Chicken House
Rochester, New York | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
Frank has just moved to the suburbs when he begins to receive visits from hoards of people dressed in homemade chicken costumes. When he discovers that the truth about his new house, he must confront both the chickens and his own trauma.
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Frank has just moved to the suburbs when he begins to receive visits from hoards of people dressed in homemade chicken costumes. When he discovers that the truth about his new house, he must confront both the chickens and his own trauma.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
What would you do if you bought a famous house and had to deal with visits from mysterious strangers? What if those mysterious strangers were cosplaying as chickens? That's exactly the situation that Frank Brickett finds himself in when he moves to the suburbs. While he wants nothing more than to shut out the world, the world just won't leave him alone.
Chicken House is a short horror/comedy film about grief, the weird forms it takes, and how we choose to deal with it. It's a student capstone film at the Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Film and Animation. Writer/Director Jacob French is an award-winning filmmaker who loves tackling emotionally-heavy topics through the lens of absurd comedy. Chicken House is the culmination of all of his work up to this point, mixing hard-hitting drama with hilarious comedic moments and horror tropes. The film is a sandbox for French and his team to play: all of the chicken costumes are being homemade, a sequence is being shot on 16mm film, certain visual effects will be accomplished practically with stop motion animation, there are Steadicam shots, huge jib shots, and even a shot that requires 50 feet of dolly track. The team is not pulling any punches with making this an incredibly entertaining and unique film. Furthermore, it'll be an earnest exploration of grief and human connection; it's a story many people will see themselves in and hopefully find some comfort in.
Pre-Production for Chicken House technically began in early 2023, when the first draft of the script was completed. Since then, its been meticulously revised, an all-star team has been assembled, and all the pieces are in place to begin filming this October. All we need is YOUR SUPPORT! Please donate to help us afford props and costumes (including at least 20 homemade chicken costumes... that's not a joke), gear rental, purchasing and developing 16mm film, food for our cast and crew, and film festival fees. After the film is completed in Spring of 2025, it will be entered into numerous film festivals. After the festival circuit is complete, it will be released for free online, likely around 2026 or 2027. If you'd like to see it sooner though, you can receive exclusive early access with our $25 incentive!
Please help us tell this hilarious and important story!
Meet our All-Star Team:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Props and Costumes
Costs $700
We have a lot of chicken costumes to make... Additionally this money will help our art department create the world of the film!
Gear Rental
Costs $300
While most of our gear will be provided by RIT, there are some very exciting specialty items we'll need to rent!
Craft Services
Costs $1,500
Gotta keep our cast and crew fed and taken care of (meals will consist of more than just chicken)
Shooting on Film
Costs $150
This is exciting! We're shooting a sequence of the short on 16mm film.
Film Festivals
Costs $250
After the film's completion, this will help to get it seen by more people!
Share this update!
About This Team
ABOUT THE WRITER/DIRECTOR:
Jacob French (he/him) is a 21 year old filmmaker, and performer. He is currently pursuing a BFA in Film Production at the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Film and Animation.
His films have been nationally recognized, most notably being shown in the Time Square AMC Theaters as part of the All-American High School Film Festival in 2021. French has garnered accolades for his writing, directing, and acting in both film and theatre.
Jacob grew up just outside of Rochester NY and has had a love of storytelling since he was very young. His love for storytelling led him to start making films in 1st grade and he hasn’t stopped since. In that time he has made over 300 films.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:
I’m Nash Snyder, and I’m the Director of Photography for Chicken House. I’m really excited to be part of this project and to work with such an awesome team. My goal is to bring our story to life through visuals that not only look great but also really connect with the audience.
For me, it’s all about capturing those moments that make a scene feel real and memorable. Whether it’s playing with lighting to set the mood or finding the perfect angle to highlight a character’s emotion, I’m always thinking about how to make each shot count.
Collaborating with Jacob and the crew has been so great, and having us all on the same page and aligned with this vision has helped create a visual style that really supports this specific story.
Chicken House, while absurd, has a lot of heart- both on screen and behind the scenes. I’m so thrilled to bring my own blend of technical skills and creativity to help bring that heart through the lens.
Can’t wait for you all to see what we’ve been working on!
ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Jenna Blakeslee has written, produced, and directed two films of her own “Moon in the Afternoon” (2023) and “Club 1984” (2024). Through these two projects, Jenna discovered her love and talent for the world of producing. She loves being there for her team, whether that means she's writing emails a mile-a-minute, crunching numbers, or figuring out how to feed your crew on a dime, she’s got you covered. Check out her films: https://youtu.be/OFg8sf-BpZc and take a look at her website: https://nevertomorrowfilms.com/
ABOUT THE EDITOR:
Amber Pintarich is an editor from Sciota, PA going into her fourth year at RIT. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the School of Film and Animation. Amber has edited several short films ranging from ones she has created herself in workshops as well as a few fiction short films directed by other RIT students. Her work has been selected for the Chroma Art Film Festival, was an honorable mention for SOFA’s honor show, and made it to the shortlist for the Adobe Digital Edge Awards.
ABOUT THE SOUND DESIGNER:
Carina Christman is a fourth year film production major - sound designer - minoring in music and technology.
Since freshman year, she has worked on over 40 student films, most commonly within the Art and Sound departments while maintaining over a 3.6 GPA.
Outside of academics, Carina can be found preforming on Trombone with the Premiere RIT Jazz band, working as a student videographer for RIT’s marketing and communications, Editing for RIT’s Sports network, as well as participating on the E-board for the RIT Animation club.
Coming out of her Digital Media Intership with the City of Rochester for the summer, she is eager and excited to get back on set!
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION DESIGNER:
Cameron Pereira is a third year graphic design major currently studying for a bachelor's degree in fine arts. She has been a part of many productions, both acting and working behind the scenes. Cameron is also a dancer and has performed in various dance shows, including on a Broadway stage.
ABOUT THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR:
Jessi Opett is a Rochester NY-born filmmaker with a love for women-led stories and subversive films. She is thrilled to be working with such a kindhearted crew after being persuaded to put her AD hat back on again.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
What would you do if you bought a famous house and had to deal with visits from mysterious strangers? What if those mysterious strangers were cosplaying as chickens? That's exactly the situation that Frank Brickett finds himself in when he moves to the suburbs. While he wants nothing more than to shut out the world, the world just won't leave him alone.
Chicken House is a short horror/comedy film about grief, the weird forms it takes, and how we choose to deal with it. It's a student capstone film at the Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Film and Animation. Writer/Director Jacob French is an award-winning filmmaker who loves tackling emotionally-heavy topics through the lens of absurd comedy. Chicken House is the culmination of all of his work up to this point, mixing hard-hitting drama with hilarious comedic moments and horror tropes. The film is a sandbox for French and his team to play: all of the chicken costumes are being homemade, a sequence is being shot on 16mm film, certain visual effects will be accomplished practically with stop motion animation, there are Steadicam shots, huge jib shots, and even a shot that requires 50 feet of dolly track. The team is not pulling any punches with making this an incredibly entertaining and unique film. Furthermore, it'll be an earnest exploration of grief and human connection; it's a story many people will see themselves in and hopefully find some comfort in.
Pre-Production for Chicken House technically began in early 2023, when the first draft of the script was completed. Since then, its been meticulously revised, an all-star team has been assembled, and all the pieces are in place to begin filming this October. All we need is YOUR SUPPORT! Please donate to help us afford props and costumes (including at least 20 homemade chicken costumes... that's not a joke), gear rental, purchasing and developing 16mm film, food for our cast and crew, and film festival fees. After the film is completed in Spring of 2025, it will be entered into numerous film festivals. After the festival circuit is complete, it will be released for free online, likely around 2026 or 2027. If you'd like to see it sooner though, you can receive exclusive early access with our $25 incentive!
Please help us tell this hilarious and important story!
Meet our All-Star Team:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Props and Costumes
Costs $700
We have a lot of chicken costumes to make... Additionally this money will help our art department create the world of the film!
Gear Rental
Costs $300
While most of our gear will be provided by RIT, there are some very exciting specialty items we'll need to rent!
Craft Services
Costs $1,500
Gotta keep our cast and crew fed and taken care of (meals will consist of more than just chicken)
Shooting on Film
Costs $150
This is exciting! We're shooting a sequence of the short on 16mm film.
Film Festivals
Costs $250
After the film's completion, this will help to get it seen by more people!
Share this update!
About This Team
ABOUT THE WRITER/DIRECTOR:
Jacob French (he/him) is a 21 year old filmmaker, and performer. He is currently pursuing a BFA in Film Production at the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Film and Animation.
His films have been nationally recognized, most notably being shown in the Time Square AMC Theaters as part of the All-American High School Film Festival in 2021. French has garnered accolades for his writing, directing, and acting in both film and theatre.
Jacob grew up just outside of Rochester NY and has had a love of storytelling since he was very young. His love for storytelling led him to start making films in 1st grade and he hasn’t stopped since. In that time he has made over 300 films.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:
I’m Nash Snyder, and I’m the Director of Photography for Chicken House. I’m really excited to be part of this project and to work with such an awesome team. My goal is to bring our story to life through visuals that not only look great but also really connect with the audience.
For me, it’s all about capturing those moments that make a scene feel real and memorable. Whether it’s playing with lighting to set the mood or finding the perfect angle to highlight a character’s emotion, I’m always thinking about how to make each shot count.
Collaborating with Jacob and the crew has been so great, and having us all on the same page and aligned with this vision has helped create a visual style that really supports this specific story.
Chicken House, while absurd, has a lot of heart- both on screen and behind the scenes. I’m so thrilled to bring my own blend of technical skills and creativity to help bring that heart through the lens.
Can’t wait for you all to see what we’ve been working on!
ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Jenna Blakeslee has written, produced, and directed two films of her own “Moon in the Afternoon” (2023) and “Club 1984” (2024). Through these two projects, Jenna discovered her love and talent for the world of producing. She loves being there for her team, whether that means she's writing emails a mile-a-minute, crunching numbers, or figuring out how to feed your crew on a dime, she’s got you covered. Check out her films: https://youtu.be/OFg8sf-BpZc and take a look at her website: https://nevertomorrowfilms.com/
ABOUT THE EDITOR:
Amber Pintarich is an editor from Sciota, PA going into her fourth year at RIT. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the School of Film and Animation. Amber has edited several short films ranging from ones she has created herself in workshops as well as a few fiction short films directed by other RIT students. Her work has been selected for the Chroma Art Film Festival, was an honorable mention for SOFA’s honor show, and made it to the shortlist for the Adobe Digital Edge Awards.
ABOUT THE SOUND DESIGNER:
Carina Christman is a fourth year film production major - sound designer - minoring in music and technology.
Since freshman year, she has worked on over 40 student films, most commonly within the Art and Sound departments while maintaining over a 3.6 GPA.
Outside of academics, Carina can be found preforming on Trombone with the Premiere RIT Jazz band, working as a student videographer for RIT’s marketing and communications, Editing for RIT’s Sports network, as well as participating on the E-board for the RIT Animation club.
Coming out of her Digital Media Intership with the City of Rochester for the summer, she is eager and excited to get back on set!
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION DESIGNER:
Cameron Pereira is a third year graphic design major currently studying for a bachelor's degree in fine arts. She has been a part of many productions, both acting and working behind the scenes. Cameron is also a dancer and has performed in various dance shows, including on a Broadway stage.
ABOUT THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR:
Jessi Opett is a Rochester NY-born filmmaker with a love for women-led stories and subversive films. She is thrilled to be working with such a kindhearted crew after being persuaded to put her AD hat back on again.