You know that feeling when you're walking down a dark hallway and suddenly feel the need to run, even though you’re a grown adult? That’s basically the primal nerve David F. Sandberg tapped into back in 2013. He didn't have a studio. He didn't have a budget. Honestly, he didn't even have a crew. Just a camera, his wife, and a really creepy idea about a light switch.
The lights out short horror movie is a masterpiece of "less is more." It’s under three minutes long. No dialogue. No complex backstory. Just a woman (played by Lotta Losten) turning off a light and seeing something that shouldn't be there.
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Most filmmakers wait for permission. They wait for a grant or a producer to say "yes." Sandberg just did it. He used a Blackmagic cinema camera and a few IKEA lamps. That’s it. The "ghost" wasn't some high-end CGI creation; it was mostly just clever split-screen editing.
Sandberg would film Lotta in the hallway, then film the hallway empty. By masking the two shots together, he made the figure appear and disappear with the click of a switch. It’s so simple it’s almost frustrating.
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The short was originally made for the "Who's There" film challenge. It didn't even win the grand prize. But then it hit the internet. Reddit and Vimeo users went absolutely feral for it. Within months, it had millions of views, and Sandberg’s life changed overnight. He went from making shorts in his Swedish apartment to sitting in meetings with James Wan.
Why It Works (When Others Fail)
Short horror is usually a hit or miss. Usually miss. People try to cram too much lore into five minutes. Sandberg did the opposite. He gave us a mechanic:
- Light on = Safe.
- Light off = Danger.
- Light on again = Wait, where did it go?
It’s a rhythm. It gets into your head. By the time the woman in the film starts taping the light switch down, you're already checking the corners of your own room.
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The Hollywood Leap
We’ve seen this story before. A viral short gets turned into a feature film, and the soul gets sucked out of it. When the lights out short horror movie became a $5 million Warner Bros. feature in 2016, there was a lot of skepticism. How do you stretch a three-minute jump scare into 80 minutes?
Surprisingly, it mostly worked. They kept Lotta Losten for the opening scene—a direct homage to the original—but expanded the story into a family drama about mental health and a creature named Diana. Sandberg actually had to learn how to be a director on that set. He’d never been on a professional film set before. He literally had to ask the first assistant director when he was supposed to yell "action."
The feature grossed over $148 million. Not bad for a guy who started with a paper lantern from IKEA.
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The "Ponysmasher" Legacy
Sandberg still posts on YouTube under the name "ponysmasher." He’s one of the few big-budget directors (he did Shazam! and Annabelle: Creation) who actually shows you how he does it. He’s incredibly transparent about the "light gags" he uses.
If you haven't watched the original short in a while, do yourself a favor: turn the lights off, put on headphones, and try not to look at the hallway behind you.
Actionable Takeaways for Horror Fans and Creators
If you're inspired by Sandberg's journey or just obsessed with the film, here is how you can apply those "Lights Out" vibes:
- Study the Silhouette: The creature in the short is terrifying because you can't see her face until the very end. Your imagination fills in the gaps. If you’re making your own content, hide your monster.
- Sound is 70% of Horror: In the short, the "scritch-scratch" sound of the ghost walking is more unsettling than the visual. Focus on the Foley.
- The "Tape" Trick: One of the most iconic images is the light switch taped down. It represents a character’s total loss of control. Use everyday objects to show fear.
- Keep it Simple: Don't explain the ghost. The 2013 short is scarier than the 2016 movie specifically because we have no idea who Diana is or what she wants. Mystery is the ultimate tension builder.
If you’re a filmmaker, stop waiting for a budget. Sandberg proved that a hallway and a light switch are all you need to launch a career in Hollywood.
Next Step: Watch Sandberg’s "Behind the Scenes" breakdown of the short on his YouTube channel to see exactly how he pulled off the split-screen effects with zero budget.