Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A seemingly innocent TV commercial for a family-friendly recycling bin becomes increasingly bizarre when the father decides to recycle more than just household waste.
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Benji by Oscar Garth
oscargarth.co.uk
"That tonal balance, and especially the transition between the two worlds, was something I was really keen to get right. I think it came from a combination of a lot of different elements working together. First and foremost, Jim Rastall and Bex Finch’s superb performances. I think the subtle ways they respond to the changes in the ad world really pull you in, and given the lack of dialogue, the audience is left with only visual cues as to our characters’ inner workings.
Visually, the slow physical zooms played a big part. We used an old beat-up Canon servo zoom lens to achieve that, and it really helped emphasise key moments and create this creeping sense of unease, in stark contrast to the playful snap-zooms of the ad-world. There were also shifts in the colour grade over the course of the film. I really wanted to create a sense of the façade slowly slipping, so I didn’t want anything abrupt or too in-your-face. I wanted it to feel like a slow burn, gradually revealing some truth underneath the commercial."
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of Benji with our exclusive interview with writer/director Oscar Garth
directorsnotes.com/2026/04/20/oscar-garth-benji
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// Credits //
Writer/Director/Producer/DoP/Editor: Oscar Garth
Cast: Jim Rastall, Bex Finch, Camilla Birkett
Music: James Morris
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#robot #recycling #scifi #darkcomedy #shortfilm
A seemingly innocent TV commercial for a family-friendly recycling bin becomes increasingly bizarre when the father decides to recycle more than just household waste.
🔔 Love indie films? SUBSCRIBE to Directors Notes for more trailblazing shorts: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
Benji by Oscar Garth
oscargarth.co.uk
"That tonal balance, and especially the transition between the two worlds, was something I was really keen to get right. I think it came from a combination of a lot of different elements working together. First and foremost, Jim Rastall and Bex Finch’s superb performances. I think the subtle ways they respond to the changes in the ad world really pull you in, and given the lack of dialogue, the audience is left with only visual cues as to our characters’ inner workings.
Visually, the slow physical zooms played a big part. We used an old beat-up Canon servo zoom lens to achieve that, and it really helped emphasise key moments and create this creeping sense of unease, in stark contrast to the playful snap-zooms of the ad-world. There were also shifts in the colour grade over the course of the film. I really wanted to create a sense of the façade slowly slipping, so I didn’t want anything abrupt or too in-your-face. I wanted it to feel like a slow burn, gradually revealing some truth underneath the commercial."
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of Benji with our exclusive interview with writer/director Oscar Garth
directorsnotes.com/2026/04/20/oscar-garth-benji
👉 Follow Us for More Short Film Greatness:
Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
Podcast: pod.link/192507317
// Credits //
Writer/Director/Producer/DoP/Editor: Oscar Garth
Cast: Jim Rastall, Bex Finch, Camilla Birkett
Music: James Morris
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#robot #recycling #scifi #darkcomedy #shortfilm
