Office work! Rows of tiny cubicles where employees mindlessly work away for what seems like an eternity. An eternity in corporate hell!

This thought is so relatable that many filmmakers the world over have tried to capture it in motion picture, and only some have succeeded. Nonetheless, we, the middlemen, require income and therefore we know this work to be a “necessary evil.”

Now, what if your office was literally hell? That is precisely the thought behind one of the films in this year’s Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF). The idea for this project goes back about 20 years, when Edmonton filmmaker Randy Brososky was performing in a Fringe tour.

From the seed idea to the writing of the script about five years ago, all the way to its debut at EIFF, the process was a lengthy one which shows us that determination is key. In the five years since the script was written and the wheels started turning, three Telus grants have been won by creator and star Brososky. This gave Brososky the opportunity to create a pilot webisode, as well as a mockumentary short film called Recruiting Hell, and Hellevator, a project made for Instagram.

This year, with the help of another Telus STORYHIVE grant, Brososky and executive producer Marliss Weber have created a six-episode series titled Necessary Evil. The series is about Azmodeus, a low-level corporate demon who suddenly finds himself promoted to CEO of Hell LLP when Lucifer retires and leaves him in charge. Confused as to why he was chosen and unsure of who to trust, Azmodeus, played by Brososky, must navigate the ins and outs of his new position.

The series will premiere as a one-hour short film on Friday, Sept. 28 at 8:30 p.m. during EIFF at Landmark Cinemas. Getting to this point did not come without some massive challenges, from starting the project, knowing they would pay out of pocket if necessary, to winning Telus STORYHIVE grants and having to add some of their own funds to finish projects, Brososky and Weber persevered through the complications.

There were learning curves, and some might say at times the challenges were hellish … pun intended. These two wonderful filmmakers plugged through and saw their dream to fruition. In a world where everything comes to us at rapid speed, this level of hard work and follow through is refreshing. It reminds us that in industries such as film that often rely more on money and nepotism, dedication and drive still count for something.

When asked what advice Brososky would pass along to up-and-coming filmmakers, he says, “Your first project is going to suck, but you have to do that first one! You have to get one under the belt that is bumpy and rough.”

Brososky also suggests, “If you have a limited budget, here’s the order in which you should pay for (things) … (first) is sound, (second) is food! Feed people! If you need to beg, borrow, or steal favours to get people involved … if you keep them fed you will get gold. If you don’t they will revolt. (A) camera would be down (the list) quite a ways.”

Weber agrees, and adds that great writing and acting are of the utmost importance to her in filmmaking.  

With EIFF about to start, it will be interesting to see how audiences will take to Necessary Evil, as well as where it will go from here. In a world where everything is about shares, likes, and views, audiences are shaping their viewing experiences through their reactions online, and creators are able to adapt their content to the fans they’re trying to attract. I know where I will be Sept. 28! Do you?

For more information or to purchase tickets, check out necessaryevilseries.com.

Screenshot provided by necessaryevilseries.com