There’s no shame in passing the time during this unprecedented lockdown situation, due to COVID-19, however you want. While there are people that swear that you’re lazy if you don’t get ripped from working out during quarantine, there’s nothing wrong with using this time to be creative, read books, watch Netflix, or even just eat junk food and sleep. Do whatever it takes to stay healthy, socially distant, and sane. And for filmmaker David F. Sandberg, it appears that one of the things that keeps him going during lockdown is his art, which is to make films.
READ MORE: David F. Sandberg Created A New Horror Short While Stuck In Self-Isolation
Over the weekend, the filmmaker, who is perhaps best known for his features “Lights Out” and “Shazam,” released yet another short film that he created while in quarantine, titled “Not Alone in Here.” The new film follows just six weeks after the release of his previous short, which was a spiritual successor to “Lights Out.”
Sanberg’s video, which he co-directed with his wife Lotta Losten (who also stars in the short), is accompanied by a simple description, “A woman suspects she’s not alone in her house. Watch loud in the dark if you dare.” And with that, you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Much like “Lights Out” and the other recent short film that the filmmaker created while in lockdown, “Shadowed,” “Not Alone in Here” is another showcase for one of the director’s greatest gifts—creating ambiance.
And no, that’s not to say that he’s an incredible set decorator or anything like that. Sandberg has proven that he’s one of the best working today at creating tension, suspense, horror, and drama with the use of lighting, sound, and production design. Though he might have detoured from horror with his most recent feature, “Shazam,” it’s clear that Sandberg is most comfortable taking a simple premise, a low budget (or no budget), and some camera tricks to scare the pants off of people.
You can watch “Not Alone in Here” below:
UPDATE: An earlier version of this post didn’t include Lotta Losten as a co-director of the short. Our apologies.