About the Film

This film is meant to be an abstract look at the fear of the unknown. How the promise, hope, and

fear of possibility can be both freeing and paralyzing. A reflection on life and death through the eyes of a man who is coming to terms with the next stage of this life.

Over a decade in the making Michael O'Malley has rewritten the script many times until it reached the version you see on screen.

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When filming, we were nearing the end of the day and sent the lead actors home for the day, Molly had an idea she wanted to try for the last shot. She had Leo and Kaz pull her along the hallway, while sitting on a blanket, and then she handed the camera off to Cliff to use his height. After a few takes,

we were able to get the final shot you see in the film.

While Dan, the Dreamer, had his contacts in he couldn’t see and had to be led around the set if he

needed to move.

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Most of the props you see on screen are actually things that people in the crew own. Including the Pepsi can was borrowed from Dan’s parents to be used for set dressing.

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We had longtime poison arrow films crew member Kaz walking back and forth to create the illusion of multiple things/beings behind the door in the background.

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The Dreamer is the second biggest short Poison Arrow Films undertook in 2025. Since then it has been nominated at film festivals and is still making it through the festival circuit.

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The Dreamer will be screened as part of the Gen Con Film Festival.​