It sounds like you were close to succeeding with your WILD. When you start to get hypnagogic hallucinations like this, you know you are close. Don't worry if the hallucinations suddenly stop, or if you get startled awake. It is normal to bounce in and out of this state a few times. Just keep doing what you were doing, and you should quickly dip back into the sleepyrealm.

The goal is to keep yourself in this state until you are sure it is stable, and a dream is on the way. Either a dream will just appear on its own, or you will use an entry technique to create one for yourself.