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IN THE WOOD OF CYPRESS ( from Lovecraft's text "The Call of Cthulhu")

R’LYEH ( from Lovecraft's text "The Call of Cthulhu")

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS ( from the text of H.P. Lovecraft )

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins speaks with production designer Vivian Gray about building the visual world of Obsession, from Southern Gothic references and texture-heavy interiors to practical blood gags and micro-budget problem-solving.

They discuss what a production designer actually does, how Gray collaborated with the director, cinematographer, costume designer, and art team, and why color, texture, aging, and window treatments can make a major difference on an indie horror film.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What a production designer does and how the role shapes the visual world of a film
• How Vivian Gray landed the job on Obsession through a recommendation and visual pitch deck
• Building the film’s Southern Gothic and Midwestern Gothic-inspired visual language
• Why production designers should come onto a project as early as possible
• Collaborating with cinematography, costumes, props, set decoration, lighting, and graphic design
• How a small indie crew used hands-on collaboration to make the film’s world feel cohesive
• Designing horror environments through texture, color, maximalism, and unease
• Practical lessons from blood gags, aging props, window treatments, and set dressing
• The highest-impact production design choices for micro-budget filmmakers
• Vivian’s advice for aspiring production designers

Epic’s next freebie is Voidwrought, a dark 2D action-platformer that looks very much like it was designed for people staring sadly at their backlog and whispering, “I still need something to fill the Hollow Knight-shaped hole.”

Voidwrought is free on the Epic Games Store from June 25 to July 2, 2026, alongside RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition.

Claim Voidwrought for free on Epic Games Store: https://store.epicgames.com/p/voidwrought-ce8f4b

Lest you think that all I do is lounge about watching movies all the live-long day, I also have a decent book collection. In particular, there’s a good deal of cosmic horror, specifically Lovecraft and Lovecraft-inspired works.

Lovecraft is, of course, a troubling figure. His influence is extensive and undeniable, but the man himself was a fairly rabid racist and xenophobe (it’s said that he later regretted and attempted to disavow such benighted attitudes). The fact remains that the world he created continues to be expanded, a practice that is unlikely to stop any time soon. So here’s a ranked list Cthulhu Mythos stories not by Lovecraft.

#10 Sticks (Karl Edward Wagner)

#9 Bad Sushi (Cherie Priest)

#8 A Study In Emerald (Neil Gaiman)

#7 The Big Fish (Jack Yeovil)

#6 Little Lady (J.C. Koch)

#5 Diana Of The Hundred Breasts (Robert Silverberg)

#4 Jerusalem’s Lot (Stephen King)

#3 Pickman’s Other Model (1929) (Caitlín R. Kiernan)

#2 Fat Face (Michael Shea)

#1 Flash Frame (Silvia Moreno-Garcia)

The Evolution of Terror in Modern Web Fiction

Horror has always been a cornerstone of storytelling, but the digital age has transformed how we experience the macabre. In the realm of web novels, horror is rarely a standalone genre; it frequently bleeds into cultivation, system-based progression, and post-apocalyptic survival. This intersection creates a unique brand of tension where the protagonist isn't just running from a monster, but often trying to understand a logic-defying system or outlevel a cosmic entity that views humanity as mere ants. The medium allows for a slow-burn psychological erosion that traditional formats often miss, dragging the reader through hundreds of chapters of escalating dread.