CLAWS - Director's cut

The CLAWS concept came from my childhood experiences with Santa Clause and wether he was real or not. My parents were traditionally into the whole Christmas illusion of Chris Kringle and played out every resource available (as I did for my children) including getting pictures with the mall Santas. Though I noticed every mall Santa had a different beard, voice and smell even. Some with booze on the breath like Bad Santa! Lol...Sometimes creeped me out realizing this is NOT the real Santa but some guy in a suit pretending to be! I approached my parents and they told me they were not the real Santa, but Santas helpers...that he couldn't be at all the malls at once. So I accepted the answer as they were just some guys pretending to be St. Nick, trying to help. But creepy none the less. So I thought one of these people could be unstable, already disguised and if they were to snap...what a good little campy hour flick that would make.
My Son expressed an interest in acting, so I initially wrote the story for him and intended us both to star in it. So, I made a trailer with him in it when he was about 8. When he saw it, he said, "Forget that Dad!! I'm not doing it!". I figured he would change his mind in a couple years, but he did not. So I decided to go ahead without him in the film. I started collecting props and costumes over the years for the film. Also learning the ropes of film making from top to bottom best I could. When he was 13 he decided he wanted to do it...although a 13 year old believing in Santa was a bit silly. So I wrote around it and he became the big Brother in the film. By this time the CLAWS character was a force in my mind that had to get out there. Being a fan of horror and sci-fi films like Nightmare on Elm Street (Fred Kruger my favorite character) , Friday the 13th and Beetlejuice, I thought CLAWS would fit right in and it had to be made. A short film at the very least! Therefore the scary Santa being a force in my mind, a part of me if you will, it is up to me to relay the visions and story dancing in my head for many years.
Being my fist film I asked my friends and founders of Good Stew Productions to assist me on the production of the film. I really enjoyed the journey through writing the script, searching out locations and preparing props/costume. I learned a lot through the process, had to re-shoot some scenes, and had a few sound issues to deal with. But pretty much the final version is very close to what I envisioned it to be.
The hopes for the film is to stir many emotions that keep the audience glued to the screen, wondering what comes next and bit of shock at the end. But for the CLAWS character in particular I hope he is embraced and likable enough, yet evil enough, to earn a place somewhere on the mantle of blood N guts slashers that people will want to see more of him!