A cryptozoology (the study of animals whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated; bigfoot, mothman, etc.) enthusiast is hiking through the woods one morning and discovers a strange two toed animal track in the forest. Excited about his find, he does some deep research on if the print has ever been reported. With no animal matching the track, he decides to pack his bag, head into the woods, and find the creature responsible!

Why Me, Why This, and Why Now?

Growing up, I was obsessed with the world of cryptozoology and the paranormal. I watched all the shows from Destination Truth to Ghost Hunters. I believed in all of the stories even to the point that when I was 9 or 10, I watched a documentary on the Discovery channel about explorers finding dragon remains and totally bought into it. When a family member told me the whole thing was fake, I had a really hard time accepting it as the truth. When writing "The Prints in the Woods", I really wanted to incapsulate the strong beliefs I had as a kid in the main character of this story.

The Team

DAVID BROWN is an actor, comedian, & filmmaker based out of Los Angeles. He was born and raised in Idaho which is where he formed his connections to the world of cryptozoology, specifically Bigfoot. He was in the show Jury Duty on Amazon Freevee and the films The Year Between and I Used To Go Here. He performs in the group The Shrimp Boys & the show Don't Break!

LUKE KREGER is a writer, director, cinematographer, and editor based in Oakland. He grew up watching shows and reading books on cryptozoology, so the topic holds a special place in his heart. His short films have been screened at the SF Indie Shorts Film Festival, San Jose International Short Film Festival, and the Culver City Film Festival.

SKINNER is an artist and actor based out of Oakland. He loves cryptids! He's done a whole illustrated series on cryptids where he created his very own creatures and gave them each mini backstories. Skinner's an avid horror fan and has used his talents to create the creatures for his film Shrine of Abominations, Skin Crawl horror comic, and has done work for clients like Adult Swim, Mastodon, and Creepshow. He's also made a whole show called "Drawing with Skinner" which is a psychedelic horror art show where Skinner interviews celebrities as they paint and talk through life in a blend of evil dead and Bob Ross insanity! 

SAM HYATT is a filmmaker and producer based out of San Jose. His recent projects have screened at the SF Indie Shorts Film Festival, Atlanta Shortsfest, and the East Bay Comedy Fest. He loves to see the weird and surreal come to life on screen, and can't wait to delve into the world of cryptozoology! This will be the second short film Sam and Luke have teamed up to produce in 2024.

DUCKFAT PRODUCTIONS is a dynamic team of filmmakers based in the vibrant heart of the Bay Area. Their portfolio includes short films capturing the evolving San Francisco cityscape, documentaries highlighting local water rights activists, and music videos featuring Bay Area artists. They have collaborated with producer Sam Hyatt and director Luke Kreger on previous projects and are eager to continue their creative journey.

The Look

“The Print in the Woods” will be somewhat dreamy, with creamy colors and glowing highlights. Similar to the work of Gregory Crewdson, the shots in the film will create a disconnect from reality. To heighten the emotions of tense scenes and create a feeling of isolation for its main character, the film will use mainly close ups and wide shots.

Gregory Crewdson

The Lobster

The Budget

We’ll be shooting “The Print in the Woods” in August and plan to use the funds we gather towards our cast and crew, set decor, location permits, a creature costume, and our incentives!

Everyone is going to be bringing their A-game to this and we really want to make it worth their while. By spending the funds on our cast and crew, we can ensure everyone is fairly compensated for their artistic contribution.

These funds will also make the world of “The Print in the Woods” come to life. That means decorating our set with the right story telling pieces and making a professional looking creature costume.

Your support will unlock sick incentives! We teamed up with Bay Area artist, Skinner, to create some artwork for a fantastic movie poster, t-shirts, and stickers. We want to make sure that you're able to get more than a name in the credits or a social media shoutout. This film is going to be a fun ride and we're excited to have you alongside us!

Closing Words

“The Print in the Woods” is currently in preproduction. We’re working on scheduling, building out our shot list, and working with our talented costume creator, Ross Kennedy, on bringing Skinner’s creature concept to life! Our goal is to start production by the end of August. Before that point, we’ll be updating you via our Instagram and Seed & Spark. Once we’ve reached full funding, we’ll start the process of incentive production with our vendors. Until then, please keep an eye out for those updates via email and be sure to follow the Fish Ape on Instagram @theprintinthewoods (it’ll help his self esteem)!