Cameron is a gay man with a tense relationship with his past. Even after moving away and starting a new life, the feelings of loneliness and alienation have left him hurt and keeping the rest of the world at an arm's length. The only person who is able to get through to Cameron's softer side is his boyfriend, Drake. Drake is warm, confident, and amiable, contrasting the introverted and moody Cameron. Their relationship is the best thing in Cameron's life and what keeps him grounded. But all of this is put in danger when Cameron is attacked by a mysterious creature during a full moon... If Cameron wants to have a happy life, he has to face the monster within himself.

Hard-Bitten sinks its teeth into themes of unresolved trauma and the emotional scars that a bitter past leaves us with. 

These feelings, when left unresolved, make it difficult to trust, open up, and build relationships. Being vulnerable becomes very frightening and it can be tempting to be abrasive and withdraw into your painful feelings while keeping a wall between you and others... Including the ones you love. 

Growing up in a small Midwestern town as a queer artist with a passion for horror was, needless to say, difficult. The years of experience left me with a lot of callousness to protect myself. I didn't expect that callousness and pain to follow me into adulthood. Queer cinema and the expectations put on queer artists are another frustration. The portrayal of being queer as a peppy quirk, the romanticism, the stereotypes, and the happily-ever-afters felt disingenuous and unrelatable; fit only for straight applause and queer eye-rolls. I want to make a horror story about the hurt that a lot of queer people carry around with them and the burdensome work it takes to undo that hurt. This story is very personal to me but will also resonate with queer and straight audiences alike. I think we all know how hard it can be to face our inner monsters without becoming one ourselves.

- director, Gabriel Scott

Hard-Bitten is a bleak horror short film and will have a moody and somber style and vibe to match.

The film will opt for shots that convey loneliness and claustrophobia as well as color palettes that are drab, muted, and lifeless.

Since its origins, horror has always had a large queer audience. Examples of horror with explicitly queer themes and characters, however, are few and far between. Queerness in horror has historically been implicit, metaphoric, and only present in undertones. Closeted if you will. Hard-Bitten seeks to challenge that. This is a true horror story made for queer audiences featuring explicitly queer characters but the themes will resonate with queer and straight audiences alike.

Werewolves are one of the most iconic creatures in pop culture. Yet, modern examples of the werewolf film are few and far between. Today, they often take the route of campy self-awareness. Hard-Bitten seeks to breathe new life into the werewolf story; making the werewolf dangerous again. The story utilizes the implicit themes of werewolfism: transformation, secrecy, and alienation for a fresh new horror story with a legendary monster.

Hard-Bitten is taking some inspiration from some of the best and most creative werewolf films!

I have had a passion for horror and all things creepy since I was a little kid. Movies, and especially horror movies, captivated me and it wasn't long before I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

I started making horror short films when I was 12 years old. I would throw corn syrup blood on my friends, film on the family camcorder, and edit it in Windows Movie Maker. I never stopped making films and never lost my love for horror. 

Now, I'm a film student in my senior year at Columbia College Hollywood. I've made many projects and horror has continued to be the perfect way to express my artistic voice. Hard-Bitten is my senior thesis project. This is what I will be leaving film school with and adding to my portfolio, taking to film festivals, presenting as proof of concept for a bigger project, and showing to potential employers and executives.

Horror movies are my home and I can think of no more fulfilling way to spend my life than making them myself. Hard-Bitten is a big step in building my career as a queer genre filmmaker but it is also a labor of love for the things I'm most passionate about.

Previous work:

youtube.com/PhantasmalFilms

youtube.com/GarlandLand dir. The Grinder, The Muse, and The Afterlife is Now!

Making a movie requires many moving pieces and takes an army. And our army needs your help!

Your contributions will go toward things like... 

Special Effects - any great werewolf movie needs great special effects!

Locations - we need to establish the world where this story takes place!

Food - a well-fed crew is a happy crew!

Wardrobe - when blood and monsters are involved, wardrobe needs increase!

Props and Production Design - help us build out the world the characters live in!

Your pledges can also get you different cool, fun, and exclusive incentives!

Where we're headed!

We are currently in pre-production and soon to be in production! This campaign will help fund the film's production and go toward post and film festival fees. The film will be taken to film festivals, especially ones that take pride in celebrating the horror genre. The film will also be added to the portfolios of the talented young filmmakers involved AND will be presented to executives for chances at bigger projects! This film is a passionate labor of love but will also be a huge step for all involved! 

Our cast and crew will be adhering to all of the precautions against spreading COVID that we can! These are unprecedented times and we take safety very seriously. No film is worth harming someone's health. All involved will be vaxxed, wearing masks, sanitizing, and keeping distance as much as possible. We love filmmaking but we care even more about our cast and crew!

Spread the word!

Spread the word about our exciting project and share our campaign on social media! Not only will this help our campaign be successful but it will also help us reach a bigger audience for the film. We want to reach those who this film will resonate with. We want them to be as excited about this project as we are!

Here are some examples of posts that you can even copy-paste!

Help @mrgabrielscott by contributing to his exciting new film! HARD-BITTEN, a queer werewolf film! www.seedandspark.com/fund/hardbitten

What better way to celebrate October than by getting a horror film made!? Contribute to HARD-BITTEN, an upcoming horror short film from @mrgabrielscott! www.seedandspark.com/fund/hardbitten

Are you as excited about the upcoming horror film, HARD-BITTEN as I am!? Check it out! www.seedandspark.com/fund/hardbitten 

Our team is very creative, talented, and excited to bring this unique vision to life! Thank you for reading, for contributing, and for sharing! Keep an eye out for updates! And of course... keep an eye on the moon.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: instagram.com/mrgabrielscott

Twitter: twitter.com/mrgabrielscott

Production Company

Instagram and Twitter: @PhantasmalFilms

COMING SOON!