"The Queue" – Video Kills More Than The Radio Star – Horror Shorts Review

An internet content moderator confronts an increasingly disturbing series of online videos that seep into his psyche. That is the logline description that greets you for “The Queue” from writer and director, Michael Rich now streaming on his website and you can also watch it at the end of this article. It might inspire you to get your own script ready for the next Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition.

The Plot

A young man who once had a successful career has fallen on hard times. The film implies it is his own mistakes that find him in the basement of a social media content company reviewing problematic videos and determining if the videos go too far for public consumption.

The opening to the film is a black screen with crackling noises and ominous hums designed to get under your skin. It sets the tone. This short makes fantastic use of sound design to immerse the viewer not only in the protagonist’s psyche but in the material he is required to review.

Cole begins to click through video thumbnails of sexual content, a mall shooting, and a torture session. There is limited screen time dedicated to the actual videos. It is the visceral sounds and the protagonist’s face and emotional state that IS the focus. The audio is the star of the show, and it is disturbing.

The breaking point comes when Cole finds a video of his predecessor explaining the mental unraveling that has occurred to him and what awaits Cole. The washed out tone and erratic nature of that segment really becomes its own character.

What Lies Underneath

Despite the straightforward premise of a man watching increasingly heinous videos and becoming part of the viewing experience, the filmmaker successfully illuminates the complex issue surrounding the intersection of mental health and internet content. Set aside content moderator as a job that one gets paid to do, the opening scene articulates that moderators may not be fully aware the toll the job can take prior to signing up. “There’s your life now. And there’s your life after you log into that machine,” warns a colleague. “The Queue” proceeds to fulfill that promise.

Anyone bombarded with objectional images would buckle under the strain of repeatedly viewing traumatic material. In this case, the newly minted content moderator not only succumbs emotionally and mentally to the increasingly disturbing videos he finds in his queue, but there may also be physical consequences too.

What Makes It Killer

“The Queue” is a tight audio and visual feast anchored by incredible turns from Burt Bulos as Cole, Jeff Doba as Rick (a colleague showing Cole the ropes), and Nova Reyer as Kevin (the previous employee in the position). Keep an eye out for new films by award winning writer and director, Michael Rich.

Watch it below.