This Week’s Short of the Week: My Ideas Turn Into Insects Directed by Bil Richardson

In the experimental short film My Ideas Turn Into Insects, award-winning filmmaker, artist, and author Bil Richardson delves into the horror of a society at a tipping point. This provocative film offers a chilling visual metaphor for the fears and anxieties surrounding the future of our country.

A Visual Journey into Societal Decay

Through unsettling imagery and a haunting narrative, My Ideas Turn Into Insects explores how ideas, once vibrant and hopeful, can morph into something unrecognizable—crawling, consuming, and multiplying as they lose their intended purpose. Richardson uses the horror genre as a lens to critique political and social unrest, creating a film that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

About Bil Richardson

Bil Richardson’s diverse career spans film, literature, art, and history. An accomplished filmmaker, he has directed feature films, TV series, and documentaries, earning accolades across genres. Richardson is also a celebrated author, having published works ranging from graphic novels to historical accounts and children’s books.

As one of the leading experts on the Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Richardson has appeared on prominent platforms like CBS Sunday Morning, American Pickers, and National Geographic’s Diggers. His documentaries have become essential teaching tools at institutions like Carnegie Mellon and UC Berkeley, reflecting the broad impact of his storytelling. Supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, his work even resides in the U.S. Library of Congress.

A Statement from the Director

For Richardson, storytelling is a way to make sense of the world. “Stories help us deal with things we are frightened of—whether that’s a creature in the night or death,” he says. His work is as diverse as life itself, ranging from humor to horror, poetry to history. Yet, each project reflects his commitment to exploring complex ideas and emotions.