Lock Your Doors – A Look At “House Hunting”

Up-and-Coming Stray Whale Productions teams up with Dungeon Films to bring you the short horror film, “House Hunting.”

“House Hunting” kicked off the Hollyshorts Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles March 19. Directed by Patrick Andrew Higgins and written by Chris Lewis Carter, it addresses the trend of viral video challenges and the real dangers it harbors. “Any mass following behavior is dangerous,” explains director Higgins. That doesn’t mean viral challenges are the first sophomoric venture the leapt to. “Whether it be YouTube trends to mindless execution of orders in the military, I’m afraid the internet didn’t invent stupid reasons to do something others are doing, it just made it louder.” The film is very organic in its voice. Shot in both a news report style along with hand-held, the film follows a woman being stalked by a “House Hunter,” whose goals are to catch individuals unknowingly and post their videos online. Narrated by the nameless intruder, Higgins and Carter succeed in conveying both the ridiculous as well as the inevitable danger it poses.

The built-in guerrilla style of the subject matter puts the audience into the reality of the film, including a website address people can actually visit. This makes the idea tangible, and unsettling in its portrayal of life imitating art. That doesn’t mean Higgins was looking to make a hard social statement with the film. “I was bored,” Higgins shrugged. “I had not directed a project in almost a year and we were deep in post hell on the short film we had previously shot. So I approached my writing partner and friend Chris Lewis Carter to throw something together for me. In a couple days he sent me the script and then, not to over simplify it, but I called up my friends and asked what they where doing that weekend.” And as powerful as the message as the film has, Higgins has a very humble message of what he wants audiences to be left with. “I wish I had some deep introspective answer about the illusion of fame and how far people will go for immortality, blah blah… but I really just wanted to make something viewers would enjoy the ride of watching.” The only issue with “House Hunting” is that is so entertaining and moves so well that it almost seems over just after it has begun. But fear not, there are also further plans for such a gripping concept. “Currently we are working on the feature script for “House Hunting,” which not only explores the movement itself but explores the idea of the trend being turned on the Hunters themselves.” Keep a look out for the latest viral video craze to hit the world at www.househuntingprey.com. And remember, Happy Hunting…