KNIFE, a 3-minute Micro-Horror Short Film.

A slasher told from the point-of-view of the murder weapon.

Michael Kuciak is the writer-director-editor of DEATH METAL, and the writer-producer of FROM THE SHADOWS (starring Keith David, Bruce Davison, and Selena Anduze). He has directed music videos and short films, including the award-winning horror shorts KNIFE and STAIRS, and served as a producer and executive producer on several independent feature films. Before focusing on filmmaking, Mike was the Senior Vice President of Development for a literary management-production company. He is the founder and CEO of Blast Furnace Media, and a partner of Alt-House Productions. Mike is a reformed musician; he used to play bass in punk and metal bands in his hometown of Chicago. He now lives in Los Angeles.

——

Subscribe to the podcast:

Tweets by wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

A man keeps receiving strange phone calls from a supernatural presence whilst waiting at a bus stop.

What motivated you to make this film?

I took some time away from filmmaking, and when I decided to come back, I was very conscious about doing it in a sustainable, practical way. Instead of jumping into something ambitious, I wanted to make a contained, execution-focused short that I could bring from concept to completion. That's what motivated me to make Hello. It was also a chance to retrace my creative roots and reconnect with the kind of horror that first shaped my taste, particularly the influence of J-horror. In that sense, the film works both as a proof of concept and a creative reset.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

I wrote it around 2012–2013 under the title Boo. It sat with me for years, and in 2024 I found it was the right project to pull off the shelf and develop properly. From there, the actual production was very focused, efficient and smooth. We shot the film in three days, and post-production wrapped in September 2025. So while it took a while, the finished film came out better than I expected, so I'm proud of that.

How would you describe your film in two words!?

Oh fuck...

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Post-production was the biggest obstacle. I wasn't supposed to edit the film, but when our editor ran into hardware problems and funding fell through, I had to take over. Going from director to editor is challenging because you lose that outside perspective and start second-guessing the film in new ways. On top of that, the VFX compositing ran into some issues of its own which required bringing in compositors on Fiverr and finishing a good portion of the work myself. It was a very hands-on, problem-solving-heavy post workflow.

—-

Subscribe to the podcast:

Tweets by wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Guillotine, 22min., Romania

Directed by Alexandru Hosu

https://www.instagram.com/hosu_de_biciclete/

——-

Hannah Ehman chats with actor Irini Katz on the making of the award-winning film. Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irinikatz/

Follow Interviewer Hannah Ehman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehmanhannah/

Watch Hannah’s commercial spots: https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/bP8/hannah-ehman

——

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

GHEE, 21min., India

Directed by Romi Banerjee

A quiet lunch turns upside down when a secret recipe sets off a chain of surprises.

https://www.instagram.com/ghee_theshortfilm

Director Statement

Ever since I could remember, I was obsessed with the idea of “control.”

Do we really have control, or is it just a trick of the mind hacking away at us, desperate to be seen, heard, and felt?

With Ghee, I wanted to make a film which touched upon the topics of control, power, and ambition.

While writing this short film, I aspired to create a rather simple world. Don’t get me wrong - It’s a simple world, but it is a world where Gods feast on Gods.
Structured chaos is the name of the game.

I sought after creating a radically dark story without using violence, gore, and external mayhem.

I tried to birth an antagonist that was arguably worse than the cruelest dictators of yesteryears - a smiling devil. The kind of devil that sweet-talks you into jumping straight inside boiling, hot lava - all that without lifting a finger.

Would you want to live in a world where something like "Enthrallium" has federal approval? A world where conscious thoughts are obsolete? Where hope is a relic?

My love for monochrome knows no bounds. I wanted this film to have zero distractions. Also the black and white format allowed me to capture the complex shades of grey that mirror the human psyche reflective of the characters inside the film. The world is grim, and impatient to innocence.

This is more than just a story about control; it’s a narrative about the madness required to thrive in a chaotic world.

Because in this world, only the truly insane survive.

A broken home, a broken mind. Will love overcome the difficulties Alyssa and Richard face?

Conversation with the Film Team of the Horror Film “TRIpolar”

Director Rogelio Robles, Actor Paul Fisher, DP Matthew Miller

———

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

ALL EYES ON YOU, min., UK

Directed by Ted Clarke

Paranoid couple Adam and Claire move to the peaceful countryside for a fresh start, but quickly become unsettled by a series of sinister interactions with their new neighbours, putting their trust - and relationship - to the test…

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

When struggling creative Christopher Nolan is dumped by his girlfriend upon her discovery that he is not the legendary director of films such as Oppenheimer and Interstellar, he decides to prove himself by staging a play adaptation of The Dark Knight. "The Christopher Nolan Experience" captures the behind-the-scenes efforts leading up to this anticipated disaster.

https://www.instagram.com/thechristophernolanexperience/

Conversation with director/co-writer Matthew Putnam and lead actor Darren Emery.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Guillotine, 22min., Romania

Directed by Alexandru Hosu

https://www.instagram.com/hosu_de_biciclete/

——

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

A young woman waits for her lover for a secret trip. However, he does not show up and does not respond to her messages. That’s when strange and inexplicable events begin to happen in her house. She asks for help from her lover, who ignores her. Realizing that she is hopelessly alone, she gives up waiting for salvation and surrenders to her own shadow.

https://www.instagram.com/cardosohelo/?hl=en

Director Statement

"Submerged" is my graduation film from Academia Internacional de Cinema. This short film is an extension of the research I’ve been developing in theatre and literature, proposing a reflection on the tendency to wait, something encouraged in girls from a very young age. The wait for a great love, a hope for something external that will give life meaning. The horror surrounding this waiting evokes the idea of a monstrous femininity: when left alone, the protagonist of "Submerged" unconsciously materializes her shadow, which ultimately consumes her and breaks the cycle of passivity.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

THE BODY, 6min.. Horror/Comedy Short Film

Alex thinks she is at home alone, finishing up her "work," when her brother Ansel interrupts. Now, she must clean up all the evidence before he can see it.

www.instagram.com/official.kennedy.productions

Director Statement

This film has been a seed in my mind for many years now. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into this. It is my thesis to complete my undergraduate degree. I think it perfectly captures my weird sense of humor and love for all things horror. Making this film meant everything to me as my friends and family rallied around to support me. It is my baby, and bringing it to life has been one of my greatest honors. I hope it makes you laugh.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

The First Night, 7min., Brazil

Directed by Gabriel Milessis Braga

After collapsing at the altar, Elise awakens inside an old church, and something inside her has changed. Guided by a mysterious man who seems to understand her condition, she begins to confront a new, terrifying hunger. The First Night is a gothic meditation on becoming, resistance, and the quiet seduction of darkness in our lifes.

https://www.instagram.com/thegabrielwars/

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Folie Glacée, 11min., Canada

Directed by Louis Rémillard

Eli et Vincent se commandent une collation à la crèmerie locale sans s'attendre aux horreurs qui ruineront leurs rendez-vous en amoureux

www.instagram.com/shotbypoui

What motivated you to make this film?

It all started with me and my friend, who's the director of photography on the film, hanging out in Montreal. We both got ourselves ice cream cones and as we were eating them, walking around, the idea of the story kind of came to us as a joke at first. I thought about it for a moment, and I ended up telling myself it would make a fun screenplay. I came up with the idea of the ice cream vendor being ill intended and serving contaminated ice cream and he suggested the idea of the couple being on a date. So I owe it a lot to my friend's encouragement and believing in my story once the screenplay was finally done. We were excited to make something that would be wacky, fun and horror since it is a genre we both liked very much.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
 As it is for most passion projects, everyone was either working their full time job or started working on other projects. The crew was mostly composed of my newly graduated classmates so it was a dance of work-fun balance.I think it took about six months of production but since it was all done in free and voluntary time, those six months were spreaded throughout a whole year. 

How would you describe your film in two words!?
Wacky and bloody!

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
It was definitely having to shoot the film almost entirely at night. Scheduling became complicated because I wanted everyone on deck, comfortable and up to work. Having to rest throughout the day and having to shoot everything before sunrise became particularly challenging for the biological clock. We did everything possible to make the experience as fun as it could be and playing with fake blood, making scary scenes definitely contributed to the good ambiance on set. Although it was challenging, we have good laughs to look back to.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Red Wins, 77min., Italy

Directed by A.M. Nonnis

Six people play a dark and ruthless gambling game in which every card can either grant significant rewards or decree a death sentence. With each turn, a mysterious red light selects the player, inexorably determining the fate of every participant.

https://www.instagram.com/mattia_nonnis

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-red-wins

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I was driven by passion and stubbornness. I almost had no money to make this project, but I had amazing and talented people around me who made it happen. I was allowed to use our town's beautiful theater for filming, found the actors, arranged a crew, and then I said to myself, “You know what? We can do this.” Red Wins was in my mind, and I needed to bring it to life as soon as possible.

From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took around 3 years. I started writing Red Wins in early 2021 and finished post-production at the end of 2024. By January 2025, I finished the last small corrections, and then Red Wins was ready for the festivals. I’m not gonna lie, it was so hard to let it go. I kept making little corrections for a while!

How would you describe your film in two words?

Irregular and oppressive.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Let’s be real, shooting Red Wins was no piece of cake! It was my first movie, the budget was low, and even if everyone who joined me in this adventure strongly believed in the project, I couldn’t hold them up for too long. We had breaks, some even lasting months, between different phases of filming. The post-production part wasn’t any easier. I had to focus on other work as well and find time for Red Wins. I had to keep going through the night sometimes, and it was exhausting. Covering different roles was hard, but no doubt, I put every piece of my soul into Red Wins.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

THE FARMHOUSE, 15min,. Australia
Directed by Luke Creely
A young woman, living alone in an isolated rural farmhouse, is haunted one night by a mysterious entity which forces her to confront her inner demons and traumatic past.

https://instagram.com/_lcfilms

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

I have always been drawn to slow-burn horror cinema in the mould of Michael Haneke from Austria. His early films are fascinating explorations of the human psyche. This has inspired me from the beginning of my career. I am also very interested in pain and trauma as key themes in my films. So, my aim was to make a Haneke-style horror film that immerses the viewer and makes them uncomfortable as they observe a character who is alone and grappling with PTSD from a past traumatic event.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

The audience feedback video was excellent because the members who spoke understood the film and my intentions as director. They “got it”. And this means that I did what I needed to do as director. Their interpretations were interesting to listen to as well.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

HOME, 30min,. USA
Directed by Sue Schroeder, Adam Larsen
Filmed in France and Poland, Larsen and Schroeder, alongside an international community of gifted artists – from Columbia, France, Germany, Israel, Poland and the US- seek to create connection, impact, and meaning through a visually rich and poetic experience of beauty and loss, tenderness and urgency, action and recognition, mirroring and magnifying light. The work is gentle and steadfast, sharing and protecting life and in its surest moments, revealing the “we”, instead of the “I”.

Get to know filmmaker Sue A. Schroeder:

What motivated you to make this film?

Adam Larsen and I have collaborated on a number of projects with one or the other of us taking the lead. For HOME, we chose to start with a “shared” idea, tied to our kindred artistic vision – beauty and nature. An urgency developed as the climate crisis raged on. Activating empathy in our viewers, a “felt” sense became all the more important – hence the personal stories and human figure within the film.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Curiosity and amazement – how each viewer has their individual experience of the film and yet all are true.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

HORNED, 4min,. USA
Directed by Jerrod D Brito
When a cocky cam boy jokingly live-streams a creepypasta dare, he inadvertently summons an ancient demon who craves more than just his soul.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Funny story. I attended Dan Savage’s HUMP Film Festival, a traveling film fest that features short films of an adult nature, and though they had many diverse films, I didn’t see any strictly horror movies. I felt there might be an opportunity there, so I tried to come up with a way to merge horror—my signature genre—with sex. I just started jotting notes and tried to find a way to combine them both, but be fair to both, too, and then I added a little humor. Those were the ingredients for “Horned.” But I really wanted to make sure it stood alone as a horror story, with a beginning, middle, and end, and as much character development as I could squeeze into a short in under five minutes of length. So I cut it two ways—a more explicit version for HUMP with thirty more seconds of content and a better punchline to the film (it was selected, by the way—it tours this fall), and the somewhat censored version we were lucky enough to screen at Horror Underground.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

SOLITUDE, 87min., USA
Directed by Jeremy Brown, Mick Strawn
A famous upbeat survivalist is cast for a popular television
series about surviving in solitude, but survival turns to despair when she discovers a supernatural entity's presence.

Interview with well renowed Production Designer Mick Strawn about his upcoming co-director horror film "Solitude".

http://www.brownspacefilms.com/
https://www.facebook.com/solitudefilm2023
https://twitter.com/brownspacefilm
https://www.instagram.com/solitude_film_2024/

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

WEREWOLF MARGARITA, 10min., USA
Directed by Jax Deerman Kinlaw
A young woman is stalked by a werewolf.

Get to know the filmmaker:

I originally wrote Werewolf Margarita as an assignment in a college screenwriting class. The assignment: pick a random song lyric out of a hat and write a 5-10 page screenplay inspired by the song lyric. I got the lyric, “I saw a Werewolf drinking a Pina Colada” and it started from there. When we did a class reading of the script, i got great responses from both my classmates and teachers so I knew I wanted to make it into a film at some point. Once I graduated, I wanted to continue moving forward in the industry ao I picked up my favorite script from filmschool and pressed go!

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

VITAL INSTRUMENTS, 17min., USA
Directed by Greg Kase
In this dark fever dream, a botched pawn shop robbery sends desperate brothers Walter and Pete, and their newly employed getaway driver Cutty, hobbling to a safe house that was supposed to be abandoned. Instead, they find shackled women in critical need of their help. Things complicate after their captor is mortally wounded in a shootout, and the predicament as to why they are prisoners in the first place becomes highly questionable—especially after the first one they reluctantly release immediately (and violently) kills herself, and the rest of them start chanting in ancient tongues.

https://vitalinstruments.wixsite.com/movie
https://www.facebook.com/Vital.Instruments.Movie/
https://www.instagram.com/vital_instruments_movie/

Get to know the filmmaking team:

The concept of the crooks vs occult was a marriage of two genres we all deeply enjoyed, Heist and Spooky Occult Horror. As a group of horror film fans, we had never seen a movie do this in the same way this concept was blossoming in our minds. The exploration of a clash between outcasts of society, a sort of stand off on the fringes. Like most filmmakers, we started describing scenes that we would like to see and dialogue we would want to hear until it culminated in the understanding that if we wanted to see it, we had to make it.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

• Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

NO SLASHER HERE, 9min., USA
Directed by Robert Tiemstra
A woman comes home from work, only to receive an unsettling phone call. Does the danger only exist over the phone, or is there a masked killer inside her home?

https://instagram.com/the_timestar

Get to know the filmmaker:
The production for ‘No Slasher Here’ started with a New Years’ Day text message from me to Llenelle, my producing partner for this film – “do you want to make a spooky movie this year?” We’d worked together before, but never on a horror film. I was just finishing up the film festival run for my last film – a dystopian short called The October Martyr – and I was feeling the urge to do something scrappy & fun. Once I had Llenelle on board to act in something, I just asked myself ‘what sort of horror movie would I cast her in?’ and the answer came in the form of a When a Stranger Calls/Black Christmas/Scream style horror movie opening. The central conceit occurred to me while I was on a walk – instead of having a killer call someone, what if the ‘victim’ in this kind of setup picks up the phone to find another similar horror movie opening going on somewhere else? Then it became a puzzle for me to solve, a weird mobius strip of slasher movie suspense.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

• Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook