The Ghost of Silver Lake

Inspiration

The Ghost of Silver Lake” was inspired by classic South Asian folklore, the quiet horror of moonlit lakes, and the timeless theme of unresolved grief. We wanted to build a horror short film without dialogue—where the story is carried entirely by atmosphere, sound, and visuals. The idea of a young boy confronting a restless spirit felt emotionally rich, suspenseful, and perfect for a tasteful, non-graphic horror narrative that aligns with the Chroma Awards guidelines.

What it does

This 3-minute silent horror film follows Arjun, a courageous young boy who encounters a ghost haunting a secluded lake. Through suspenseful visual storytelling and carefully crafted sound design, the film explores themes of loss, closure, and compassion. It delivers atmospheric tension, supernatural mystery, and a final twist—all without relying on dialogue, jump-scare clichés, or violent imagery.

How we built it

e created the film using a combination of AI tools for visual generation, animation sequencing, sound design, and atmospheric enhancements:

Challenges we ran into

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Keeping the ghost's appearance uniform while still eerie and expressive Achieved a haunting yet beautiful aesthetic—soft moonlight, thick fog, shimmering water. Balancing horror elements with “tasteful non-graphic” guidelines

Synchronizing environmental audio with silent visual storytelling

What we learned

AI filmmaking requires precise shot planning—every frame depends on the previous one.

Consistency techniques (seed locking, frame references, extend tools) are essential for character continuity.

What's next for The Ghost of Silver Lake

Expanding the story into a 10–12 minute extended edition exploring the ghost’s past

Built With

• ai
• minimax