Private Project

Misfits

David Hicks, a Marine Corps combat veteran and avid outdoorsman, found his way to Ely, Minnesota to pursue a life of dogsledding. His donated huskies, once thought of as substandard by their previous owners, have learned to work together in beautiful harmony. David learned that his group of misfit dogs just needed to be given the opportunity to work within their strengths - and the outcome surprised him. This film explores themes of how humans and dogs alike need the chance to work in their abilities in order to experience success.

  • Dylan Melcher
    Director
    Crosby Rail, Scrap, Deep Down
  • Troy Dunn
    Producer
  • Phil Olson
    Producer
  • Chuck Melcher
    Producer
  • Dylan Melcher
    Cinematography
  • Michael Csorba
    Edit
  • David Hicks
    Mushers
  • Heather Hicks
    Mushers
  • Will DeHaan
    Production Sound Mix
  • Will DeHaan
    Original Score
  • Taylor Prater
    Art Department
  • Michael Csorba
    Title Design
  • Morgan Highberger
    Productin Assistant
  • Alexia Salingaros
    Color
  • Zach Moody
    Mix and Master
  • Tim Fowler
    Mix and Master
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Adventure, human spirit, animal
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa Mini LF Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Dylan Melcher
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Dylan Melcher

Dylan is a filmmaker based in Tampa, FL but with roots in Minnesota and North Dakota. He developed his first 35mm negative at age 12 and ever since, the magic of image-making has captivated him. Now, with over 15 years experience in the field of filmmaking, his focus is on outdoor documentaries.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Misfits (like most of my films) started with a question. In this case, I asked myself, what does dogsledding look like these days? Of course I had preconceived notions of dogsledding from watching movies like "Iron Will" back in the days. But, I really had no idea what the activity entailed. I have roots in Ely, Minnesota so I did a simple google search and found a link to David Hicks website. From that first click I was hooked - he stands for something greater and I was eager to learn more. After a few phone calls and some emails, we headed to Ely to capture David's story.