Teddy Blu

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  Teddy Blu by Ercole Zaccaria

Inspiration

This project was created for the Curious Refuge Horror Film Festival, drawing inspiration from vintage horror and thriller stories, infused with dark humor and the spirit of old B-movies. The goal was to craft a playful yet unsettling atmosphere — the kind of horror that feels creepy, absurd, and strangely funny at the same time.

What it does

The short film reconstructs, through fragmented flashbacks, what might be the real murder — or perhaps only the desperate invention of someone trying to survive. The narrative blurs the line between truth and imagination, using distortion and ambiguity as storytelling tools.

How we built it

Midjourney to design the visual concepts and base images Nanobananan to refine and adapt the character Kling to animate the protagonist and bring movement and emotional tension into the scenes This combination allowed for a consistent handmade horror aesthetic.

Challenges we ran into

Maintaining character consistency across shots — both in appearance and emotional tone — was the primary challenge. Ensuring the overall style remained coherent throughout the narrative required precise prompting and careful visual control.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Winner at the NYC GenArt Hackathon — Hailuo, Oink (Best Narrative)

What we learned

The project explores the uncertainty between truth and illusion, teaching me how to leverage ambiguity as a narrative device while keeping the viewer anchored to a cohesive visual identity.

What's next for Teddy Blu

a longer short film

Built With

• kling
• midjourney
• nanobanana
• runway