Stepping away from our amateur point-and-shoot origins, The Erased Line was Cheesemint's first big step toward professional independent filmmaking. Having received several compliments about his ability to write realistic dialogue, Matthew took it on himself to set a challenge: a film that contained zero dialogue.
Already a fan of German Expressionism and the silent films of the early 1900's, Matt set out to create something new utilising only the techniques that would have been available at the time. The story itself details the escape and recapture of Milla Donovan, a tormented asylum patient who is struck by visions of an alternate existence, wherein she is a princess. The whole thing is an adaptation of Richard Strauss' opera, Die Frau Ohne Schatten (The Woman Without A Shadow) with elements drawn from the Marvel comic Daredevil.
Employing the talents of Jenny Swindells for costumes and set, along with Maric Williams' behind the camera, Matthew set out to create something visually striking and memorable in its darkness. Filming, on the other hand, was a thoroughly enjoyable experience – albeit one plagued by long waiting times due to the extreme make-up process; as detailed in Adam Gunton's behind-the-scenes documentary, Drawing The Line.
In the end, the film was greatly received and went on to be nominated for a Limelight Award in the Freefall category and all four UK-based Mints attended the glitzy award ceremony in London.
The Erased Line was released in 2013.
