The vast world of Indie Cinema is competitive at best & otherwise can be an unforgiving experience. Those that persist might achieve a flash in the pan, but those that persevere become the cream of the crop. Whether the secret ingredient is style or story or something else entirely, we must look at the recipe & those that prepare it to truly understand. Food for thought.
Once in a while, a recipe is prepared in a way that exceeds expectations & we believe that we have found a certain ‘Cook’ with that magic touch, by the name of Dustin. Along with his dedicated team, they overcame the odds with their recent project, ‘The Man with One Eye’, a gripping short film that recently swept the Room 237 competition at the 2025 Horror Hotel Film Festival in Cleveland Ohio.
We met with him briefly for our very first ever Vagabard Exclusive : Q&A – We talked about his creative process, various inspirations, & the magic of life behind the scenes as a storyteller on a budget, starting with only a dream, then creating something from nothing, into a festival force to be reckoned with!
Meet the Man Behind ‘The Man with the 1 Eye’!
Q : Tell us a little bit about the man behind the scenes.
A : I was born in Ohio. Though I’m more often found in a catering apron, I prefer writing, & desire to find my way into a professional writing career. I currently have a feature length screenplay in pre production with my Film Mentor. [Title to be Decided]
Q : What does your creative process look like?
A : In terms of writing, my creative process often revolves around me compiling an idea into a mess of notes. Usually at 3 in the morning. I then get some sleep & awake to edit those notes. In regards to filmmaking on set, the creative process is really just a series of compromises to make the scene flow as smoothly as possible. Editing is another series of compromises to cut down on time & not allow things to drag.
Inspiration & Influence
Q : What inspires you + your storytelling & filmmaking style?
A : For both, the answer is ‘The Sopranos’. The storytelling unfolds like a novel with each seemingly innocuous line of dialogue folding into a whole plot thread which is then regurgitated dozens of episodes down the line. Filmmaking wise, it has pretty stellar shot composition, & this is sometimes broken with strange ADR or an edit that is clearly trying to hide something. I find this inspiring rather than annoying because the show is not caught up in the pursuit of perfection or if it bogs down the overall pace of the final product. The creatives would rather allow for a small mistake than over correct.
Q : Why THIS Story?
A : Well, I wanted a tense situation that I could shoot relatively simply & with minimal room for error. The story element of a soldier finding the friend that betrayed him struck me as compelling, but also a place for dialogue to do the heavy lifting… & The drug trafficking aspect was influenced by research into a future project.
Shoutouts & Standouts
Q : Any creative decisions worth note?
A : Ya, I went with a Grindhouse style grain filter to hide some of the items in the background of our shooting location, as well as to add to the overall aesthetic. The final few shots are heavily inspired by ‘Evil Dead’ & the Leone Westerns.
Q : Any standout moments on set?
A : There was one blooper that comes to mind… Marc, who plays the lead character of Henry, cannot get a match to light. David, playing Aiden, is waiting patiently until he eventually says, ‘Do you need a Bic?’ Which of course, caused everyone to break.
A Fan & Festival Favorite
‘The Man with One Eye’ was all the rage at the Horror Hotel Film Festival’s Room 237 Competition, walking away with a staggering 10 Awards in total, including :
- 🥇 1st Place: Best Score
- 🥈 2nd Place: Best Sound Design
- 🥈 2nd Place: Cinematography
- 🥈 2nd Place: Editing
- 🥈 2nd Place: Ensemble Acting
- 🥉 3rd Place: Best Directing
- 🥉 3rd Place: Best Lead Actor (Marc Ross)
- 🥉 3rd Place: Best Supporting Actor (David Sollberger)
- 🥉 3rd Place: Best Screenwriting
- 🥉 3rd Best Film Overall
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Written & Directed by Dustin Cook from Dusty Ohio Productions & in association with Jesterz Kourt Productions. – With a team including Brandon Jester, Marc Ross, David Sollberger, Michael Carrino, Eve Mencke, & Zac Gosen, ‘The Man with One Eye’ is more than a short film, it is a testament of teamwork & collaboration, by a group that knows how to make the most of the moment!
Final Thoughts
Dustin Cook still has one foot in his day job, while the other is firmly rooted in filmmaking & 3am writing sessions, but his trajectory is clear… With sharp instincts, a proactive approach, & a nuanced respect for progress over perfection, he is precisely the artist we need more of in the vast Indie Scene.
From Caterer to Chef, this ‘Cook’ has served the next hot thing at the 2025 Horror Hotel Film Festival, Room 237 Competition… & From what I know, he is only warming up the Kitchen.
Rest assured that we have our ear to the wire & will keep you informed about all the latest updates & observations! There are many more projects to come from this young aspiring storyteller & others as well. Stay tuned for future Vagabard Exclusives!