Portrait of God (Short Horror Film)

[@talltaleradio]

Damn, man! This was so well done! I am so happy to have been a tiny part of it, and I'm sending this to everyone I know! Creepy, understated, powerful!

[@dylanclark]

Thanks so much Tom! So glad you were a part of it.

[@v2actingsus]

100th like and no 2nd comment??

[@jadon3589]

ayo

[@julian9898]

what did you do? :-)

[@aurevoirshoshanna900]

Do you guys take submissions for short horror ideas

[@Anon12077]

That ending was perfect- no cheap jumpscare, no "boom" sound as we cut to black, just a silence that speaks for itself as it ends. I wish other horror directors had this level of restraint!

[@dead_slime1915]

The light at the end was beautiful but it felt like angler fish at least that’s what I felt.

[@RaraAvis1138]

Absolutely well done! I was so impressed i got my phone out to write this and gives a thumbs up. Excellent!!

[@RaraAvis1138]

@@dead_slime1915 thats what my first thought was also.

[@scottg5467]

I agree. The whole film hinges on the difference between the audience's expectations and what actually unfolds.

[@bulkvanderhuge9006]

@@dead_slime1915 I perceived the Light as the Holy Spirit, which is why she smiled at the end, because she was filled with it during that scene

[@Zan140]

One of the best tactics in horror movies is when the monster is barely visible, just visible enough to tell you it exists and its closer than you think. Love what you did here

[@amitavabiswas5260]

You have to build up the horror part for that. Which is also shown here. The recordings she played are also referring to how GOD or the entity looks like or how scary it is. This makes an impact on the viewers mind long before he is actually seen.

[@SS-hd5jx]

yes exactly because revealing it too much ends up looking funny sometimes.

[@sbraypaynt]

2:14 I adore things like this. A background detail that’s just invisible enough that you might overlook it entirely or just assume it’s something else…but then in the next shot it vanishes and you slowly realise that something was behind her the entire time.

[@wayatvideos2142]

Yes, because the unknown is not itself frightening. There are many things I know nothing about and am not frightened by it. What is frightening is to know enough, and yet, at the same time: not enough. So long as we remain in that gap, it takes our center away. But in all honesty, there is not enough you could show me that might frighten me unless it implicated something greater. Just like walking into a wolves den, you suddenly realize what enormous danger you are in. Not knowing when the wolves return, but knowing that they will, is what incentivizes us, what we call fear.

[@Sunflare-vq2uy]

Absolutely.

[@uninterestedYam]

I am obsessed with that exact moment where she's no longer grateful for being able to see him but instead starts to fear him. This is an awesome short film

[@GuyParson]

but she is still grateful at the end, the comments from the others who saw it even talk about it "of course its frightening, that kind of power should be"

[@OfficialGOD]

it do be like that

[@DD-pb4lj]

Well it makes sense because God is to be feared more than the devil

[@ivorymoonwolf4721]

​@@DD-pb4lj exactly. God created Lucifer, aka Satan, after all. God created everything. His level of power should be terrifying to comprehend.

[@feartheoldblood]

God in a sense is pure love and good, He appears as a light because no one can see His true face or form. All we do know is man was made in His image, and that is all we will ever know. It is all we need to know.

[@jasonbond5213]

I love that last fraction of a second when her mouth starts forming into a smile. It cuts away too early to see the full expression manifest, but we know that the terror she felt a moment ago has now turned into joy. Somehow that is one of the creepiest parts to me. She goes from joy to fear and back to joy. Is it truly god, and once she looks into the light and realizes it she is filled with joy and feels affirmed in her believe, honored he showed himself to her? Or is this something else, a demon who just wanted her to feel save and is now going to haunt her? Or maybe through the light the demon has taken control of her and this is it’s smile as it now won? There are a lot of ways one can interpret the smile, and we are left in the dark as to what it actually means. I love that. Ultimately, this hint of a smile at the end is so creepy because it is so unrelatable. We could understand it if it ended with her being terrified. But the fact that she isn’t anymore means something within her changed that we cannot understand. The only way we could, is if we experienced it ourselves. And this is where the curiosity takes over. If this painting existed, would I want to see it’s true form?

[@Greeenfiire]

I love this comment.

[@jasonbond5213]

@@Greeenfiire haha thanks

[@TheJohn_Highway]

I think you're getting too deep into artsy fartsy territory

[@jasonbond5213]

@@TheJohn_Highway I wouldn’t say so. That smile was placed there with an intention. The contrast is jarring. Clearly this is supposed to say something, and if it isn’t supposed to say anything specific it’s at least there to evoke a feeling. I just decided to document my train of thought I had when thinking about this the other day

[@brettzforeman]

I believe this is a commentary on faith and religious terror. This "horror film," is not about monsters and jump scares, but divinity and exisential dread. The woman is studying a painting of God that has caused people to experience visions. When alone with the photograph in the dark, she sees what the other people saw. What happens is quiet, intimate, and powerful. She sees the eyes looking at her, becomes terrified, and looks away in fear. She prays. A hand reaches from the darkness, cradles her chin, and draws her gaze gently upward. God WANTS her to look. She has permission. She looks up, and makes eye contact with the bright light, and is awestruck. Hours later, she is alone in the dark. Realizing she is unharmed, she smiles in relief. She was permitted to look God in the eye, and is alive. Her faith has been rewarded beyond imagination. God was strange and shockingly powerful, but also gentle and benevolent. Like a supreme alien that loves us. The smile is VERY relatable, but also very mysterious. It's hard to grasp what she saw, or what she's feeling. She is coming down from religious terror, and experiencing religious joy.

[@ian5756]

Without jumpscares, without gore, without screaming... you made one of the best horror movies/short films. congrats

[@Joey7Z7Horror]

Gore is fine but man jumpscares so insanely overused. When the music cut out after the projector screen was gone, there was no generic predictable loud jumpscare sound and that is wonderful

[@malte2483]

Some see God.Some see the god of this world and its system of things.

[@kentt3813]

Feeling unsettling and creeped out is better than jumpscares and that's how you make horror content.

[@julbiot9768]

​@@malte2483🤷😊

[@nolwazi3076]

No jumpscares my butt

[@loganhartfield6620]

The fact that she's clutching that cross so hard that her fingers are drawing blood is so eerie and I love it

[@CharlesA2]

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image”

[@YTuser2019]

@@CharlesA2 There has to be something more to the commandment than just ‘don’t make an image about heaven’. God would be contradicting Himself because later He made the Israelites make the Ark of the Covenant, which is a “graven image.”

[@dantecaputo2629]

I interpreted it as the cross bleeding on its own, like the blood of Christ

[@X-tinction]

@@YTuser2019 what god means is not to make an interpretation of what he looks like, similar to how to the isrealites made the golden calf while moses was in the mountain speaking to god, which is why nearly all the isrealites were put to death

[@oxymoron02]

@@X-tinction What the people who wrote the bible mean is "Don't try to draw god because we have no idea what it's supposed to look like, despite man apparently being made in its image".

[@carnictus23]

I love the small detail at 5:50 of "God"s hand touching her chin. The arm moves to her face while the figure itself doesn't move at all, and the hand comes from an angle that should be impossible given its positioning. Gives the impression that this entire surrounding of darkness IS the being, and the figure is just how it chooses to present itself

[@lu.ciel8770]

Yes I noticed that too! I thought perhaps there’s was a third figure there but besides the hand scene, I don’t get that impression.

[@RaptorJesus]

Depending on how you want to read the opening of Genesis, that may not be too far off. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water." "Darkness was over the surface of the deep", "the Spirit of God was moving over the surface". Now you could say God was moving through the nothing, but you could equally say that the "spirit of god" *is* that darkness.

[@evuniu]

"God is nowhere yet he is everywhere" Thats the meaning, no one knows if god exists or how he looks like, because noone that lives can see him. So if he exists he can be right behind you or everywhere around you.

[@carnictus23]

@@evuniu Yup, omnipresence.

[@hbt739]

I would not say that that thing was god. Much more that god cannot be seen as such painted by man (if i remember right the reason why this command is is because all statues or pictures of god are false idols because they cannot represent him). Instead the being was a demon meant to test the faithful, through praying for seeing the picture she became jelous, broke gods command and left the path of the righteous. As such the demon answered her prayer and showed here the picture of god in its mouth. I would interpretate it as something akin to that the strongest believers are the easiest to fool if it is the believe in god or a person

[@aaronpaulk]

For the love of God, someone throw some money at this man. This short is one of the best things in horror in the last ten years. This dude may be the next Aster or Flannagan.

[@notramesses4790]

He's better than those 2 put together!!!

[@calebemerson9317]

It’s impressive but there is a difference between setting a creepy mood in 5 minutes and writing a good story that’s 90 minutes long.

[@MrTony-rx7tk]

The thing that disturbed me the most wasn’t the creature itself, but the shot of her timer running for over 3 hours. That just really got to me for some reason

[@paulathehobbit]

it was 3 days and 3 hours edit: I am stupid lol

[@mp9313]

@@paulathehobbit It's not, you can literally see where the seconds are in that shot.

[@kimberlytomlinson9464]

3 hours and 3 days my friend 😢

[@MF_JONEZ]

​@paulathehobbit from left to right it's hours/minutes/seconds/milliseconds and clock reads 3:02:59:47 That's 3 hours 2 minutes 59 seconds and 47 milliseconds... lol not 3 days 🤣

[@concept5631]

If it was 3 days someone would've looked for and found her. God's spooky but he isn't mean.

[@blankarozinka2468]

i swear to god, some short youtube horror movies are better and have more meaning than a lot of whole horror movies. good job.

[@guineapig0983]

I see what you did there mate. I know right? Like Jesus CHRIST this is amazing

[@quemira1207]

swear to who?

[@Thatdudefresh]

Just weird

[@williamwhelton]

@@moonchaser3207 he's making a joke clearly, given that god is the monster in the video this comment section is a part of.

[@danieldeluca8952]

You sure you wanna swear to god?

[@Olivia-ox1jw]

Shoutout on this actress by the way, not easy to have yourself be the only actor in something, putting all that pressure of tension and delivery on you. She did great!

[@bryanmerberonio5245]

I liked this horror film immensely, but i couldn't see any fear and terror in the young actress' eyes, it's the one thing it has against it...

[@manjuananthnadhajeesh3581]

​@@bryanmerberonio5245probably worked out, considered how she's supposed to be in awe of this "god"

[@mpazinambao2938]

She was amazing!!!

[@ZachRoskilly]

Yeah I don’t think she was supposed to feel terror but pure awe.

[@ZachRoskilly]

And she definitely seemed scared before seeing “it”

[@elementallobsterx]

BRO. The way he was getting more and more visible as she rolled up the screen was horrifying

[@alec57]

BRO... you need to grow some balls 😂

[@elementallobsterx]

@@alec57 bro if you don’t shut up talking to me

[@ktkatte6791]

BROs, okay now kiss

[@lukehubbard9676]

@@alec57erm what the skibidi slicer?

[@moralfuxery]

This is the type of horror that only a short film can capture. You couldn't make this into a movie, it's strength lies in its shortness.

[@baitposter]

Brevity is an unsung virtue

[@danielegarotti7884]

Yes, you could

[@Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman]

Skills needed​@@danielegarotti7884

[@oliverlarosa8046]

Agreed

[@habichiblah7534]

Much like my penis.

[@superabo4280]

Great touch at 6:28. This could be interpreted as Mia simply gripping her cross too tightly due to the stress of the experience (which is possibly in her head), causing her hand to bleed. But if you interpret this video as Mia truly receiving a visitation from God, the bleeding hand is a "stigma", a divine mark which corresponds to a wound inflicted upon Jesus during the crucifixion. It's a mystical phenomenon alleged to have occurred occasionally throughout the history of Christian faith among holy men and women, and is taken to represent closeness to God through sharing in Christ's suffering. Interpret it as you will.

[@kamikeserpentail3778]

I interpret it as very telling that blood and suffering are symbols of their god.

[@lextavactchi]

@@kamikeserpentail3778 The way you say it sounds metal as fuck

[@vertigo2894]

Can I ask, taking it literally, is that creature meant to be God or something pretending to be God?

[@Antrodax]

@@vertigo2894 thats interpretation i got while watching this. I think he tried to show hit true form when opened mouth and revealed light. These "reek guy" is like form that we can process without descending into madness, like girl in the video

[@vertigo2894]

@@Antrodax It still doesn't make any sense, why not show himself in human form then? The video must be saying that that is his true form in some way? The big eyes and alien type head

[@willd.4808]

This is one of the only times "it was all in their head" actually hit for me. Probably because 1. it's not actually defined whether it WAS in her head or not, and 2. it fits the THEME of the painting being a "religious experience" and isn't just a cheap cop-out. It ADDS to the story rather than detracts from it.

[@brownsugarissupreme]

I like this interpretation but they also did say that most of the descriptions matched, which implies that it might be god but idk tbh

[@mcfixer9503]

I dont think it was just in her head, 1:59 look behind her to the left then again at 2:25 it's gone

[@NyanCatHerder]

​@@mcfixer9503This is actually a rare case where it can go both ways. Given how different people seem to see the same figure in drastically different ways, it might be an objectively real entity that causes varying psychological effects. For some people, the experience is beautiful, for others it's unsettling and, for a select handful (including the protagonist), it leads to at least temporary psychosis.

[@Vertigoi311]

God's already there at 1:48 before she even knows it's in the room with her unless her subconscious is doing a "oh he's behind me isn't he?" on her I guess?

[@Charles-ij1ow]

pennywise deadlights

[@crazyman6225]

I cannot describe how much I love this film. I love how the portrait of god painting stays visible even after the projector is turned off, almost like an afterimage, and then it moves. that is such a creative way of making it physical that wasn't the obvious method of just having it crawl out of the screen or something else that has been done a hundred times by popular media. Though I couldn't help but notice the editing error when this "god" being is like hypnotizing her with that light though. the close up on her face shows its hand on her chin, but in the other shots its hand is clearly down by its side. other than that, this short film has to be one of the best ones I've seen to date. It's awesome how you made such a great and effective horror short with absolutely no jumpscares or loud, sudden noises or anything. this kind of horror takes real skill to pull off correctly, and I think this film manages to do it very well.

[@hw436]

I'm pretty sure that "editing error" was deliberate. God is everywhere all at once, after all.

[@2degucitas]

She didn't turn off the projector, she raised the screen with the remote.

[@c00mgoblin]

Holy shit this has the exact type of Lovecraftian horror I was hoping for. As soon as it started I had chills as the people described “God” it’s one of those things that you know you’re not supposed to see. Its incredible how it gave that feeling of perversion, like you’re looking at something you shouldn’t be. Perfection.

[@FrancisCastiglione]

In a lot of religions, God's appearance is quite literally something you're physically unable to see. The guy's just a blinding beam of light you can't figure out any kind of shape from.

[@atrocious_pr0xy]

I loved this portrayal, but my visions of God are quite different. I don't see a singular entity, nor a singular representation. A storm doesn't need to explain itself. It destroys to create.. same as a black hole. What i see is the total of all emotion and cataclysmic creation in a fractal. It grinds and moves on itself in exquisite anquish.

[@riphopfer5816]

@@atrocious_pr0xy This has always been my feeling as well. Also, our brains are designed with filters in place to prevent our senses from incorporating into our ‘reality hallucination’ entities so overwhelming, so complex, and so unnecessary to our day-to-day survival (hunting, gathering, mating, child-rearing, etc.). Most of us would cease to be able to function so long as they are confronted with a full scan of the ‘God system’. Most humans-indeed-would be traumatised for life, afterward. Like a computer virus, their brains would keep trying to understand what they perceived and lock itself into a recursive feedback loop. Take it from a man who has been trying to part the ‘veil of Maya’ and peer past the ‘reality hallucination’ his entire life, beginning in his teens. I’m 40, now, and have used asceticism (sleep deprivation and fasting), prayer, meditation, hallucinogens/entheogens, and lucid dreaming-separately and in combinations, together. I’ve seen things; I’m even convinced I’ve seen and experienced things I was not meant to perceive. Yet, in 25 years of intense seeking, I have not perceived the Ultimate: the Whole Picture; the framework upon which the fabric of ‘reality’ is woven, nor that which does the weaving. Even with the aid of n, n-DMT I have at best encountered some of the ‘worker bee’-type entities who help manage this structure once it is manifested, but the true creative force remains a mystery.

[@PrattlingPate_]

This isn’t lovecraftian lol

[@bunberrier]

I was reminded of The Colour Out Of Space at the end.

[@wizardiron9875]

The fact that it was behind her the whole time she didn't see it, but then disappeared for us to see it in the screen gives me goosebumps

[@angelacompres7947]

I saw it in a second view! Scary!!

[@sr.rodriguez4816]

I dont get it, please explain

[@sr.rodriguez4816]

What do u mean behind her the whole time, I only see it in front of her. At what moment or minute do u see it? I only see it in front of her at min 4:00 please explain

[@Shadownail26]

​​​@@sr.rodriguez4816at 1:47 you can see "gods" eyes on the left, watching her

[@DaboiYessir]

​@sr.rodriguez4816 well it appears a bunch peaking behind walls and stuff like that but at 1:47 you can notice in the left side of the screen he's standing closer than the other times only after they describe the eyes and we don't see the eyes till they say somthing also if you pause at 2:31 he's in the projector before the PowerPoint starts

[@Mindboggles]

THIS, THIS IS THE KIND OF HORROR I WANT. The pure, psychological cosmic dread building and building. Not a single loud noise jumpscare, truly an expertly crafted piece of art.

[@fulsman230]

Exactly my toughts. True horror

[@DCArmedDragon]

I agree. Nowadays that’s all we get. Cheap jumpscares and loud music. Glad I ran into this.

[@DillyTheWillyWilliams]

I love that it's so harmless too. Like the creature didn't even hurt her. It was just pure misunderstanding of a cosmic entity.

[@Void-r3b]

​@@fulsman230Fnaf was a succes with jumpcares

[@Void-r3b]

Fnaf was a succes with jumpscares

[@Nagitudo]

4:24 y'all realize he was looking at the camera before turning to her?

[@StillmanSpinningSteel]

Oh I thought it was getting up. Getting ready to move towards her.

[@hono.sapiens]

its bc he was behind the presentation screen. the paintings original pose was that, it isnt supposed to be a 4th wall break i suppose.

[@Nagitudo]

@@hono.sapiens it stayed like that even after the screen left

[@hono.sapiens]

@@Nagitudo thats bc it was behind the screen as i already said. the creature/god either exited the "painting" or was always behind the screen, just not making itself visible

[@smolapril]

mom! pick me up😭😭

[@maggredon]

The part where the camera switches from the white silhouette of the girl to the dark canvas in the background, tricking your eyes to feel like there is something on there is absolutely brilliant. Feels so interactive, can't believe one can think of doing something like that. Great job!

[@Damarcus123]

Time stamp

[@zekprit4376]

Ooo I know right! Every time the camera was on her I got a little spooked thinking someone was behind her but it was just the data box lights!!

[@rybaneightsix5085]

​@@zekprit4376Look closer

[@conorhale1269]

I cannot overstate how necessary this style and ingenuity is in horror, or in storytelling. You were subtle in all the right places, didn’t show too much. You have a brilliant score, gorgeous shots, and excellent design. Thank you for making art. Keep it up.

[@joydivision1976]

I think the green finger nails where a tad bit too much, but it was a marvelous watch nonetheless.

[@emilsund4332]

This reminds me of a quote from another horror film, or rather a series, The Mandela Catalogue. A quote from a praying book of sorts where it says: "Who have i been praying to all this time?". I think that summs upp both The Mandela Catalogue and this pretty well.

[@ToughVato]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but what do we have to witness when beauty looks back? What’s the beauty that’s sits within that eye?

[@0111ulquiorra]

"Be not afraid" and the proceeds to show up in the scariest form possible

[@pvlsar_16]

Fun fact the angels in the Bible that said “be not afraid” are known as Ophanim and they are described as looking absolutely horrifying. This is why they say this because they have good intentions with the message they carry.

[@samdaley8484]

I mean, someone wouldn't have to declare "BE NOT AFRAID" if they looked normal

[@HornTim54]

@@samdaley8484bro this shit had me dead 😂😂

[@chargedx5768]

"fear the Lord" also rings in me head

[@0111ulquiorra]

@samdaley8484 I mean I think you get that's easier said than done. You expect people to be like " you know what you right ill just be calm" ?🤔

[@KeKe-bv8qv]

6:31 I love the use of the phone timer we clearly saw her start earlier, finding out she'd been like that for more than 3 hours. And then the fade to black. Chilling and tasteful.

[@neondaybreak]

That was one of the best short horror films I've seen in recent times! The moment where the screen got rolled up but "God" was still there actually gave me chills.

[@vercnauwenstudios4142]

Is that the projector on the wall, or is god not to be removed? In sovjet russia, you remove god In America god removes you.... Btw that film was terrific and disturbingly terrifying...

[@aderpypotato9270]

Uhh yeah, that’s how projectors work.

[@Viper11x55]

@@aderpypotato9270 not against dark lmao it has to be against the white of the screen to properly see the image. that why the fact the god thing show up after rolling it up is creepy as hell.

[@Glace1221]

Truly, a "Bruh" moment.

[@baitposter]

Even better: it's behind her on her right when she's listening to the audio (viewer's left)

[@shad0wpk02]

I just realised something after a long while. In the first few shots before he shows up on the screen, he's already there. In the back. To the left of the main character. Gave me incredible goosebumps realising he's already there even though he shows up later too.

[@shira158]

1:49 oh shit, you are right

[@suscrow661]

​@shira158 wow u barley see em Worse than then him being behind the slideshow when u notice em

[@cooperholand]

I just posted a comment referencing this, too! At 1:54, he's there, then it cuts to the projector, then back to her, and he's gone.

[@angierodriguez595]

Whereeee??

[@cooperholand]

@@angierodriguez595 in the top left corner. You can see the eyes

[@jordan321able]

EDITED BY POPULAR DEMAND SPOILERS Holy shit...didn't uhhhh expect this. I expected it to drown in the other comments. Sorry for spoilers.....:( . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The realization that it was actually in the room and not just a photo of a portrait was....incredibly dreadful. That pure, sense of fear and terror. Not just scares. Absolutely incredible

[@San-lh8us]

why would one be scared of god? he's bound to save us all, we shouldn't fear him

[@jordan321able]

It's not necessarily God in one interpretation or another. It might be something mortals can not comprehend, so they mistake it for God. Or it may be that he didn't actually harm her. The good word does say that mortal souls looking upon him while still covered in Sin is not supposed to be safe. So if he gave her what she wanted, to see him, while still alive, and therefore living in sin as all mortals do. She nor others would be able to survive it, let alone safely endure the experience.

[@San-lh8us]

@@jordan321able wait, what happens if god kills a person? will the person still have a chance to go to heaven if they ask for forgiveness for their sins? or do they go straight to where they were supposed to go?

[@dumbbass8867]

@@San-lh8us it's meant to be more abstract. The question of "is this thing God?" is left to audience interpretation.

[@San-lh8us]

@@Imbettadenu i did watch the video, why do you ask?

[@oatlords]

gotta say i love this type of horror that just makes you unsettled to the core.... i was so on edge the entire time a shot would pan with her looking so small behind her background and i audibly gasped and said "oh no" the moment the projector rolled up and god was STILL THERE and she wasn't imagining it. even more so when it got closer and closer but at the same time i just couldnt stop looking away. love the details of her having stared for 3 hours straight no blinking, and her holding the cross so damn tightly her hands bled. that uncanny smile with the bloodshot eyes is such a shot and such a nice way to wrap it all up in an ending that can be interpreted in so many different ways!

[@fellipedasilva99]

This adds way more meaning to “Be not afraid”

[@white_tulip2189]

"do not fear me" is repeated more times in the bible than "love god"

[@bigmonkey1254]

@@Imbettadenu Not really. God is as benevolent as He is creative and incomprehensible. He's one of the only deities I've heard of who offers complete absolution of any sin.

[@bigmonkey1254]

@@white_tulip2189 Probably because humans are inclined to fear things beyond understanding like that. I would say that the times "love the Lord your God" are said are said with more emphasis.

[@Softnwet12]

@@Imbettadenulol the bible IS true and there is no reason to think you’re “screwed”. It teaches love and forgiveness as it’s primary message :)

[@kagurogintsuki1620]

​@@Softnwet12 LMAO thanks for the laugh.

[@emptyptr9401]

This is how horror should be done... None of that jumpscare stuff and no gore... Just creepiness, just incomprehensibleness. Very tasteful yet terrifying. I love this...

[@HansFlamme]

Wait until you discover Lovecraft

[@Near2L]

​@@HansFlamme Lovecraft is phenomenal, bought a huge book with all his stories in it,all of them equally amazing in their own ways🤯🤯

[@cachalotreal]

Cosmic horror

[@emptyptr9401]

@@HansFlamme Don't worry I know Lovecraft xd. Also really cool, although I find that especially when people try doing it in film, it never works as well. Also, in Lovecrafts stories there is almost too much lore once you know most of his stories (Or watch videos of those that do), which kind of goes against that hole fear of the unknown thing. I absolutely love Lovecraft, but its this Genre in its infancy. That being said, when listening to some of his works first-time... Amazing... Just tends to not work that well in film because big tentacle monsters are not incomprehensible, they are big tentacle monsters xd...

[@emptyptr9401]

@@cachalotreal My favourite kind of horror

[@TimSlee1]

There needs to be more horror like this, i'm sick of the generic ghost horror stories with a cliché backstory that's spoon-fed to the viewer. Sometimes I want to be left with more questions than answers.

[@naudalyke]

Exactly! That's exactly what makes horror good: the unknown

[@nebojsag.5871]

Have you watched "Disappearance" by Klenhard?

[@sampelletier7463]

Welcome to cosmic horror, my friend

[@steph4050]

Tired of children imaginery friend also?

[@zackattack9228]

Watch Martyrs,the ending is exactly like this

[@andreatreese8347]

Thank you for legitimate tension, legitimate horror, great shots, perfectly-timed pauses, disturbing visuals, needed brevity, and ZERO answers, because we do not need answers. We just need this--something that makes people talk, discuss, argue, and freak the hell out. Hats off to you, my good sir.

[@pelagie278]

You can see two shiny dots in the back when she’s playing the recording about his eyes. Perfect. He’s always there

[@timothyvanlalzawma1494]

Wheere

[@lotus-eater]

​@@timothyvanlalzawma1494 Around 1:55, look at the woman's left

[@SP8.]

​@@timothyvanlalzawma1494around 2 minutes in towards the left

[@aeiouarethevowels]

To the left of her​@@timothyvanlalzawma1494

[@Durandahl]

@@timothyvanlalzawma1494 1:47 left side, he is standing right behind her

[@tildenborg8380]

That was so perfect every detail from the rooms always being dark to realising she had been staring for hours rather than physically experiencing the events giving heaps of relation to the audios where people say it’s terrifying and then the man saying it’s beautiful. amazing

[@crimsoncuttlefish8842]

Days, not hours

[@equiaux]

BLASPHEMY!!!

[@zap4th368]

@@crimsoncuttlefish8842 no, it’s hours. It goes hours:minutes:seconds:milliseconds.

[@toasteduranium]

I should have noticed this. I saw the timer and thought it meant that she had been standing there for three minutes.

[@Ienteredmynamecorrectly-lt3nu]

@@crimsoncuttlefish8842 It's not days, holy shit people are imperceptive.

[@theangel7840]

Does anyone else notice that the entity is standing in the darkness on the left side of the screen when she is listening to the audio? I absolutely love this short!!!

[@georgeofhamilton]

Uh oh… I don’t see it…

[@krealys.-.5153]

@@georgeofhamilton At 1:50 on the left

[@benharris-hayesaudio]

Great spot! :-)

[@Blowtorch87]

Oh f...

[@georgeofhamilton]

@@krealys.-.5153 Thanks.

[@oswaldobetarelli4776]

Such a beautiful movie in a way horror almost never is, it encapsulates so perfectly the debate around God too. Either the most horrible evil of all, a vengeful unforgiving destroyer that loves some and smites others based on pure dumb luck, or the single most beautiful thing in existence. Unapproachable in it's terrifying scope and perfection, and yet enchanting with this devouring beauty, only visible to those who seek to see him. Can be also interpreted by how God can be so terrifying and unwelcoming when painted by zealots, bigots and religious fundamentalists, but once you find him within yourself, seperated from the hate followers melded into him throught the ages, your given a whole new meaning to life and existence. And all this is coming from someone who left christianity and abrahamism in general long ago and still has serious gripes with it to this day. Congratulations on the most well made horror short film, hell, prehaps the most well made short film i've ever seen.

[@brixxter7184]

No fast jumpscares, no gore, no brutality but a such a deep and sort of profound oozing horror which makes you feeling very uncomfortable when watching and difficult to release yourself after this 7 minute experience. The perfomance, the visual mood and the low frequence score: A truely remarkable composition of all the people involved in it. Kudos!

[@peterkim3370]

I mean there was a little blood at the end

[@mikegavronsky1404]

The slow draw of the projector screen revealing the outline remains was more unsettling than any jumpscare. The slight jerk of the head to make eye contact, so well done.

[@lookindescription4459]

@@peterkim3370 but a little blood isn't counted as gore.

[@zelithos]

There is a big difference between a cheap jumpscare and genuine dread. This one hits hard. Great work!

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

Jesus... this is the first time I've watched a horror short on KZbin and felt *genuine* chills. No jumpscares, no loud noises, just this... disturbing, uncomfortable feeling. And the fact we never get a fully clear view of "God", at most seeing a blurred view. And.. she's been staring, without blinking for 3 hours straight. The world record is 1 hour 17 minutes (Paolo Ballesteros, set the record on live TV).

[@CharlesNotBronson]

Hoo-woooohw!

[@nickeni3050]

Jumpscare is cheap horror, true horror is from what's unsettling, confusing, unpredictable, hope draining and unexplainable.. if a horror movie can carry these themes with a disturbing undertone then it can easily beat 95% of all the horror movies in the market Btw, do checkout Mandela's catalogue and the other side of the box, they're aso KZbin short movies that has same kind of content and trust me when I say it's definitely unsettling

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

@@nickeni3050 Oh I know about Mandela Catalogue. I couldn't really get into that due to the extended universe thing it's trying to do, but I still applaud it's quality and effort. There's a reason I love Korean and Japanese Horror, they're exactly as you described: Unsettling, Unpredictable and Unexplainable. That's why I recommend mostly Korean Horror movies to people, such as The Wailing and others.

[@swaelee4686]

I knew that shit was about to move I couldn't watch😂

[@Leto85]

I thought she was standing there for 3 whole days.

[@crystal2967]

why was this scarier than any horror movie i’ve watched this year? i genuinely closed my eyes for a second, this was so well done and didn’t rely on jump scares to make me feel scared

[@u7felix]

Ima be honest, I did watch this over at cory's, but man this is a work of art. This was executed with perfection, cause I actually don't know what could've been done better. My dearest Respect Dylen, you are a master at what you're doing.

[@CxZvGQ]

Cory’s

[@madvillainy1072]

Likewise

[@jailawalker8028]

No same I watched it from Cory and I am flabbergasted 😱 THIS NEEDS TO BE A MOVIE or something because like… bro I have no words😭 it was sooo good

[@Gamervibes08]

Same! And I was so impressed I *had* to come leave a comment!!

[@GlitchyTyr]

I see that u edited Cory instead of “Corey”

[@insignificantartist1714]

Since everyone has already commented on the absolute perfect horror this elicits, I'd like to compliment the color palette of this, how it's such a simple black and white with a beautiful teal, it turns eerie and sickly, captivating the nauseating feeling of dread and fear- brilliant choices!

[@kelceydane5874]

I think it's done so that her reality space echoes the painting.

[@mbrancaliente2225]

yes i love the colour of the door

[@QuietPotato]

I think the lighting alongside the color palette really adds to the dread too!

[@spencersullivan4447]

This gives real “Stare too long into the abyss and the abyss will stare back” Vibes also the subtle “she’s walking backwards but not moving out of the light” so good Regular horror movie gore and jumpscares just kinda make me laugh, but this gave me chills! This is so good!!!

[@4hire565]

More like looking into infinity, into the whole of creation and the all of it, looking back at you. Hopefully, with love. Hopefully lol

[@rayzor285]

That's not at all what that quote means..

[@SS-hd5jx]

perfect quote for this film

[@rayzor285]

@@SS-hd5jx No-- it isn't. That's not what that quote means.

[@cthulhu4411]

I am the abyss

[@Xzanos177]

The use of the timer was GENIUS

[@jeffjeffries8924]

Now this is someone that understands horror. That slow-burn building of dread and terror, without resorting to cheap tricks for adrenaline spikes.

[@bitshox1215]

>Three tickets for me, my wife and my wife’s son for the newest A24-produced, genre-redefining, trope-subverting, atmospheric, dark and eerie, emotionally draining, gut wrenching, aesthetically heavy craft by post-horror auteur with an arthouse edge, dread-inducing, suspenseful build up with strong character development and gradual feeling of escalation, bone-chilling slow burn with “say more with less” approach and soul-shaking, blood-curdling, skin-crawling and nerve-wracking exercise in persistently looming dread where tension and anxiety permeates every frame as movie reaches its nail-biting, jaw-clenching and paranoia-inducing final climax, free of any cheap gore, cartoonish CGI or infantile jumpscares horror film, please. I chortle sensibly at such cliches! Ö

[@SidsonCity]

@@bitshox1215 ID'd

[@chargedx5768]

those cheap tricks work incredibly well most of the time, there is a reason it is used majority of the time

[@finnkennnedy]

My favourite thing about this is that the “god” is not portrayed as demonic or monstrous or evil. It’s an alien figure that doesn’t do anything malicious. Simply causes awe and discomfort. That’s how I image the true god to be as well.

[@dontmove1085]

Yes, theres some things that doesn't constitute evil, but we as humans born and raised in a life full of movies and entertainment based on things that we stabilished to be scary. Like a skinny/pale figure, unsettling open smiles, bright eyes and a mix of all these ones. Uncanny Valley plays a huge part on it too.

[@maggie9197]

Indeed

[@LostTemplate]

you simple minded people fail to comprehend the fact that god has no "body" of any sorts and doesn't "look" like anything. god is simply the totality of everything in reality, or more simply - infinity. thats all god is. the faceless centre of creation. as above, so below. edit: i think you are confusing "god" (the essence of creation) with a type V civilization alien member.

[@adw6894]

It's very demonic

[@jotanuki]

​@@LostTemplatethat's what you believe

[@GrayCatbird1]

This puts the concept of God back in its place, it feels to me. We like to imagine God as someone who’s “at our level”, when in truth a being so powerful, omnipotent and omnipresent is unspeakably, inconceivably alien to us. It doesn’t mean God is evil, but it does mean they would be incomprehensible… perhaps even terrifying. Lovecratian to perfection.

[@yamato6114]

Pretty much how the Old Testament god was..

[@janazalecka5972]

Its hard for me to believe this is this how god looks like its hard to believe

[@hellothere8229]

​@janazalecka5972 It's the idea that it's so alien to us. If a being equal to God is shown irl, its most likely each person will view it differently

[@always.7884]

You really wanna argue with an 10 year old kid ? ​@KevinP.-dz6wj

[@jeffmarshyboy8703]

Bro got cooked holy

[@marvelousjokes2300]

I’m surprised not to read about this: at 2:30 when she begins reading for the second time, the angle is different. She is framed to create a negative afterimage on the canvas! If you, the viewer saw nothing the first time, you had about 24 seconds of visual conditioning that made you see something humanoid the second time! Creepy!

[@HarleyLuna31]

How is she framed "to create a negative afterimage of the canvas"?🤨

[@DutchVanderline-ld7xd]

@@HarleyLuna31Staring at an image of a certain color for example white for a while then looking at black will keep a trace of the previous thing on the new background. Meaning that looking at her light silhouette for a while then looking at the black image make you see a faint silhouette.

[@eyeballplanets]

It really sticks out to me that of all the interviewees, the old man, who is utterly moved by the subject of the painting, is the most predominant voice, and how that contrasts with the protagonist, who at first sees the same things in the same detail with a sense of horror. “It’s beautiful” being the last words of the montage and her last expression showing tearful awe feels intentional. Either way, it was brilliantly done: the girl's “I don't like it” before “It's beautiful..." really stands out.

[@mbrancaliente2225]

old man :> :> :> #ilovethemovieup

[@lianhorvat5744]

Reminds me of Bird Box how the mentally broken considered the entities beautiful. Unsettling and awesomely done!

[@mcgfn]

@@lianhorvat5744terrible movie dont compare that shit to this

[@Mochisan0900]

the detail they made of placing him at the beginning of the film in the corner of the room, making it clear that even if you don't see him, he is always there, sounds terrifyingly beautiful to me, this short is pure art, and has a way of terror that gives me chills.

[@OCHY..]

Can you tell me at what time do we see him in the corner? I can’t find it

[@aduartenog8808]

​@@OCHY.. 1:45 at the left corner

[@OCHY..]

@@aduartenog8808 omg thanks i see it now

[@Mochisan0900]

​​@@OCHY.. minute 1:45, you can see his two white eyes in the corner.

[@VFM_of]

It was more like at 1:49 Or at least when I saw it But his like omniscient omnipresent só It makes sense

[@christ9359]

Biblical themes are ripe for excellent horror, but most movies fall woefully short in execution. This short hits the mark with bonechilling excellence. Wonderfully done.

[@LiamSuarez]

Yeah they usually tend to cringy visuals instead rather than eerie ones wich in my opinion work way better for religion themed horror

[@abstract5249]

The Bible is full of unsettling themes and imagery. The very idea that God watches you and can send you to eternal damnation is horrifying.

[@denglish5]

​@@abstract5249one of the scariest things for me is complete loss of control and nothing seizes your ability to control things than a religion that imposes a "destiny". If we are all just gods plan than we are all just pawns on a chess board living under someone else's will

[@gustaelix]

666 liked omg

[@SamuelBlack84]

I would love a horror film where the Christian god was completely evil and cruel with no positive aspects whatsoever Basically, exactly as he's written 😂

[@LukeWay-x2f]

I think it's cool how much they pulled off with such a low budget

[@js-ro5jk]

This is real horror. No cheap jumpscares and an original concept

[@carljohnson8913]

The acting, the score, the vfx... the quality is out of this world! It's unbelievable how you do it. I've been intrigued with this channel ever since I watched 'transfigure'. Keep em' coming, Dylan, all the best to you and your team!

[@dylanclark]

I really appreciate it! So glad to hear you enjoyed it that much.

[@fenrir5927]

@@dylanclark bro this short film was absolutely amazing, captivating, entrancing, intriguing and I genuinely LOVED IT. Plz keep it up. Much love bro.

[@tone618]

@@dylanclark it reminds me of scp096

[@lonewillayat7273]

@@dylanclark will there ever be a part 2

[@dylanclark]

@@lonewillayat7273 there may be something more here… we’ll have to wait and see!

[@wib1111exe]

It's totally amazing! I can't believe.. This short film looks great! No jump scares, no screams... just total immersion, fear and a feeling that something is about to happen. Bravo, this is breathtaking

[@ToughVato]

Her smile at the end gives me the most uncanny sense of hope that I can’t help but love

[@ahmedman8078]

Why did she smile tho

[@UCABrSfFxOw_91MsYSwPABqQ]

@@ahmedman8078 because she saw God

[@moonpresence3840]

As can be seen when the being opens its mouth, the girl's eyes gradually light up more, which suggests that the being brought its mouth closer to her. Possibly to devour it, see how much it opened its mouth when making contact with it.

[@Evil_Beauty]

@@ahmedman8078 she smiled because her temptation in wanting to know what god actually looked like was granted, thus she felt satisfied. And yes, when I said "satisfied", I meant it in a sexual way, as the creepy being pulled her chin towards its light while she resist the urge (temptation) to look away.

[@jeffpienta4532]

@@Evil_Beauty wtf it has nothing to do sexually. Pleasure goes beyond just sexual ramifications, she was satisfied that she saw what she interpreted as God

[@cameronhall6054]

2:03 I never even realized the entity was already there in the left hand corner, you're so focused on the girl and her speech that you don't pay attention to the surroundings, showing how silent this unidentifiable horror really is

[@Bunnie_Gutz]

I think that was just a reflection from the projector, there’s other lights that look similar in the same shot

[@Zsamoff]

1:48 It is appears after she touches the cross, longing to see what is described

[@cameronhall6054]

@@Bunnie_Gutz thats true but if you look closely enough you can see the outline of the creatures body as well

[@animeshsingh4645]

exactly when you increase brightness and adjust exposure you can easily someone is there

[@ky_piece]

@@Bunnie_GutzIt was the entity! In another shot near the beginning we can’t see anything in the left corner, but then the eyes start glowing

[@cozywithkris]

This is INCREDIBLE!!! I’m a film teacher and I use it as an example to my students as to how you can scare the crap out of someone without gore!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@dylanclark]

This comment made my day! Thanks so much.

[@ahmadjarrar7246]

You are part of the problem

[@gothxm]

i think at first it was truly unsettling but after seeing it overused in every movie, it stopped having that visceral feeling that it must've carried when movies first began putting things like that on rolls of film.@TransferInProgress

[@KingKairuku]

Because you’re meant to think “What could do that? What WOULD do that?” It’s a bit overused in horror movies nowadays but a good gory jumpscare still can make or break a film.

[@Cannibalize946]

​@TransferInProgress that's the purpose of gore It's not supposed to scare you, it's supposed to make you uncomfortable

[@PolkatellaGames]

this is genius, knowing that a lot of believers tell you that part pof loving god or part of the religious experience is that fear torwards god, it seams fitting in a cosmic horror presentation. the ending with the smile or the light inside the mouth could be interpreted like the representation of that religious awakening / realization of god, that fear/beauty/dread/hope. this is quite an amazing short film! Congrats!

[@gckeeper6314]

I don't know where the myth of believers fearing God comes from, believers recognize the divine superiority of God but no one fears God, God is good and Just. Fear literally means becoming aware of a danger, a threat. God is neither one nor the other, on the other hand yes we recognize his superiority in every way.

[@AllgoodthingsTv]

I love a good bone chilling moment, and yet they are difficult to come by in movies and shorts. But this has one! The moment that projector goes up but the visage of "God" remains... sheesh! Shivers.

[@CptApplestrudl]

The projector is behind her. The thing going up is the projection screen.

[@abelnemeth4346]

@@CptApplestrudl I actually think they just simply let the projector project the image in the surface behind the screen.

[@cenobite6672]

Does nobody in these comments know how projectors work? It's not like it goes up with the screen - it would just be projecting behind it. lol

[@Lawrence_Talbot]

Why is god in question marks? Also why do you and 1.5K other people not know the difference between a projector and the screen 🤦🏻‍♂️ I lose more and more faith in Christians each day

[@abhinabbora1135]

Bing chhiling

[@Jax2777]

The reveal was beautiful. Slowly raising the screen and watching the faintest edges of the silhouette fall the the dark backdrop gave a new goosebumps every inch of the way

[@pomgranate2787]

i love the part where you only see two faint glints in the projection, because it's cutting back and forth from the projection to the main character your eyes produce an afterimage, and if you've been looking at her eyes by the time the afterimage is produced, the afterimage of her outline lined up perfectly on the glints so before you even see anything your brain is trying to tell you something's there

[@thugtrippin]

Yeah that was some trippy shit

[@johngagnon1365]

If you look closely at 1:47 seconds, you can see "God" watching her in the left of the screen. This short is so well done it honestly amazes me someone just decided one day to make something like this without a studio, what a masterpiece!

[@WarthogEnjoyer3784]

I love the detail of the timer at the end. 3 hours. Staring at what appears to be nothing…for 3 hours. This is gonna keep me up at night. Bravo!

[@masonbruner1239]

My favorite part about that detail is, the human eye *cannot* be open for 3 hours. It would cause irreparable damage to the eyes to be open for that long, and you can even see just how damaged her eyes *look* in the end. Something about that detail makes it so much more eerie for me

[@o_u_i_j_a_6634]

Thought it was 3 days and 3 hours

[@sashadrev2968]

Actually it's probably a way to interpret the film differently: as a regular horror. If you stare into nothing in total or almost total darkness for a long time, you start to hollucinate, maybe that's what actually happened to her. She listened to the description others did, recorded herself many times in a dark room and stared at a dark picture for 3 hours. She was seeing what she expected to see but nothing was actually there. Basically imagine a painting yourself.

[@fabianmv2342]

it could also represent the time at which jesus was suposedly crucified, all that 333 thing

[@Juan-mi6on]

​@@o_u_i_j_a_6634 (hour:minute:seconds.milliseconds)

[@authornathanday6983]

This just randomly popped up in my suggestions and I'm really glad it did. A fantastic premise that was very well executed. I appreciate the building of tension without any reliance on jump scares. Great work. You've earned another subscriber.

[@Harsh-ds9kk]

Same

[@ReicHHere]

Having only one character is perfect . I love that you didn’t put jump-scares you let us see it and stay there just enough that were still not sure. It feels like a weird tales story

[@protectorpaladin4358]

Something I don't quite see people pointing out is how gentle the hand that clasps her chin is. It's not forceful, or aggressive, it's slow, and soft in it's touch. Almost as if the creature/God doesn't want to hurt her. Even if she can't understand it.

[@thegregitto]

I think when it comes to horror, God and the divine are by far the most compelling focus. There's so much eeriness and dread around death, and moreso, what lies beyond it. How little we know. There's also a lot of inherent pathos when it comes to the divine and god, but again, that's tied into our innate fear of the unknown.

[@fizzyheart2486]

Someone just learned the word “inherent “

[@thegregitto]

@@fizzyheart2486 oh I used it twice. Haha

[@fizzyheart2486]

@@thegregitto 😂 lol

[@thegregitto]

@@fizzyheart2486 I changed it it's all good, the opps will never know

[@thegregitto]

@KevinP.-dz6wj conduct an exploration to back up your assertion, if you would 🗿

[@r-cane6761]

Such a cool premise, seeing thing we weren’t meant to see. Me personally I love cosmic horror so my opinion might be a bit biased but this is definitely the best horror short on this platform in my opinion. Hope you make more videos cause this was just incredible

[@dylanclark]

Thank you so much! I love cosmic horror so I really appreciate this.

[@jb6725]

Theres a reason why God didn't want you to see him because he's biblically accurate as well

[@vertigo2894]

Can I ask, taking it literally, is that creature meant to be God or something pretending to be God?

[@Caedyst]

@jb There is a quote which says his face can't be seen or you will die instantly, probably even more eldritch looking than the angels

[@vertigo2894]

@@Caedyst But she did see his face, and she just seems to be in a trance, not dead. Besides, since we all saw what she saw, it wasn't crazy enough to make anyone insane.

[@crewrangergaming9582]

the creepiness of this short movie is unmatched. The sheer timing of the music , the environment setting and the buildup is enough to give you the chills, no jumpscares required at all. This short film deserves way way more views.

[@candycommander]

It's an alright short movie but the diner scene from Muhulland Drive is better.

[@antiskyze]

@@candycommander yeah that part scared the soul out of me

[@candycommander]

@@antiskyze ikr lol

[@InfernalMonsoon]

I adore this. Portraying God as this incomprehensible and inconceivable entity beyond the understanding and senses of mortals through sheer dread alone is amazing in itself. But what I love the most, at least from my own personal interpretation is the her love for God is so strong that he shown himself to her and shows that he loves her back, with the gentle touch of her chin and showing her a brilliant light in the endless darkness. But even a small expression of that love to a mere mortal can become such an insane and terrifying experience that no amount of "Be not afraid" will ever prepare us for witnessing something we should never have known to begin with. That is a perfect understanding of what makes cosmic horror so great.

[@thunaymoreiradesoares5080]

Omg man, this horror short was perfect! No clichés, no cheap jumpscare, and the horror short is intriguing throughout the entire video. Congratulations, this horror short is amazing!

[@bitshox1215]

>Three tickets for me, my wife and my wife’s son for the newest A24-produced, genre-redefining, trope-subverting, atmospheric, dark and eerie, emotionally draining, gut wrenching, aesthetically heavy craft by post-horror auteur with an arthouse edge, dread-inducing, suspenseful build up with strong character development and gradual feeling of escalation, bone-chilling slow burn with “say more with less” approach and soul-shaking, blood-curdling, skin-crawling and nerve-wracking exercise in persistently looming dread where tension and anxiety permeates every frame as movie reaches its nail-biting, jaw-clenching and paranoia-inducing final climax, free of any cheap gore, cartoonish CGI or infantile jumpscares horror film, please. I chortle sensibly at such cliches! :-0

[@SimonZettinig]

​@@bitshox1215💀💀💀

[@thingamobobber4384]

I absolutely love the fact you can see it at 1:47 and forward. Just the way you can barely see it, with the only indication of its presence being its eyes is just so dreadfully, pants shittingly terrifying. And then there's the rest of the film.

[@colbyboucher6391]

lmao didn't even notice

[@pancheetoz4647]

I had to go back from this timestamp just to see it 💀, very keen on details

[@aleciad7218]

I love it how it disappears at 2:25, but you can see it again on the projector screen at 2:31. Having sharp eyes rewards you with extra creepiness.

[@RonnanMcAdow]

I watched it for the first time, it was very creepy and eerie and I loved it. I watched it a second time, and noticed more details than the first. Once she starts the slideshow, before she sees "the portrait of god" on the left side in the darkness of the background, you can 100% entirely see the figure standing behind her in the corner staring at her standing up. There is a handprint smudged on the glass of the room behind her, and when she restarts the presentation the second time and rapidly clicks back through the slides, you can 100% see the figure in the slide as she backs through them, only for a split second, but very clearly. So many fine, creepy, chill giving details. The fact that the short clip was scary the first time, and scarier the second, with more details prominent because your eyes and brain already know what will happen and therefore race across the screen trying to absorb more detail, you notice more detail. It's hard to put into words, but you are truly amazing and were able to capture and manifest an overlooked detail and fact of the brain wanting to absorb more detail. You managed to give me the chills in this clip, something I don't get from horror movies anymore. You will be an amazing director or screenwriter if that is your career path, and I hope you do follow this passion.

[@BunnySpaceMachine]

Haha when I read this I thought to myself, "nahhh no way! I would have noticed the figure standing right next to her in the corner!" Then I rewatched it and felt salty. Totally saw those glowing eyes! Hahah loved it! Thanks for those details 😅

[@Near2L]

Noticed all this stuff one my first viewing of it,and thought I was the only one seeing it cause no one else had commented about all the things happening behind her👌

[@drunkpekka4284]

I am too paranoid and noticed the glowing eyes & the handprint in the first viewing as well. I thought god was already in for the visit while she was asking 'what do you see?' What an amazing film.

[@slimeo44]

Another scary thing is that after she “leaves” the presentation room you can sometimes see a giant face behind her in the dark

[@slimeo44]

If you put your brightness up you’”” be able to see the eyes, the left has an obvious eye socket and glowing pupil while the right is just the socket

[@endrankluvsda4loko172]

This is an absolutely fantastic short spooky film! You all did such a great job on it!

[@timestestified]

my favourite short horror film ever, i love all of it but the ending is the best part in my opinion. the teary eyes from not blinking, the bloody hand from holding the necklace so hard, the timer that tells us she’s been standing staring at a (supposedly) blank screen for over three hours like she sees something that we don’t. what a brilliant work of horror media

[@etsequentia6765]

I think it's actually three days and three hours.

[@R__A]

@@etsequentia6765it’s definitely 3 hours 3 mins

[@klondikegardens6570]

@@etsequentia6765it’s 3 hours and 3 minutes, the stopwatch measures milliseconds, seconds, minutes, and hours

[@asukalangleysoryu6695]

​@@etsequentia6765No. It's most definetely not. The rightmost number is 1/100ths of a second, the one left of that is seconds, and the one left of that is minutes. Meaning that the leftmost number is obviously hours.

[@Kiwi-cm6xu]

​@@etsequentia6765no

[@crusaderknight4792]

Fantastic, this is how horror should be. No overt gore or jumpscares just a creepy premise that is kept mysterious and topped off with an amazing twist ending.

[@felwalkr_94]

The fear of unknown yet currently present things. Does anyone know what that is? I feel that when I watch this.

[@bidoofmania]

@@felwalkr_94 could be a type of cosmic horror

[@anomalotheriataurus8806]

@@bidoofmania to think that this about the being who is in all things makes it even more…(loses mind and spazzes out)

[@moent00]

This is in my opinion the best short horror film on KZbin. It's a simple story yet so chilling and fascinating that you can't help but watch it over and over again. It's told in a perfect concise way and I'm pretty sure there's nothing you could add to make it better.

[@celestiaaaa962]

I’m incredibly late, but man this is one of my favorite interpretations of “God”. The reason being: You know how angels say “Be not afraid”, right? And that the accurate or biblically accurate version of them are magnificent yet terrifying to scare demons away? This interpretation of “God” basically is that. Simple, compared to what He made angels look like, yet enough to strike fear in demons. Though we don’t really know what happened to her in this scene, if she’s alive or not, but my take on what “God” did here is, basically make her acquire total understanding of everything in the universe, all at once, and she can’t process ALL that info, turning her into a vegetable. Similar to Gojo’s Domain Expansion and Cosmos Fiends’ ability from CSM.

[@wisdomwielder]

Holy shit, as an avid horror fan, this is literally the scariest thing I've seen in years. A seven minute short film. Absolutely astounding work.

[@Kuschwab]

Bro wtf are you on about this has got to be one of the least scary things I’ve seen. That episode of spongebob where he got on the wrong bus was scarier

[@wisdomwielder]

@@Kuschwab If religion doesn't scare you, idk what else to say man.

[@Kuschwab]

@@wisdomwielder what -_- hows that even remotely scary?

[@victorpedrosoceolin3919]

​@@Kuschwab the ideia of superior being that instils it's values into the world he created, and If you deviate from then you go to suffer eternaly with no chance of redemption

[@littleyeti6192]

I cant *pth* understand *pth* your accent! *pth*

[@owenhansen1057]

Ah, I absolutely love how the painting can be seen after the credits are finished rolling. Such great suspense from a simple image

[@Dod.O39]

Literally has the same pfp as my ps4 pfp

[@slimevidsnotrealjustanapp7108]

I took a look and couldn’t see it until I tilted my phone flat in the air and it was so clear, spooky

[@Pamven]

Omg you're right!! I thought this horror short couldn't get any more perfect

[@siulrabz1885]

It's beautiful!!!

[@marcoasturias8520]

What are you talking about? They seem normal credits to me. Let me check again...

[@SteezHooligan]

It’s crazy how these KZbin short films are directed and edited better than Hollywood movies with big staff and hundreds of millions of dollar budget

[@Mike-os3pt]

Lights Out started as a YT short and was turned into a terrible film. Sometimes concepts just work better as shorts than as full films.

[@AT-9777]

​@@Mike-os3ptYou have more freedom if no one is demanding changes to your film

[@Mike-os3pt]

@@AT-9777 You mean changes like "This but 10 times longer and with characters and a a setting and with dialogue and... "

[@bigleciezki]

@@Mike-os3pt I think it's the need to explain things, that directors feel in a full movie, that ruined a lot of those transitions.

[@achmaddaru9456]

Hollywood is bunch of forced agenda, indie movies are free from it

[@TheMidnightHowl-d7b]

The fact that these videos feel so real is what makes them utterly terrifying. Great compilation!

[@LoneCommentWanderer]

Considering that even some angels are aware of their frightening appearance and ask us not to be afraid, the possibility of God being equally bizarre the first time is great.

[@joshgrimm8443]

And you know this from personal experience or just movies?

[@LoneCommentWanderer]

@@joshgrimm8443 Just search for biblically accurate angels. It's in the Bible too. They appear asking people not to be afraid.

[@gothcsm]

@@joshgrimm8443 Uh, they know because the bible literally describes angels…

[@zest5594]

@@joshgrimm8443Prime example of do your research before you try to talk shit 😂

[@ivana5831]

Image and likeness

[@breezyxkillerx]

I like the detail of being able to see the painting for a frame when she's doing the presentation a second time and she didn't even notice.

[@MyBirdwatchingWorld]

This short is probably one of the best examples of “show, don’t tell” I’ve ever seen. Amazing job.

[@aydenwright9782]

I've watched this short probably a dozen times, and I only just NOW noticed the figure on the left around the two minute mark. Insanely subtle and well done.

[@snw1827]

the way they hid the entity at 1:48 at left side is amazing

[@angryoda]

You can also see it in the frame at 2:32

[@arghyagupta]

thanks bro totally missed it great detail tbh

[@snw1827]

​@@angryoda yea its probably the time she started to notice it in her consciousness

[@menace135]

HELP I REWATCHED THE ENTIRE THING AND WHEN I NOTICED IT I JUMPED 🤣

[@angryoda]

@@menace135 :D

[@TheBlackAntagonist]

I love how the concept is left to interpretation. No heavy handed metaphors no obvious bias. That takes serious self control and discipline, not to mention the talent involved. Excellent work friend.

[@mari-e1m3t]

It takes a LOT for me to really go wow at the end of a short film, but this one really did it for me! No excessive or overdone jumpscares, the pure silence and "realization" that we're given at the end of the film, is so bone chilling. Loved this, keep em' coming!

[@dylanclark]

Thanks so much!

[@AnBcr]

Brilliant! Perfect in so many ways, as story, as a piece of quality cinema, photography and lights, the clean and yet detailed work from the actress, the way to narrate. Really a piece of art.

[@WomanTakenBytheWind]

Finally, someone who didn’t rely on a jump scare. This was actually really beautiful.

[@Hasuo2001]

this is a masterpiece, It was far more creepy and engrossing than a horror movie. One of the best short horror films I've seen.

[@hellonasty89]

Agreed. The fact that you can see it in the room with her on the left side of the screen at 1:49 and then it’s gone at like 2:26 is one of my favourite things in any horror media

[@werewolf1301]

Now, _this_ is cosmic horror. It's such a difficult genre to capture on film, and you managed to do it in just 7 minutes. It speaks beautifully to the question I think we all ask sometimes: Do we _want_ all the answers to the universe?

[@zagreus5773]

Not to be nitpicky, but cosmic horror relates to horror that is derived from the realization that human existence, morality, culture etc. is completely meaningless in the grand scheme of things, for example due to beings that are of cosmic significance and completely inhuman, not just beings that are beyond our understanding.

[@zagreus5773]

@personthatdoesthings222 I disagree, that is only part of it. The unknown and unknowable is part of a lot of horror, see the Blair Witch Project for example. It's called cosmic(!) horror for a reason. I see why people get a cosmic vibe from this short, that's why I admit it is a little nitpicky. But cosmic horror is explicitly about the insignificance of human existence, not just the unknown.

[@PylonConstructor01]

@@zagreus5773I think you’re confusing cosmic horror for existential horror. Existential horror is as you describe, the realization of nihilistic indifference. Cosmic horror is more broad than that. It’s just that often both themes are explored in the same work.

[@zagreus5773]

@@PylonConstructor01 Hmm, no, I'm not. Similar to existential horror, cosmic horror also explores existential dread, but this is caused by beings of cosmic significance, not just an uncaring and indifferent universe that is absent of inherent meaning. The cosmos in cosmic horror is evil and opposed to humanity while also being completely beyond our understanding and power, while in existential horror it is simply indifferent and inhuman in an even more extreme way, as there are no cosmic beings, inhuman or human, in control of it. So the two are very similar in a way but the cause of the meaninglessness is quite different, leading to stories that are very distinct from each other (eg. Kafka vs. Lovecraft). In cosmic horror you can challenge these cosmic beings, leading mostly, but not always, to ruin. In existential horror you can't even challenge the cosmos, as we are alone in the universe. But my point is solely that you need more than the fear of the unknown or unknowable, you need cosmic significance in the form of cosmic beings, hence the name cosmic(!) horror. So my point is simply that this short horror film does not contain a being of cosmic significance and the horror of the unknown is not enough to make it cosmic, as that is part of almost every genre of horror. However, as I said, that is a little nitpicky, as the being is literally called "God" so there is cosmic significance implied, making the horror it induces essentially the same as cosmic horror.

[@iamwepty8986]

@@zagreus5773 is the concept of god not in and of itself a natural fit for cosmic/Lovecraftian horror? at least in terms of most religions, particularly those of judeo-christian origin, 'god' is an omnipresent and omnipotent being beyond what we are able to define. That fits perfectly into the concept of cosmic horror. I understand what you are saying but your comment and the definition you gave described (at least down to interpretation) exactly what was shown in the video

[@starfishthrower486]

Absolutely perfect example of what good horror can do. It doesn’t need to be jumpscares to constantly throw the audience off, it can be unnerving and psychological. Fantastic work man!

[@vladimirvojtaml]

Really well made. I absolutely love the fact there're no jumpscares. Just this foreboding oppressive atmosphere that makes you keep looking rather than look away.

[@bitshox1215]

>Three tickets for me, my wife and my wife’s son for the newest A24-produced, genre-redefining, trope-subverting, atmospheric, dark and eerie, emotionally draining, gut wrenching, aesthetically heavy craft by post-horror auteur with an arthouse edge, dread-inducing, suspenseful build up with strong character development and gradual feeling of escalation, bone-chilling slow burn with “say more with less” approach and soul-shaking, blood-curdling, skin-crawling and nerve-wracking exercise in persistently looming dread where tension and anxiety permeates every frame as movie reaches its nail-biting, jaw-clenching and paranoia-inducing final climax, free of any cheap gore, cartoonish CGI or infantile jumpscares horror film, please. I chortle sensibly at such cliches! :0

[@jowbabadook8530]

4:25 is a jumpscare.

[@guuradubs]

@@bitshox1215 Lmao yeah these comments are fucking cringe. Grasping at the absolute lowest hanging fruit of what makes good horror

[@katharsis8458]

I love how we never really get to see "god" fully. He's always vauge and dim, shrouded in darkness and making it impossible to get a good look at him. This way the short avoids the problem of when you finally see the monster it becomes less scary, because their so much darkness and vaugness about it's appearance your brain has to fill in the gaps.

[@LeastInsaneUtsu-PFan]

And as well, the problem in the beginning of “no one who sees me shall live,” Keeping God (?) shrouded in darkness prevents him from, technically, being fully seen by us, the viewer. She, I believe, fully sees him when he pulls her face towards him, and so she’s left to her fate.

[@LEYTHLEGACY]

​@@LeastInsaneUtsu-PFanor maybe that's not God, that's why she's still alive..

[@LeastInsaneUtsu-PFan]

@@LEYTHLEGACY I mean, if you can call that “Alive” she just kinda seems to be brain dead honestly. Whatever it is, it’s creepy

[@6girlypop6]

What a breath-taking performance. The lighting, sound design and overall atmosphere are so well crafted. Respect to the actress and everyone who worked on this!

[@enderswolf]

Impressive. I love it. The small, seemingly unimportant details are a nice touch and add to the believability of the situation. Like her elbow sliding off the desk/table as she’s focused on the screen. I love that it cuts off just as she starts to smile.