Don't Tell Mom

In these modern times of pandemic where everyone is being told to stay home to be safe, four siblings sneak away without Mom's permission to play zombies at the school's park - only to be accosted by a crazy old man infected with whatever is taking over the dangerous blood sucking world they live in.

Synopsis:
When the world goes into lockdown, the Niemiec kids do what any bored siblings would: they break the rules. Dressed for zombie mayhem, they head to the park for a little undead roleplay — until they meet someone who didn’t get the memo about make-believe. Enter a wild-eyed, possibly infected old man who thinks the apocalypse is real and the kids are part of it. What follows is a hilarious, chaotic chase through pandemic paranoia, sibling squabbles, and one very awkward confession. Don't Tell Mom is a fang-tastic romp through family dysfunction, viral fear, and the power of play — starring the real-life Indy Niemiecs in a comedy that bites back.

  • Karl J Niemiec
    Director
    To Answer Your Question
  • Karl J Niemiec
    Writer
  • Karl J Niemiec
    Producer
  • Karl J Niemiec
    Key Cast
    "Crazy Vampire"
  • Paisley Niemiec
    Key Cast
    "Paisley"
  • Hudson Niemiec
    Key Cast
    "Hudson"
  • Kolton Niemiec
    Key Cast
    "Kolton"
  • Violet Niemiec
    Key Cast
    "Vi"
  • Erin Harkess-Niemiec
    Sound Recording
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 13, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    200 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • International Mobile Phone Film Festival
    San Diego
    United States
    March 13, 2021
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • The Absurd Film Festival
    Cinisello Balsamo
    Italy
    February 21, 2026
    Europe
    Honorary Mention
Distribution Information
  • LapTop Publishing
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Karl J Niemiec

Former IUPUI adjunct professor Karl J. Niemiec is the grandson of Detroit Polish mobsters portrayed in his book and screenplay, The Polish Gang – 1929. Raised in the small country town of Jonesville, Michigan, near the Ohio border, Karl grew up working on farms, playing sports, shooting guns, and riding horses. He now lives in Carmel, Indiana, with his wife and four children, where he writes love stories that blend heart, humor, and grit across multiple genres using The Inside Pitch-recommended How to Be a Prolific Screenwriter, originally developed at UCLA Extension, and taught at IUPUI.

AFTRA/SAG / WGA eligible

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Can attend your event.

Love stories because the world needs more.

I believe who I’m looking for is one person away.

And I’m ready to be put to work. From a full outline it takes me about 10 days to reach a workable first draft. Even wrote a book on how I do it and taught it at IUPUI after developing it at UCLA.

Amazon: https://a.co/d/gBofQTd

More about the Author.

Karl J. Niemiec writes heartfelt love stories across multiple genres and lives with his wife and four children in Carmel, Indiana.

A former Los Angeles resident, Karl relocated to Indiana in 2006 and began teaching at IUPUI as an Adjunct Professor. There, he taught courses based on his bestselling books Write to Be Published and The Inside Pitch-recommended How to Be a Prolific Screenwriter, originally developed at UCLA Extension.

Two documentary projects he and his family produced when they first arrived were:

“This Is Why - Why Do Six Garbage Trucks Go By My House In One Day?” Karl gifted the project to the city of Carmel and Mayor Brainard to help him implement his plan to get all of Carmel on one garbage and recycling service. After it passed, the Niemiecs were given a Carmel Green Environment Award by the Carmel City Council.

And "Special - Give Us A Game", an 8 year study of The Michigan Far Flyers, a Special Needs Hockey team created and coached by Karl’s brother Ben Niemiec and the team's quest to find other teams like them to play. The 60 minute documentary on Amazon inspired "The Indy Twisters" to form right here in Carmel, Indiana.

https://www.facebook.com/indytwisters/

Karl's Written, Acted, Directed Film Festival Projects Include:

Law of Average - In the Endless City - a proof of concept Neo-Noir Series Pilot - Won the LA Film and Script Neo-Noir Film Fest.

Out of the Coffin - Short premiered at Haunted Newport, Rhode Island, also screened at The Santa Monica Film Fest and The Indianapolis Gen Con.

To Answer Your Question - Short Screened at the Great Lakes International Film Festival.

Don't Tell Mom - Family Covid Short - Screened at the International Mobile Film Festival

His teaching journey continued as he directed nine parent acclaimed hit children's musicals, which opened the door to instructing students of all ages at the YMCA, Monon Center, and KjN Studio. The Studio’s signature on-camera technique, The Hero Face, stems from Karl’s private training in ABC’s film library—an experience that saw him move from the mailroom to on-screen roles on General Hospital and Welcome Back, Kotter.

Karl’s passion for performance and storytelling is showcased in his book Audition Monologues That Work, five scenes from which earned IMDb credits. Two of these scenes were selected for film festivals—three of which premiered locally at The Box Film Studio, home to the Indiana Film Network's monthly gatherings.

His expertise in screenwriting and directing led to national opportunities, including a recurring role directing Agent/Manager audition scenes at showcases back in Los Angeles. These biannual events also involved directing and editing actor reels while shooting a day-and-the-life production of the actors and their families from across the country.

Today, Karl continues to write and adapt his screenplays into stage plays, novels, audiobooks, and even game boards to broaden his projects' marketability using the same simple five reformatting techniques that spawned The Game of Halloween inside How to Be a Prolific Screenwriter.