Young Director Makes Waves with A24’s Horror Film

If you thought the upcoming A24 horror film, Backroom, was unexpected, it gets more intriguing. The director, Kane Parsons, was just 19 at the time, making him the youngest in A24’s history. Surprisingly, he had already made a name for himself in the horror scene by the age of 16.

Parsons uploaded his nine-minute short, “The Backrooms (Found Footage),” to YouTube on January 7, 2022. The video unfolds from the cameraman’s perspective, initially filming a low-budget horror flick before he tumbles into a bizarre and unsettling realm. Lit by a ghostly yellow glow, this room resembles a vacant, windowless office, creating a surreal sense of corporate dread. It’s somewhat baffling to think about how a teenager might capture that feeling of being trapped in a sterile, fluorescent-lit space.

As the cameraman delves deeper, the environment grows increasingly bizarre. Stairs merge into the floor, and eerie graffiti cautions to “stay still.” The tension builds with his shaky breaths merging into the constant hum of overhead lights. Just when you think a jump scare is about to happen, a shadowy figure reminiscent of Slender Man makes an appearance, leaving viewers on edge. The YouTube caption hints at an ominous date: “September 23, 1996.”

The cinematic style is impressive; many might assume Parsons discovered a dilapidated building for the shoot. In reality, it was all crafted through computer-generated animation using Blender, an open-source 3D software. By situating the film in the ’90s, he cleverly adds to its authenticity with a grainy, analog touch.

The concept of a creepy “back room” predates Parsons’ work. The term is often credited to anonymous 4chan users, who shaped the idea after seeing an unsettling image of an empty office. One user chillingly described the environment as a place reeking of old, damp carpets and filled with endless, disorienting rooms. They warned that if you hear something lurking nearby, it’s probably aware of you.

This chilling description transformed into a “creepypasta,” a twist on the classic copy-paste meme, circulating widely on the internet. Parsons turned this unsettling idea into a CGI reality in his 2022 short, which, against all odds, became a viral hit with over 78 million views. In the following two years, he crafted 21 more films within the “Backrooms” framework, most of which revolve around a fictional research organization intent on unraveling the mysteries of this surreal realm. These stories often feature individuals who mysteriously disappear, lost in the maze of back rooms. One notable episode, “Found Footage,” presents the tale of a civilian who unwittingly slips into this bizarre world but can’t find a way out.

Despite being labeled as “found footage,” this series is undeniably animated. Parsons evokes a surreal aesthetic reminiscent of artists like Salvador Dali and M.C. Escher—stairways leading nowhere, cars descending into the ground, and floors rising unexpectedly to create platforms in the midst of chaos.

And now, this unique style is heading to theaters. In 2023, Parsons signed a contract with A24 to produce Backroom, with Will Sudich penning the screenplay alongside horror luminaries like James Wan, Shawn Levy, and Osgood Perkins. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as a furniture store owner who mysteriously vanishes in his back room, while Norwegian actress Renate Rijnsve plays the therapist on his trail.

Even after inking this major deal, Parsons continued to expand the “Backroom” universe on YouTube. His latest video, “Static Dead End,” was released last year and intriguingly mentions the same date as the film’s premiere—May 29, 1990.

This new video suggests that some scientists involved in the project are just as confused and frightened by the back room concept as the rest of us. Parsons mentioned in a 2024 profile that the feature film explores characters and themes not previously touched upon.

While promoting his film, Parsons hinted there’s more to come. He expressed a desire to continue the journey, stating it would be challenging to declare the story complete. His ambitious plans include developing a 10-episode series to unfold this tale as thoroughly as possible.