Directors Turn LA Fire Chaos Into 1940s Vampire Newsroom Thriller Shot as One Take

Sometimes the worst thing that happens to you forces the best idea. Directors Benjamin J. Murray and Michael Christensen had their original debut feature derailed by the LA fires, but instead of waiting it out or scrambling to salvage what they had, they went left. Way left.

They pivoted to Red Ink, a low-budget period piece set in a 1940s newsroom—and they shot the whole thing as a single take. No cuts, one continuous shot. That's a monumental creative flex that takes real vision and discipline to pull off.

What could've been a dead project became something genuinely interesting: a vampire thriller wrapped in old-school newsroom intrigue, all unfolding in real time. It's the kind of constraint that forces you to think different about how to tell a story. No room to hide behind editing or coverage—everything has to work the first time.

You don't always get a second chance to start your feature career. When you do, going bold instead of safe is the move.

Read the full story at The Hollywood Reporter → https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/how-red-ink-pulled-off-a-single-take-1940s-vampire-thriller-1236754579/