There was a time when scrappy filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez could go for broke and break through — just look at how El Mariachi came together. You’d think it would be easier today, with social media offering endless platforms, but the opposite often feels true: the noise is louder, the competition fiercer, and truly independent voices struggle to be heard. There’s little to no attention devoted to aspiring filmmakers, unless they’re backed by A24 and adhere to the current expectations and trends (podcasts, vertical dramas, etc).
So I am doubly grateful for filmmakers like Benjamin Watts, who boldly disregarded the fact that the odds were stacked heavily against him and, armed with a camera and a tripod, shot the compelling little sci-fi mind-fu*k Forest of Echoes. He did it all by himself, deep in the lush forest of Oregon, in two days, with most of the efforts spent on pre- and post-production. The film serves as an example of what one can do with literally no budget, but also as an inspiration to young filmmakers and a call-to-arms of sorts.

“Alexander finds himself stranded on a distant planet with fluctuating air quality…”
Alexander (Watts) finds himself stranded on a distant planet with fluctuating air quality and a high risk of infection. He finds a spot where he can take off his mask. His water’s running out. He comes across a creek…but is the water safe to drink? That’s where the film finds its footing, as Alexander soon encounters an entity that warns him about the water’s uncanny effects. This leads to a trippy ending that admittedly raises more questions than it answers, but compellingly so. And that last shot is a nifty touch.
Watts’s cinematography, along with the stock footage he’s assembled of Oregon wilderness, impresses, making one wish the filmmaker had stuck to color instead of randomly switching to black-and-white. Regardless, the pacing is spot-on, the intrigue level is high, and Watts makes for an endearing, eminently watchable protagonist. It also runs a succinct 12 minutes. Forest of Echoes may not come close to Robert Rodriguez’s debut’s ambition, scope, and sheer filmmaking brilliance, but it does something no less important: it serves as a reminder that energy spent chasing aesthetics online might be better invested in actually making something.