Introduction:
Terminal is a captivating, short drama that follows the highs and lows of a gambling addict and his torturous relationship with a fixed odds betting terminal as it slowly destroys his personal and professional life. The story is told up close from an intimate vantage point that allows for a unique perspective of the character’s tumultuous journey. The film captures the horror of the problem gamblers experience and juxtaposes it with beautifully lit, visceral imagery and a carefully selected sound palette based on the same sensory seduction techniques that gambling machines use to seduce their helpless victims.
Inspiration:
Terminal is a personal story that draws on my own experiences of suffering from long-term gambling harm. I believe that Terminal’s story and its insights can play a role in bringing the silent horrors of problem gambling to a wider audience by shining a light into this dark and rarely seen world within the South Asian community, where gambling is an unspoken and taboo subject. The film’s intimate vantage point allows the audience to observe the harsh realities of the punishing, self-destructive life of a problem gambler whilst also experiencing the dark comic edges that emerge from within the protagonist’s wildest and most delusional fantasies.
The Process:
Terminal was shot over three days in October 2024 in an empty, former Polish supermarket in Acton, London. One of our biggest challenges was transforming the ground floor of the supermarket we were filming into a betting shop in just one day. We feel this was achieved both during the shoot with the great work of our dedicated art department and lighting team, and then further along in the post-production process, with numerous members of our team helping us achieve the vision we wanted to create. One of my favourite moments involved our lead actor and an effect we were trying to achieve on set with the camera rig. The work done between multiple departments to achieve this was great to watch and was key to making this scene really work as we intended.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
I am greatly honoured and very grateful to have been chosen as a finalist in the Worcester Film Festival. It’s a reward for us and our team for all the work and effort we have put into the film, and it’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to share our story with a new audience within the festival community.
Where to Watch / Follow:
Follow @terminalshortfilm on Instagram for all our festival updates, trailers and behind-the-scenes content. Further content can be found on our dedicated website www.terminal.film