Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A meditative groundskeeper finds tranquility among the idyllic Virginian countryside by tending to a bucolic inn, until his past catches up to him.
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Foxhole by Nick Dugan
https://nickdugan.xyz/
"As I was driving down the Californian coast, I was reminded of all the times I had been a traveller passing through quaint towns with pastoral backdrops, admiring the ostensible ‘simple life’. It’s in the exact same vein as going abroad and observing the comings and goings of a foreign city, and thinking to yourself: “I could live here”. It’s a warm and fuzzy feeling, but with escapist roots and total idealism.
On this particular trip, I found myself watching a groundskeeper at a bed and breakfast. I found myself envious of him. Getting his hands dirty, working outside, connected with plants and flowers. As a self-sabotaging writer and filmmaker who chronically second guesses himself, I often fantasize about an exit strategy from this line of work. The fantasy usually involves wandering into the countryside and taking up a life similar to that of the groundskeeper I had been admiring. And then it would invariably dawn on me how narrow-minded I was to assume that this guy’s life was by any means simpler than my own. I wanted to design a narrative around this notion, which would also give me an excuse to shoot a film in the very environments I found myself magnetized by at the time: Tranquil, secluded, and bucolic landscapes. I got hooked on the idea of going back to my hometown, DC, and shooting among the countryside around there."
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of Foxhole with our exclusive interview with writer/director Nick Dugan
directorsnotes.com/2026/03/18/nick-dugan-foxhole
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// Credits //
Starring: Armando Riesco and Jere Burns
Writer | Director | Producer: Nick Dugan
Producer: Becky Lake
Producer: Hank Montalbano
Producer: Ryan Murtha
Producer | Director of Photography: James Arterberry
Producer | Editor | VFX Artist | Colorist: Dylan Gansen
Casting Director: Ashley Dunsing
Casting Director: Anna Mayworm
Production Designer: Kari Bare
Costume Designer: Kathleen McAteer
Sound Designer | Boom Operator | Foley Artist | Re-recording Mixer: Chaim Rubenstein
First Assistant Director: Marvin Diaz
Camera Operator: Myles Shank
First Assistant Camera: Dunstan “JT” Thompson
Second Assistant Camera: Alan Adeleke
Second Camera Operator: Othello Banaci
Gaffer: Jeff Fitzgerald
Key Grip: Jaime Nudd
Grip: Joe Woldemariam
Swing: Sam Grodnitzky
DIT: Will Dickson
Sound Mixer: Ivan Basauri
Makeup Artist: Jasmen Davis
Set Decorator: Matt Dean
Set Decorator: Jack Dorsey
Stunt Coordinator: Steve Gums
Medic: Wayne Damon
Property Manager: Daniel Bushey
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#revenge #groundskeeper #thriller #drama #shortfilm
A meditative groundskeeper finds tranquility among the idyllic Virginian countryside by tending to a bucolic inn, until his past catches up to him.
🔔 Love indie films? SUBSCRIBE to Directors Notes for more trailblazing shorts: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
Foxhole by Nick Dugan
https://nickdugan.xyz/
"As I was driving down the Californian coast, I was reminded of all the times I had been a traveller passing through quaint towns with pastoral backdrops, admiring the ostensible ‘simple life’. It’s in the exact same vein as going abroad and observing the comings and goings of a foreign city, and thinking to yourself: “I could live here”. It’s a warm and fuzzy feeling, but with escapist roots and total idealism.
On this particular trip, I found myself watching a groundskeeper at a bed and breakfast. I found myself envious of him. Getting his hands dirty, working outside, connected with plants and flowers. As a self-sabotaging writer and filmmaker who chronically second guesses himself, I often fantasize about an exit strategy from this line of work. The fantasy usually involves wandering into the countryside and taking up a life similar to that of the groundskeeper I had been admiring. And then it would invariably dawn on me how narrow-minded I was to assume that this guy’s life was by any means simpler than my own. I wanted to design a narrative around this notion, which would also give me an excuse to shoot a film in the very environments I found myself magnetized by at the time: Tranquil, secluded, and bucolic landscapes. I got hooked on the idea of going back to my hometown, DC, and shooting among the countryside around there."
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of Foxhole with our exclusive interview with writer/director Nick Dugan
directorsnotes.com/2026/03/18/nick-dugan-foxhole
👉 Follow Us for More Short Film Greatness:
Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
Podcast: pod.link/192507317
// Credits //
Starring: Armando Riesco and Jere Burns
Writer | Director | Producer: Nick Dugan
Producer: Becky Lake
Producer: Hank Montalbano
Producer: Ryan Murtha
Producer | Director of Photography: James Arterberry
Producer | Editor | VFX Artist | Colorist: Dylan Gansen
Casting Director: Ashley Dunsing
Casting Director: Anna Mayworm
Production Designer: Kari Bare
Costume Designer: Kathleen McAteer
Sound Designer | Boom Operator | Foley Artist | Re-recording Mixer: Chaim Rubenstein
First Assistant Director: Marvin Diaz
Camera Operator: Myles Shank
First Assistant Camera: Dunstan “JT” Thompson
Second Assistant Camera: Alan Adeleke
Second Camera Operator: Othello Banaci
Gaffer: Jeff Fitzgerald
Key Grip: Jaime Nudd
Grip: Joe Woldemariam
Swing: Sam Grodnitzky
DIT: Will Dickson
Sound Mixer: Ivan Basauri
Makeup Artist: Jasmen Davis
Set Decorator: Matt Dean
Set Decorator: Jack Dorsey
Stunt Coordinator: Steve Gums
Medic: Wayne Damon
Property Manager: Daniel Bushey
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#revenge #groundskeeper #thriller #drama #shortfilm
