The Boy in the Orchard
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
Daniel’s friends have been avoiding him lately, so he brings them together for one more game night. However, he soon reveals his dark intentions – to keep them there forever. Only Charli, the acerbic stoner of the group, is left to play a cat-and-mouse game for her friends’ freedom and their souls.
The Boy in the Orchard
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
67 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$9,755
Goal: $25,000 for production
Daniel’s friends have been avoiding him lately, so he brings them together for one more game night. However, he soon reveals his dark intentions – to keep them there forever. Only Charli, the acerbic stoner of the group, is left to play a cat-and-mouse game for her friends’ freedom and their souls.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
DANNY welcomes his friends to his apartment for a much-delayed game night. After everyone enters, Danny closes the door, but slacker CHARLI puts her hand out to stop from getting her face smashed. Danny forgot she was coming over and seems a little thrown. They’re the kind of friends who happen to be in the same group, but never really talk one on one.
After Danny shows off a valuable comic book he just got, he announces it’s time to play his latest acquisition – THE BOY IN THE ORCHARD. The game doesn’t look like any mass-produced board game. It seems like it was intricately hand-carved into a single piece of wood.
The Charli, dreading an overly complicated game, quietly exits the room to get stoned. Not realizing she’s gone, Danny begins, but not before his friends break the bad news to him that they’re going to attend his ex’s wedding. Shockingly, he seems totally fine with it. However, the truth is quickly revealed as the game takes a horrifying turn. As each person fails the game, they’re seemingly taken over, obeying Danny’s every command.
After everyone at the table turns, Charli re-enters. She has no idea what’s going on and is shocked when Danny screams and her now-possessed friends attack her. She escapes, grabs his vintage comic, and threatens to throw it out the window.
Danny’s excited to play the game for the fate of their friends. But the nightmare has just begun – as they play, blood flies, friends turn on each other, and the game begins moving on its own. Can Charli win? And even if she does, will there be enough of her friends left to save?
We’re at a time where many people refuse to move forward because it’s too hard so they cling tightly on to the things that used to make them happy instead of trying to find new things and grow with the world around them. The protagonist and antagonist of this story are both going through the same thing – watching their friends' lives change as theirs stay the same. However, they both have very different ways of dealing with it and this story is about what happens when those two very different personalities clash.
Sean wrote this because he's going through the same thing – not the evil board game part, but the rest of it. In talking to the rest of the team, we realized it's not just him, but something everyone goes through at some point in their lives. The unique blend of horror and comedy made this a project we just had to bring to life.
Our stellar cast and crew have a deep history and love of both horror and comedy. They’re not just workers in those genres, they’re fans. Both in their professional careers and personal lives, they’ve worked on projects at Shudder, AMC, Starz, DropoutTV, and have even created a live horror improv show featuring guests like David Dastmalchian, Barbara Crampton, David Howard Thornton, Michael Rosenbaum, Doug Jones, and more.
We’re also incredibly lucky to have horror and comedy mainstays stars like Dana Delorenzo (Ash vs. Evil Dead, Late Night with Craig Ferguson), Allan McLeod (Pluribus, You’re the Worst), Jacquis Neal (Dropout TV, Crowd Control), Sujata Day (Insecure, I Think You Should Leave), Michael Delisle (Friends from College, MTV's Ridiculousness), and Leah Kilpatrick (Murderbot, 300 Meters).
Our lives have led to this moment and, while that may sound like hyperbole, we can guarantee you, it's not.
You may be asking yourself the above. Once you've donated/shared/followed our short what are the next steps? We're wrapping production at the end of May and giving ourselves 6 weeks for post-production, just in time to submit to the July 15th deadline for BeyondFest!
After that, we're going to submit to some of our favorite genre film festivals and share early looks with all those who donate. We'll then be working on both ANOTHER short idea as a team AND continuing to develop the feature film version of "The Boy in the Orchard."
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast
Costs $6,500
The faces we know and love! They make us feel things and they deserve to be compensated, dammit!
Make Up Effects
Costs $7,000
What's a good horror movie without some make-up grossness? We've got stellar artists ready to bring this work to life
Location
Costs $1,500
Renting and outfitting this creep's apartment ain't cheap, but it is spooky!
Craft Services
Costs $500
Let's make sure our cast and crew get fed and keep their energy up for all the screaming and running.
Gaming Props
Costs $500
We need to make the game special (no repurposing boards here). Our extremely talented prop masters are carving and printing every piece.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sean Reidy is a Los Angeles-based writer and nerdy genre lover. His work has been nominated for The Webbys and his scripts have been Official Selections for Austin Comedy Festival, Hollyshorts Film Festival, the Roadmap Writer’s Jumpstart Competition, Filmmatic Horror Competition, and The Scream List.
Sean also works regularly in live comedy. He’s a co-producer and cast member of CACKLE FREAKS a live horror improv show that unites scream royalty from the horror world with some of the best comedians from Upright Citizens Brigade, Dropout TV, and more. He also directs the monthly sketch show PAPERBACK.
Thayer Juergens is a Los Angeles-based producer, currently serving as Head of Development for Film and TV at A Higher Standard. His producing credits include the recently released PLAYDATE (Amazon, starring Alan Ritchson and Kevin James), SOLO MIO (starring Kevin James) and JUNKIE (Patty Jenkins EP), with upcoming projects including BEAR COUNTRY (starring Russell Crowe and Aaron Paul), RUNNER (starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson), and DOUBLE CROSSED (starring Tiffany Haddish and Isla Fisher). In television, he is producing the upcoming Zack Stentz-led murder mystery series MURDER AS A FINE ART.
Thayer also produces and hosts CACKLE FREAKS, an improv horror show at the Lyric Hyperion that has featured guests including Barbara Crampton, David Dastmalchian, David Howard Thornton, and Michael Rosenbaum.
Jennifer Iacobino is a Los Angeles-based producer, currently serving as Supervising Producer at Good Fiend Films. Her producing Credits include the Boulet Brothers HOLIDAY OF HORRORS special on Shudder and she just wrapped her first film SUPER XX (Kelly Marie Tran and David Dastmalchian). In Television she produces the hit YouTube show GRAVE CONVERSATIONS.
Her original play THE EDDIES AND THE PYPERS was awarded encore performances at the Actors Company during last year's Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
DANNY welcomes his friends to his apartment for a much-delayed game night. After everyone enters, Danny closes the door, but slacker CHARLI puts her hand out to stop from getting her face smashed. Danny forgot she was coming over and seems a little thrown. They’re the kind of friends who happen to be in the same group, but never really talk one on one.
After Danny shows off a valuable comic book he just got, he announces it’s time to play his latest acquisition – THE BOY IN THE ORCHARD. The game doesn’t look like any mass-produced board game. It seems like it was intricately hand-carved into a single piece of wood.
The Charli, dreading an overly complicated game, quietly exits the room to get stoned. Not realizing she’s gone, Danny begins, but not before his friends break the bad news to him that they’re going to attend his ex’s wedding. Shockingly, he seems totally fine with it. However, the truth is quickly revealed as the game takes a horrifying turn. As each person fails the game, they’re seemingly taken over, obeying Danny’s every command.
After everyone at the table turns, Charli re-enters. She has no idea what’s going on and is shocked when Danny screams and her now-possessed friends attack her. She escapes, grabs his vintage comic, and threatens to throw it out the window.
Danny’s excited to play the game for the fate of their friends. But the nightmare has just begun – as they play, blood flies, friends turn on each other, and the game begins moving on its own. Can Charli win? And even if she does, will there be enough of her friends left to save?
We’re at a time where many people refuse to move forward because it’s too hard so they cling tightly on to the things that used to make them happy instead of trying to find new things and grow with the world around them. The protagonist and antagonist of this story are both going through the same thing – watching their friends' lives change as theirs stay the same. However, they both have very different ways of dealing with it and this story is about what happens when those two very different personalities clash.
Sean wrote this because he's going through the same thing – not the evil board game part, but the rest of it. In talking to the rest of the team, we realized it's not just him, but something everyone goes through at some point in their lives. The unique blend of horror and comedy made this a project we just had to bring to life.
Our stellar cast and crew have a deep history and love of both horror and comedy. They’re not just workers in those genres, they’re fans. Both in their professional careers and personal lives, they’ve worked on projects at Shudder, AMC, Starz, DropoutTV, and have even created a live horror improv show featuring guests like David Dastmalchian, Barbara Crampton, David Howard Thornton, Michael Rosenbaum, Doug Jones, and more.
We’re also incredibly lucky to have horror and comedy mainstays stars like Dana Delorenzo (Ash vs. Evil Dead, Late Night with Craig Ferguson), Allan McLeod (Pluribus, You’re the Worst), Jacquis Neal (Dropout TV, Crowd Control), Sujata Day (Insecure, I Think You Should Leave), Michael Delisle (Friends from College, MTV's Ridiculousness), and Leah Kilpatrick (Murderbot, 300 Meters).
Our lives have led to this moment and, while that may sound like hyperbole, we can guarantee you, it's not.
You may be asking yourself the above. Once you've donated/shared/followed our short what are the next steps? We're wrapping production at the end of May and giving ourselves 6 weeks for post-production, just in time to submit to the July 15th deadline for BeyondFest!
After that, we're going to submit to some of our favorite genre film festivals and share early looks with all those who donate. We'll then be working on both ANOTHER short idea as a team AND continuing to develop the feature film version of "The Boy in the Orchard."
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast
Costs $6,500
The faces we know and love! They make us feel things and they deserve to be compensated, dammit!
Make Up Effects
Costs $7,000
What's a good horror movie without some make-up grossness? We've got stellar artists ready to bring this work to life
Location
Costs $1,500
Renting and outfitting this creep's apartment ain't cheap, but it is spooky!
Craft Services
Costs $500
Let's make sure our cast and crew get fed and keep their energy up for all the screaming and running.
Gaming Props
Costs $500
We need to make the game special (no repurposing boards here). Our extremely talented prop masters are carving and printing every piece.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sean Reidy is a Los Angeles-based writer and nerdy genre lover. His work has been nominated for The Webbys and his scripts have been Official Selections for Austin Comedy Festival, Hollyshorts Film Festival, the Roadmap Writer’s Jumpstart Competition, Filmmatic Horror Competition, and The Scream List.
Sean also works regularly in live comedy. He’s a co-producer and cast member of CACKLE FREAKS a live horror improv show that unites scream royalty from the horror world with some of the best comedians from Upright Citizens Brigade, Dropout TV, and more. He also directs the monthly sketch show PAPERBACK.
Thayer Juergens is a Los Angeles-based producer, currently serving as Head of Development for Film and TV at A Higher Standard. His producing credits include the recently released PLAYDATE (Amazon, starring Alan Ritchson and Kevin James), SOLO MIO (starring Kevin James) and JUNKIE (Patty Jenkins EP), with upcoming projects including BEAR COUNTRY (starring Russell Crowe and Aaron Paul), RUNNER (starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson), and DOUBLE CROSSED (starring Tiffany Haddish and Isla Fisher). In television, he is producing the upcoming Zack Stentz-led murder mystery series MURDER AS A FINE ART.
Thayer also produces and hosts CACKLE FREAKS, an improv horror show at the Lyric Hyperion that has featured guests including Barbara Crampton, David Dastmalchian, David Howard Thornton, and Michael Rosenbaum.
Jennifer Iacobino is a Los Angeles-based producer, currently serving as Supervising Producer at Good Fiend Films. Her producing Credits include the Boulet Brothers HOLIDAY OF HORRORS special on Shudder and she just wrapped her first film SUPER XX (Kelly Marie Tran and David Dastmalchian). In Television she produces the hit YouTube show GRAVE CONVERSATIONS.
Her original play THE EDDIES AND THE PYPERS was awarded encore performances at the Actors Company during last year's Hollywood Fringe Festival.