by Bill Banks/AJC
Published on: 12/01/04

Any dog, any kid can be a star
Studio's videos have a role open for your actor

The vaudeville-era comedian W.C. Fields once said, "Anyone who hates small dogs and children can't be all bad."

Taking a definitively anti-Fieldsian approach, Susan Hawkins and Julie Rhame, who open Short & Sweet Studios in Oakhurst Village on Wednesday, are catering exclusively to children and dogs, including small ones.

Hawkins and Rhame have scripted, produced and filmed three 10-minute movies, or what they call "master videos," entitled, "Dog Eat Dog Day Afternoon," "Around the World in 80 Diapers" and "The Romping Ranger Rides Again." Each features an ebullient cast of character actors and Hollywood dog actors.

But each movie lacks a protagonist — that's where your baby or dog comes in.

In roughly an hour or so, Hawkins and Rhame will mold your beloved into a performer, videotaping he, she or it in various postures, moods and sartorial get-up (including cowboy hats for dogs).

"Believe me," said Hawkins, "we'll work hard to get the best performances possible."

Then, incorporating the same green-screen technology used for television weather broadcasts, they will edit the fledgling star into the master video of choice.
For example, Hawkins explains the basic plot of "Around the World in 80 Diapers.""

When the movie begins," she said, "It's the baby's [or leading character's] birthday, and birthday guests keep bringing helium-filled balloons which the parents tie to the baby's crib. You know where this is going, right? The parents tie on so many balloons, the crib — with the star inside — starts floating up and up, and eventually floats to every continent."

The spliced-in hero drifts to Moscow, New York, England, Italy, Antarctica and other exotic places. Hawkins and Rhame have purchased rights to stock footage of various locales which they have edited into "Around the World."

During one scene the baby protagonist, within his or her hovering crib, dumps a plate of spaghetti on an Italian restaurant patron's face. It's a moment that even the famously grouchy Fields would have appreciated.

Hawkins got the idea for this singular business three years ago after reading an article in People magazine. That story profiled a North Carolina woman who made upscale pet furniture like sofas and beds and sold them for $750.

"I'm a big dog freak," Hawkins explained, "and right then the idea popped into my head, of making dog videos and calling it Puppanazzi Productions."

Hawkins and Rhame have 42 years of video experience between them, including years with television stations at which they have done everything from producing programs to operating cameras and audio boards. They have known each other since 1993, when both worked for Georgia Tech's video department.

Hawkins left Tech in 1997 to become an independent producer. Meanwhile Rhame, after 11 years at Tech, was laid off last December, not long after her election to the Decatur school board. Together they decided to pursue Short & Sweet. It was Rhame's idea of adding children to the mix.

Each film opens with previews of the other two master videos, along with a disclaimer: "These previews have been approved by all audiences and by the Motion Picture Association of Oakhurst."

Also included will be a series of outtakes from the video shoot. As Rhame said, "If the dog has special tricks, or the owner wants some face time, we'll do it."

Once the star has been taped, it takes about two weeks for Hawkins and Rhame to edit the complete film, which they'll offer in VHS and DVD formats. The price is $399 per movie which includes a "premiere party package" of human and canine popcorn, doggie treats, extra-large Hershey's bar (not for dogs or babies) and possibly a pacifier or rattle.

For now, the owners want to stay within an age range of 3 to 12 months for children and 2 years and older for dogs. Eventually, they may include parts with spoken lines for children 5 and older. For more information on Short & Sweet Studios, call 404-377-1285.