Bumpin’ Uglies

Made for the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music’s 2019 48 Hour Film Festival, this short film was conceived, written, filmed, and edited within 48 hours. This film, written by Lily Jean Olsen and Reid Robison, serves as both a love note and biting satire of American horror movie tropes of the 1990s and 2000s. While appreciation for the slasher genre and its impact on contemporary horror cinema is clear in the film’s references to franchises such as Scream and Final Destination, the film works to subvert some of the less than savory tropes of the time. The portrayal of both male and female sexuality is twisted and reworked to challenge the audience’s perception of these roles in the genre. Black-American representation in the genre is also confronted, with Charles Gidney’s irreverent performance as “Jamal” both exploiting and subverting stereotypes associated with Black men in this era of American horror cinema.

An early work in their academic career, Olsen is both proud of this work but acknowledges the depth of commentary is not quite up to par with their more recent work. The inclusion of this film in the portfolio both serves as an example of their capabilities but also their dedication towards growing and improving their skills.