The Watchtower

The Watchtower

Amidst a battle, a swordsman and an archer talk inside a watchtower.
Short Film · In Post-Production

A medieval two-hander built on a single, charged conversation, set at the height of a battle that never stops bleeding through the walls.

The Swordsman
The Swordsman

Phoenix Vinar

Trapped behind enemy lines

Trapped in enemy territory, The Swordsman has a single concern: finding a way out alive.

The Archer

Jack Smith

Keeper of the tower

Stuck in his own watchtower, The Archer must decide whether his newfound companion is trustworthy — or if he, too, is behind enemy lines.

The Archer
There must be some way out of here…
The Film

Inspired by Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” The Watchtower reimagines the song’s opening tension as a medieval drama.

Set inside a besieged watchtower at the height of battle, the film traps two opposing forces in a claustrophobic crucible where fear, duty, and survival collide. As they confront each other and the shattered world beyond the battlements, alliances shift and truths emerge — forcing impossible choices and a desperate search for escape.

Visually striking and emotionally charged, The Watchtower explores fragile humanity amid conflict and then, like Dylan’s song, recontextualizes itself in its closing moments…

Phoenix Vinar in The Watchtower
Phoenix Vinar in The Watchtower. © Future Vintage.
Behind the Scenes

The Tower

Built as a standing set — three walls and a floor — in the filmmaker’s basement, the tower becomes the film’s heartbeat.
Plan
TOP-DOWN VIEW · BASEMENT BUILD
1 2 3 4 5 8' 8' OPEN — CAMERA SIDE FX3 · 6' DOLLY TRACK
Profile
RIGHT WALL
7' 8' 2'×2'
Lighting
SCHEMATIC
1
Amaran 300c — Key
Dome, diffusion & grid on a C-stand, raked over the top-left corner.
2
Practical — Wall Lantern
LED lantern hung on a nail on the left wall.
3
Practical — Floor Lantern
LED lantern on the floor, amplified by an Aputure MT Pro.
4
Amaran 150c — Moonlight
Spotlight beaming blue moonlight through the window.
5
Aputure MC Pro
Short stand outside, under the window, catching The Swordsman as he looks out.
Sony FX3
On 6′ of track, parallel to the open wall.
On Set
On set On set On set On set
Frames from the Tower
The Watchtower frame The Watchtower frame The Watchtower frame

Cast

Phoenix Vinar
The Swordsman
Jack Smith
The Archer
Bennett Cantor
Dylan Cantor
Kristen Cantor

Crew

Written & Directed byEze Baum
Produced byEze Baum
Executive ProducersKen Baum · Julie Cantor
Director of PhotographyEze Baum
Camera AssistantSilas Liftin-Harris
Boom OperatorRyder Felisan
SoundCalvin Kim
Music byMilan Hunter
Production DesignerEze Baum
Set BuilderDavid Lopez
Costume DesignerEze Baum
Production AssistantIsla Saperstein
PropsThe Hand Prop Room
Dana Dolly PackageLos Angeles Camera Rentals