Dp/cinematographer needed – 4-minute horror - a job post by Aaron Bergen

About the job

About the Project

Are You Real? is a contained, four-minute psychological horror short designed for minimal setup and maximum tension.
The film takes place entirely in a bedroom at night, unfolding through a series of phone and FaceTime calls.
Black Mirror meets The Ring — modern, eerie, and emotionally grounded.

This project is an ideal fit for a DP who loves crafting mood and atmosphere with limited gear, wants a cinematic horror piece for their reel, and enjoys collaborating on micro-budget storytelling with festival ambitions.

What I’m Looking For

A creative, collaborative DP experienced (or excited to experiment) with low-light setups and phone / screen-based storytelling.

Someone comfortable shooting with small crew footprint.

Ability to assist with basic lighting setup (1–2 lights total) for an intimate interior shoot.

Ideally owns or has access to a small kit (camera + key light + maybe bounce or diffusion).

Production Details

Genre: Psychological Horror

Length: ~4 minutes

Format: Single location (Redondo Beach bedroom/night)

Dates: Flexible (goal: shoot by end of November 2025)

Compensation: Unpaid / Credit / Festival Submission / Meals Provided

Crew: Micro-crew (Director + DP + possibly one assistant)

Meals & snacks provided on set

Festival goal: Submit to short-form horror festivals (HorrorHaus, My Rode Reel, Short to the Point, etc.)

All contributors will receive IMDb credit and screen credit once the short is released.

Timeline

Flexible shoot day(s) in October or November 2025

Target wrap date: November 30, 2025

Approx. half-day shoot (4–6 hours)

How to Apply

Please message with:

A short introduction

A link to your reel or sample work (especially low-light / horror / psychological tone pieces)

Your available weekends in October–November

Your camera/gear setup

This is a passion project with a finished, festival-ready script and tight runtime.
I’m focused on quality, vibe, and execution, not speed — perfect for a DP who wants a polished short that actually gets completed and seen.

Let’s make something eerie and beautiful together!