Short Horror Film... can it be done?

[DrBishop]

Hey there Horror fans!
i am a student From New Zealand doing a research and practical project on the horror genre.
Due to school resources I am forced to make a short film 15mins max.
Thats fine with me but not great for research!
So from what Ive found there are very few short horror films that are... to put it blunty... good

Now feel free to disagree with me entirely but I was hoping to chat to any screen writers or fans out there who might have an opinion on why it is so hard to make a good short horror? Is it impossible?
And of course anyone of the opposite point of view I would love to hear from also.
Thanks for reading guys

[neverending]

Sure it can be done. Think of a segment from Tales From the Crypt or Night Gallery as your model instead of a feature film. You want to be more plot oriented and not pay so much attention to character development. You'll also want to keep the number of characters down. Find a strong story that can be told in a short time and focus everything on getting that story told in a clear and understandable manner.

[bwind22]

It can be done and has been many times. Like neverending said, you'll need to take character count, budget and locations in to account. Keep it simple. Focus on a cool story, don't worry about character arcs and such. Unless you are a After Effects wiz, forget about any special FX.

I have dozens of short scripts available if you are looking for one. (Mostly horror and crime, a handful of comedy.) Shoot me an email at [email protected] and let me know if you are interested. I'll let you shoot a 5 page script free of charge as long as I receive full writing credit and a copy of the DVD once it's finished.

[Sorandor]

I'll just throw my two cents in. There was a "movie" not long ago i read of.. it scored highly on imdb called "Bunnies" by David Lynch.
The "Film" lasts about 7 minutes.

For sure though it left some provoking thoughts.