Sean Brien’s Scarlet began as an ambitious project, shot during his time in college with a small but dedicated team. Now, this experimental vampire short has found a new audience as part of the horror anthology The Night Time World, distributed by Lionsgate. The film’s journey—from a micro budget production to an international collaboration—illustrates how social media can be an important tool in indie cinema. In this article, Assistant Editor Dev Murray chats to him about his experience, work and influences.
Filmmaking has always been in the background of Sean Brien’s life. With a family immersed in film, he was brought to sets from an early age.
“My father, Eric Gaffney, gradually developed an interest in cinematography, and my mother, Amanda Brien, started directing short films when I was about 12,” Sean explains. “Initially, I was underwhelmed by the slow process of a film set. As much as I appreciated it, I wasn’t sure if it was something I’d ever actually want to do.”
That changed when he worked on Red Room, a feature-length horror film directed by his uncle, Stephen Gaffney. An intense experience while filming left a lasting impression. “A woman, played by Saoirse Doyle, is abducted and bisected with a chainsaw. I had to go into the bathroom and hold something up in the toilet cistern to stop a dripping sound. The bathroom was in darkness—I could smell the chainsaw petrol and hear Saoirse’s screams from the next room. As a teenager in a dark bathroom listening to a recreation of somebody being snuffed, my thinking was more like, ‘Wow! This is exactly what it would look, sound and even smell like to be a horror movie character hiding from a chainsaw-wielding lunatic!’”
From there, Brien’s involvement in filmmaking continued. He worked as a second camera operator on a documentary his father was shooting along the Wild Atlantic Way, assisted with sound, and later saw his own work on the big screen for the first time at a screening night.
Crafting Scarlet: Style, Inspiration, and Challenges
With Scarlet, Brien set out to create a visually striking, ambitious horror film that drew inspiration from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), U-Turn (1997), and Suspiria (1977). The story follows the titular Scarlet, played by Nina Donnelly, an enchantress-like vampire whose allure comes at a fatal cost.
The film also references Irish folklore, particularly the leannán sídhe, a muse-like spirit written about by W.B. Yeats. “She gives good fortune and inspiration to young artists and poets—at the cost that they die young,” Brien explains.
Shot in Fairview, near where Bram Stoker grew up, the film nods to Dublin’s connection to vampire lore. “There was something cool about making a vampire movie in what one could call the birthplace of the vampire as we know it today,” Brien says.
However, shooting Scarlet wasn’t without challenges. Managing college, a part-time job, and a tight production schedule, Brien almost postponed filming until the summer. Cinematographer Peter D. Keating urged him to go ahead, which worked out for the best given that the first COVID-19 lockdown was in place soon after.
On the third day of shooting, disaster struck. “The tungsten lights caused a fuse to blow, and we lost electricity,” Brien recalls. With only limited LED battery power, Keating and the team improvised with candles and even phone lights to finish the scene. “It was dire straits. But everyone pulled together.”
On low-budget productions, teamwork is so important. Scarlet was made possible thanks to the enthusiasm and resourcefulness of its cast and crew. “We didn’t have a costume designer, but Nina had a lot of ideas herself and seemed to enjoy the entire process,” Brien says. “There’s a scene in Scarlet where she dances, which was an improvised idea.”
James Stephen Walsh, recommended by Keating, initially seemed an unlikely fit for the role of Craig, but his versatility elevated the role. “The man is like a chameleon—I’ve never seen him look the same twice.”
The collaborative nature of the production extended to the film’s score, which took an experimental approach with two composers: David Hamilton and Tadhg Flinter. “The two different music styles almost reflect the two sides of Scarlet herself—the echoing guitar riffs and funky, sexy electronic sounds at the start, transitioning into something darker, even sadistic.”
From YouTube to Lionsgate
After a brief festival run, Scarlet was uploaded to YouTube, where it quickly amassed thousands of views, thanks in part to Nina’s social media presence. Then came an unexpected email from filmmaker B. Harrison Smith.
“He introduced himself over email and asked if he could call me the following day to discuss a ‘potential Lionsgate collaboration,’” Brien recalls. Initially wary of a scam, he did his research and agreed to the call. Smith explained that they were assembling films for The Night Time World, an anthology that would be distributed by Lionsgate. Scarlet was a perfect fit.
The process involved securing agreements from the cast and crew and exporting the film in multiple formats for distribution. “Greg Young, the co-producer, said, ‘This film has been a long story’—and indeed, it has! It already faced a lot of production challenges, so it is incredibly rewarding to see that it will reach more people than any of us could have ever expected.”
With Scarlet now part of The Night Time World, Brien is planning his next projects. He’s currently working on Wolf at the Crossroads, a long/short film which will hit the festival circuit later this year, while co-producing Recurring (directed by Nina Donnelly), Before Night Falls (by Greg Young), and Nightscapes (by Tom O’Brien). As a fresh, young voice in Irish horror, whatever comes next for Brien, we’ll certainly be watching.
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About Sean Brien
Horror and filmmaking run in Sean’s blood. While still in school, he worked on his uncle Stephen Gaffney’s independent feature film Red Room (2017). His mother, Amanda Brien, also directed four short films—Happy Hour, Hyenas, Off Topic, and The Lapidation. Sean’s father served as Director of Photography and editor on those projects, which meant growing up, Sean gained hands-on experience assisting his father with various video shoots, including weddings and music videos, during his teenage years. At 19, just before the COVID-19 lockdowns, Sean shot Scarlet, completing post-production during the pandemic. After a brief festival run, the film was uploaded to YouTube, where it caught the attention of filmmaker B. Harrison Smith. Smith reached out with an offer to feature Scarlet as a segment in the anthology The Night Time World, where he is credited as Associate Producer alongside Timothy Paul Taylor, who directed the wraparound narrative. Scarlet has since been removed from YouTube. In addition to his work on Scarlet, Sean has contributed to various projects in location sound and editing. He’s currently focused on his passion project, the long/short film Wolf At The Crossroads, slated for release later this year. He is also co-producing several short films, including Recurring by Scarlet‘s lead actress Nina Donnelly, Before Night Falls by Greg Young, and Nightscapes by Tom O’Brien.
