“Our fears are subconsciously put into horror films throughout the decades,” says Mac Eldridge, DePaul University Digital Cinema program graduate and director of Blood on the Plain. “It’s always a reflection of the times.”

Water Cooler Productions in association with DePaul University and Dynamite Film Productions released the official trailer and website for Blood on the Plain on Nov. 1. The complete 11 min. short film, which is part horror, part western, will be released by the end of this year, 2011.

“Presently there are 22 bodies in the county morgue…” are the chilling words that open the film’s trailer. The story takes place in the small town of Wadsworth, Kansas in 1991. After a savage massacre takes place at the Wadsworth High School Homecoming Dance, the townspeople take up arms and set out to obtain justice.

Film writer Angel Esparza says, “Those who survive will be forced to square off with the assailants: a breed of man never before seen and born of a previous generation’s offense.” For the people of Wadsworth, the “worst enemy is the one forgotten,” reveals the trailer. “Eventually, someone pays.”

Eldridge received notable praise for his 2010 short horror film Chemical 12-D, and has worked with Blood on the Plain screenwriter Angel Esparza—a DePaul University student majoring in economics with a concentration in screenwriting—on previous projects. Although Blood on the Plain has the feel of a classic cowboys vs. Indians story, Eldridge says what really drew him to the project was the feature script behind the short film.

“The whole feature script is about how we’re doomed to repeat our history,” says Eldridge. “There’s something really interesting to me in that because of how horribly awful we treated the Native Americans throughout the entire American history.”

While Blood on the Plain is currently a short film, the production team is working to gain exposure and find parties who are interested in independently funding a full-length feature. “It’s always intended that the short film is supposed to tell the tone and genre and the setup of the feature film,” says Eldridge. “Basically, the short is a proof of concept to show people there is a much bigger concept here. If we can get people to believe in us and our abilities then yeah it’s totally a possibility to make this into a feature.”

Blood on the Plainhas been funded in part by DePaul’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media (CIM) Undergraduate Production Grant. CIM Director Matt Irvine says the grant is awarded three times a year to “undergraduate film projects that have a high degree of professionalism as well as ambition.” Five members of the film’s core production team are DePaul Digital Cinema students: Mac Eldridge (Director), David Wagenaar (Cinematographer), Angie Gaffney, CIM student and Blood on the Plain producer, says the CIM program encourages a lot of practical experience. “The program empowers the student to go out and be ambitious and secure gigs or get on sets out of their own volition,” says Gaffney. The CIM program recently launched their first LA quarter, which allows students to go to LA and be immersed in the film industry for a full quarter.

Gaffney and Eldridge both attribute the success of Blood on the Plain to a strong sense of collaboration and post-production work of the producers. Gaffney says although “the project has been a beast”—production began over a year ago in early October 2010—it has been an amazing experience being able to “collaborate with such an ambitious” team of producers and filmmakers. “You don’t get to see a lot of short films that were produced so strongly after the movie was made,” says Eldridge. “The producers were really able to take Blood on the Plain to the next level and I want their work to be appreciated. “

Blood on the Plain will begin its national and international film festival tour this December 2011. DePaul Students and fans of Blood on the Plain are encouraged to pre-order the 11-minute DVD and buy film frames for $1.00 via the film’s website. Proceeds from these sales go towards making Blood on the Plain into a full-length, feature film. Also, be sure to check out Blood on the Plain on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.