Better The Devil You Know | Psychological Horror Short Film

Details

Description

Subscribe to DanJFilms new awesome short films to come!
https://www.youtube.com/@DanJFilms?sub_confirmation=1

Get the FREE soundtrack NOW on Bandcamp!
https://silvermander.bandcamp.com/album/better-the-devil-you-know-full-original-soundtrack

Check out my official website with behind the scenes pics of this film!
https://www.danielsilverman.me/

Watch in FULL RESOLUTION on VIMEO!
https://vimeo.com/1081030797?share=copy

Brady lives his life in a never ending, happy-go-lucky sitcom with his girlfriend, Becky. However, that all changes when he has reason to assume Becky is having an affair with their friend Jackson leading him to realize that his sitcom lifestyle may be more sinister than it seems.

I've been working on this one for a while. It serves as my Junior narrative thesis for school. The idea all came from a small breakroom in one of the buildings at my school. It looked vaguely like a sitcom set, or at least I wanted to shoot there due to it's allure. Nevertheless I began to write a sitcom-oriented screenplay which takes place in said room. In the end I wound up just making my own set on a soundstage but It was the right choice; I think it looked sick. (Hire me as your interior designer.) Another cool element this this one is the VHS effects. Though the term "effects" would be an injustice considering it's all authentic VHS degradation and real VCR glitches. Through a Gen Z-fueled learning curve I was able to get the look I wanted. I now have a new found love for vintage electronics! I hope you enjoy this one, it's been a blast working with my crew, actors and seeing everyone's reactions to it. Hopefully my vision stayed throughout the long and windy process but I think it has :)

Written, Directed, Edited and Scored by: Daniel Silverman
Produced by: Michael Warren
Director of Photography: Nick Behson
Assistant Director: Aneesa Siddiqua

Brady: Thomas Richard Robbins
Becky: Emmi Pearce
Jackson: Owen Larson Brooks
Patsy: Eli Bettmann
Oscar: Oscar Salem

CTC

DanJFilms 2025