Fractured Reflections
A man struggling with guilt and identity after a life-altering event involving his son. As he navigates the emotional aftermath of the incident, he is confronted by haunting memories and the complexities of his choices.
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Mohsin KhanDirector
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Mohsin KhanWriter
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The Solid FilmmakersProducer
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Rafiu ZehenKey Cast"John"
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Akhtar KanasroKey Cast"Doctor"
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Yunis BalochKey Cast"Dani"
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Mohsin KhanCinematographer
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Mohsin KhanEditor
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Mohsin KhanColorist
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Mohsin KhanSound Designer
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Noor MustafaAssociate Director
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Rafiu ZehenAssistant Director
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Sameer BalochAssistant Director
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Project Type:Short, Other
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Genres:Psychological Thriller
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Runtime:11 minutes 9 seconds
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Completion Date:May 5, 2024
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Production Budget:15 USD
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Country of Origin:Pakistan
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Country of Filming:Pakistan
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Language:English, Urdu
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Mohsin Khan is an independent filmmaker from Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan, with a passion for creating thought-provoking stories that delve into psychological and emotional complexities. He founded The Solid Filmmakers, a production company born out of his deep commitment to storytelling. As a self-taught filmmaker, Mohsin has written, edited, and directed several short films, including Fractured Reflections, The Bag, Echoes of Choices, and The Joker. His work often explores themes of guilt, identity, moral dilemmas, and human vulnerability, blending dark comedy, drama, and psychological tension. All of Mohsin's short films are available on The Solid Filmmakers YouTube channel, which serves as a hub for his creative journey.
Making this short film was an unforgettable journey—filled with challenges, creativity, and a lot of late nights. The film tells the story of John, a man haunted by guilt and the memories of losing his son. But behind the scenes, it was about making something meaningful with very limited resources.
💡 How We Pulled It Off
With a budget of just 4000 PKR, we couldn’t afford fancy lights or equipment. For John’s room scenes, I used a streetlight bulb I had at home. I added some wires, connected a switch, and voilà—our only light source was ready! On top of that, the electricity didn’t cooperate. On Day 2 of shooting, there was no power, so we had to cancel. On Day 3, the same issue came up, but luckily, Noor remembered he had an inverter. He and Rafiu rushed on a bike to get it, and we powered the bulb using a battery to finish the shoot.
🎥 Shooting and Gear
We used a Canon 6D Mark II for some scenes, but about 50% of the film was shot on an iPhone 14. It was a mix of making the most of what we had and being creative with angles and lighting.
🎭 Language Barriers on Set
Most of the crew spoke Sindhi, including me. But Yunis, who played Dani (John’s son), didn’t speak Sindhi, as he’s Baloch. Directing him was tricky, but his cousin Sameer Baloch (also in the cast) helped translate everything. It was a fun challenge, and we all learned something along the way!
🛠️ Editing and VFX
Editing was a marathon. I was working a full-time job from 11 AM to 9 PM so I edited the film late at night, from 10 PM to 3 AM, over two months. For sound, I combined on-set dialogue recordings with effects I either downloaded or recorded myself (about 60% of the sound was done by me).
There’s even a bit of VFX in the mirror scenes! Since the camera was visible, I shot a clean plate and composited it with the reflection footage during editing—all done in *Capcut Desktop*.
🎵 Music
The soundtrack is a mix of tracks from Tunetank.com and Pixabay.com, with the end credits featuring "Dreams from Yesterday" by Mac DeMarco.
Special thanks to everyone who helped make this film possible—Aaqiub Hussain, Sarwar Laghari, Safadr Ali Abro, Al-Mas Hospital Larkana, Naik Muhammad, and Farhan Ali Khuhawar.
Making this film was tough, but every moment was worth it. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it. Let me know what you think!