Other Side of the Box — A Short We Admire

Sometimes the most terrifying thing isn't what lurks in the shadows—it's what you're forced to keep watching.

Caleb Phillips has crafted something special with Other Side of the Box, a psychological thriller that takes a deceptively simple premise and stretches it to breaking point.

The Setup

A couple receives a mysterious package from a friend. Inside? Something that demands your unwavering attention. The instructions are clear: don't look away.

What unfolds is a masterclass in sustained tension. Phillips understands that horror lives in anticipation, in the spaces between breaths, in the knowledge that something terrible is about to happen but not knowing when.

Why We Admire It

This is the kind of filmmaking that inspires us at TickFilm. It proves you don't need massive budgets or elaborate effects to create something genuinely unsettling. You need a clear vision, skilled execution, and trust in your audience's imagination.

Other Side of the Box is a reminder of what short-form cinema can achieve when filmmakers commit fully to their concept.

This is part of our "Shorts We Admire" series, where we spotlight exceptional short films that inspire our own storytelling.