The Making of "Portrait of God" 

Portrait of God is, without exaggeration, one of the best shorts I've ever seen. Religious horror is a sub-genre that does not get a lot of attention, and usually focuses on demons or the devil as the "other". Not only that, your ability to craft tension, suspense and terror is incredible. Well done; I can't wait to see what you direct next.

The part that made the most impact on me was the ending, where we see the phone and realize that Mia has been standing there for three hours, just staring at the screen, and then her little smile. It's like she has finally understood something that the rest of us don't.

Portrait of god was amazing

Give this man a bigger budget please! Hollywood needs a guy like him behind the camera!!

Always a great year when Dylan uploads after 9 months, Portrait of God is one of the best short horror films I've seen

The snap shot after the light actually worked really well honestly. The original intention for the light being the projector sounded good on paper, but I like this one more. That said, it is perhaps my favorite short films. Keep up the great work.

This bts only reinforces how much thought and care was put into Portrait of God. No wonder is one of the most effective and terrifying shorts released on RU-vid in the past couple of years.

You are, without a doubt, one of the most talented short film creators on the platform-- that I've ever seen even. The fact you haven't made a feature length film should honestly be a crime. Lots of love to you and all your friends, family and crew that worked on this. Especially in an industry that is just so reliant on jumpscares with nasty violin riffs now, you're an absolute artist and deserve more praise. Haven't been as creeped out since watching Hereditary.

I love that there is no loud jumpscare in it. It's just the pure intimidation and fear you create yourself. I feel like the biggest enemy in post probably was the low 8-bit banding quality of youtube (where you can see the choppy edges of the subtle grey/black color variations)

The shot in Hereditary where Annie sees her mom is EXACTLY what I thought of when watching Portrait of God! To me the scariest part of the film was that, so to see it expanded into a concept of its own was awesome! Can't wait for the next one (:

THE FACT THAT IT SILENTLY TRANSITION INTO THE ENDING BLACK SCREEN WITH OUT ANY CHEAP JUMP SCARE OR BOOM SOUND IS PHENOMENAL AND DIRECTORIAL MASTERPIECE ❤

The music was so beautifully eerie, my favorite is the quietly peppered notes sung by angelic voices

I gotta be honest, I really needed this video. Because if I get a behind-the-scenes look, the terrifying unknown will be dispelled. And I desperately needed that after watching the film.

“Portrait of God” is probably one of the best short films I’ve seen on this site (and in the SSS series that I came from,) and as a Christian, seeing a film that doesn’t hone in on the obvious like Exorcisms or Demons made this one especially interesting to watch! I remember the dread that went through me when I first watched that screen rise and the figure was still there. It’s pretty funny how the mask looks goofy with brighter lighting but in the dark it makes me want to start crying 😂😂😂 Again nice work!

It's been a minute since I've been so absorbed in a movie, less a short film. It was incredible and I will never ever forget how it made me feel. 😫🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Wow, what a nice surprise! Congrats again on such an incredible film 🥳

portrait of god was the first short horror film i ever saw, and it absolutely blew me away. i literally thought about it for like a month after lol

More than film making, for me this film was an absolute masterclass in writing horror. No cheap tricks used. The lesson I got from this was using repetition. First pass of narration by mia, you set the environment but nothing bad actually happens. You let people know what “normal” is. Second pass you change 1 thing from the normal. Just 2 spots in the darkness. Absolutely brilliant writing.

I can't even begin to explain how inspirational and informative your videos are to me. I recently started trying to make horror shorts and your shorts and "making of" videos are invaluable. You're a brilliant filmmaker, cannot wait to see more.

I recommend this short film whenever possible. It is great! Thanks for the behind-the-scenes info! 👍

I am a huge fan of your shorts. The best out there in terms of not just consistent scares but very well crafted stories, music, cinematography, etc. You are up there with the greats.

I've come across Portrait of God by chance, it was the most intense short movie experience i've had, great work, great sophistication in detail and simplicity ! Can't wait to see more

Man, I would have loved to been able to develop something of this quality back when I was doing college and Uni. The quality of this short really stands out. Amazing work Dylan, truely is.

Dylan you should genuinely be so proud of yourself. I'm literally on the edge of my seat, waiting for your next upload. I can't wait to see what you do next.

I can't describe how breathtaking this film is, truly. It is so utterly unique in its artistic quality and substance and I was immediately drawn in once I started watching it. The sound especially is one of my favorite parts of this film as it is just so haunting, though darkly, beautifully so. I've never seen anything quite like it and seeing the processes behind the making of this film is quite extraordinary and inspiring, especially being a novice filmmaker myself. I released my first ever film 7 months ago, The Master, which is of the horror genre, and I just wanted to say that this film was definitely an inspiration during my process, as it encouraged me to dare to be fully vulnerable and original in my work. So thank you very much for this film; your work does not go unnoticed and is pure genius.

You’re one of the most underrated short film channels of all time, if not the most underrated

very memorable short - i always come back to watch it every now and then! Excited to see what you come up with next : )

As a christain myself who enjoys small sub-genres of horror, this is the best ive seen. Thank you for making this, this is amazing

"Portrait of God" was the first horror film that gave me nightmares! For real! I woke up that night panicking 😂 amazing experience!

I cannot express how much I enjoyed your short film, thank you and your team for the time, care and work you put into the project.

Your films just keep getting better and better! I'm so exited to see what you will create in the future

i’m so thoroughly impressed by every single aspect here, just a fantastic idea being executed perfectly by a great team

I'm directing my first major short film in a week and honestly you've kinda cleared up some of the things I was unsure about and gave me a new perspective on how to approach this craft, so thank you :)

Easily my favorite short in this genre. It’s well acted, excellently written, well timed, and just incredibly effective. Congrats on what is IMO a perfect short!

REALLY hope we get more videos like this. I really enjoyed hearing more about this short in this style

Damn dude, watched this just after the video, and I find myself just agreeing with every point you're making about the film making process. From the lighting, less is more, to the importance of the music and how it fits. You really hit the nail on the head, and for this alone I'm gonna sub to this channel. Really looking forward to your future work. I'm sure there'll be some great stuff down the line.

I've been watching a lot of horror shorts on RU-vid lately, some I've really liked but Portrait of God is the first one where i immediately sent it to a friend and also wanted to watch its Making Of video. Seen plenty of horror in general, and you and the crew did fantastic work here. You made me do that thing where the eyes get wider all on their own and suddenly i'm paying much more attention to everything on screen, looking for...something. And boy, did i find it. From start to finish, big thumbs up.

I thought this short film was so well made, so effective and it sounds like it was all because your priorities are very well managed, with you starting from the resources and constraints that you are working with and developing the idea from there. It's so much fun to see how you can achieve such a polished looking end result with such basic tools, that were used in a very smart way. I'm really impressed and I'm very much looking forward to see where you'll go from here, because I think you're gonna go far!

Best sub I've gone for so far on YT. Great to see any new upload coming from you. Keep up the great creativity Dylan!

The short film was very well done, you never really know all the work that goes on behind the screen. Great job guys!

Finally!! I loved the short and it's great to get a deeper look into the process. Great job man!

Awesome to see how humble you stay after the success of this short. Lovely making on, so hype it was so long !

Y’all ate this!!! Easily the best horror short I have EVER seen. So simple and so terrifying.

Been waiting for this!

Stumbled on this from a edit on tiktok truly a once in a lifetime find. Loved the short film keep going!

Portrait is such an amazing short film, as much as my gut reaction is "I need a movie for it", I've decided no. You are becoming such a master at the short film format, and with portrait you have given such an amazing piece of storytelling in such a short amount of time. Just a masterpiece, thank you!!!!

I've been waiting so long for this video omg, about to watch it, can't wait

Only just saw this short today, but this is the kind of stuff I look for with RU-vid videos. Great stuff dude.

Fantastic movie, fantastic video! Very much looking forward to future projects of yours.

Always enjoy watching your stuff. Portrait of God was epic. Love to see this behind the scenes stuff. Can't wait for the next project hinted at the end!

Watching this video has been so inspiring for me as a student of filmmaking. I love what you're are doing and thank you for being so transparent!

Portrait of God is my favorite short of yours and one of the best short horror films I've seen. Really love the evolution of your filmmaking! Keep up the good work and I'm really looking forward to seeing your upcoming films!

This short horror alone is enough for me to subscribe. Will now be looking at your other work, and look forward to seeing what you bring in the future

The moment of realization sent shivers all through me, it's so refreshing when it is captured in horror this action that is so mundane (such as the screen going up) and they make it feel so fucking ominous to the audience. Also, I loved the depictions of "God" part, builds up a sort of tension that feels just right especially because we can't see it yet, all of the voice actors did an amazing job at it. The film final result felt very consistent in its storytelling and the fact that you kept only what was necessary for the narrative, the decision to cut out/discontinue some plans for the backstory, reminded me of a quote that... I don't really remember who said it, but it is about dialogue and is along the lines of 'if the dialogue does not add up information about the character or continuity to the narrative its best that it does not exist' which is not the same situation since the motive was mostly time duration, but both are very objective line of thought. It was very enlightening to see the thoughts (and strategies) behind the making of this film. This is one of my favorite short horror films so far, I also watched all of your previous horror shorts and I really admired your and your team's hard work, can't wait for the next project to be available!

I just found your channel today and binge watched all your short films and BTS. Keep up the great worK!!

I like that you couldn't do the 'throat light fading into projector light' thing, I think from an analysis standpoint that would imply that Mia was hallucinating while what you have now is more ambiguous. The original plan reads more like 'this is what she's seeing- and this is what it actually is', whereas the final edit has her standing back in the room with the projector light almost as a halo- like she really did just see a Holy Vision and is now a Saint. She could have been hallucinating for three hours, or maybe she went back into the room in shock after actually seeing God's true form. I like the not-knowing.

Easily one of the beat horror short films I have ever seen, and THEE ONLY youtube film to actually creep me the hell out. Outstanding job!

I am a huge horror fan and enjoy both the final products as well the BTS of movies. But I am surprised you didn't and none of the comments on the short film talk about the first time you see the glinting eyes is not from the projection but actually on the far left at the 1:50 mark. Keep up the awesome work!

This is just so inspiring. Thank you for sharing the process!!!

You all did a great job. I hope one day you have the budget to make full length films (if that is what you want to do) It's interesting how you say you built the story around the resources you have. Makes me think about how creative inspiration can come out of so many different things. It makes me happy to see young people coming together to do something they feel passionate about. Exited to watch your next one. This video has inspired me to think about how I'd like to create a short film someday too.

My man, you have absolutely shown Ari Astor-level talent with this short. You definitely learned all the right lessons from Hereditary. For example, when I saw the figure behind her, I didn’t even gasp; I was too breathless. Instead it was just slight, sudden intake of breath, but that small reaction spoke volumes. I feel like that’s a microcosm of why this short is so effective: it’s like you know that sometimes the smallest revelation of details can lead to the biggest comprehension of horror. Just when I thought that this one moment was all this short would have going for it (which still would have been enough to recommend it), it kept going… and going… and going, revealing so many unexpected, unsettling details that will stick with me forever. This short is truly a work of art.

Now I want to see a directors cut of a short movie. Congrats! Portrait of God is my fave horror short, keep up the great work.

I don’t really watch short films but this one actually caught my attention. I saw a minute of it on tiktok and immediately had to see the rest. Great job Dylan.

God I really need this kind of "behind-the-scene" video, really helps calming my goosebumps after watching the finished video.

Ive watched and rewatched the short several times. No matter how many times i see it its still bone chilling 😅

really fantastic breakdown of your process. you make it seem intuitive but you really have such a great way of thinking through problems and turning them into results

would love to see more of this story amazing work

I've had a passion for making videos and short films but it's not been going well. I've been searching for a job in video editing but I keep getting let go, soon after being hired. In my spare time, I can't get things done and never finish things. Typical ADHD bullshit. But I leaped with joy once I saw this pop up. The making of one of my favorite short films of all time! This is so cool! The fact you based all this solely on the things you had access to, is incredible. The way the lighting was done is awesome, and off course the way all of the monster scenes were done. It had me excitedly bouncing in my chair. I feel like you reignited my old video passion, man.

Your films are amazing, man. Portrait was chilling.

This was awesome, and amazing to get a shout out, Dylan! I remember auditioning for this voice over gig for a short film, and being very pleased I got it. But then the short came out and I was blown away! And I've had people contact me out of the blue who I haven't heard from in a long time and say "Man, I just saw you did a voice in this fantastic horror short on RU-vid!" So cool. And your use of the various people's testimony at the start is so well done as a sound montage. Very proud to have been a tiny part of this amazing project! Gonna be fun to watch your career blow up!

Thank you so much for this, i love watching Making Of's Yours are trully great and somewhat inspirational

This was such an informative, thoughtful look at a cracking film. Great insight into the process, such useful advice. Thank you!

This is my favorite RU-vid Short Film by far! Glad to see the Process

Love the longer breakdowns

So good to get this behind the scenes of this movie!

Im glad you made the behind the scenes I love all the tips and extra details

I love this film! It's incredibly well made and there's an eerie vibe to it that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. And best of all; no cheap jump scares or screamers! ❤

Just finished watching the video. This channel is the definition of underrated.

I loved your 'Portrait of God'. Simple and effective idea. Really interesting to hear you talk about the behind the scenes/making of the short.

This one was so good that i was hyped to even see the making of it 💯

That was such a creative and visionary solution for the creature. Absolutely amazing stuff

Dude! I’m so happy to watch your process! I’m a film student and this short film is one that I mentioned as inspiring to me! So cool to see it being created!

I really like your style and Portrait of God is my favourite short film. What I do love is that you relied on "less is more". Alot of big budget movies do fall into the trap that they have the budget to show more and kill the magic by doing so. The deepest darkest horror comes from the imagination of the audience.

The creature is so visually disturbing, I’m so impressed. Even after seeing this short so many times it still creeps me out and that’s saying something!! Excellent excellent job you guys. You are all exceptionally talented and you’re going to go far!!

I have to say that Portrait of God is one of the best short horror films ever! I collect the best ones in my youtube library and, together with Portrait, there are few others! Slasher, gore, blood and gratuitous jump scares are not necessary to make a great horror movie and Portrait of God is a great example of that! PS: the PERFECT timming of the cut at the end, when she is barely beginning to smile is Oscar material!

This movie made me spend more time thinking about it than all of the Hollywood horror genre films combined. This is possibly the most impactful piece of film I've ever seen. If it weren't for your making of series, this thing would truly haunt me. I had a 30 minute conversation with my friend about it and we realized we had barely scratched the surface of the patterns of questions this film brought up in us

Amazing work! I loved it so much!

This is my favorite short ive seen on youtube

Awesome work, love seeing the creature design and how the project came together. Steller

A profound achievement, Dylan. Portrait Of God is an incredible short film. I watch your career with great interest. Keep it up 👍

I love this short film and I love your tips here especoully looking at all your resources and building a project around that

No worries. Art takes time. You and your team are insanely talented ❤✨

I gotta say, Portrait of God has to be the best short horror media I've ever had the pleasure of viewing, and this look about the ingenuity of how these films are created is a great perspective 10/10 work to you and your team👍

this was quite literally the best horror short i have EVER seen. literally the most amazing short film ever. the music, acting, story, effects… it’s absolutely amazing. i’m a huge fan!!

One of the best short films I've ever seen. Also, Dylan is ripped af!

We need mooooore videos 😀 Love these shocking little movies

I'm a film student (currently in my 3rd year. Going to graduate next year.) And honestly this film has inspired to continue to write more African eldritch horror stories, even religious ones and I'm also amazed that you were able to capsulize everything in this short film, i know you said in post you had to cut some scenes out but yet it felt like a feature film! Something i struggle with😭 -overall, hope to see more stuff like this❤

You're pretty good man. A genius! I hope to see more of you!

Oh maaan this is the best short horror film I've ever seen. And that formula less is more works perfectly here. You could show even less than what we got. And this short's so good that when I talked with different people about the plot I've heard so many different yet interesting thoughts and theories that I was like oh I knew this short is the best. Maybe because I'm a cinema reviewer. Btw it could've been such a cool analog horror. I'm just in love with this subgenre for a long time. But anyway thank you. You are a real talent not just some amateur pretender. ❤

This was cool to see Dylan! Can’t wait to see your thesis again. Hope you’re living it up in LA.