‘The Kid and the Camera’ Review: Simple and Terrifying Analog Horror Short

I recently discovered the Found Footage subgenre of Analog Horror. The variation being heavy reliance on the aesthetics in looks and sound of vintage and archaic forms of media. VHS and cassette tapes are used to present the story. The graphics are fuzzy. The sound is analog and has an uncanny feeling to it. Tapes will glitch out, distorting images and sounds as needed. It’s the limitations of the technology that add to the eeriness.

“The Kid and the Camera” is one of the more simple and sheer terrifying horror shorts I have ever watched.

Written, directed, and animated by Braiden Ortiz, “The Kid and the Camera” is just over seven minutes in length. It uses stop-motion which itself can be unnerving. It was made in 2022 but remains timeless with the analog format.

Simple Story

Narrated by Richard Stibbard, camera follows Cailen, a boy who is gifted a camera for his sixth birthday. Cailen is shown to love the camera as he goes about snapping photos of everything. When the camera breaks, Cailen is devastated. Until he hears a knock at his bedroom window one night. And is visited by a strange creature called the Cipsneed.

Theres not much else I can say without revealing too much. The terror is real. From the uncanny animation of the Cipsneed to the constant need to keep kids safe. Yes, the analog format is chilling. But it’s the story itself that makes the film stand out.

Chilling

As Cailen follows the Cipsneed, he uses the broken camera to snap photos in case he gets lost. The sequence at the end of the film is brilliant. Revealing the distorted images he took with the camera. It leads to a chilling ending you won’t expect.

Braiden Ortiz has crafted a gem. “The Kid and the Camera” will keep you vested and thinking about it long after its conclusion.

You can watch the film in the window below.