MAGGOTS OF THE MIND

Directed by Greyson Gibson

A filmmaker’s journey has to begin somewhere, and I’m under the impression this is the beginning for Greyson Gibson. At the start of every young filmmaker’s career, I believe we all set out to make a film, yet we don’t have all the necessary backing (crew, cast, support, etc.). But we still want to make our film, so what do we do? We make it anyway.

It became apparent to me rather quickly that Maggots of the Mind was a one-man show, in every aspect. Not only did Greyson write/edit/direct/produce this, he is also the one and only star of the film. I can’t imagine this being a personal choice, but rather a necessity for him to successfully make this short. As a filmmaker myself (who did exactly the same thing once when I was first starting out), I admire the absolute hell out of that accomplishment. Greyson put passion above all else, and turned that passion into action by setting out and completing his film.

As a first time effort, as mentioned, I truly admire and respect the drive. Maggots of the Mind follows a young man named Carl (Gibson) up against the clock in a critical situation; to exist. After mistakenly locking himself in a bathroom with no apparent way back out, his psyche takes over and he begins to question his own reality. It doesn’t all work, and there are a select few moments I could have done without. But even those little moments have a place within the grand scheme of the story he’s set out to tell.

Maggots of the Mind is a horror film, but one that takes a much more psychological approach, and knowing that is what will allow you to appreciate what Gibson has set out to accomplish here. There are no flashy effects, no jump scares, or anything of that sort. It’s all happening internally within the one and only character’s mind, and there are a few truly bothersome moments that may bring the viewer’s face to cringe.

As stated above, it doesn’t all work, and this is far from a perfect short film. However, it’s an incredibly solid first effort, and I look forward to what Gibson can accomplish next. I hope he finds a good team of creatives to connect with for his next venture because I firmly believe that would have eliminated many of the shortcomings here. Filmmaking should not be a solo effort. It’s a lot more fun with a team. Once he finds his team with the same level of passion and drive, he’ll be on to tell even bigger and better stories. I’m happy to share that Maggots of the Mind is taking home Best Horror Film of IndieEye’s March 2022 session.
7/10

-DJ Ford