17-Minute Fan Film “The Trapper” Nails Every Chilling Detail of Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight’s premise is simple and brutal: one Killer versus four Survivors in a purgatory run engineered by the Entity. A new fan short called The Trapper, directed by Jared Cline, distills that setup into a 17-minute live-action piece that leans on familiar game beats and small details to sell the experience.
What the film does
The Trapper is a fan-made short that focuses on Dead by Daylight’s original Killer, the Trapper. It runs about 17 minutes and follows a small group of Survivors as they learn the rules and suffer the consequences. The short concentrates on atmosphere and recognizable moments rather than expanding lore, so it reads like a compact translation of the game into live action.
How it mirrors the game
The film reproduces several in-game mechanics and character beats in concrete ways. For example, one Survivor, Claudette, appears inexperienced and depends on a teammate for guidance, which parallels the game’s tutorial feel. A flashlight is used to stun the Killer long enough for a survivor to escape, and there’s an explicit nod to a health kit being used to heal others.
Additionally, the short includes small player-facing details that fans will recognize immediately: Dwight bites his fingernails in the same way as his character portrait, the sound of a bear trap closes just as in-game, and there’s a close-up on the meat hook—a clear visual callback to the game’s signature threat.
Characters and casting
The short casts Eric Hanson as Dwight, Nikki Dixon as Claudette, and Crystal Cook as Meg. These casting choices are used to match the recognizable traits and behaviors from the game rather than to reimagine the characters.
Production and performance
Technically, the short is well lit and edited. The director lingers on specific reveals—like Dwight’s broken glasses—and pulls back to show the desolate environment when needed. Practical details such as metal embedded in the Trapper’s skin are shown to reinforce the Killer’s brutality.
Moreover, the film relies on tight pacing and selective close-ups to build tension. For a fan-made piece, it intentionally prioritizes fidelity to the source material: small Easter eggs, sound cues, and mechanic-based scenes all serve that goal.
Where to watch
You can watch the short on YouTube.
For context, Dead by Daylight has also inspired other community-made and developer-released videos. For instance, there are animated shorts and long-form explorations on YouTube that discuss the game’s world and characters. Below are some related YouTube examples.
