Making genre shorts has been working out for a number of directors lately. Andy Muschietti had a career breakthrough with a short film that got expanded into MAMA. Fede Alvarez caught Sam Raimi's attention with a short film and was offered the chance to direct EVIL DEAD 2013. David F. Sandberg got to turn his short LIGHTS OUT into a feature. Lars Klevberg got to do the same thing with his short POLAROID, and now he has been hired to direct a remake of CHILD'S PLAY before the POLAROID feature has even been released.
The latest short film success story is Julian Terry, who will be getting the chance to expand his 8 minute "proof of concept" short THEY HEAR IT into a feature thanks to Legendary Entertainment and The Picture Company.
Drawing comparisons to IT and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THEY HEAR IT will
explore an ominous presence that stalks the youthful inhabitants of a small community.
In this story,
there is a mysterious and terrifying noise called The Sound that attracts children when they hear it.
What exactly happens to the children once they're drawn to that sound isn't clear, but I'm sure it's not a positive experience.
Terry previously won the short film contest "My Annabelle Creation", in which directors crafted shorts set in the CONJURING universe. His short was called THE NURSE.
THEY HEAR IT will be produced by The Picture Company's Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona, with Jacob Chase serving as executive producer. Jon Silk and Blake Avery are overseeing the project for Legendary.