Horror Short Film | 2 Minutes | 2022
Written, Directed & Produced by Naqmeh Hashemi
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Midnight is a two-minute horror short film created as part of a Short Film & Documentary Production course taught by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Kart. The challenge was to create a horror film within a strict two-minute runtime, pushing the limits of visual storytelling and atmospheric tension.
Written and directed by me, the film follows a young woman who unknowingly enters the wrong car late at night. What begins as an ordinary journey gradually turns into a disturbing encounter, as subtle details reveal that something is terribly wrong.
Rather than relying on explicit violence or exaggerated scares, Midnight builds suspense through controlled lighting, restrained performances, sound, and carefully timed visual reveals. The film explores how an ordinary situation can become deeply unsettling when familiarity gives way to uncertainty.
The film was selected as the best in its class.
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
We shot Midnight in less than an hour. I had originally estimated that production would take around three hours. Thanks to the team’s focus and Sareh Rashidi’s powerful, instinctive performance, we captured all the required shots in a fraction of that time.
The real challenge came in post-production. Editing took approximately four days, as we refined the pacing, music, color grading, and visual atmosphere to build suspense within a runtime of less than two minutes.
I wanted the film to create fear through restraint. Every shot, sound, and lighting choice needed to serve the same purpose: keeping the audience engaged while allowing tension to build without overexplaining the story.
Midnight remains an important project in my development as a filmmaker. It reflects my interest in concise, atmospheric storytelling and my ambition to create films that hold an audience’s attention through emotional tension, precise visual choices, and the power of what remains unseen.
MY ROLE & CONTRIBUTION
Writer · Director · Lighting Designer
- Guided the film’s narrative pacing and visual tone through post-production collaboration.
- Developed the original concept and wrote the screenplay.
- Created the storyboard and planned the visual progression before production.
- Directed the actors and coordinated the creative approach with the cinematographer.
- Designed the lighting to establish a tense, unsettling atmosphere.
CREATIVE APPROACH
The film builds horror through anticipation rather than spectacle. The confined car interior, the driver’s silence, and the gradual revelation of danger allow tension to emerge from small details.
Lighting and composition help conceal information and control what the audience can see. Sound and editing reinforce the shift from an ordinary nighttime journey to a threatening situation, while the final images leave the danger unresolved.
The short runtime demanded precision: every shot had to advance the story, deepen the atmosphere, or prepare the final reveal.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
- Project Type: Narrative Short Film
- Genre: Horror / Psychological Thriller
- Duration: 2 minutes
- Production Context: Short Film & Documentary Production Course
- Instructor: Mohammad Kart
- Production Year: 2022
- Recognition: Selected as Best Film in Class
CREDITS
Written & Directed by: Naqmeh Hashemi
Cast: Sareh Rashidi, Danial Shirpour
Cinematography: Arman Nasiri
Editing: Hanieh Babadi
Special Thanks: Nafiseh Mosayebi
SCRIPT & STORYBOARD
The screenplay and storyboard were developed before filming to establish the narrative beats, shot progression, and timing of the final reveal.
The story moves from an ordinary nighttime pickup to a disturbing realization: the protagonist has entered the wrong car. The locked doors, the driver’s reflection, and the vehicle disappearing into the darkness form the film’s final sequence.
SELECTED STILLS
