Story

‘The Devil You Don’t’ is a colonial horror short film that utilizes the uncanny historical facts circulating around the creation of the Jersey Devil to tell a deeper story of a mother’s love for her child and a father’s stubborn desire for revenge. This film, much like Robert Egger’s ‘The Witch,’ is meant not to embellish what America’s colonial ancestors feared, but to provide context to the eerie and uncertain world in which these fears first fomented.

Authenticity

Many know of the Jersey Devil, but few know the real, historic happenings that led to the birth of the cursed 13th child of the Leeds family. The Leeds Devil’s origins involve religious excommunication, cutthroat colonial wealth disputes, satanic ritual and political backstabbing from none other than Benjamin Franklin. Born and raised in the state of New Jersey, and endlessly enamored by this infamous folk legend, we intend to both enlighten and entertain through our candid account of New Jersey’s most well-known cryptid. 

Marketability

The Jersey Devil has tremendous nationwide recognition and yet an untapped well of details that haven’t been shared in a modern film. All the best horror films tend to have at least an element of truth to them (“based on a true story..”) and this story is no different.  

A Story with Wings

The main goal of creating this short film is to generate interest in producing a feature film that covers a different period of the Jersey Devil’s hauntings.  In 1909 there were numerous sightings, which, sensationalized by the media, created mass hysteria in Southern New Jersey that led to schools closing and businesses shuttering their doors. We want the cautionary theme of this feature horror to focus on the misuse of mass media and the consequences of its monetary motives. In this short film this theme is vague, but still present, as we wanted at least to hint at the conflict that we ultimately want to confront.  The fact that Benjamin Franklin was the man that made this possible was just an added bonus.

Join us!

Join us on this ride of telling and commemorating one of America’s greatest mythical creatures the way it deserves!