Shock Jock
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, LGBTQ
After a dead body shows up inside her station, radio DJ Ruby Osgood receives a phone call with sinister instructions: stay on the air or die. With a fierce lesbian protagonist, a bitchin' 80s soundtrack, and a blood-soaked climax, SHOCK JOCK is a thrilling puzzle box for horror fans to unravel.
Shock Jock
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,710 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
64 supporters | followers
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After a dead body shows up inside her station, radio DJ Ruby Osgood receives a phone call with sinister instructions: stay on the air or die. With a fierce lesbian protagonist, a bitchin' 80s soundtrack, and a blood-soaked climax, SHOCK JOCK is a thrilling puzzle box for horror fans to unravel.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
20 miles west of Odessa, Texas. 1985.
Ruby Osgood hosts a late night radio broadcast where she spins local underground rock music. Tonight, she's running a call-in giveaway, but the contest goes awry when a bizarre, threatening call comes into the station. No stranger to prank calls, Ruby brushes it off as a joke...
...Until a dead body inexplicably shows up during the broadcast. Trapped inside her own radio station, Ruby has no one to turn to except her dwindling radio audience. She must solve this terrifying mystery while following the caller's instructions: stay on the air or die.
My name is Sam Gianfala, and I am the writer and director of Shock Jock.
No other movie makes me jump, scream, cover my eyes, laugh, cringe, and gasp like a scary movie. I love horror because it lets us root for the underdog; it gives us permission to realize our darkest fantasies; and it empowers us to fight the demons that haunt us every day. I'm drawn to unconventional and difficult art that echoes the horrors that queer people face in real life, and in horror movies, I see myself reflected in the misunderstood characters that thrive in the genre. Whenever I watch a horror movie, you'll always find me cheering for the freaks, the weirdos, the deformed, and the outcast.
However, I hunger for more substantial and compelling LGBTQ representation in horror movies. Many of the most successful queer films are romances or dramas, but queer horror has rarely reached a massive blockbuster audience. Shock Jock is here to change that. I am a gay horror filmmaker who aspires to put gay characters in the biggest horror films of the year. I want to see more than just a flamboyant friend or a sadistic queer killer, so my goal as a filmmaker is to dismantle those reductive stereotypes by writing a new future for queer horror characters. Shock Jock will be an important step forward in reaching this goal by spotlighting a resilient and clever lesbian protagonist in a thrilling, bloody horror film everyone can scream for.
Shock Jock will be my fifth short film through my production company Black Lodge Productions, where our motto is "Gay Horror Realness." Whether I'm making movies about drag queens fighting each other or the terror of coming out, all of my films filter LGBTQ stories through the art of the scare. I've loved horror films since I was a kid, and now, I'm here to push horror cinema forward with bold queer storytelling. My team and I are ready to make Shock Jock a kick-ass, terrifying queer short film that pushes the boundaries of what the horror genre is capable of.
Sam Gianfala's Previous Gay Horror Short Films
Gay, Gory, and Campy:
Watch my latest short film below!
If you want to see how I wrote and directed a fully self-funded short film before you contribute to Shock Jock, buckle up and watch Please Rate 5 Stars here! We shot Please Rate 5 Stars on the hottest day of 2024 in a tiny one-car garage, and I am so proud of the cast and crew of this gay little horror movie.
Shock Jock will be my most ambitious production yet. My vision involves designing an authentic 1980's radio station and creating disgusting practical gore effects for the multiple deaths in the script. I believe that creating a genuinely scary and thrilling story with a memorable queer protagonist will get Shock Jock to break out beyond LGBTQ horror fans. I want everyone to be scared by my film, regardless of your sexuality or gender.
When I sat down to start writing Shock Jock, I began with Ruby Osgood, my fierce lesbian radio DJ. To build her character, I looked to two other great radio DJs in horror. Stretch in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Stevie in The Fog were the biggest inspirations for Ruby's character. They're decisive, courageous, and resourceful, and those are the exact traits I wanted for my radio DJ.
But who can bring those characteristics to Ruby Osgood?
I know the perfect actor to embody Ruby: Kelsey Weinstein. Kelsey has been a long time collaborator with Black Lodge Productions, and they have an impressive acting resume spanning 20 years on camera and on stage. Kelsey brings intensity and fiery passion to every character they portray, but they're also able to ground their characters in more intimate, emotional scenes. Those qualities will bring Ruby to life as an unforgettable lesbian hero you'll be rooting for until the credits roll.
Narratively, I challenged myself to write a script where the mystery is the driving force of the story. I had to create enticing secrets with satisfying payoffs, and I knew Shock Jock needed plenty of twists and blood. Movies like Black Christmas and The Ring were great sources of inspiration for their well-crafted mysteries and iconic phone call scenes.
The soundtrack will consist of original music inspired by 80's rock. The Wild City Project, an excellent local band I worked with on Please Rate 5 Stars, will write and perform the music. Their clever lyricism and eclectic sound would be the perfect music for Ruby to play on the airwaves and set the tone for Shock Jock.
As for the visual style, I want Shock Jock to look like an indie horror flick that was really shot in the 80's. The isolating and haunting cinematography of The Fog and Halloween III will heavily influence the look of Shock Jock; our goal is to make you feel just as deserted and disoriented as Ruby is. Here are just a few of my inspirations behind the story, tone, and visuals of Shock Jock:
We appreciate any contribution to make this film a reality, so JOIN THE SHOCK JOCK TEAM TODAY! By pledging a contribution to Shock Jock, you will bring queer horror to new audiences and push the horror genre into a thrilling new direction.
We are slated to film Shock Jock for two days in May 2026, followed by post-production lasting from June to September 2026. Our aim is to have private test screenings by the end of September in order to submit the film to horror and LGBTQ-focused film festivals throughout the end of the year.
If you are not able to make a pledge right now, here are some other ways you can support Shock Jock and Black Lodge Productions:
Share this campaign with your friends, family, and filmmakers who want to see this queer horror film made!
Connect us with collaborators and donors! You can email us at [email protected]
Follow Black Lodge Productions on social media!
Stalk our Instagram:
Watch all of our films here!
https://www.youtube.com/@blacklodgeproductions
Thank you so much for your consideration and support of Shock Jock!
We are proud to present SHOCK JOCK, an original terrifying mystery made 100% by humans. NO part of the development, financing, production, or marketing of this film was/will be generated by AI.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew
Costs $3,000
We will pay the excellent filmmakers on our team for their time and hard work.
Location & Set Design
Costs $1,700
We will rent a space and turn it into an accurate 1980s radio station.
Food
Costs $300
We need good crafty and catering so our team can do their best work on set.
Gear Rentals
Costs $1,000
We want to emulate 80's indie horror flicks through the lighting, camera movements, and sound.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sam Gianfala
Writer & Director
Sam Gianfala is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker dedicated to increasing LGBTQ representation in the horror genre. Sam has written and directed 4 short films through his production company Black Lodge Productions, highlighting LGBTQ characters and storylines in each film. As a director, he empowers actors to go wild and weird with their characters, and he firmly believes in the power of a gory on-screen kill. Sam's dream is to get queer protagonists into the biggest horror blockbusters of the year by creating shocking scares, memorable deaths, and suspenseful storytelling.
Kelsey Weinstein
"Ruby Osgood" - Lead Actor
Kelsey Weinstein is a multi-hyphenate actor, originally hailing from Colorado. They have spent over 20 years of their life performing, and they have a deep love for all things theater, music and art. Kelsey has been a part of Black Lodge Productions since their first short Fierce! Sometimes they're behind the scenes with a boom mic or on camera in about a pound of ghost makeup. As a bisexual and nonbinary actor, they couldn’t be more excited to be a part of a company that focuses on LGBTQ+ stories. Some of their favorite queer characters they have gotten to portray include Maureen (RENT) and Yitzhak (Hedwig and the Angry Inch).
Michael Haggerty
Director of Photography
Michael Haggerty is an LA-based, award-winning director of photography and alumnus of the world-renowned USC School of Cinematic Arts. Born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia, he has an affinity for telling extraordinary stories about ordinary people. Throughout his time at USC, Michael developed a passion for lighting and worked his way through the grip and lighting department, honing his skills as a gaffer and DP. He also assisted professors Linda Brown and Chris Chomyn, ASC with their intermediate and advanced cinematography courses. Michael’s work includes a variety of short films and music videos with an emphasis on drama, horror, and surreal imagery. In 2024, he won the award for Achievement in Cinematography -- Narrative for his work on Danny Boy (2023). His goal as a filmmaker is to create images that capture the human experience, inspire awe, and evoke lasting emotional responses.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
20 miles west of Odessa, Texas. 1985.
Ruby Osgood hosts a late night radio broadcast where she spins local underground rock music. Tonight, she's running a call-in giveaway, but the contest goes awry when a bizarre, threatening call comes into the station. No stranger to prank calls, Ruby brushes it off as a joke...
...Until a dead body inexplicably shows up during the broadcast. Trapped inside her own radio station, Ruby has no one to turn to except her dwindling radio audience. She must solve this terrifying mystery while following the caller's instructions: stay on the air or die.
My name is Sam Gianfala, and I am the writer and director of Shock Jock.
No other movie makes me jump, scream, cover my eyes, laugh, cringe, and gasp like a scary movie. I love horror because it lets us root for the underdog; it gives us permission to realize our darkest fantasies; and it empowers us to fight the demons that haunt us every day. I'm drawn to unconventional and difficult art that echoes the horrors that queer people face in real life, and in horror movies, I see myself reflected in the misunderstood characters that thrive in the genre. Whenever I watch a horror movie, you'll always find me cheering for the freaks, the weirdos, the deformed, and the outcast.
However, I hunger for more substantial and compelling LGBTQ representation in horror movies. Many of the most successful queer films are romances or dramas, but queer horror has rarely reached a massive blockbuster audience. Shock Jock is here to change that. I am a gay horror filmmaker who aspires to put gay characters in the biggest horror films of the year. I want to see more than just a flamboyant friend or a sadistic queer killer, so my goal as a filmmaker is to dismantle those reductive stereotypes by writing a new future for queer horror characters. Shock Jock will be an important step forward in reaching this goal by spotlighting a resilient and clever lesbian protagonist in a thrilling, bloody horror film everyone can scream for.
Shock Jock will be my fifth short film through my production company Black Lodge Productions, where our motto is "Gay Horror Realness." Whether I'm making movies about drag queens fighting each other or the terror of coming out, all of my films filter LGBTQ stories through the art of the scare. I've loved horror films since I was a kid, and now, I'm here to push horror cinema forward with bold queer storytelling. My team and I are ready to make Shock Jock a kick-ass, terrifying queer short film that pushes the boundaries of what the horror genre is capable of.
Sam Gianfala's Previous Gay Horror Short Films
Gay, Gory, and Campy:
Watch my latest short film below!
If you want to see how I wrote and directed a fully self-funded short film before you contribute to Shock Jock, buckle up and watch Please Rate 5 Stars here! We shot Please Rate 5 Stars on the hottest day of 2024 in a tiny one-car garage, and I am so proud of the cast and crew of this gay little horror movie.
Shock Jock will be my most ambitious production yet. My vision involves designing an authentic 1980's radio station and creating disgusting practical gore effects for the multiple deaths in the script. I believe that creating a genuinely scary and thrilling story with a memorable queer protagonist will get Shock Jock to break out beyond LGBTQ horror fans. I want everyone to be scared by my film, regardless of your sexuality or gender.
When I sat down to start writing Shock Jock, I began with Ruby Osgood, my fierce lesbian radio DJ. To build her character, I looked to two other great radio DJs in horror. Stretch in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Stevie in The Fog were the biggest inspirations for Ruby's character. They're decisive, courageous, and resourceful, and those are the exact traits I wanted for my radio DJ.
But who can bring those characteristics to Ruby Osgood?
I know the perfect actor to embody Ruby: Kelsey Weinstein. Kelsey has been a long time collaborator with Black Lodge Productions, and they have an impressive acting resume spanning 20 years on camera and on stage. Kelsey brings intensity and fiery passion to every character they portray, but they're also able to ground their characters in more intimate, emotional scenes. Those qualities will bring Ruby to life as an unforgettable lesbian hero you'll be rooting for until the credits roll.
Narratively, I challenged myself to write a script where the mystery is the driving force of the story. I had to create enticing secrets with satisfying payoffs, and I knew Shock Jock needed plenty of twists and blood. Movies like Black Christmas and The Ring were great sources of inspiration for their well-crafted mysteries and iconic phone call scenes.
The soundtrack will consist of original music inspired by 80's rock. The Wild City Project, an excellent local band I worked with on Please Rate 5 Stars, will write and perform the music. Their clever lyricism and eclectic sound would be the perfect music for Ruby to play on the airwaves and set the tone for Shock Jock.
As for the visual style, I want Shock Jock to look like an indie horror flick that was really shot in the 80's. The isolating and haunting cinematography of The Fog and Halloween III will heavily influence the look of Shock Jock; our goal is to make you feel just as deserted and disoriented as Ruby is. Here are just a few of my inspirations behind the story, tone, and visuals of Shock Jock:
We appreciate any contribution to make this film a reality, so JOIN THE SHOCK JOCK TEAM TODAY! By pledging a contribution to Shock Jock, you will bring queer horror to new audiences and push the horror genre into a thrilling new direction.
We are slated to film Shock Jock for two days in May 2026, followed by post-production lasting from June to September 2026. Our aim is to have private test screenings by the end of September in order to submit the film to horror and LGBTQ-focused film festivals throughout the end of the year.
If you are not able to make a pledge right now, here are some other ways you can support Shock Jock and Black Lodge Productions:
Share this campaign with your friends, family, and filmmakers who want to see this queer horror film made!
Connect us with collaborators and donors! You can email us at [email protected]
Follow Black Lodge Productions on social media!
Stalk our Instagram:
Watch all of our films here!
https://www.youtube.com/@blacklodgeproductions
Thank you so much for your consideration and support of Shock Jock!
We are proud to present SHOCK JOCK, an original terrifying mystery made 100% by humans. NO part of the development, financing, production, or marketing of this film was/will be generated by AI.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew
Costs $3,000
We will pay the excellent filmmakers on our team for their time and hard work.
Location & Set Design
Costs $1,700
We will rent a space and turn it into an accurate 1980s radio station.
Food
Costs $300
We need good crafty and catering so our team can do their best work on set.
Gear Rentals
Costs $1,000
We want to emulate 80's indie horror flicks through the lighting, camera movements, and sound.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sam Gianfala
Writer & Director
Sam Gianfala is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker dedicated to increasing LGBTQ representation in the horror genre. Sam has written and directed 4 short films through his production company Black Lodge Productions, highlighting LGBTQ characters and storylines in each film. As a director, he empowers actors to go wild and weird with their characters, and he firmly believes in the power of a gory on-screen kill. Sam's dream is to get queer protagonists into the biggest horror blockbusters of the year by creating shocking scares, memorable deaths, and suspenseful storytelling.
Kelsey Weinstein
"Ruby Osgood" - Lead Actor
Kelsey Weinstein is a multi-hyphenate actor, originally hailing from Colorado. They have spent over 20 years of their life performing, and they have a deep love for all things theater, music and art. Kelsey has been a part of Black Lodge Productions since their first short Fierce! Sometimes they're behind the scenes with a boom mic or on camera in about a pound of ghost makeup. As a bisexual and nonbinary actor, they couldn’t be more excited to be a part of a company that focuses on LGBTQ+ stories. Some of their favorite queer characters they have gotten to portray include Maureen (RENT) and Yitzhak (Hedwig and the Angry Inch).
Michael Haggerty
Director of Photography
Michael Haggerty is an LA-based, award-winning director of photography and alumnus of the world-renowned USC School of Cinematic Arts. Born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia, he has an affinity for telling extraordinary stories about ordinary people. Throughout his time at USC, Michael developed a passion for lighting and worked his way through the grip and lighting department, honing his skills as a gaffer and DP. He also assisted professors Linda Brown and Chris Chomyn, ASC with their intermediate and advanced cinematography courses. Michael’s work includes a variety of short films and music videos with an emphasis on drama, horror, and surreal imagery. In 2024, he won the award for Achievement in Cinematography -- Narrative for his work on Danny Boy (2023). His goal as a filmmaker is to create images that capture the human experience, inspire awe, and evoke lasting emotional responses.