Playing Minecraft With Grandpa Jack, also known as Isolated, was a short film created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic on Joshua’s property. This project marked Joshua’s first attempt at a handheld, horror, found-footage style production. Inspired by the isolation many people were experiencing at the time, Joshua set out to create something that felt personal yet unsettling. His vision was to make the film resemble a casual vlog, as if it were being filmed by an everyday YouTuber. However, after completing the project, Joshua realized he had filmed most of it vertically on his phone—a mistake he found frustrating but also a valuable learning experience for future projects. The short film was part of an assignment from his mentor, Mr. Dodge, who challenged him to create a video exploring the theme of isolation.
The story follows John, an amateur YouTuber who decides to record a video as he visits his grandfather’s old farm. John hasn’t seen his grandfather, Grandpa Jack, in years, and his plan is to reconnect by spending some time at the farm and playing Minecraft together. However, when John arrives, the farm is eerily empty. His grandfather is nowhere to be found. Confused but undeterred, John starts exploring the property while narrating his experience for his audience. The situation takes a turn when he realizes he accidentally locked his keys inside his SUV, leaving him stranded. Determined to make the best of the situation, he continues to look around, searching for clues about his grandfather’s whereabouts.
As the story progresses, John begins to sense that something isn’t quite right. Strange noises and an unsettling feeling of being watched make him question if he’s truly alone on the farm. What starts as an innocent vlog transforms into a tense and frightening experience as John discovers that the isolation he thought he was experiencing may not be so isolated after all. The film leaves viewers with a sense of dread and uncertainty, playing on the fear of the unknown.
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Isolated was a unique project for Joshua because it allowed him to experiment with a genre he hadn’t explored before. Although the final product wasn’t perfect, it gave him the opportunity to delve into storytelling through atmosphere, suspense, and minimal dialogue. The found-footage style, combined with the isolated setting, captured the unsettling theme of being truly alone—or perhaps not as alone as one might think. This project was not only a response to Mr. Dodge’s assignment but also a creative outlet for Joshua during a challenging time in the world. It became another stepping stone in his journey to grow as a filmmaker, learning from both successes and mistakes along the way.