A short horror film produced for a university lecture
Synopsis
A cursed video sent by a friend. It showed my own room viewed through a hole in the sliding door (fusuma). What lies beyond the door...?
Creative Points
I challenged myself with a direction combining focus pulling and dolly-in. This was used in the scene where the protagonist notices a video suddenly appearing on the display. Initially, the focus is only on the protagonist. From their movement and the change in display brightness, the audience senses something has appeared and becomes curious. Then, the camera dollies in towards the display while shifting focus to it. This naturally shifts the audience's attention and emphasizes the importance of the footage. I also used Match on Action to maintain continuity across cuts, specifically using the protagonist's head movement to connect three different shots when realizing the room in the video is their own. Furthermore, I worked on color grading log footage, using blue-green tones to convey an unsettling atmosphere. Finally, the cursed video within the film was created using a self-made 'Cinematograph Simulation Program'. It simulates recording a cinematograph projection with a 60fps video camera, including black frames during film advancement, brightness fluctuations, and film grain, giving it an eerie 'The Ring'-style vibe.