The film’s scrappy production also lends itself to the creepy atmosphere. If we spent any more time with these characters, as often happens with overcooked Netflix shows and movies, we might end up souring on the Zoom horror concept. It fits a ton of scares and character building into 57 minutes. Indeed, Host’s short running time is one reason it’s so impactful.

Shudder was also open to something shorter than a standard 90-minutes. The cast shot themselves remotely, and also handled their own effects and lighting. It gave him the freedom to shoot the film in order sequentially and in creative new ways. Shudder, an AMC-owned streaming service dedicated to horror, ended up being the perfect home for the film, Savage said. Then came the calls for a longer spin on the concept, which led Savage to enlist writers Jed Shepherd and Gemma Hurley to write up a 17-page outline. He cut the Zoom recording down to a two-minute clip which, unsurprisingly, went viral on Twitter. Savage gathered a group for moral support as he explored the creepy attic in his new apartment -but what they didn’t expect was for him to be attacked by a zombie, throwing him to the floor.

The idea for Host came after director Rob Savage pranked his friends over a Zoom call, he told Rolling Stone. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.

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