Robin believes he has a shot at redemption when he receives a phone call from Emily, as he regrets ending their relationship. But Emily doesn’t want to reconcile with Robin – she has news for him. She’s pregnant, and Robin is the father. This revelation brings Robin’s anxieties to a boiling point, wherein his nightmarish visions take physical form. As well as being forced to confront his fears – both past, present, and future – this supernatural experience challenges Robin’s perception of himself. Behind every door of The Barn is another monster, another layer of self-doubt that he needs to overcome, in order to face his responsibilities, believe in himself, and become the person he needs to be for Emily and their child. The Barn was originally written as a short screenplay by Sophie Black and the award-winning screenwriter Tommy Draper. The script was frequently praised for its originality, and placed highly in writing competitions. Among its accolades, it was a finalist for ‘Best Unproduced Short Screenplay’ at FilmQuest in 2020. Since then, The Barn has evolved into not just one project, but two: a feature-length film which does a deeper dive into the relationship between Emily and Robin, taking the viewer on a visceral thrill-ride through Robin’s nightmares whilst also flipping the traditional hero’s journey on its head; and ‘Tokos’, a one-take avant-garde short pilot which gives audiences an unblinking glimpse into the depths of Robin’s mind. In every format, this story breaks apart toxic masculinity and male hubris, instead bringing the important, rarely-explored subject of paternal fear into the light. The screenplay for the feature-length version of The Barn is currently being written, and Tokos the short film is in development now. If you are interested in either project, please get in touch via the Contact page. (Featured concept art by Qingling Zhang)