the end, the personality of the little girl is no longer (left in the cavern with the dragon), leaving just the stronger orlder girl to go on.
Just a tought.
Bella is magnificent 😊❤
Yup 110% fantastic art work and that acting well nothing but Top Class all the way thank you to all involved making this film.
The RiGz award of Awesomeness is awarded lol (I loved it before I even saw the Dragon lol) & Bella Ramsey what a star ! your just brilliant.
I love the short films and actors the better than the actors in Hollywood
good film
agree!
Brilliant ! Cinematography, light in the eyes, capturing the emotions, without one line spoken. Will be on the lookout for more from these creators.
this is so amazinh.. i can watch for hours
I love this. Like real life, there is always a need to look at how it makes you feel and interpret from this what you think is really going on. Deeper. Relationship. True Art. ❤
If Lyanna Mormont had three Dragons, that show would've ended after season two.
Good effects, cinematography and acting but the pace of the short is too slow. Too much standing around staring
I enjoyed this, but have quibbles with the ending sequence.
Having slain her foe, she would still be flush with Vengeance Victorious. She would have retrieved the sword, and grabbed back the shield from the child.
At her mother's grave, she should be placed at the foot of the grave, looking back at the mountain. (Current staging has her at the side, looking away from the mountain).
After her gradual realization at what she had done/become (which was beautifully acted and shot), cut to a close-up of her hand holding the sword...
Ending 1: "This is not what I want to be" - the hand slowly loosens its grip, and the sword falls away (music softens)
Ending 2: "This is who I am now" - the hand slowly tightens its grip confidently (music hardens)
My two cents.
[Edited now that I've read the blurb from the author]
there's no husband in this.
Edited now that I've read the author's blurb. The body was rather indistinct to me.
Jo Quail has to be recognised for this score.
That is all.
I wholeheartedly agree! Since there was no dialogue, a lot of responsibility fell on music to guide the narrative and Jo NAILED the score from start to finish. Love it.
Is it because of the word “fiction” in that unique genre called “science fiction” that you confound fantasy (and/or horror) with such a quite distinct film-genre?
Oh, oh that's the girl with 20 arms. Also was in that show... Last of Us? Totaly excited.
The dragon was her villain, the dragonkiller is now the smaller girl villain.
yyes xD
Aw, Drogon and Lyanna Mormont.
…nice… weldone 👍🏻
Good film.
agree!
Just a side quest Leanna Mormont had before the battle with the Night King
I didn't get any of it. Maybe I'm not artsy enough. Maybe my cell made it too dark and I missed stuff. Don't think most audiences would get it. Sorry just my opinion.
I was left yearning for my last 10 minutes back. makes me wonder how many people who said they liked it are just pretending they got something out of it. 🤷♂️
@@briantouchette6182 y'all are just dumb and lack media literacy
Also, it's Fantasy mislabeled as Sci-Fi.
I must have missed this episode of GoT
xD haha yes
have you ever seen a child that looks more like owen wilson?? wow!
Bella Ramsey from the Last of Us. 😀❤️👍
Only the 2nd short film I’ve seen this month that started with Bella Ramsey in weird clothes staring at a fire.
‘Requiem’ has almost the exact same opening shot! Absolute coincidence; still, a fantastic short (that’s very different from Villain)
Would have been better if it had a plot.
my guess about the ring thing its an crazy thing but I THINK the girl (bella's character) is connected to the dragon in some almost familiar way
👀👀👀
No entendí 😢 quién era la niña? Porqué no se quemó con el fuego del dragón? Qué quemó al final? Excelente producción aunque no entendí 😅
Estas son exactamente las preguntas correctas, pero el espectador debe responderlas.
@@SparkyTehnsuko por favor danos alguna pista, 😮
Me pasa igual 😮
@@martamarin8688 ¿Quién crees que era el niño para el personaje de Bella? Puede que tengas razón.
This question is for the programmers at DUST: why is it that videos previously released are re-released with newer dates? "Villian" is a terrific shot, but it was released several years ago. Now shows up as only having been released TWO MONTHS ago. Why?
Hi Joshua! ‘Villain’ actually only premiered at its first film festival in April 2023, and we agreed for it to be published online here on 20th December. Hope that helps!
@@SparkyTehnsuko I am so absolutely SORRY! I had totally confused your wonderful film with another short with Bella Ramsey that appeared on DUST ("Zero" (2019) produced by the Lynch Bros.). I am SO sorry for the confusion. Congrats on your success! Terrific film and terrific casting!
I CAN ALREADY TELL THIS IS GONNA BE SO GOODDD
yessss!
How is this science fiction? Was the dragon a space alien or something like that?
Well sometimes life is just sad. and dragons suffer. Grendel and Grendel's mom knows.
Is the girl the main actor from the "last of us"?
Looks like her
this reminds me of dragon's dogma... the dragon takes your heart (in this case figuratively) and the hero goes forth on a quest to slay the dragon in the name of vengeance, justice, or what have you...
but as the monster falls, the twist in the story is that the slayer goes on to become the very thing they sought to slay...
OMG first anime I thought of 😂
I liked the pace, the music, the lack of words. I didn't like that it is too dark. What was she burning in the end? What are the round things she took? I can't say I understood the plot too well, but I understood enough to enjoy.
She is great actress ❤
They're both excellent! Bella's fantastic, of course, but Isla Gie also deserves praise. So talented!
@@SparkyTehnsuko yes, you are right bro...👌
The dragon burned her home at the beginning
Interesting. Bella Ramsey is a big star. She's such a a great actress. Great little video.
Actor*
@@cherife2006actor is fine too. It's gender neutral.
Actress is wonderful too. Don't hate on females.@@cherife2006
SHE IS BEAUTY
❤🧡💛💚💜🤎🖤🤍
Saved money on the dialogue coach.
Cool"
agree!
This reminds me of Russian nihilism. It's like the Russians can't make a happy ending.
DUST should make a full 2 hr movie 🎥
DUST isn´t making those movies. It´s a lot of small creators and DUST simply publishes them as far as I know
The north remembers!
House Mormont remembers!
Bella Ramsey will always be Mildred Hubble to me :D
They will always be Hilda to me