watch Short Horror Film (HD) - Hysteria

[samhendi]

Hey guys, our new short horror film titled 'Hysteria' is online just in time for Halloween. Please spare 10 minutes to view it in HD on either youtube or vimeo. Thanks.


Hysteria on Youtube
Hysteria on Vimeo


Synopsis:
A lonely night in becomes a terrifying event when an unexpected stranger comes looking for help.

Directed, Filmed & Edited by
Sam Hendi

Written & Sound by
Shahram Shayesteh

Casting & Make-up by
Abena Bentum

Music Composed by
Steve Lemaire
(steve-lemaire.com)

Set Design by
Elly Nagarajan

Grips & Lighting by
Shahla Shayesteh

Starring
Clare Nagarajan
Katy Poulter
Laura Brown

Filmed Using
Sony HVR-V1E & Letus35

Edited Using
Sony Vegas

2010. All Rights Reserved.

 

[Zensteve]

First 6 minutes got old pretty fast, with extremely repetitive (and circular) diaglogue.

Things really picked up when the steam appears. Got really exciting for a few minutes. 5:30 to 9:50 was good stuff.

Ending was quite a letdown, especially when so quickly followed by bold, triumphant credits.

Is it supposed to be the opening sequence of something larger yet to come? What's it all about?

 

[Filmnigel]

That was intense! Your film, "Hysteria", had me from the beginning and kept me to the end! The score was great! Will be looking foward to watching more films from you, Sam. Well done!

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

I agree with Steve, he nails it.

In addition, the way she kept her back to the door and didn’t even lock it or arm herself given the circumstances was hard to swallow.

Overall it was pretty cool, but I can also see it being edited into something shorter that does the same thing more efficiently.

-Thanks-

 

[polfilmblog]

If ever there was a time for a chase or running away sequence, this is it. You had apparently set up that the only way to get away is to run like hell ... so when they show up, the two women stay right there.

It appeared that the filmmakers couldn't be bothered moving outside that room.

They didn't even try the opposite side of the house to try and get away. Means lame characters, and they weren't trying all that hard to survive. It was also passive at the climax instead of active.

 

[dar]

First 6 minutes got old pretty fast, with extremely repetitive (and circular) diaglogue.

Things really picked up when the steam appears. Got really exciting for a few minutes. 5:30 to 9:50 was good stuff.

Ending was quite a letdown, especially when so quickly followed by bold, triumphant credits.

Is it supposed to be the opening sequence of something larger yet to come? What's it all about?

Actually, I was thinking just the opposite. I really got into the character's dilemma, of wanting to help this woman, of not knowing if she was just psycho or being chased, and if so, by what. The ending was sort of anti-climactic for me. I would have preferred never knowing for sure if she was nuts or being chased by a rapist or something other-worldly.

I thought the first six minutes were very nicely scripted, I really got the main character's confusion and fear. Nicely shot, too, the dizzying back and forth made me disorientated, just like the main character.

I agree with others, this could be the opening to something much larger, especially if the "am i nuts" theme continues.

 

[Murdock]

I thought it was full of "They should be leaving now" moments. Its one thing to not leave because the car will not start (suggestion??) or there is a raging storm and the car willnot start. This takes the option of walking away. Or you could even set it up as a remore location.

But when it seems we are in a suburb with a young professional, it m akes no sense that they should do nothing.

I thought it looked great. Vimeo was a bit choppy, but yours isn't the first vid that's had that problem. All in all I enjoyed it, but there were some"horror-technical" issues that should have been considered.

 

[WGCProductions]

I thought this was very well done. The only thing I would suggest would be to cut the dialog a bit. In the middle, it gets a little bit repetitive in what the hysterical girl is saying. Other than that, tremendous job.

 

[Jack Lynt]

Nice work.

I didn't like it that she doesn't bother to bolt the door. That probably counts as one of those "no one's that stupid moments" the genre is so rife with. And as others have said, why would they have stood there like lambs to the slaughter when the aliens(?) show up. One can imagine an explanation, though; perhaps they've been mesmerized or they're in shock from the smoke attack thingy. I'm no expert, but is that blood all that real looking? Just a little thing, but when the first victim is apparently being levitated and floated out, it might be helpful if you edit in a shot of her feet not touching the floor...and preferably moving along. I guess the common wisdom is often less is more, let the audience fill things in with their imagination, but in this instance...a "technical" instance of sorts, I think...I didn't feel like I should have to be doing that work or guessing at it. I'm not sure; maybe it's a case of subtlety over being spoon fed, but I was feeling like it was a corner cut. Yeah, after looking at it again I think I still would like at least a small shot of her feet off the ground...perhaps just after she's lifted up. But honestly, I'm not one-hundred percent sure. =D

Sitting there in the dark, watching your film, I did get the chills. And, I guess unlike the commentators above, I liked that it turned out that the women weren't nuts but that there really were aliens (or whatever) attackers. I thought the acting was fine and that the dialogue rang pretty true-ish most of the time. I liked the opening title sequence with the smoke effect. The titles themselves look good and the music is eerie and effective in the title sequence.

 

[BigBadBilly]

Myself? As amateur as I am I really liked this piece. For the most part, the edits and such all looked good to me. Sound was great. (Scoring).
A few times it seemed the colors had changed but not to bad.
As for everyone's comments on "What the characters did or their reactions" I wouldn't worry to much. you're probably closer to home there than you realize. I can say, with some experience that when someone is scared and in shock they don't behave in a normal manner. Why didn't they do this? Or why are they doing that? When you're scared and in shock you don't really do much of anything. Expressions like scared stiff have come to be for a reason. Of course, it's easy as a viewer to say "Why isn't his person doing this or that. Are they idiots or something." But in reality the way you act and react is rarely the way you should. When training to become a soldier, in various forms most of the training is to NOT go into shock and freeze up. That's where the drilling something into your head until it's instinct and not thought.

Anyhow. Enough of the rant. Good job in my opinion. Not perfect but a nice view.