A PINCH OF SALT — 30-SECOND HALLOWEEN SHORT FILM

FORMAT Vertical 9:16 photographic live-action romantic comedy with understated attraction and dry visual humor. Follow the exact chronological edit below. Each listed interval is a deliberate shot or cut. No additional scenes, repeated actions, dissolves or unplanned cuts.

STORY A neighbor repeatedly returns for NANDY’s salted caramels wearing transparently bad ghost disguises. He borrows her salt as another excuse to visit. She takes an empty bowl to his door and discovers he already has salt. His confession receives a knowing answer: she also came with an excuse.

The performances are adult, relaxed and believable. The disguises are ridiculous; the attraction is subtle.

REFERENCE AUTHORITY Reference 1 controls NANDY’s identity and wardrobe. Reference 2 controls the neighbor’s identity, natural build and underlying clothes. Reference 3 controls the ordinary bedsheet ghost costume. Reference 4 controls the separate sunglasses and fedora states. Reference 5 controls the porch architecture and furniture. Reference 6 controls the doorway and kitchen interior. Reference 7 controls the authentic Jacobsen pouch and label. Reference 8 controls the caramels, ceramic plate and wrappers.

Do not merge character identities or exchange their wardrobe. Studio reference backgrounds and sheet layouts never appear in the film.

NANDY The exact adult Black woman from reference 1. Preserve her facial structure and asymmetry, deep warm-brown skin, natural skin texture and average adult body proportions. Shoulder-length dark curls with copper-brown ends, dark cat-ear headband, small gold hoop earrings, cream cable-knit cardigan, rust-orange ribbed turtleneck, chocolate-brown corduroy trousers and tan suede clogs.

Maintain her natural height and head-to-body proportions. No slimming, enlarged head, shortened legs, beauty filtering or age reduction.

THE NEIGHBOR The exact adult man from reference 2. Preserve his warm-brown complexion, brown eyes, short tightly curled black hair with tapered sides and close-trimmed beard and moustache. Natural lean-average adult build, without oversized shoulders or muscular chest.

Heather-grey pullover hoodie, dark indigo jeans and bright red high-top canvas sneakers with white laces and white rubber soles.

His costume is one ordinary opaque white cotton bedsheet draped over his head and body, with exactly two rough oval eye holes. Uneven mid-shin hem leaves his jeans and red sneakers visible. No printed mouth, fitted robe, sewn sleeves or supernatural effects.

When uncovered, the sheet rests mainly behind his shoulders, leaving his neck, hoodie neckline and chest visible.

RELATIVE SCALE AND GEOGRAPHY During porch exchanges, NANDY stands image left and the neighbor image right. Both occupy the same level porch floor and comparable camera distance. He is only modestly taller; she must not appear miniature.

Preserve the actual porch reference: sage-green left door, reddish glazed right door, central window, wooden bench, cream cushion, rust-and-cream plaid blanket, side table, warm practical lights, autumn decorations and wooden steps.

His doorway reveals the supplied modest kitchen with a butcher-block counter image right. Frame the doorway sequence tightly enough to exclude exterior furniture that differs between the references.

PRODUCT Jacobsen Pure Flake Sea Salt, small 4 oz / 113 g flexible plastic pouch. Preserve the supplied pale packaging, navy branding, label artwork, zipper and proportions. The pouch bends slightly under a grip and makes a light plastic-pouch crinkle. Never turn it into paper, a jar or an oversized sack.

Salt is delicate irregular white flakes, not oversized uniform crystals.

Exactly one pouch appears in the exterior scenes. At the reveal, exactly two pouches are visible: NANDY’s borrowed pouch in his hand and his own open pouch on his counter beside a small salt dish.

FOOD Glossy golden-amber homemade square caramels on the supplied speckled cream ceramic plate. Softly irregular edges, believable chewy texture and a restrained quantity of salt. Some pieces have translucent wax-paper wrappers.

LIGHT AND FINISH Halloween after dark throughout. Preserve the supplied warm night-film look: motivated amber porch lamps and window light against deep navy night, with readable faces and natural brown skin undertones.

Keep the white sheet detailed rather than glowing. Preserve true red sneakers and the pouch’s pale color. Rich soft blacks with detail, gentle highlight roll-off, fine visible grain, restrained halation around practical bulbs and subtle optical softness.

Clear air. No teal-orange wash, fog, artificial sparkle, plastic skin or miniature-set appearance.

TIMED EDIT

00:00–00:02 — THE PINCH Close-up at wooden side-table height, matching the supplied opening still.

NANDY’s right fingertips release the last few salt flakes onto one caramel. Her left hand steadies the opened Jacobsen pouch beside the plate. Natural small pouch creases.

Camera: restrained push toward the caramel and falling flakes. Sound: light plastic-pouch crinkle and distant neighborhood ambience.

00:02–00:03 — THE RED SNEAKERS Cut to the low arrival angle, looking outward from the porch landing.

His leading red sneaker bears weight on the top step; the trailing shoe rises toward the landing. The white sheet hem sways above his lower jeans.

Camera: low and steady. Sound: one wooden footstep and cotton rustle.

00:03–00:04.5 — THE OFFER Cut to the corrected eye-level encounter two-shot.

NANDY image left, ghost image right. She extends the caramel plate slightly with both hands. He looks down and brings his right hand from beneath the sheet’s edge toward one caramel.

Keep both characters naturally scaled and grounded. Camera: gentle forward drift. Sound: quiet porch ambience.

00:04.5–00:07 — HIS FACE Cut to his medium close-up after the sheet has been lifted.

His left hand holds a loose fold above his temple, uncovering his face and short curls. His right hand holds one caramel with a small bite missing, just below his mouth.

He finishes a small chew, then lifts his eyes toward NANDY off-camera image left. A slight smile begins at one corner of his mouth.

Camera: subtle push toward his eyes. Sound: soft fabric movement. No exaggerated eating noises.

00:07–00:08 — SHE NOTICES Cut to NANDY’s medium close-up.

Both hands still support the plate. She meets his eyes off-camera image right. Her expression pauses, then a small uneven smile appears.

No hair touch, lip bite or exaggerated bashfulness. Camera: almost still, with a gentle approach.

00:08–00:09.5 — SUNGLASSES Hard cut to the matching porch two-shot, a little later.

He is fully covered again, wearing only round black sunglasses over the sheet’s eye holes. No fedora. The same red sneakers remain visible.

NANDY glances down at the sneakers, then back to his glasses. One eyebrow lifts. He gives a tiny questioning head tilt.

Camera: steady so the disguise joke reads. Sound: faint cotton rustle and distant trick-or-treaters.

00:09.5–00:11 — FEDORA Hard cut to the same conversational axis, another return.

Sunglasses are gone. The ghost now wears only the small brown fedora. His eyes remain visible through the sheet holes.

The plate rests on the side table. NANDY already holds one caramel out in her right hand. He pauses at being anticipated, then brings one hand beneath the sheet’s edge to give a small acknowledging hat tip.

She barely suppresses a smile. Camera: steady, matching the previous shot.

00:11–00:14.5 — BORROWING SALT Cut to a medium two-shot.

No hat or glasses. His sheet is pushed behind his shoulders, face uncovered. He holds a small empty cream ceramic bowl in his left hand.

Looking at NANDY, he softly mouths: “Can I borrow some salt?”

NANDY holds her Jacobsen pouch. After his question, she extends it. His right hand closes around the pouch; she releases only once his grip is secure.

They exchange small smiles. No lingering finger caress.

Camera: gentle push toward their interaction. Sound: plastic-pouch crinkle. The line will be added as a caption in editing; no audible dialogue.

00:14.5–00:16.5 — HER OPPORTUNITY Cut to NANDY beside the side table after he has left.

A fresh plate of unsalted caramels rests there. Her reaching hand stops above the pouch’s empty place.

She looks toward his door. A knowing smile starts. She picks up a small empty cream ceramic bowl with her left hand.

Camera: slight lateral movement following her glance. Sound: a quiet ceramic contact as she lifts the bowl.

00:16.5–00:18.5 — THE KNOCK Cut to her at his closed reddish glazed door, implying the short walk.

Her left hand holds the empty bowl low. Her right fist pauses briefly, then knocks twice.

Upright, composed posture. She wants to be there. Camera: slow approach. Sound: two wooden knocks.

00:18.5–00:20.5 — HE ALREADY HAS SALT Cut to the door already open, viewed from her position.

The neighbor stands slightly image left inside the threshold, sheet behind his shoulders. He holds her pouch in his right hand.

Behind him image right, his own open Jacobsen pouch stands beside a small dish of salt on the kitchen counter. Exactly two pouches total.

His eyes follow NANDY’s glance toward the counter, then return to her. A small caught-out smile forms.

Camera: hold the composition with enough depth to read his face and the counter. Sound: faint door movement and quiet interior room tone.

00:20.5–00:24 — HIS CONFESSION Cut to his close-up.

He meets NANDY’s eyes off-camera image left and softly mouths: “I just wanted to see you again.”

He stays still enough for the sincerity to land, then waits for her answer. No neck rubbing, broad grin or busy gestures.

Camera: very slow push. Sound: quiet room tone and distant outdoor ambience. The line will be added as a caption in editing; no audible dialogue.

00:24–00:25.5 — HER ANSWER Cut to NANDY’s reverse.

She raises her empty bowl a few centimetres into his view and lifts her eyebrows slightly. Her knowing smile answers him: she also came with an excuse.

No additional line, tears or hand to chest. Camera: hold long enough to read the bowl.

00:25.5–00:28.5 — TOGETHER Cut back to her porch bench, a little later.

NANDY sits image left and the neighbor image right. His ghost sheet now rests loosely across both their backs and outer shoulders.

NANDY holds the caramel plate on her lap; his left hand steadies its rim. A small Black child in an orange pumpkin costume, green stem cap, black leggings and sneakers selects one wrapped caramel.

The adults exchange a brief amused glance. Comfortable proximity, without a staged embrace.

NANDY’s pouch stands on the side table. His own pouch remains inside his kitchen, out of view.

Camera: gentle pullback. Sound: wax-paper rustle, light laughter and neighborhood ambience. Leave a clear area above the adults for end-card text added later.

00:28.5–00:30 — THE PINCH, TOGETHER Cut to a close-up matching the opening composition.

His left hand in a grey hoodie cuff steadies the ceramic plate. NANDY’s right hand in cream and rust knit releases a tiny pinch of flakes over one caramel.

The open Jacobsen pouch stands on the table at image right. Exactly two visible hands: hers seasoning, his supporting.

Camera: match the opening’s restrained push. Sound: subtle cloth movement and continuous porch ambience. End on the falling flakes, ready to cut directly back to the opening.

PERFORMANCE AND CONTINUITY Characters look at each other, the plate, shoes, bowl and salt—not into the lens. Expressions follow visible events. The sunglasses and fedora never appear together. No costume changes occur within an uninterrupted shot. No pouch duplication outside the specified reveal. Keep all hands, grips, weight shifts and prop transfers physically plausible. Preserve the selected faces and natural body proportions through every cut.

AUDIO Continuous believable Halloween neighborhood ambience underneath the edit. Local sounds: footsteps on wooden boards, cotton rustle, plastic-pouch crinkle, wax-paper rustle and two knocks. No exaggerated salt crunch, constant wind chime, generated music, narrator or audible dialogue.

TEXT Do not generate captions, titles or end-card graphics inside the video. Authentic product packaging text is the only visible lettering.