Director's Cut (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Director's Cut is a 21-minute found-footage horror-comedy short centered on Keith Thomas, a film enthusiast recording an audition tape in the woods. When he discovers that the surrounding campsite is unnaturally quiet, the project takes a disturbing turn. Ollie Mansfield and Marcus Ortiz direct and write the film.

Director's Cut is a 2026 short film that blends found-footage horror with comedy. The story follows Keith Thomas, a film enthusiast attempting to record an audition tape for a reality television show while camping in the woods.

Its compact 21-minute runtime sets up a contained mystery: a campsite that seems unusually silent and a discovery that changes the direction of Keith's recording. Ollie Mansfield and Marcus Ortiz direct and write the film.

Director's Cut movie details

Story without spoilers

Keith Thomas heads into the woods to film an audition tape for a reality television show. As a self-described film nerd, he appears to be approaching the assignment with an interest in making an impression on camera. That plan is complicated by the unsettling quiet around the campsite.

The premise centers on Keith's discovery of why the location is so eerily still. Since the film is identified as both horror and comedy, the setup leaves room for tension alongside an intentionally lighter or offbeat tone, without revealing the nature of the discovery itself.

What to expect

The supplied genre labels point to a short, contained story built around found-footage presentation, horror elements and comedy. The audition-tape framework gives the film a camera-focused perspective, while the remote campsite provides the central source of unease.

At 21 minutes, Director's Cut is structured as a concise short rather than an extended feature-length narrative. The premise suggests a quick escalation from an ordinary filming task to a disturbing mystery, but the available details do not establish the film's specific scares, comic style or ending.

Cast and creative team

Alex Burgoyne plays Keith Thomas, the film's central character. Ethan Aronson is credited as The Hunter, while Ollie Mansfield appears as both a gas station employee and The Hunter. The supporting cast includes Mason Hauben as Dead Body #1, Marcus Ortiz as Dead Body #2 and YouTuber #3, Siena Gambino as YouTuber #1, and Trey Mahoney as YouTuber #2.

Ollie Mansfield and Marcus Ortiz directed and wrote Director's Cut.

• Alex Burgoyne as Keith Thomas
• Ethan Aronson as The Hunter
• Ollie Mansfield as Gas Station Employee / The Hunter
• Mason Hauben as Dead Body #1
• Marcus Ortiz as Dead Body #2 / YouTuber #3
• Siena Gambino as YouTuber #1
• Trey Mahoney as YouTuber #2

Release and production context

Director's Cut is listed as a 2026 short film with a runtime of 21 minutes. Its supplied release date is November 2, 2026, and its status is listed as Released. The metadata identifies the film as a horror-comedy and found-footage production, but does not provide country, spoken-language or production-company details.

Movies Dock view

With its brief runtime, reality-show audition premise and isolated camping setting, Director's Cut establishes a focused setup for a horror-comedy short. The available information presents the film as a compact found-footage story driven by Keith Thomas's recording and the unsettling mystery surrounding the campsite.

Film data:
TMDB