Free Spirit Film

LIVE ACTION SHORT - 2021

Directed/Animation/Story/Cinematography/Editing/Set & Sound Design
By Katrina Villarreal

INSPIRATION/HISTORY

I live in an old and historic hotel called the Chelsea Hotel in NYC. Right now, it’s under construction and mostly vacant. I was inspired to create a horror film since there have been so many murders and suicides here at the hotel. I have a loft bed, and I used to get scared that something was creeping under me at night. This is what inspired the monster in this film. I wanted this film to be a basic horror film that was suspenseful and made the audience feel uncomfortable. Something evil is after this innocent girl, and she needs to find her way out.

The film was shot over the course of a day. It was so stressful. There was a lot of moving around, shooting, and reshooting, and I felt like my back was broken by the end of it. In preparation for this film, I spent a lot of time listening to real-life horror stories and watching horror movies. I really wanted to get a sense of them and understand what was scary. I found out that making a horror film is not scary at all. I became desensitized to horror after making this film, which is surprising since I used to be such a chicken. I think that the finished film creates a sense of dread in the viewer, and to me, that’s a big success.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit

Free Spirit