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About the Project

Bad Moon Rising is a feature film currently in development.

It's a balls-to-the-walls, badass, action/horror/werewolf film - think of it as From Dusk Till Dawn meets Dog Soldiers. This isn’t about a recently bitten individual dealing with the curse... Nope, it’s just regular people forced into fighting the creatures. They’re kickin’ ass and takin’ names, not a bunch of scared teenagers running, hiding and crying for their mommies.

Predominantly old-school, practical prosthetic effects with minimal CGI, these werewolves are going to be evil, terrifying beasts straight from the depths of hell. Blood will splatter the walls, and bodies will be ripped apart. This definitely ain’t no fairytale, teen-angst, love story.

Bad Moon Rising Concept Art


Logline

Trapped inside a bank after a botched robbery, a group of criminals must fight to survive the night when their hostages become werewolves.

Bad Moon Rising Concept Art


Synopsis

After a daring daylight robbery of a small town bank goes horribly wrong, a group of criminals take hostages and barricade themselves inside. With police on the scene the stage is set for a long standoff.

With the sun slowly sinking and nerves beginning to fray, the bank manager and his family plead with their captors to be released. But it is too late. A full moon has begun to rise and they suddenly transform into bloodthirsty werewolves. It is a massacre. The criminals’ guns prove useless and the bound hostages are like lambs to the slaughter.

Hearing screams and gunfire, the police storm the bank and join the fight. But the werewolves are too quick, too strong, and the policemen are torn to shreds.

Seeing a chance of escape, the survivors – a bloodied selection of criminals, police and hostages – rush to the entrance, only to have the power system overload and security doors engage before their eyes. They’re trapped.

The situation goes from bad to worse when a group of heavily armed werewolf hunters crash through the ceiling, take control of the situation and force the survivors to be bait in their deadly trap. But the werewolves are cunning and survive the hunters’ trap.

Now the only chance of survival for this handful of cops, crims and hostages is to outwit the hunters, fight their way to the vault, lock themselves inside and wait until morning.

Bad Moon Rising Concept Art


Screenplay

The feature-length screenplay was voted WINNER of the 2015 Screencraft Horror Screenplay Contest. Described by jugdes as "Smart, grisly and cinematic..."

Screencraft Winner


Pitch Trailer

To illustrate the desired tone/mood/style for the film, the following rip-o-matic trailer/sizzle reel was created. This was made for pitching purposes only.


Short Film

A modified version of the feature film’s opening sequence was shot in order to act as a guide to the overall feel of the film, and to showcase Scott's work as a director in the horror genre. Scott's intended vision is for an old-school style that also pays homage to the werewolf classics by predominantly utilising prosthetic make-up effects instead of CGI. This short was accomplished on an extremely limited budget and only shows a minimalistic look at the werewolf transformation effects (the final werewolf is not shown).



Festival Screenings

The short film was officially selected into over sixty film festivals including Academy Award qualifying festivals, genre favourites, and prestigious international festivals.

festival selections

In the press

The short film has been highlighted in Rue Morgue Magazine, as well as reviewed by numerous industry websites.


in the press


"... a kickass werewolf short ... When Hamilton gets the feature version down, count me in."

- Mike McCutchen, AIN'T IT COOL NEWS


"... a full-on, practical effects extravaganza, I want this a feature, stat."

- Chris Savage, HORRORMOVIES.CA


"A gritty horror-crime hybrid, the short sank its teeth into the Screamfest audience, who in return demanded a feature version."

- Sean Decker, DREAD CENTRAL


"... a superb production, showcasing top-notch werewolf effects and make-up ... Hopefully director Scott Hamilton will serve the hearty main course for us all soon, under the guise of a bright, full-moon."

- Christian Burgess, TORONTO AFTER DARK FILM FESTIVAL


"I’m a sucker for practical werewolves, and in 7 minutes Hamilton & co. manage to put many past wolf films to shame."

- Justin McConnell, RUE MORGUE’S LITTLE TERRORS FILM FESTIVAL


Short Film Gallery