Dog Days

A portrait of adolescence, brotherhood, and a moment of discovery. Stephen and Isaac are bored to death on a hot summer day when the dog goes missing. The drama unfolds slowly, moment by moment, like real life. Stephen struggles to contain his younger brother and find some purpose in himself. I worked hard with Joran and Clayton to capture bits of their own relationship on film: Joran, quiet and introspective, Clayton, loud and goofy.

I wanted to avoid music, to avoid anything melodramatic about a family pet getting hurt. I wanted to focus on the physical, the heat of the sun on their skin, the shift in nature from benevolent to menacing once the dog’s wound has been discovered. I wanted 4:3 out of nostalgia, and I wanted the camera work to feel one step away from “found footage.” I wanted to tell a simple story that culminated in one moment - Stephen’s ride back to the house on the tractor - and the overwhelming feeling that on this boring summer day he might’ve just opened Pandora’s box.