“The Elf on the Shelf”

Written, Directed & Filmed by Dave & Andy Holton

A Christmas collaboration beteen myself & my brother Andy (@contentmonster), filmed on my Canon R5 & his 360 cam, starring our own father, Walter Holton (a recurring guest star in our productions, as you’ll see), & our 7-year-old neice, Maizie Stewart. We shot this over the course of two days in a run & gun style. Very happy with how it came out. Not your typical Christmas story! Content Warning: may spoil beloved beliefs for children under a certain age. Watch with caution.

The Elf on the Shelf: A darkly comedic mashup of Christmas tradition & psychological horror about an elderly man who believes there’s something sinister behind an old holiday tradition – a belief that quickly pushes him to the brink of madness.

“Some Sh*t”

Written, Directed, & Filmed by Dave Holton

During the 2020 COVID shutdowns, I picked up an old Canon 7D DSLR & a few LED lights & shot a zero-budget, super-short film with a few friends & family in lockdown. In 2021, our silly little film won the “Best Mockumentary Microfilm” award at the Austin Comedy Film Festival & the “Outstanding Achievement” Award at the Berlin Flash Film Festival. It also made the semifinals of the Sunday Shorts Film Festival & was an official selection at the NY Flash Film Festival. Content Warning: censored language & simulated use of a firearm.

Some Sh*t: When a telemarketer invades her home, a young woman battles to maintain her grip on reality & resorts to extreme measures to drive him out in this darkly satirical sketch.

Collaborations With Fellow Filmmakers

The following are all projects on which I either produced, assistant directed, production managed, or production coordinated (or some combination thereof… I’ve been known to wear many hats).
Content Warning: most of the films below contain some adult language, brief nudity, & incredibly bad taste.