New Horror Film The Other Used Local Crew to Craft Its Thrills

North Texas native Paul Etheredge had a nightmare that imprinted on his fears for decades.

“I was on my honeymoon, and we were talking about having a kid,” says the filmmaker. “And I had this dream about being a young father with a child who was a terror and violent, super aggressive and carnivorous. And I was just really panicked, trying to struggle between my responsibilities of taking care of this…creature, and keeping my family together.”

Years later, Jeffrey Reddick, best known for creating the Final Destination franchise, inspired Etheredge to turn his nightmare into a script. Reddick had approached Etheredge about directing a film backed by a group of Dallas investors. When Etheredge read the script they sent over, he told them he could write something better for them in two weeks.

By the time his script was complete, his long-haunting nightmare had, in a way, become a reality. Etheredge ended up with a screenplay for The Other, a film about a couple named Robin (Olivia Macklin) and Daniel (Dylan McTee) who foster a young girl named Kathelia (Avangeline Friedlander), whose family died horrifically. However, strange things begin occurring once Kathelia enters the couple’s home. Otherworldly pink globs appear in the pool, Robin begins a frightening transformation, and a neighbor’s daughter (Lily D. Moore) starts making cryptic observations about the family, hinting at sinister forces at work.

Beyond the director’s local roots, the film also marks the first feature production from the team at Camp Lucky, a creative studio based in Dallas.

“It’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read,” says Camp Lucky’s Lisa Normand, who produced the film. “It was such an easy read, and…it was just so clear. I mean, I don’t think that I had any notes, which is quite rare.”

When the original financiers pulled out of the project, Normand says she was determined to keep The Other alive. She told Reddick (who also served as a producer) and Etheredge that she wanted to put together a new plan for financing and production.

Dallas’ Noe Medrano Jr. joined as the film’s Director of Photography, bringing a distinctive visual sensibility to The Other. He says horror has never been his go-to genre, but it made for a fun challenge behind the camera.

“They sent me the script, and immediately I knew that this is something I wanted to do,” says Medrano Jr.

As with any creative project, especially an independent film, there were challenges along the way. The actress originally cast as Robin pulled out just before production began. The team recast the role, but then, after four days of production, they realized the actor playing Daniel needed to be replaced as well. Still, Macklin and McTee delivered excellent performances.

Medrano, Jr. says reshooting the first four days after McTee joined helped refine his approach and produced even better footage the second time around.

“You don’t want to shoot the film twice, obviously,” says the cinematographer. “But if you’re going to, you might as well improve it.”

The Other made good use of Camp Lucky’s soundstage (including a high-definition LED screen called The Volume, which can help fill out the background of a shot without having to physically create the entire environment) and post-production services. Etheredge says the “top-notch” facilities gave them the space and time they needed to get the film done right.

Being able to work in Dallas – and hire local crew like Medrano Jr. – was a success for Normand, who wants to continue employing area talent on productions like this.

“It really was an entirely local crew,” says Normand. “A lot of productions will bring in department heads [from other places] but I just want to emphasize that…I don’t think that’s necessary. We have very, very talented people here.”

The finished product reflects well on that local talent. The Other is a sleek and unsettling exploration of family and parenthood, reminiscent of elements from Malignant and Evil Dead Rise. There are special effects on display, for sure, but practical effects balance those moments. This blend leads to unique and memorable visuals that can be as gross as they are scary without overly relying on CGI.

When the film played for an audience at the Dallas International Film Fest last month, it was a full-circle moment for the team that made it happen.

“I could not have asked for a better sort of culmination to this whole journey… to be so accessible to so many people who were involved in the [film’s] creation or support,” says Etheredge.

For her part, Normand was excited to get to see the reactions from the audience in her own city.

“The audience laughed and gasped and jumped and screamed,” she says. “And it was really, really gratifying to get those reactions.”

Medrano Jr. shared in that infectious hometown pride.

“It was a very proud moment…for me, but also for the crew and everybody,” he says. “We put so much hard work into it, and it’s such a gratifying feeling to kind of see it all come together…with an audience. And in Dallas, too, because it’s a Dallas movie.”

If you missed The Other during DIFF, you can catch it when it arrives on digital and on-demand platforms on June 13.