After an irregular childhood, Kaye must break down the residual walls keeping her socially isolated. Told through snippets of the past and present as Kaye navigates her relationship with her father and her first college party, this story culminates in a bloody christening into the society she’s wanted to be a part of her whole life.
Inspired by a metal fox mask welded by Jess O'Donoghue, our writer-director, this 15 minute short film depicts a night of college chaos with a twist: party goers don hair-raising animal masks of various kinds. Kaye is the odd one out, merely wearing her face. Haunted by memories of her bull headed violent father who controlled her every move until very recently, and currently agitated by the cruel taunting of a loudmouthed moose headed frat boy, Kaye is pushed to her breaking point, and finally embraces her rage.
Following the longstanding tradition of horror thrillers, LITTLE DOG is a reimagining of the Final Girl trope. Our story’s got blood, animal masks, troubled father-daughter relations, and most importantly, an act of female rage.
Hello! My name is Jessica O'Donoghue, and I'm a senior in my last semester studying Film at Emerson College. This is the first personal project I'm getting to actualize during my time at Emerson, and will also be the last thing I make before graduating in May.
The producers attached to this project are Lindsey Broder and Mason Grammer, whose credits include a variety of school affiliated and independent projects. Various fellow student creatives are on board as cast and crew.
A lot of people have already worked incredibly hard on getting LITTLE DOG ready for production, and closer to coming to life. To fulfill our collective creative goals, financial assistance is needed. Our team will be forever grateful to those able to help in any way! I think investing in us will be worth your while.
As student filmmakers, we are used to operating under tight constraints and microscopic budgets, but with your help, we can grow this production’s scale to effectively capture its surreal, overwhelming settings and uniquely unsettling character designs. Since this project is independent and happening due to the time and effort of fellow students, all generous donations that come our way will funnel primarily into production design, costume, and craft services.
The creation and acquisition of animal masks is necessary to the story, as well as fake weaponry. Our shooting dates are split between two main sequences, a party and a remote forest area. Designing a log cabin interior will require a good deal of set dressing and materials -as will the party. Creating spaces that feel real and eerie is perhaps the most exciting aspect of pre-production so far.
Beyond these elements, obviously crafty, transportation, and equipment rental are relevant to our budget. Despite working with equipment our crew members already own for the most part, there are some pieces we are seeking to rent. Post production costs encompass hiring a student composer and a voice actor who has already signed onto the project.
Some people just can't contribute financially, but that doesn't mean you cannot help! All contributions, monetary or otherwise, are more than appreciated. Kindly share this page with friends and family. If you know someone who loves thrillers, surreal costuming, student works, female driven stories, or a good old fashioned scare, share this page with them, and help in spreading the news about our project, LITTLE DOG.
Follow @littledogshortfilm on Instagram to keep up with our production! Stay in the loop for fun Behind the Scenes content, and eventual screening announcements.
We thank you for your time and support! Truly, any donation, assistance, or expression of support makes a world of a difference.