Edmund – A Heartfelt Tribute from Director James Frost
The sci-fi short film is dedicated to and created in partnership with the late Nicholas Wayman Harris.
Director James Frost, known for his award-winning and innovative music videos and commercial films, is set to premiere his latest short film, Edmund. This project stands as a poignant tribute to his longtime friend and editor, the late Nicholas Wayman Harris.
Edmund explores the final hours of an alien dissatisfied with his life on Earth, who ultimately finds a way to escape. Production began as Wayman Harris was diagnosed with cancer, and Frost envisioned the film as a lighthearted and distracting project to support his friend through treatment.
“I worked with Nicholas for seventeen years on many of my music-based projects,” says Frost. “We clicked when he moved to Los Angeles in 2005, three years after I had moved there. We worked together on the Radiohead video for ‘House of Cards,’ the OK Go video for ‘This Too Shall Pass,’ and our last project together before he died was the RÜFÜS DU SOL video for ‘Alive.’ We were both fully invested in making each project as good as it could be. This film was meant to be something light and enjoyable to keep his spirits up.”
The film draws from many Spielberg references, especially Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T., favourites from Frost’s youth. The creation of Edmund himself is the result of a collaboration with Robert DeVine of Anatomorphex, using an animatronic alligator as the base for the alien, Edmund. “I wanted the audience to empathise with the alien, so the facial movements and eyes had to express that. He had to be a friendly alien.
“Because I had such a strong working relationship with Nicholas, it was important that the film was short enough, not too taxing, and, most of all, fun. It was also something to distract him from the treatments he was going through. The intention was always for this to be something he could work on when and if he felt like it, with no deadlines or pressure.”
The project became more challenging as Wayman Harris’s health deteriorated. Sadly, at the time of his passing, the film was 95% complete. Despite the profound sadness of losing his friend, Frost was determined to honour their collaboration. With the help of editor Nathan Cali and sound designer and mixer Milos Zivkovic, the film was finally completed. “The primary component that needed finishing was the sound design and mix. We added the ‘For Nicholas’ title at the end, which felt like a fitting tribute to his career.”
Reflecting on the project’s completion, Frost says, “Nicholas would have been thrilled and proud. He was a great supporter of my work. I wanted to see this through to proudly show the last piece we made together. I wish he could have seen it on the big screen as it hits the festivals.”
Edmund will debut July 26 at the Los Angeles Shorts International Film Festival and is scheduled for several select festivals later this year. James Frost is represented by Friends & Family. www.jamesfrost.tv
About Nicholas Wayman Harris
Nicholas has worked on music videos with some of the biggest artists in the music world, including Radiohead, U2, The Spice Girls, Björk, Blur, Depeche Mode, George Michael, The Verve, and Oasis, among many others. His vast body of commercial work includes major campaigns for Ford, Bacardi, Toyota, Nike, AT&T, Audi, and Compaq, to name but a few.
Following the success of several short films, including A Little Worm, Nicholas made his first foray into feature films. His first full feature was The King is Alive, directed by Kristian Levring. Levring was part of the Danish collective who created the influential Dogme movement. The King is Alive was Dogme IV and featured Jennifer Jason Leigh, who won Best Actress for her role in the film at the Tokyo Film Festival. A second collaboration with Levring, The Intended, featuring Oscar winners Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker and Oscar nominee Janet McTeer, premiered at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival.
Nicholas also worked with the Strause Brothers on the 2010 sci-fi film Skyline, a fast-paced and visually stunning alien invasion film. He edited the feature film Nightingale in 2014, starring David Oyelowo, and Aftermath in 2017, a film produced by Darren Aronofsky, directed by Elliott Lester, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. He edited James’s debut short film in 2019, Almond Wood, for which he won a Cooper Award for editing.
Nicholas’ legacy continues through the projects he passionately contributed to throughout his career.
About James Frost
James Frost is a visionary director known for his creative and innovative music videos and commercial films. His work spans collaborations with major artists and brands, earning him critical acclaim and numerous awards.
James is repped by Friends & Family.
Comments