Synopsis

In a dystopian society, newly-hired federal memory thief Thomas (20) is coached by Martin (50s), his partner and a veteran agent, to hunt for memory keys using their strong senses of smell.

Since having his own memory wiped, Thomas struggles to track down keys and starts to question the government’s motives. When he is told to investigate Martin for suspected treason, he becomes unsure who he can trust…

Meet Our Crew

Saar Zutshi - Director - Masters Student in Fiction Film Direction at QMUL

Elitsa Bineva - Writer - Masters Student in Fiction Film Direction at QMUL 

Ffion David - DoP - 3rd Year Film Student at QMUL 

Charlotte Woolf - Producer/Editor - 3rd Year Film Student at QMUL

Milly Dimelow - Producer/AD - 3rd Year Film Student at QMUL 

Writer/Director Notes

Key Hunters is a stark reminder of the importance of human connections and identity. By experimenting with the absence of memory, we aim to highlight the ethical concerns of government control that our society faces as well as to juxtapose loyalty and love in a complicated father-son relationship.

We strongly believe that this film will serve as an important bridge between generations and as a starting point for discussions surrounding technology, abuse of power, and the sanctity of memory.

Artistic Vision 

This film evokes strong sensory experiences through the use of montage, which will highlight the characters’ powerful sense of smell. Utilising both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds and inserts that translate their unique sensory ability, Key Hunters will showcase an exciting approach to storytelling.

Moving camera shots will heighten the urgency the characters feel: particularly Martin, who races to restore his son’s memory before he is arrested. Tight lenses will also be used to show the intense detail with which the Key Hunters work. In a broader sense, this will serve as a representation of the constriction these characters feel in the authoritarian society. These shots will be juxtaposed with wide vistas to show isolation, the primary emotion that comes as a result of lacking interpersonal relationships.