Proper Disposal
There are rules for the disposing of a soul. There are consequences for breaking them.
In the decaying corridors of 32 Walker Street, “Proper Disposal” is the company you call when you need a problem erased completely. Jerry thought it was just a gig -- easy money, a chance to disappear into New York’s underbelly and keep his head down. But on his first week, everything goes wrong. The vial fails, the victim fights back, and the body vanishes into the building’s shadows.
Now Jerry is trapped with two seasoned operatives, George and Johnny, whose methods are as ruthless as they are strange. As the night unfolds, trust fractures, paranoia spreads, and the job’s true cost comes into focus. It isn’t just about cleaning up -- it’s about survival, power, the pernicious inevitability of repetition, and the dark force at the center of the operation they call the big wheel.
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Caleb ShortDirector
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Caleb ShortWriter
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Caleb ShortProducer
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Caleb ShortKey Cast
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Tait RuppertKey Cast
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Griffin MeyerKey Cast
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Bader KabanniKey Cast
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Gus AronsonCinematographers
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Skyler RosendaleCinematographers
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Sawyer OubreSteadicam Operators
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Lily MarsSteadicam Operators
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Tom LindnerSound Design
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Katie AdamsProduction & Costume Design
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Jaoa VillasboasSound Recordist
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Skyler RosendaleColorist
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Skyler RosendaleDrone Operator
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David WeindorfAssistant Camera
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Suki MccarteySet Dresser, Makeup
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Drew Solei2nd Assistant Camera
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Angelo ChammahExecutive Producers
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Bader KabbaniExecutive Producers
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Skyler RosendaleExecutive Producers
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Caleb ShortExecutive Producers
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Psychological, Drama, Surreal, Comedy, Horror
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Runtime:10 minutes 53 seconds
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Completion Date:July 31, 2025
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Production Budget:3,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital, Arri
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Aspect Ratio:2.32:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Digital Cinema Package:Unavailable
Caleb Short is a Director and Actor, born in NYC, raised in Austin, Texas, based back in New York City.
Caleb studied philosophy and film at Bard College. He has won the Shorty Award in 2024 for his flagship narrative film series "Through The Lens Of" that advertised real estate listings for the company Serhant. He is currently a video director and producer at the advertising agency Bald Agency, and just played the role of Eddy Fortson in the Amazon Prime TV Show 'Ballard.'
This film was imagined, written, and shot in the span of a single week -- a memory preserved in the narrow window before demolition.
On a Monday, I was filming a routine property tour at 32 Walker Street in Tribeca for the real estate company Serhant. Midway through the shoot, inspiration struck. I asked the agents if I could make a film at 32 Walker; a bold narrative film that had nothing to do with the company. Their reply: "Yes, you can use the space… but you have one week. The interior will be demolished."
The space -- a century-old textile office layered with history and detail -- was only days away from being erased, soon to be transformed into a modern condominium. That night, I sat down and wrote the script. By Tuesday morning, it was in my crew’s hands. On Sunday, we shot for fifteen hours straight, racing to capture every corner of the building before it vanished.
By Monday morning, the set and the building as it had existed, was gone. What remains is this film.