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Joshua Mueller
Clocking Out
XXI | ÉCU FILM FESTIVAL | 2026
24-26 April
Les 7 parnassiens Paris
CLOCKING OUT
European Dramatic Short | 15m | Germany
Directed: Joshua Mueller
Writers: Joshua Mueller, Tristan Matzkeit
Images © Joshua Mueller
MAR, 25, 2026
A woman wants to finally call it a day after a terribly long day at work. On her way home, a man who appears to be a police officer points out a supposed problem with her car…
Hey Joshua, it’s really great to talk with you ahead of the festival this year, before we start how’s married life treating you?
Thanks! Everything is going well.
What does it mean to bring Clocking Out to ÉCU in Paris?
I think it is one of the milestones that we have been wishing for, just very grateful for everything that is coming our way…Also never been to Paris, so that’s cool!
Clocking Out has already picked up some nominations and awards during its festival run including Best Director and Sound Editing at the 2025 Indie Shorts Fest. What has it mean to you to get this type of recognition for your short?
It’s really just an honour and a big motivation! It really helps to continue doing that what I love, it really shows in our second movie “THE BOY & THE WOLF”, which is nominated in LA for best Indie short of the year, this Mai.
With Clocking Out being a proof of concept for your feature this early attention mush feel good. It’s not adding any additional pressure on your is it?
It’s funny because it actually didn’t go so well in Germany at that time, no fundings , no festivals, everything was quite. So we decided on creating a new concept: making six individuals short films that then will be turned into a feature length film.
Everyone of the films works on its own, even sometimes has a complete different genre and helps us get more exposure and experience.
What does it mean to you to being Clocking Out to ÉCU?
A lot! I get to bring my team out and have them be celebrated!
When showcasing a new film does it ever get difficult letting go of your film and hand it over to audiences?
Oh yeah, I still cringe all the time hahaha…but its beautiful to see the reaction of the people watching the movie. Seeing everyone captivated, is just great.
What's been the most exciting part of sharing your film with festival audiences?
Seeing people laugh in the beginning and then hide they’re eyes later on. That’s exactly how I like to watch movies, never to expect the unexpected. The audience really things they now whats gone happen.
If you could describe Leana and Johannsson in a sentence what would you say?
One is cautious, the other a man.
How much did these characters change from when you initially wrote them to Julia Haase and Harald Etheber bringing them to life?
In this movie not so much, but in the other two movies yet to come…quit a lot!
Tell me a little bit about Clocking Out, what inspired your screenplay?
I wanted to write something that felt real but also like and Urban legend.
What was the expedience like working with your co-writer Tristan Matzkeit screenplay?
I always feel really bad for Tristan, because I usually write the first draft, then he writes the second draft, and then I rewrite the entire script, not because of what he wrote, but because of the initial idea and vibe that I had - it usually isn’t good enough for me, I Love how patient he is with me!
How close did you stick to your screenplay once you started going into production?
In “CLOCKING OUT” I really sticked to the script, except with the cashier (Tim Eriksson), he had so many good ideas and so I just let him do he’s thing.
What are the biggest challenges you faced making a Neo-noir psycho-thriller?
Having electricity and facilities in the middle of the forest.
How essential was the creative collaboration between you and your DOP Brian J. Rassmann?
Brian is the exact opposite of being “extra”, give this man a Camera an Idea and a granola bar, and he’ll give you a Cinematic masterpiece.
Did you own background as a commercial director and DOP help inform the way you wrote and directed Clocking Out?
For sure, even tho I try to write as a writer and not as a director, I sometimes catch myself being like “This I could shoot like that” or “this will coast way to much for me to do that”.
What was the hardest scene for you to shoot?
Probably the hardest scene was: The one take of her getting out of the car and getting into the other. The light was the big problem, you see we had motivation coming from the break lights of the car and the moon, that coast us a lot a lot of man power trying to emulate that threw out an entire shot with a budget of a few thousand bucks.
"Movies helped me escape from my traumas as a child and now they help me work through them."
What has been the most valuable lesson from making Clocking Out that you’re gong to carry with you the you start on the feature?
You don’t need a lot of money to make a movie, just passion, a great team and some good old DIY tricks up your sleeve .
Where did your passion for filmmaking come from?
Movies helped me escape from my traumas as a child and now they help me work through them.
If you could have coffee with one filmmaker who would it be and why?
It would probably be Park Chan-wook, because I love he’s movies but actually now nothing about him, so I actually would have some questions to ask.
And finally, what do you hope people will take away from Clocking Out?
If you see the deeper meaning that’s great, I’d be honoured. But I really just hope people have fun watching it, its a roller coaster.