Dialogue has contributed to many memorable movie moments: “I’ll be back.” “Do you feel lucky.” “Play it, Sam.” “We’re not in Kansas anymore.” We all have our favorites. And yet, as wonderful as the spoken word is, it isn’t essential. For proof, consider South Korean filmmaker Inchun Oh’s dialogue-free horror movie, “Polaroid,”  a winner at this years Smartfone Flick Fest. There’s a strong link between horror and photography as you can discover yourself by Googling “urban legend Polaroid.” But Oh gives the concept a uniquely frightening twist.  The filmmaker discusses his approach in an interview that follows the movie.

 

Interview with Inchun Oh

MMM: How did you become a filmmaker?

OH: I wanted to be a film director since I was very young. SoI studied film directing at the Korea National University of Arts. And I made my feature film debut in 2014 with the hybrid horror feature film “Morning Grave.” It is a big-budget horror film made within  the Korean film industry. And I directed the action comedy feature film “Chasing,” which was released in 2016. I was able to learn about the entire film industry while directing films like these.

MMM: Have any well-known filmmakers influenced your work?

OH: I was influenced by many movies that I have watched since I was young. Directors who inspired me include John Carpenter, Brian de Palma, Don Siegel, Dario Argento, John Woo, and Miike Takash.

MMM: How did you come up with the idea for “Polaroid”?

OH: From long ago, I’ve been imagining how scary it would be if my back appeared in a photo I took myself. I’ve been thinking about the subject of such a creepy possibility for a long time. And now I made it into a short film.

MMM: What are the most important elements in making a good horror picture?

OH: In my opinion, timing is the most important thing.  You also want to go against the expectations of moviegoers.

MMM: The location in “Polaroid” helps create the horror. It’s a beautiful place, yet it seems like a trap.

OH:  When I make a film, I always think of film location. I keep looking for locations even if the film production designs are almost complete.

MMM: What are the keys in directing an actress in a film where there is no dialogue?

OH: When there’s no dialogue,  expressions depend on the actor pupil’s movements and body language. This means that we’re going to do a deeper study of expressions.

MMM: What gear  did you use during the shooting of “Polaroid”?

OH: I used an iPhone 7 Plus and the Filmic Pro camera app.

MMM: Are there any advantages in shooting a movie using a smartphone?

OH: It is easy to get the angle you want quickly, and native lens makes it easy to take wide angle shots. Also, it’s possible to shoot in very small spaces and get extreme close ups.

MMM: What advice would you give to someone who wants to make horror movies?

OH: First, watch a lot of classic horror movies. And if you have a short idea that you want to shoot, take your smartphone and go out and shoot it right away. If you don’t have an actor, shoot yourself in selfie cam mode. Do it now. Experience is the best teacher.

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You can learn more about Inchun Oh on his IMDb page.

“Polaroid” was chosen as a Mobile Movie of the Week by the editors of MobileMovieMaking.com.