The internet is a famously toxic place. It’s full of influencers of questionable character, with even worse people in the comment section. So what happens when this scene meets with true evil?
This is the idea behind the found-footage short “#chadgetstheaxe” by Travis Bible. It is now streaming on the YouTube channels Alter and Short of the Week, and you can also watch it at the end of this article. It might inspire you to get your own script ready for the current Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition.
The Plot
Chad Ryan is a popular influencer who is filming a stream in an old cabin, that was the site of a gruesome crime, and is believed to be haunted. Inside, he finds a dead body. To increase his view count even further, he decides to do something wild, and adorns that body with his own merchandise. But the intense backlash from his audience is the least of his problems, when the murderer comes back and sets his sights on him.
Spencer H. Levin as Chad in “Chad Gets the Axe”
It’s Not Just A Prank!
This short is a found footage movie from the point of view of a live stream. The events are all portrayed in real time without cutting, which helps to make it seem more real.
Chad is a caricature of an obnoxious influencer. He is meant to be unsympathetic, and lead actor Spencer H. Levin plays that unlikable aspect very well. His story is based on a real life controversy where YouTuber Logan Paul found a dead body in a Japanese forest notorious for having people go there to commit suicide, and he filmed it, acting in a way that many people found to be in bad taste.
It is shown alongside of a live chat from his viewers, which includes comments that are often more disturbing than the actions on screen. It starts out fairly civil, but then after the stunt, it understandably becomes much more hostile toward him. But it takes a more horrifying turn once it becomes more clear that Chad is in danger, with the vast majority of people celebrating and hoping for his demise. Some viewers even call his cell phone solely to alert the killer of his presence.
It’s a very clear painting of the cruelty and toxicity of the internet. And it could also serve as a statement of horror viewers themselves. Many films make minor characters intentionally unlikable, so that the audience doesn’t worry about them, and even enjoy their inevitable death. This movie introduces a character who perfectly fits that mold, and takes the viewers’ thoughts into the world of the film, to show just how insidious they really are.
Even though there are no likable characters, the movie is still shot in a very tense way. The masked killer pursuing Chad is creepy and intimidating. And it has a level of dry comic relief, often from Chad’s detestable personality and the savagery and even hypocrisy of the commenters.
What Makes it Killer
Chad Gets the Axe is at once a tense found footage film and a biting satire of internet culture. A movie that shows a jerk getting his comeuppance, that isn’t afraid to shame the viewer for enjoying it.
Watch it below.
Connect with the Filmmakers:
Chad Gets The Axe on Twitter
Travis Bible on Twitter
