From its first frames, “Dead Mail” feels dangerous. Grainy footage shows a chained man desperately crawling out of a house to a mailbox, trying to mail a blood-soaked letter alerting someone to his address. Hazy synth notes dot the soundtrack.
That nostalgic vibe inspired filmmakers Kyle McConaghy and Joe DeBoer, who wrote and directed “Dead Mail.” The action moves to the titular department inside a Midwest post office, with a set straight from the ’80s.
McConaghy emphasizes finding authentic props and locations to capture the essence of the era. The visual language of the film draws from street photography influences like Jamel Shabazz, as well as ’80s family photos and VHS films.
The “very indie” film was made in six weeks with a shoestring budget. Despite financial constraints, they submitted “Dead Mail” to SXSW, where it premiered. The duo looks forward to sharing their creative vision borne out of friendship and trust.
DeBoer humorously sums up their partnership by saying, “If we can both be an individual C+, but combined, we’re a B-, why wouldn’t we entertain that?”
