Snapchat has become a social media phenomenon over the last five years. The app has over 100 million users who watch over 7 billion videos a day according to this Fortune article. So naturally it was only a matter of time before someone had the idea to spin the video and picture app into a tale of terror. Enter writer and director Alex J. Mann and his production company Space Oddity Films. Their latest film, titled 3 Seconds, explores the user vulnerability of the picture messaging app with a voyeuristic lens. The production studio has approached similar themes of technological unease with their Vimeo video Green Dot, which I also recommend checking out over at their website.
The story follows a girl Allison (Allison Raskin) who wakes up in the middle of the night to find that someone or something has been messing with her on Snapchat, in a deeply unnerving way. Who could it be? Is a friend playing a prank? An intruder? Or something more supernatural? You’ll get the answer, but what transpires next is a series of events that leads to a malevolent revelation about the app, and our comfort with social media.
The short story has something sinister to say about technology and its impact and importance on our lives. In an email exchange with The Daily Dot, Alex J. Mann said “I asked myself, ‘What’s the scariest possible thing that could happen on Snapchat?’ A few things came to mind: 1.) Receiving a Snapchat from yourself, or someone impersonating you. 2.) Receiving a Snapchat from a dead person, but I’ve already covered that in the Green Dot. 3.) Receiving a Snapchat of you sleeping. Number 3 felt like the most applicable for a film.” He isn’t wrong as the sense of dread is palpable when Allison receives the snap.
I found the video to be a fun and creepy trip, that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Without further ado, I will leave you with the video, but be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxmTRa6xCZ8[/embedyt]
