Aron Attiwell on the set of In the Doghouse

“My experiences with dogs have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the bond between humans and animals.”

by Matthew Eeles

Aron Attiwell’s new short drama, In the Doghouse, is not your average prison film according to the emerging, Perth-based filmmaker.

In the Doghouse follows Joel, played by Tristan Balz. Incarcerated and yearning to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Joel embarks on a transformative journey through a dog assistance program. 

As he learns to train and bond with a spirited canine companion. He discovers that the challenges and responsibilities of caring for the dog mirror those of being a father.

Guided by the metaphorical connection between the dog and his daughter, Joel finds the strength to confront his past, mend broken relationships, and ultimately embrace the redemptive power of family and second chances.

The genesis of writer, director and co-producer Aron’s prison interest came from a close family member who worked in a prison setting. It wasn’t until a couple months into the writing and development process that Aron came across the dog assistance program in an ABC article. 

“Prior to the rehabilitation angle, the story was through the lens of a correctional officer, but after a couple of months drafting and researching, it changed to a prisoner’s perspective of rehabilitation,” Aron tells Cinema Australia. 

“I was also drawn to the idea of exploring the profound bond between humans and animals, especially in a prison context and weaving that into the idea of rediscovering what it means to be a parent.”

Tristan Balz playing Joel with Kate Elder playing Lisa (Assistance Program Instructor).

As with any story dealing with sensitive themes, research was a crucial part to ensure authenticity and resonance.

Aron’s first engagement was with Assistance Dogs Australia (ADA), understanding their process and hearing more about the program that they currently run. Aron also consulted with correctional officers and prisoners, to get both views on rehabilitation. 

“I consulted with members of the dog programs here in Western Australia. Although they run a slightly different structure compared to ADA, it was helpful to get insight into the psychology and behavioural aspects of the program, both from the view of the prisoners (educators) and the instructors. Once the creative team were on board, we delved into a lot of documentaries, articles, books and stills for a few months,” says Aron. 

Sensitivity to individuals in prison or undergoing rehabilitation was paramount throughout the development and production process. Aron approached the portrayal of the main characters with empathy and respect, aiming to humanise their experiences without sensationalising them. 

“It was essential to avoid portraying stereotypes or perpetuating stigma around incarceration and rehabilitation. We had constant collaboration with correctional officers and consultants who worked in correctional facilities to help us navigate these sensitive themes with care,” Aron says. 

According to Aron, the most challenging aspect of making In the Doghouse was sourcing the prison location for the film. The creative team endured many knock backs for desired locations before setting on Serpentine Camping Centre, in which they used the foundation of a dormitory to construct a minimum-security prison cell.

Georgie, who plays the younger version of Lily (Lead Dog).

Of course, working with dogs also presented its own set of challenges, primarily in ensuring the animal’s comfort and cooperation while filming. The team took a more guerrilla approach (shooting with two units, multi camera setup) in terms of getting coverage of the dogs, keeping in mind factors such as weather, breaks and general cooperation with its owner. 

“We had three cast members who were paired with dogs, and two dog trainers who also acted on screen. There were a total of five dogs. Having an experienced dog wrangler and dog trainer in Dean Clemitshaw allowed for a much smoother and efficient running set,” says Aron. 

“Dean acted as the Dog Father and was very aware of the dog’s wellbeing and the training that the dogs had to perform on-screen, especially when it comes to assistance dog training which was very specific. Buttons, who plays the older version of the lead dog, is a trained assistance dog. This in turn allowed us to perform the authentic, real-life drills an assistance dog would undertake on-screen,” Aron continued. 

The process of casting dogs started with reaching out to dog organisations. Aron and his team collaborated with two of them – PATS run by Charlotte Smithson, and Coastal Dog Training run by the film’s dog wrangler, Dean Clemitshaw. The first step involved Aron and his producer meeting with the dog of a specific age group and breed, and its owner, and interacting with the dog to assess their suitability for the role. They also ran a session with most of the dogs, to run through the major drills of the film and also go through on-set protocols, as some of the owners had never worked on a film before.

Left to Right: Zac Holmes (Boom Op), Kieran Hewitt (2nd AC), Michael Sgro (DP), Dan Collins (1st AC).

As far as his personal connection to do dogs goes, Aron tells Cinema Australia that owning dogs throughout his life has helped shape him as a person. 

“As someone who has had two border collies throughout my life, I’ve experienced firsthand the profound impact they can have on our emotional well-being and sense of connection,” says Aron. 

“My experiences with dogs have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the bond between humans and animals. One of the first questions I asked my cast was, “Do you have a dog?” Most of them did. For those cast members, you can clearly see how much of an impact dogs have on them, and it especially becomes more powerful when we see it through the fictional lens of a prisoner and the transformative impact it has on their life.”

A line from In the Doghouse sums up Aron’s perspective perfectly, “How you treat these dogs might just reveal more about your character than anything else.”

In the Doghouse is written and directed by Aron Attiwell, co-produced by Attiwell, Jed Cowper and Regina Wong, with Ian Hale, Shane Day and Jeremy Marriott on board as executive producers. Tristan Balz, Kate Elder, Sherrilee Walsh, Clare Alason, Mike Bowser, Tahlia Viner and Glenn Allan Wallis star.

In the Dog House is expected to hit the festival circuit in 2025. 

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