Bark & Boo - In Pre-Production

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Synopsis

Bark & Boo is a 2D animated short film that delves into the universal subjects of loss, mourning, and hope. 

In an old, abandoned house, two lonely souls unknowingly share the same space—Boo, a melancholic ghost trapped in his former home, and Bark, his loyal but aging Saint Bernard.

As Boo drifts through the house, haunted by echoes and memories of his former life, Bark follows a quiet, instinctual routine, curling up in familiar spots and collecting sticks in the yard. Though they constantly miss each other by moments as they move around the house, an invisible bond seems to pull them together. Not only are they missing each other, they are missing each other.

One morning, in a fit of frustration and longing, Boo discovers he can physically interact with the world as he manages to grab and throw a stick. This simple act becomes the bridge between past and present. Bark fetches the stick that Boo has thrown, and the two are able to see each other. In that instant, time and existence bend, and the two long-lost friends are reunited at last.

A wordless tale of love, loss, and the enduring connection between a man and his dog, Bark & Boo explores the question: do our pets miss us once we're gone?

Director’s Statement

The seed of this story was planted over a decade ago by my uncle’s dog, Lucas. Every time my uncle came home, he would park his car in front of Lucas' dog house, and Lucas would run out, tail wagging ecstatically, to greet him. One day after my uncle passed away, I had to drive his car. The first time I parked it outside of Lucas' dog house, he ran out with his tail wagging. Once I stepped out of the car, Lucas realized I was not my uncle. His tail stopped wagging, and the joy drained from his face. Saddened, he slowly slumped back into his dog house.

I held onto that memory for over a decade, and I have to purge it. Bark & Boo establishes a tone of loneliness and depression balanced with glimmers of hope and the transcendent bonds of love. This sensibility will be mirrored in its aesthetics, style, and visual storytelling. Classic two-dimensional animation will lock Bark & Boo in a grounded and gritty reality laced in true drama. - Rudy Salas