Written and Directed by MARK POLISH
In an ancient Redwood Forest, unsuspecting players are trapped in a treacherous augmented reality game, MURMUR, fighting for their survival in a brave, deadly new world. This isn’t the future. It’s now.
MURMUR is a cinematic examination of a deadly game posing as an entertainment app in a narcissistic world dominated by social media. Teenagers today experience the world through their phones, and the games they play have all the bells and whistles of slot machines. They aren’t just gaming. They’re gambling.
UPCOMING SCREEnINGS
About the film
MURMUR is much more than a technophobic horror film. At its core, it’s about our willingness to carry around a device that distorts, manipulates, and destabilizes our reality. A seductive black box that captures, stores, and even sells our most sacred memories. Its power to persuade can be truly terrifying.
The majority of the population now witnesses the world through their smartphones; their reality is anything but real. It’s all been augmented to encourage clicks and collect hearts - from filters to news feeds. It’s a blindfold that only wants us to see the best versions of each other and ourselves.
As a filmmaker, I felt the most compelling way to examine this detrimental device was through the lens of horror. Killing, maiming, and torturing young adults is not without a harsh health-warning label; you may want to kill your phone – before it kills you.
Mark Polish | Director
MURMUR is a groundbreaking new app being beta tested by a small band of tech-savvy San Francisco Bay Area teenagers, wannabe influencers, and stunted social media stars, fronted by Tiger (Logan Polish), part goth, part gamer, all badass. On her eighteenth birthday, Tiger’s vision is challenged by Buster’s (Johnny Jay Lee) blind ambition. Buster rails against Tiger’s “terms and conditions.” He’s motivated by Clickbait and Eyeballs. Inspired by YouTuber Maze (Colin Ford), Tiger’s super successful sibling that she stopped talking to, Buster has a new direction for their channel, “Wait for It,” and his takeover won’t wait.
Augmented Reality is having a moment, and Buster, the ultimate follower, tries to imitate Maze and monetize the rapidly emerging Metaverse. Tiger relents, and the rest of their rogue crew quickly falls in line: funnyman Angel (Cyrus Arnold), commentator Kenzie (Megan Lee), and videographer Zach (Brandon Wilson). But there is a new secret, a manipulative member of the team who is invisible, Lawrence Morningbutter (AKA Larry).
Buster’s plan to rebrand launches when he lands a coveted new client, Dreamfury, the programmers behind a new hardcore horror game, MURMUR. The wannabe influencers take MURMUR out for a spin, but the intrusive app requires all access to their cameras and microphones, and asks for permission to monitor heartbeats and scan faces and much more, seemingly to track players in a natural setting.
They soon hit the road to the Redwood National Park in Northern California to play MURMUR in the wild. But the ominous origins of the MURMUR app are foreshadowed when a weird Ranger (David A. Cooper) on patrol pulls them over for questioning and randomly mentions Larry.
Arriving in the forest, Tiger and the rest of the crew soon realize they’re not alone. Maze and his girlfriend Roxy (Francesca Xuereb), are already on location and playing MURMUR. The woods transform as soon as they turn on MURMUR - when the teenagers view the natural environment through their phones; Avatar-inspired AR animals, strange creatures and plants appear to dazzle them. But, something darker lurks.
Larry; The Soul Snacker, Technological terrorist. And Larry is no Freddy, Jason, or Michael Myers – he hunts your heartbeat with his 21st-century arsenal; MURMUR. The wannabe Influencers are engulfed in primeval darkness as the sun descends through the towering trees. MURMUR levels up to the bleeding, bloody edge. The playing field is organic – with AR running wild in the wilderness as the teenagers are being hunted – a next-generation reality show for the next generation.
MURMUR is Larry’s misfit creation – a flutter of reality with a dark heart that skips beats between reality, fantasy, and fear – and a black box for his game board of life and death.
PRESS
The Hollywood Reporter | AUGUST 17, 2022
The Hollywood Reporter | SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
Film Threat | FEBRUARY 2, 2023
the filmmakers
MARK POLISH | Writer | Director | Editor | Producer
Award-winning writer, director, and actor Mark Polish broke onto the independent filmmaking scene at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999 with the premiere of his first film, TWIN FALLS IDAHO, an atmospheric and heartfelt tale of conjoined twins, which he co-wrote and starred in with his identical twin brother Michael Polish and was released by Sony Pictures Classics.
Polish’s second film, JACKPOT, received the John Cassavetes Best Independent Film Award at the 2001 Spirit Awards and the New American Cinema Award at the 2001 Seattle International Film Festival. His third film, NORTHFORK, premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and was hailed by Roger Ebert as “a masterpiece.”
In 2007, Warner Bros. released Mark Polish’s next film, THE ASTRONAUT FARMER, which he co-wrote and appeared with Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Willis, and Bruce Dern. The movie centers on an ingenious and eccentric farmer and family man, Charles Farmer (Thornton), who has a dream to be an astronaut like his heroes from America’s golden age of space exploration. Against all odds, he builds a rocket in his barn to launch himself into space. A.O. Scott of The New York Times called the film “a disarmingly sincere follow-your-dreams fable.”
Polish also wrote and starred in STAY COOL, opposite Winona Ryder, Hillary Duff, Sean Astin, and Chevy Chase, as well as THE SMELL OF SUCCESS, alongside Billy Bob Thornton, Téa Leoni, Ed Helms, and Kyle MacLachlan.
FOR LOVERS ONLY, a black and white homage to the French New Wave starred Mark Polish and Stana Katic as regretful former lovers reunited in France by fate. The film was released on iTunes, where it remained at number one for three weeks.
Mark Polish’s next film, HEADLOCK, which he wrote, directed, and stars alongside Dianna Agron and Andy Garcia, premiered in 2019. Filmed on location in over 15 countries, the story centers on married intelligence traffickers battling nano-terrorism.
Most recently, Polish has directed episodes of the television series “I'm Dying Up Here,” starring Melissa Leo for Showtime, and “The Equalizer” starring Queen Latifah for CBS.
Polish also co-wrote The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking, a practical guide to writing, shooting, editing, scoring, and distributing films, published by Harcourt.
JANET DU BOIS | Producer
Janet Du Bois graduated from Pepperdine University and FIDM in Los Angeles, after which she began her career in the entertainment industry. She has over 20 years of experience, having served in various creative
production capacities in a wide range of media – from music videos, video games, and commercials to documentaries, television pilots, shorts, and indie features.
Janet has partnered with Director/Producer/Writer Mark Polish over the last 15 years on a variety of projects, including Polish’s forthcoming film MURMUR with Logan Polish, Colin Ford and D.W. Moffett, HEADLOCK with Andy Garcia and Dianna Agron, THE COWBOYS AND THE INDIAN for ESPN, MANURE with Billy Bob Thornton, Téa Leoni and Ed Helms and STAY COOL with Winona Ryder, Hilary Duff, and Chevy Chase.
Janet is currently in development on several independent projects.
DANIEL A. DAVILA | Producer
Art Director, Graphic Designer, Production Designer, and Producer of MURMUR Daniel A. Davila’s film credits include VANDAL, THE HEAT, PAIN & GAIN, and IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE. Davila’s extensive television credits as a Production Designer include “The Game” for Paramount +, “MacGyver” and “The Red Line” for CBS, “Chums” for FX, “The Baker and the Beauty” and “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” for ABC, as well as “Graceland” and “Burn Notice” for Fox, and the upcoming “First Kill” for Netflix.
Davila has also worked on music videos for Enrique Iglesias, Ne-Yo, Gloria Estefan, Lil Wayne, DJ Khalid, and Bird Man, as well as commercials for Mountain Dew, Telemundo, and Macy’s.
KARL HEIN | Producer | Editor | VFX Lead
With a passion for visual effects and animation, Karl Hein brings over 10 years of commercial and creative experience as the editor and VFX lead on MURMUR. Other credits include BIRTH OF A MONSTER: A STAR WARS STORY as well as commercial work for Instagram, Parle Agro, The Ohio State University, Airstream, and FX Networks.
ROB DICARO | Director of Photography
Rob DiCaro’s film credits as a Cinematographer, Camera Assistant, Camera Operator, and Director of Photography include RANDOM TROPICAL PARADISE, SEEING EVIL, LIFE LIKE, BREAK THE STAGE, and several short films, as well as the television series “Misshaps” and “Eden.”
the CAST
Logan Polish | Tiger
Logan Polish made her film debut at the age of four, playing the daughter of Billy Bob Thornton and Virginia Madsen in THE ASTRONAUT FARMER for Warner Bros. with her father, Mark Polish, who wrote and acted in the film directed by Michael Polish. She has been committed to acting ever since, as well as writing and directing, and starred in several short films, including ONCE, PRIMROSE LANE, SPECTRES, and THE FOLLOWER, before appearing in Mark Polish’s HEADLOCK, opposite her father and Dianna Agron. In 2019, Logan wrote and starred in her directorial debut, MARGOT, a sci-fi short film set in the near future with Colin Ford, Jack Kilmer, and Jackson Pace. Most recently, she is starring in the Apple TV+ series “The Mosquito Coast” as Dina, the level-headed teenage daughter reluctantly swept up into adventure and international intrigue by her mother and father, played by Melissa George and Justin Theroux. Logan has a keen interest in fashion, with a particular love for Chanel, and has been profiled in several publications, including Town and Country, WWD, and Iris Covet Book, among others.
Colin Ford | Maze
Colin Ford starred in the Netflix original series “Daybreak,” debuting in 2019 with Mathew Broderick. Before “Daybreak,” he spent three years on the CBS series “Under the Dome.” Additionally, he starred as Matt Damon’s son in the feature film WE BOUGHT A ZOO. He broke into film at the tender age of 5, when he played Clinton Jr. in SWEET HOME ALABAMA. Colin has been featured in magazines such as Teen Vogue, V Magazine, Bello, Man about Town, and Schön! As a young boy, he did a photo shoot for W Magazine with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie portraying their son. Perhaps one of Ford’s most recognizable television roles was his portrayal of young Sam Winchester in the popular CW series "Supernatural.” Colin has voiced countless radio and TV commercials but is best known for the Disney Junior show, "Jake and the Neverland Pirates," playing Jake. Other film credits include EVERYDAY, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, THE WAR WITH GRANDPA, opposite Robert De Niro, and CAPTAIN MARVEL. Coming to Netflix in 2022, Colin will appear in “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” created by Ryan Murphy. Future film projects include LA BOUND, and THE HILL, alongside Dennis Quaid.
Johnny Jay Lee | Buster
Johnny Jay Lee is an actor and writer who hails from Dallas, Texas. He is best known for his recurring guest star roles in new HBO Max sitcom “Head of the Class,” “NCIS: LA,” in which he plays a young Chris O’Donnell, and several major network credits including “Selena the Series,” “Rutherford Falls,” and “Station 19.” Apart from his film work, he is an avid comic book reader and a self-proclaimed nerd/enthusiast for the Fantastic Four, Star Wars, and World of Warcraft.
Megan Lee | Kenzie
Megan Lee is a Korean-American actress and singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. She is best known for her lead role as Sun-Hi in Nickelodeon's hit TV show “Make It Pop.” She is also known for her singing talents on her YouTube channel, which has 48 MM+ views, including a cover song with Jason Mraz performing Lucky. Megan recorded and released her first K-pop single, 8 Dayz, which went on to be hugely popular in Korea, reaching the Top 40 charts, and has continued her music career in the U.S. with songs like Me Myself and I recently released on Radio Disney. Megan was featured on the Emmy Award-winning vocal competition show, NBC's “The Voice.” She has also appeared in numerous national commercials, including McDonald's, Verizon, and Nintendo.
Cyrus Arnold | Angel
Cyrus Arnold will soon be seen in the film 8 BIT CHRISTMAS with Neil Patrick Harris for HBO Max and is starring in the highly anticipated Disney + new anthology series “Just Beyond.” He recently starred in RUN.HIDE.FIGHT., with Thomas Jane and Treat Williams, as well as multiple guest-starring roles on shows such as “Veronica Mars” on Hulu and “Outmatched “on Fox. He has recurred as a guest star on “The Exorcist” for Fox in the role (9 of 10) as Truck. He also stars as Derek Jr. in ZOOLANDER 2. He’s currently shooting the Blumhouse thriller MR. HARRIGAN’S PHONE with Donald Sutherland for Netflix, based on the Stephen King story of the same title.
Francesca Xuereb | Roxy
Francesca Xuereb just wrapped a fun role in “Pam & Tommy,” the Hulu limited series starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, as well as guest spots in Mindy Kaling's upcoming HBO Max series “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and the CBS series “SEAL Team.”
Other work includes the lead in the films ROOM 203 for Voltage and DANGEROUS CHEATERS for Lifetime.
Brandon Wilson | Zach
Brandon Wilson most recently starred in the Gavin O’Connor directed THE WAY BACK with Ben Affleck. He also enjoys writing and has been exploring more behind the camera, directing his first short film, BE LEAVING, starring himself and Francesca Xuereb at the end of 2020, and having just wrapped production on his second short, DON’T BE AFRAID TO DANCE WITH MY MOTHER, starring his mother and brother.
D.W. Moffett | Detective Rivers
D.W. Moffett has amassed an impressive list of stage and screen credits. A native of the Chicago suburbs, Moffett never gave acting a thought until after graduating from Stanford University with a degree in International Relations. After he went to work at Chicago’s Continental Bank, he enrolled in an acting class on a dare…and that was the end of his banking career.
Moffett became a founding member of Chicago’s Remains Theatre Ensemble, where he starred in, directed, and produced over 40 productions. He first came to national attention starring in Larry Kramer’s landmark AIDS drama “The Normal Heart” at The Public Theater in New York, opposite Brad Davis. Subsequently, he appeared on Broadway in “The Boys of Winter,” “The Real Thing,” and "Contact."
Since moving to Hollywood, Moffett has divided his time between Film and Television. Favorite movie roles include appearances in STEALING BEAUTY, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, THIRTEEN, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, TWISTED, directed by Phillip Kaufman, and Steven Soderbergh’s TRAFFIC, for which he won a Screen Actor’s Guild Award in 2000.
Moffett’s television credits include the ground-breaking TV movie about AIDS, “An Early Frost,” as well as series regular roles in “The Oldest Rookie,” “Hidden Palms,” “Skin,” “For Your Love” (where he also directed six episodes), “Chicago Sons” and “Life is Wild.” Moffett also appeared as the memorable and reviled Joe McCoy on the iconic NBC series "Friday Night Lights.”
D.W. is currently featured in the Amazon Series “BOSCH,” which dropped in April 2020. He previously worked with Mark Polish on the feature films THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS with Billy Bob Thornton and Tea Leoni and HEADLOCK with Dianna Agron and Andy Garcia.