Kathy, a failed writer, barely gets by selling "haunted" dolls online to gullible marks, writing elaborate backstories to up the selling price. Her quiet life is upended when she encounters the real deal: Clara Jane, a vintage doll possessed by a foul-mouthed spirit. Clara Jane makes Kathy question everything she thought she knew, and forces her to make a bold choice to change the course of her life.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Kathy: Val Cole
Ronron58: Steve Rizzo

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

Kathy, a failed writer, barely gets by selling "haunted" dolls online to gullible marks, writing elaborate backstories to up the selling price. Her quiet life is upended when she encounters the real deal: Clara Jane, a vintage doll possessed by a foul-mouthed spirit. Clara Jane makes Kathy question everything she thought she knew, and forces her to make a bold choice to change the course of her life.

2. How would you describe this script in two words?

Creepy, salty.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think the premise is unique, though there's definitely a niche fanbase for haunted dolls—both those who truly believe and those who just enjoy that weird little world. And who couldn't use a little encouragement to follow their creative dreams... from beyond the grave?

From a production standpoint, this could be made on a very low budget and shot over 2–3 days. There are only three human characters and two locations. The doll is the most important character and would ideally be robotic—but as a backup, I know some talented puppet makers from a previous short I produced.

4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Ngl: The Princess Bride. I forced my friends to watch it nearly every day ine summer in middle school.

In the horror genre: Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. A perfect film. No notes. Much better than the book.

5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I finished the first draft in early 2020, and planned to produce and direct it as my second short film with the Bay Area Indies film group. Then—well, you know—the pandemic.

Also—I had a baby.

I recently returned to it and did a few revisions over the past year.

6. How many stories have you written?

This is my second short script. I'm currently working on a feature.

7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

I was really inspired by the film Can You Ever Forgive Me? The idea that a very talented writer getting caught up in something creative but morally questionable. I learned about the haunted doll economy through a few podcasts (shoutout to My Brother, My Brother and Me and Ghosted! with Roz Hernandez) and thought it would be a really fun combination.

8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Keeping the length down (always a struggle when you're writing short films), and trying to wrap up the ending in a neat and satisfying way.

9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Human rights. Equality for womxn, BIPOC, and the LGBT+ community.

10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I was searching for festivals that had a screenplay category and was really excited by how The Horror Underground festival supports genre writers. The feedback on my script was incredibly positive, which I appreciated—and the recorded reading was excellent!