Srinidhi Bengaluru Interview: Video isn't the traditional found-footage experience

New Indian Express

27-05-2025

But Video isn't a traditional found-footage experience. 'We've used the 'screenlife' format—think C U Soon, Searching, or Control,' Srinidhi reveals. 'Then the narrative evolves—it shifts into docu-drama, includes dramatised segments, and later, actual retrieved footage becomes central to the story. It's a hybrid structure that helps us explore fear from different angles.'
A major coup for the film is roping in Sameer MD, the popular YouTuber known for his spine-chilling horror narrations. 'We shot Sameer's portions before his video on the Sowjanya case went viral,' says Srinidhi. 'His credibility was already strong, and we knew he could anchor the film's tone perfectly. Our target is college-goers and social media audiences—this hybrid structure and his presence bridge that gap.'
The teaser, which has garnered an overwhelming response, introduces five more characters, all of whom play content creators. 'This digital-native tone defines both the aesthetic and the texture of Video,' Srinidhi notes. With a heavy emphasis on sound, the film focuses as much on what's heard as what's seen. 'This genre doesn't support traditional screenplay structures,' he says. 'Events have to carry the story. I studied what worked—and more importantly, what didn't—in other found-footage films. Our editing and narrative rhythm are unique.'