INSPIRED BY ACTUAL EVENTS

In 2007, I found an old, chewed-up tennis ball half buried in the middle of my backyard. On its own, that doesn’t sound particularly strange, but context matters. I had lived on Old Salem Road (yes, that’s my real street name) for ten years and had never found anything like that before. I also had a six-foot fence enclosing the entire yard, with a gate that was difficult to open. Still, I didn’t think much of it and casually tossed the ball in the trash.

A week later, I found another old, chewed-up tennis ball, this time half buried under the corner of my wooden deck. It felt odd, but not alarming. I threw that one out too. Then, the following week, I found another old, chewed-up tennis ball buried in the exact same spot under the deck. That’s when I became intrigued.

THE PLOT THICKENS

I wanted a logical explanation. How does the same type of object keep reappearing in the same place—especially after living in the house for a decade? Over the next six months, more and more chewed-up tennis balls began appearing in my yard. They were always old. Some were so mangled that the yellow felt was partially gone. Some sat on the surface, others were partially buried. During that time, I became increasingly obsessed.

When I brought it up to my wife, she offered explanations that sounded reasonable but felt illogical to me. Maybe the previous owner had a dog (they did not, I checked). Maybe it was the neighbor kids (chewing on balls? I don't think so). Maybe it rained (not buying it). Week after week, my fixation grew. What started as a strange curiosity slowly took over my thoughts. I wasn’t sleeping well. I was irritated all the time. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I began to wonder if what I was experiencing was psychological, paranormal, or if there really was a logical explanation that I just couldn’t see.

A STORY WITHOUT AN ENDING

Then, suddenly, it stopped. No more tennis balls. No more half-buried surprises. Nothing. Eventually, I started sleeping again, and over the next year my life slowly returned to normal. Whenever I told people the story, they were completely hooked. They leaned in, waiting for the reveal. They always asked the same question: “So what was burying the tennis balls in your backyard?” And my answer was always the same: “I don’t know. It just stopped.” They’d throw their hands up in disappointment and say, “Your story stinks. There’s no ending.” They were right. The story needed closure.

THE PERFECT ENDING

In 2021, I was at a friend’s party when I met Griff Scially. He told me he wanted to break into screenwriting but didn’t feel like he had a great idea yet. I told him I did. I walked him through the entire tennis ball story, and he loved it. We hit it off instantly and, over the next few weeks, began writing The Dog at Old Salem Road together. We developed layered characters, escalating tension, and—most importantly—a real ending that finally gave the story the closure it never had in real life.

ROLLERCOASTER RIDE

For me, this film isn’t just about strange events in my backyard. It’s about taking the audience on the same emotional and psychological rollercoaster I experienced. The film lives somewhere between The Shining and The Sixth Sense—grounded in reality, but deeply unsettling. Just like REDRUM or I see dead people, The Dog at Old Salem Road has a line that sticks with you: “I don’t have a dog.” This is a lean, character-driven psychological thriller that prioritizes tension and story over spectacle, and it’s designed to become a cult favorite. As the film progresses, the tension steadily escalates. And like any great ride, there’s one final surprise at the end. I created a “Tension Tracking” system to ensure the audience remains emotionally engaged from beginning to end.

DIGGING UP A STUDIO

For the past four years, I’ve tried to get this film produced. As someone outside the traditional film industry, armed mostly with persistence and internet research, it hasn’t been easy. I listed the script on InkTip and spoke with several smaller studios, but nothing ever crossed the finish line.

Then, in January of 2025, I connected with director Sam Toor, who was drawn to The Dog at Old Salem Road for its psychological depth and restrained tension. He proposed an international approach to the film — producing it in India and adapting it for a different cultural and linguistic context. At first, this challenged how I had always imagined the story. But after watching Sam’s work and spending time discussing the themes, characters, and emotional core of the film, it became clear that his perspective strengthened the material rather than changed it. His focus on performance, atmosphere, and psychological realism made him the right director to bring this story to life. With the support of Sam Toor Films as the production backbone, the project found the creative and logistical foundation it needed to move forward.

SAM TOOR & SAM TOOR FILMS

The film is being directed by Sam Toor, an independent filmmaker whose previous feature Town Glitch received an official selection at Crossing the Screen – Eastbourne International Film Festival, Eastbourne, United Kingdom and scheduled May 2–9, 2026.

Production is supported by Sam Toor Films (samtoorfilms.com), providing access to experienced crews, production infrastructure, and post-production resources across multiple countries and this crew was part of Sam’s previous film projects too. Sam has everything needed to bring this story to life, from experienced crews and actors to editing, music, and production resources.

SOUNDS LIKE A THRILLER

One of the most important choices we made was how the film would sound. Rather than using a traditional score, our composer is building the music from the same objects that haunt the main character, tennis balls, dog toys, and ordinary household sounds. Tennis balls, dog toys, household sounds, and subtle environmental noises are transformed into musical textures, blurring the line between sound design and score. As the character’s paranoia grows, the music grows with it, turning ordinary sounds into something unsettling and invasive. This approach allows us to create a soundscape that feels intimate, disturbing, and completely unique to this film, without relying on generic libraries or expensive

orchestras.

THE BUDGET

The total budget for The Dog at Old Salem Road is $20,000.

So far, $12,000 has already been self-funded by the team. This covers all post-production work, editing, sound design, original score, and color grading — as well as travel, lodging.

We are raising the remaining $8,000 through Seed & Spark to complete principal photography. This final portion of the budget goes directly toward on-set production, including:

• Primary and supporting locations & production design, transforming a single house into a psychologically unsettling space plus other locations like office, bar setup.
• Crew, camera, lighting, and sound equipment to meet international festival and streaming standards
• Costumes, props, and on-set details that support character and continuity
• Actor preparation and rehearsals led by the director
• Meals for cast and key crew for the production of 15 days plus 15 days pre production.
• On-set logistics and food catering, ensuring safe and focused working conditions

All key creative roles are secured, and post-production is fully planned. This campaign is the final step needed to bring the film to life. By supporting this project, you are directly funding what appears on screen.

THE TIMELINE

WHERE WE ARE NOW

• Script locked
• Pre-production underway
• International post team secured (already listed on samtoorfilms.com)
• Principal photography scheduled

This campaign funds the final step into production.

OUR PLAN AFTER FUNDING

• 15-day shoot (70% single location)
• 45–60 day post-production
• Festival submissions late 2026
• International distribution outreach

Our goal is to bring this film to the international festival circuit and make it accessible to global audiences through subtitles and dubbing.

JOIN THE JOURNEY

For 2 decades, this story played in my head. We now have the team, the momentum and the international collaboration of talent to bring this story to life.

By supporting this campaign, you’re not just funding a film, you’re joining a movement to bring back the classic psychological thriller. Your support helps shape how this story is told and how far it can reach. 

We would love for you to be part of this journey.