''Melancholy Baby'' is a

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

/ thriller

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

, written and directed by

Sean Hood Sean Hood (born August 13, 1966) is an American screenwriter and film director. Early life Hood graduated from Brown University, with a double major in pure mathematics and studio art, and then spent several years working in Hollywood as a set ...

, and starring

Patrick Labyorteaux Patrick Francis Labyorteaux (born July 22, 1965) is an American actor, television producer and television writer. In many of his earlier credits, his last name is spelled as "Laborteaux". He is best known for his roles of Andrew "Andy" Garvey on ...

, who plays a man suffering from both

agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no easy way to escape. These situations can in ...

and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The film is notable for its creative use of sound design. Although its official premiere was at the

Garden State Film Festival The Garden State Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Asbury Park, New Jersey which debuts more than 200 independent films annually over four days each spring. The festival was founded in 2002 in Sea Girt, New Jersey by D ...

in 2009, the film screened at the Directors Guild of America as part of a gala fund raiser for

Filmmakers Alliance Filmmakers Alliance is a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles. It was founded by Jacques Thelemaque and Diane Gaidry. Its over 300 members provide a support system through which members share time, energy, expertise, equipment and creative ...

Plot

Zachariah Block is a shut-in who spends much of his day compulsively sorting and resorting ordinary objects into jars. His routine changes when a woman moves into the apartment next door. By listening to her movements through the walls and watching her through a vent, he becomes drawn into her life. When he senses that she is in danger, this very eccentric and alienated character overcomes his debilitating fears, summons up a small act of genuine courage, and saves his neighbors life.

Production

The screenplay for Melancholy Baby was developed in a workshop sponsored by

. The script went on to win The Los Angeles Short Filmmaking Grant. Using a crew made up primarily of Filmmakers Alliance members, the film was shot over the course of a single weekend. It was shot on the Red One, a camera made by the

Red Digital Cinema Camera Company Red Digital Cinema (''Red Digital Cinema Camera Company'') is an American company that manufactures professional digital cinematography cameras and accessories. The company's headquarters is in Foothill Ranch, California, with studios in Hollyw ...

Awards

*Los Angeles Short Filmmaking Grant 2007 *Accolade Competition **Award of Excellence, Short Film 2009Accolade Awards of Excellence/Film (2009
The Accolade
Retrieved May 13, 2009 *USA Film Festival/Short Film & Video Competition **Finalist

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=1282067, title=Melancholy Baby American thriller films 2009 films 2000s thriller films 2009 short films Films about obsessive–compulsive disorder 2000s English-language films Films with screenplays by Sean Hood Films directed by Sean Hood 2000s American films

Plot

Production

Awards

See also

References

External links