Award winning horror mobile Short film with a message

Swati Panda

Active member
I made this horror short film on a mobile phone . It has a strong social message. I have done the acting, editing, shooting all by myself. It was a great learning experience for me. I used multiple smartphones for different shots. I collected all the mobile phones in my house ; mine and my parents. I used Samsung Galaxy J7 max, Mi A2, Oppo. Also I made sure to light up my room properly using the strongest bulbs from my house from here and there , stole my dad's bulb. Used a tripod for mobile phones and for some shots I was holding the phone in one hand and shooting and acting at the same time. Good part is I could see my frame and rectify it instantly. And a phone can be put here and there easily. It was tough like a one woman army but fun too, felt like a scientist in my lab. Acting, shooting, editing all by my self. But at the end the satisfaction of completing your film and bringing your vision out is everything a filmmaker wants. I learnt a lot while making this film.
I got the germ of the idea from this: My sister as a kid used to destroy her dolls because she felt neglected as a child . This kind of gave me an imagery sort of flash vision for this film and then I linked it things I have described below. I wanted to do some night shots and give half lit faces or faces in dark. All the horror ideas came by seeing many horror stuffs. Some shots just came accidentally. It happens all the time. I also used flowers in my home garden. I did some practical visual effects and some using very easy softwares . Mostly used resources around me to make a film.

central concept: I have seen and heard stories of my friends, relatives, colleagues, news articles of many people abusing the people who love them and taking advantage of their closed ones and heard about many cases of toxic abusive relationships. People hankering or searching for someone just to feed their ego, emotional needs. They are super nice at the beginning and abusive and possessive once the victim is trapped. Many people especially the givers in a relationship suffer in silence. The takers feel the givers should keep on supplying them pleasure , emotions, time , energy all the time without having an independent space. This is a very broad topic it can cater to emotional, psychological, sexual, physical , domestic abuse or toxic bonds happening around the world which acts like slow poison to so many people. I felt like speaking out on this topic but in an entertaining way using horror elements so that it does not gets too preachy or boring. I just feel cinema has a great power to change our society and we as filmmakers should make cinema with strong social messages alongwith an entertaining value.
 
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@KashishM, what smartphone was used to film this? Did you use one or more smartphones? :)
 
@KashishM, what smartphone was used to film this? Did you use one or more smartphones? :)
Yes I used multiple smartphones for different shots. I collected all the mobile phones in my house ; mine and my parents. I used Samsung Galaxy J7 max, Mi A2, Oppo. Also I made sure to light up my room properly using the strongest bulbs from my house from here and there , stole my dad's bulb. Used a tripod for mobile phones and for some shots I was holding the phone in one hand and shooting and acting at the same time. Good part is I could see my frame and rectify it instantly. And a phone can be put here and there easily. It was tough like a one woman army but fun too, felt like a scientist in my lab. Acting, shooting, editing all by my self. But at the end the satisfaction of completing your film and bringing your vision out is everything a filmmaker wants. I learnt a lot while making this film .:)
@KashishM, what smartphone was used to film this? Did you use one or more smartphones? :)
 
Your short movie has an interesting concept. What inspired you to create this?
I have seen and heard stories of my friends, relatives, colleagues, news articles of many people abusing the people who love them and taking advantage of their closed ones and heard about many cases of toxic abusive relationships. People hankering or searching for someone just to feed their ego, emotional needs. They are super nice at the beginning and abusive and possessive once the victim is trapped. Many people especially the givers in a relationship suffer in silence. The takers feel the givers should keep on supplying them pleasure , emotions, time , energy all the time without having an independent space. This is a very broad topic it can cater to emotional, psychological, sexual, physical , domestic abuse or toxic bonds happening around the world which acts like slow poison to so many people. I felt like speaking out on this topic but in an entertaining way using horror elements so that it does not gets too preachy or boring. I just feel cinema has a great power to change our society and we as filmmakers should make cinema with strong social messages alongwith an entertaining value.
 
Yes I used multiple smartphones for different shots. I collected all the mobile phones in my house ; mine and my parents. I used Samsung Galaxy J7 max, Mi A2, Oppo. Also I made sure to light up my room properly using the strongest bulbs from my house from here and there , stole my dad's bulb. Used a tripod for mobile phones and for some shots I was holding the phone in one hand and shooting and acting at the same time. Good part is I could see my frame and rectify it instantly. And a phone can be put here and there easily. It was tough like a one woman army but fun too, felt like a scientist in my lab. Acting, shooting, editing all by my self. But at the end the satisfaction of completing your film and bringing your vision out is everything a filmmaker wants. I learnt a lot while making this film .:)
You did a great job and you were extremely creative, too! I am looking forward to see other movies from you in the future, shot on smartphones! :D
 

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