Dog Days
New York City, New York | Film Short
Thriller, Drama
As their childhood summer camp prepares to close for good, seven former counselors reunite for one final weekend. But as old memories take on new meaning, tensions resurface, and truths unravel. DOG DAYS confronts the stories we tell ourselves to survive and the people we've become.
Dog Days
New York City, New York | Film Short
Thriller, Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
38 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$10,220
Goal: $22,500 for production
As their childhood summer camp prepares to close for good, seven former counselors reunite for one final weekend. But as old memories take on new meaning, tensions resurface, and truths unravel. DOG DAYS confronts the stories we tell ourselves to survive and the people we've become.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Set in the early '90s, against a backdrop of a summer camp that is closing down, seven lifelong friends and former counselors return for one last weekend. Together, they prepare the property, revisit old memories, and give the place they grew up in the goodbye it deserves.
What begins as a bittersweet farewell quickly exposes the long-buried fractures beneath their once inseparable friendship. As old memories take on new meaning and unresolved tensions resurface, a weekend spent revisiting the past forces them to question everything they thought they knew about themselves, each other, and the place that shaped them
What do you do when your truth unravels?
At its core, Dog Days is about the fragile relationship between memory and identity. It's a story about growing up and realizing that the people and places that shaped your youth may not be how you remember them. We often romanticize the past, clinging to parts of ourselves that feel impossible to return to. But memory is rarely that simple.
"I am deeply fascinated and drawn to human-centered and character-driven stories. I love exploring complex behaviors and finding the space where you can sympathize with the villain or get frustrated with the person who is supposed to be doing the right thing.
I am interested in challenging simple feelings and creating worlds where nothing is as straightforward as it seems. My work lives in that emotional in-between, and I strive to create characters audiences genuinely feel for, even when they don't know exactly how they're supposed to feel about them"
-Leila Chaib (Writer/Director)
We use the framework of a psychological thriller to explore something deeply human: what happens when the memories we've built our identities around begin to change?
We are living in a moment of modern nostalgia, revisiting faces, places, and moments that connect us to the "better versions of ourselves." Dog Days asks what happens when we return to those memories and discover they aren't quite what we thought they were.
Through an emotionally-driven ensemble and a bold visual language, the film gradually shifts from warmth and familiarity into something that is slightly uneasy.
Because we don't want to just tell you about these people, we want you to feel like you remember them
Tone & Style
Dog Days exists between nostalgia and unease. It begins in the warmth of a memory, but as the characters begin to unravel, the visual language follows. VHS tapes, vibrant colors, and sunny days, gradually shift to deeper shadows, cooler tones, and more claustrophobic frames. Handheld camerawork grows, reflecting the instability within the group.
The Setting
Summer camps are one of those nostalgic spaces where friendships feel permanent, summers are endless, and simple moments become lifelong memories. Away from home, camp creates its own world and allows us to be anything we want.
Camp Redwood is more than just a setting to our characters—it is a physical embodiment of the things they're forced to leave behind. We are looking for a location that feels lived-in, familiar, and open. As the camp prepares to close, they reflect on the history built there.
Dog Days is being built from the ground up by a team of young, independent creatives who believe in this story and in each other. Every part of this film is being shaped by artists bringing their voice, experience and independent passion to the project.
Indie film takes a village, and we are incredibly proud of the community we're building around this. None of this would be possible without the brilliant people working behind the scenes and every person who has followed and believed in this project.
Since June, we've been sharing the process of bringing this film to life on TikTok, and we're so grateful to everyone who has followed along, shared our work, and cheered us on.
To take Dog Days to production, we need your support. Fundraising is now live which means you can contribute to the cost of equipment rentals, production design, location fees and permitting, lodging, food for our team, and other resources that support our cast and crew.
Seed&Spark requires us to raise at least 80% of our goal to greenlight production. This means that every contribution and share genuinely matters!
Even if you can't contribute financially right now, every share and follow makes a difference! You can:
Pledge — Every dollar brings us one step closer to our goal and directly supports bringing this film to life!
Share — Pass this along to friends who resonate with the story.
Follow — Join our Dog Days Community and watch the film come to life! (BTS, the process, thoughts, etc)
If you've been here from the beginning, thank you for believing in this story. If you're just joining — we can't wait to keep sharing this with you!
Your Biggest Fans,
The Dog Days Team 𐦂𖨆𐀪𖠋
P.S. we are aiming for an Early November Production... which means Dog Days will be yours early next year!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Equipment
Costs $3,700
The lights, lenses, and sound gear that goes into creating the cinematic world
Location, Lodging and Insurance
Costs $3,500
We're going back to camp! This allows us to secure the place where the story comes to life, and gives our cast/crew a place to sleep
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
We are a team of young, independent filmmakers drawn to character-driven stories that feel deeply human, unafraid to explore the darker sides of our experience. With Dog Days, we're creating space to take creative risks, tell intimate stories, and create opportunities for emerging artists.
𖠰 Leila Chaib — Writer/Director 𖠰
Leila Chaib is a New York-based writer and director with a passion for emotionally charged, character-driven storytelling. A graduate of Pace University, where she studied Film, Psychology and Digital media, her work is rooted in raw expression and emotional complexity. Across narrative film, music videos, and photography, she strives to create bold, atmospheric visuals that resonate with audiences.
𖠰 Aileen O'Leary — Producer 𖠰
Aileen O' Leary is a New York based indie producer and commercial coordinator. She is an alumna of Emerson College's School of Film where she received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in film producing. Aileen has led VOD marketing campaigns with the Highland Film Group and The Avenue, as well as assisted in their Acquisitions, Development, Marketing, and Distributions teams. Additionally, she has worked as a Production Assistant on commercial campaigns with names like Macy's, Steve Madden, and Kewpie, as well as television shows with A24 and Hulu. Outside of producing Dog Days, she is currently working as a coordinator for SEE ME Creative Inc.
𖠰 Spencer Levin — Post-Production Supervisor 𖠰
Spencer brings a strong track record as a producer and post-production supervisor, overseeing a wide range of scripted features, documentaries, and television series. His recent work includes Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, Death of a Unicorn, Willie Nelson & Family, and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Spencer grew up in Los Angeles and later attended USC where he studied music industry and film. He began his career working in production at music festivals around California and directing music videos. Outside of work, he is an avid concertgoer and can commonly be found at a local show or reading one of several in-progress books on his desk
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Set in the early '90s, against a backdrop of a summer camp that is closing down, seven lifelong friends and former counselors return for one last weekend. Together, they prepare the property, revisit old memories, and give the place they grew up in the goodbye it deserves.
What begins as a bittersweet farewell quickly exposes the long-buried fractures beneath their once inseparable friendship. As old memories take on new meaning and unresolved tensions resurface, a weekend spent revisiting the past forces them to question everything they thought they knew about themselves, each other, and the place that shaped them
What do you do when your truth unravels?
At its core, Dog Days is about the fragile relationship between memory and identity. It's a story about growing up and realizing that the people and places that shaped your youth may not be how you remember them. We often romanticize the past, clinging to parts of ourselves that feel impossible to return to. But memory is rarely that simple.
"I am deeply fascinated and drawn to human-centered and character-driven stories. I love exploring complex behaviors and finding the space where you can sympathize with the villain or get frustrated with the person who is supposed to be doing the right thing.
I am interested in challenging simple feelings and creating worlds where nothing is as straightforward as it seems. My work lives in that emotional in-between, and I strive to create characters audiences genuinely feel for, even when they don't know exactly how they're supposed to feel about them"
-Leila Chaib (Writer/Director)
We use the framework of a psychological thriller to explore something deeply human: what happens when the memories we've built our identities around begin to change?
We are living in a moment of modern nostalgia, revisiting faces, places, and moments that connect us to the "better versions of ourselves." Dog Days asks what happens when we return to those memories and discover they aren't quite what we thought they were.
Through an emotionally-driven ensemble and a bold visual language, the film gradually shifts from warmth and familiarity into something that is slightly uneasy.
Because we don't want to just tell you about these people, we want you to feel like you remember them
Tone & Style
Dog Days exists between nostalgia and unease. It begins in the warmth of a memory, but as the characters begin to unravel, the visual language follows. VHS tapes, vibrant colors, and sunny days, gradually shift to deeper shadows, cooler tones, and more claustrophobic frames. Handheld camerawork grows, reflecting the instability within the group.
The Setting
Summer camps are one of those nostalgic spaces where friendships feel permanent, summers are endless, and simple moments become lifelong memories. Away from home, camp creates its own world and allows us to be anything we want.
Camp Redwood is more than just a setting to our characters—it is a physical embodiment of the things they're forced to leave behind. We are looking for a location that feels lived-in, familiar, and open. As the camp prepares to close, they reflect on the history built there.
Dog Days is being built from the ground up by a team of young, independent creatives who believe in this story and in each other. Every part of this film is being shaped by artists bringing their voice, experience and independent passion to the project.
Indie film takes a village, and we are incredibly proud of the community we're building around this. None of this would be possible without the brilliant people working behind the scenes and every person who has followed and believed in this project.
Since June, we've been sharing the process of bringing this film to life on TikTok, and we're so grateful to everyone who has followed along, shared our work, and cheered us on.
To take Dog Days to production, we need your support. Fundraising is now live which means you can contribute to the cost of equipment rentals, production design, location fees and permitting, lodging, food for our team, and other resources that support our cast and crew.
Seed&Spark requires us to raise at least 80% of our goal to greenlight production. This means that every contribution and share genuinely matters!
Even if you can't contribute financially right now, every share and follow makes a difference! You can:
Pledge — Every dollar brings us one step closer to our goal and directly supports bringing this film to life!
Share — Pass this along to friends who resonate with the story.
Follow — Join our Dog Days Community and watch the film come to life! (BTS, the process, thoughts, etc)
If you've been here from the beginning, thank you for believing in this story. If you're just joining — we can't wait to keep sharing this with you!
Your Biggest Fans,
The Dog Days Team 𐦂𖨆𐀪𖠋
P.S. we are aiming for an Early November Production... which means Dog Days will be yours early next year!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Equipment
Costs $3,700
The lights, lenses, and sound gear that goes into creating the cinematic world
Location, Lodging and Insurance
Costs $3,500
We're going back to camp! This allows us to secure the place where the story comes to life, and gives our cast/crew a place to sleep
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
We are a team of young, independent filmmakers drawn to character-driven stories that feel deeply human, unafraid to explore the darker sides of our experience. With Dog Days, we're creating space to take creative risks, tell intimate stories, and create opportunities for emerging artists.
𖠰 Leila Chaib — Writer/Director 𖠰
Leila Chaib is a New York-based writer and director with a passion for emotionally charged, character-driven storytelling. A graduate of Pace University, where she studied Film, Psychology and Digital media, her work is rooted in raw expression and emotional complexity. Across narrative film, music videos, and photography, she strives to create bold, atmospheric visuals that resonate with audiences.
𖠰 Aileen O'Leary — Producer 𖠰
Aileen O' Leary is a New York based indie producer and commercial coordinator. She is an alumna of Emerson College's School of Film where she received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in film producing. Aileen has led VOD marketing campaigns with the Highland Film Group and The Avenue, as well as assisted in their Acquisitions, Development, Marketing, and Distributions teams. Additionally, she has worked as a Production Assistant on commercial campaigns with names like Macy's, Steve Madden, and Kewpie, as well as television shows with A24 and Hulu. Outside of producing Dog Days, she is currently working as a coordinator for SEE ME Creative Inc.
𖠰 Spencer Levin — Post-Production Supervisor 𖠰
Spencer brings a strong track record as a producer and post-production supervisor, overseeing a wide range of scripted features, documentaries, and television series. His recent work includes Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, Death of a Unicorn, Willie Nelson & Family, and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Spencer grew up in Los Angeles and later attended USC where he studied music industry and film. He began his career working in production at music festivals around California and directing music videos. Outside of work, he is an avid concertgoer and can commonly be found at a local show or reading one of several in-progress books on his desk