This horror short is totally birching.

Earlier this year on May 5th, Crypt TV uploaded a short film by the name of, 'The Birch' to their YouTube channel. With 6.2 million views, which is a considerable amount of views compared to some of their other shorts, there's a reason why this film has been so popular.

Crypt TV is one of the main places where horror fans can gain access to the latest and most scariest new horror shorts online. Crypt TV upload a new short film to their YouTube platform every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. With over 7 million likes on Facebook, there's no wonder Crypt TV get so many film submissions each week. If YOU have made a short horror film and would like to submit it to Crypt TV, go to the YouTube channel where the link is above or click on this link.

However, according to Crypt TV, "About half of the films are original productions by Crypt TV while the other half are acquired or licensed from talented filmmakers.".

One of the original Crypt shorts that is most popular on the channel is, 'The Birch' which was also made by Bloody cuts aswell as Crypt TV. Just under 5 minutes in length, this short tells the story of a "bullied schoolboy who takes drastic measures against his tormentor". He does this by summoning a creature, supposedly made from Birch, who is the protector of anyone who summons her using a ritual that his Grandmother passes down to him on her death bed.

The striking thing about this short is the impressive talent of the makeup and SFX artists. The uniquely disturbing appearance of the creature makes this short stand out from the crowd through a mix of what appears to be digital effects, makeup and SFX. However, it is made clear in the short through the words of the bullied schoolboy's GrandMother that the creature is not all bad. "Good children with love in their hearts will be helped by her" is what the boy's GrandMother says to him on her deathbed as she passes down a book with strange, ritualistic symbols which he uses at the beginning of the short to summon the wooded creature.

"Some believe the forest cares for nothing but itself, that's not true. If you listen carefully, you can hear its voice - its tortured heart can feel other pain too" are the words in which the short opens with whilst showing the boy, played by Aaron Thomas Ward, preparing a ritualistic twig formation to help protect himself against his school bully, played by Charlie Vernables.

It is then made clear that the Birch creature has protected this boy's family for generations as his GrandMother, played by Corinna Marlowe, tells him, "When I'm gone she will look after you, protect you, just as I have always done, just as she did for me." The GrandMother goes on to advise her Grandson to, "look for her mark"

The Birch, played by Dee Sherwood Wallace, hauntingly states, "For thee who makest me I shall come, for thee who breakes me shall come undone" which is proved correct after the bully teasingly steals the twig formed symbol of the Birch and snaps it in two. The SFX and makeup department do a noticeablly excellent job once again at making wounds and blood look realistic this time around.

The short abruptly ends as the schoolboy stands with his hands intertwined with that of the creatures as they look upon the body of the now former school bully.

This short won the 2017 Webby people's choice award for best dramatic individual short or episode. You can watch the full short here.