"I made 'Lights Out' in my apartment with almost no budget. If you have a good idea and the drive to execute it, you don't need Hollywood — you just need Blender."
David F. Sandberg is a Swedish filmmaker who took a remarkable path from making short horror films in his apartment to directing major Hollywood blockbusters. His journey began with "Lights Out" (2013), a terrifying 3-minute short film he created with minimal budget, using clever visual effects and Blender for post-production and compositing.
The short went viral, was picked up by James Wan, and Sandberg was hired to direct the feature-length adaptation in 2016. He went on to direct "Annabelle: Creation" (2017), "Shazam!" (2019), and "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" (2023).
Even as a Hollywood director, Sandberg remains a passionate Blender user. He frequently shares behind-the-scenes breakdowns showing how he uses Blender for previsualization, storyboarding, animatics, and even final visual effects shots in his films.
Sandberg uses Blender extensively for previs — creating 3D storyboards, blocking out scenes, and testing camera movements before production, saving millions on set.
His 'Lights Out' short demonstrated how one person with a camera, free software (Blender), and creative thinking can create Hollywood-level horror effects on a zero budget.
Sandberg's production pipeline uses Blender to create detailed animatics that serve as blueprints for the final film, allowing him to communicate his vision precisely to his crew.
David F. Sandberg
David F. Sandberg
David F. Sandberg