Vimeo Short Film of the Week: ‘Don’t Ever Change’

Short films matter. Vimeo wants you to know it. So do we. That’s we’re taking a weekly look at some of some of the short film world’s best and brightest. This week, we bring you twisted comedy Don’t Ever Change.

The Plot: A reporter with ulterior motives interrupts a reunion between an estranged mother and her daughter.

The Film:

Any writer, director, or comedian will tell you that in the world of comedy, timing is everything. In the context of the short form world, that statement is especially true as the time restraints of short fiction can leave even the funniest of concepts floundering for laughs. The good news is that Don Swaynos’ Don’t Ever Change is a rather hilarious concept. One that the director executes to comedic perfection.

And yes, the laughs throughout Don’t Ever Change are all about timing. Though we should point out that those laughs tend to err on the darker side of comedy. We’d explain that statement, but we’d probably ruin some of the film’s surprises in the process, and we refuse to play spoiler to any of those wicked little surprises. Just understand that where Don’t Ever Changes begins is about a million miles away from where it ends.

Understand as well that you’re not likely to see any of the film’s twists coming. That’s because Swaynos’ whip-smart screenplay takes its time in revealing what sort of film it actually is. As such, Don’t Ever Change is a film built around a series of clever reveals that dramatically change the context of the action and in turn the tone of the film. In the process, Swaynos’ film becomes a study in pacing as the narrative turns not just on what information is revealed, but when and how it is. Somewhere in the mix, those reveals (behind pitch-perfect turns from the entire cast) lead to a few seriously twisted laughs, and a finale that’s as oddly touching as it is deeply disturbing … not to mention really, really funny.

 

Meet The Crew: 

Written, Directed & Edited by: Don Swaynos Starring: Cyndi Williams, Heather Kafka and Frank Mosley Cinematography by: Amy Bench Music by: Curtis Heath Special Effects Makeup by: Eric Zapata  

We hope you enjoy Don’t Ever Change! Swaynos’ film spent much of 2017 on the festival circuit, including well-received screenings at Mayhem Film Festival and Fantasia Fest. As for Swaynos, he made his feature debut back in 2012 with a little seen indie by the name of Pictures of Superheroes. With any luck, Don’t Ever Change will raise his profile enough to get him back in the director’s chair for another feature in the near future. If you’re interested, you can have a look at the trailer for Pictures of Superheroes – as well as some of Swaynos’ prior work – by stopping by the filmmaker’s Vimeo page.

While you’re kicking around, be sure to check out some of the thousands of other short films – animated, live action and documentary – team Vimeo has curated for your viewing pleasure (via desktop or mobile device … SWEET!). You’re sure to find something interesting, and you may just stumble across your new favorite filmmaker.