Creative director Michaela Olsen, and Brooklyn Studio’s Mighty Oak present a stop motion night of unexplainable mystery that all goes on in the solitude and perceived comfort found Under Covers.

“On the night of a lunar eclipse, we uncover the sweet, salacious, and spooky secrets of a small town,” so reads the introductory text at the start of the film. Preceding this message of whimsical sentiment, a series of bedrooms are presented to the viewer, each one telling its own short story where nothing is quite as it seems; a dog might be a woman, happily sleeping children might harbor a proclivity for murder, and perhaps ghosts can even dance around the moon.

The inspiration for For Under Covers rests on the concept of what exactly goes on behind closed doors. The perfect mix of bizarre charm, with the right amount of spookery at play; evoking a Wes Anderson feel for the short’s duration…but with more murderous intent.

“By peeking inside, we see that secrets are universal, whether they’re sexy, sweet, harmless, or straight-up murderous,” Michaela said in an interview with Vimeo. “I like taking mediums that are thought of as being for children – like pop-up books and animation – and making them for adults. There are endless possibilities in these illustrative forms of storytelling, and the fact that they are pigeonholed as ‘for kids only’ makes no sense. Adults should be able to experience play and exploration too.”

Watch the Sundance praised Under Covers below!

Under Covers from Mighty Oak on Vimeo.

About the Author

Brendan Haley is a screenwriter, columnist, producer, and actor known primarily for his work within both horror and lgbtq media spaces. He has reported on entertainment news for multiple outlets including The Advocate, as well as hosting network pop culture reviews. As a producer and screenwriter, some of his notable works include Netflix's Eastsiders, and Dekkoo's A Halloween Trick. His favorite horror flicks include All About Evil, Suspiria, and Critters.