After the Jack
Becker Von Felsburg plays “Red”, the boisterous roping expert who thinks the path to wealth and fame is through capturing the fearsome critter known as the Jackalope. Mitchell Martin plays “Bat”, his reluctant companion who insists that the creature doesn’t exist. This wild REMASTERED edition features a new sound mix and color grade and opens up the matted image.
Credits
Directed & Edited by
DARYL DELLA
Written by
HANK DELLA and DARYL DELLA
Cinematographer
DANIEL CRUZ
Executive Producers
DARYL DELLA
MICHAEL MARTIN
RAY REVELLO
CHRIS CAIRO
MITCHELL MARTIN
Producers
DOROTHY DELLA
PAUL HICKMAN
Associate Producers
NINA DELLA
GEORGE MARTIN
BRANDON RHEA
JAMIE HARI
Music by
THOMAS VAN OOSTING
CAST
BECKER VON FELSBURG as Red
MITCHELL MARTIN as Bat
JACK LEWKOWITZ as The Mayor
PAUL HICKMAN, DOROTHY DELLA, HENRY T. DELLA,
HANK DELLA, & JULIE REBER as Audience Members
Script Supervisor
MICHAEL MARTIN
Sound Recordist
RAY REVELLO
Key Grip
CHRIS CAIRO
Set Design
MITCHELL MARTIN
Location Manager
JARED COONS
BTS Documentarian
CHRIS WHYTE
Craft Services
ROBERT RUIZ
Wardrobe Producers
SHARON KOTAL
DARLA VALIENTEPoster
by Daryl Della
Characters
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Red
BECKER VON FELSBURG
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Bat
MITCHELL MARTIN
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Jackalope
Behind the Scenes
What started as Becker Von Felsburg lassoing random objects in his backyard became the foundation for a unique western comedy. Daryl Della pitched the concept to his dad, Hank, who delivered a script about two hapless characters chasing a jackalope. While Hank’s draft leaned on modern humor and references, Daryl reworked it into a period piece that blended the slapstick of Looney Tunes with the style of a classic western.
Before filming began, Mitch Martin, Jared Coons, and Daryl Della headed to Jared’s family ranch in Los Banos, CA, to prepare the set. In just one day, they built a wooden fence to add authenticity to the mountaintop location. The ranch’s rugged terrain provided breathtaking views of Central California but came with its own hazards, including roaming wild hogs that required precautionary gunfire to ensure safety.
“HOUSECAAAT!!”
When the filming dates arrived, the crew caravaned together to ensure a smooth start. Except of course for Michael and Cairo, who were responsible for picking up Ray. True to form, Michael ran late, and by the time they reached the bar where Ray worked, he had already marinated himself in just about every liquor available. The car ride quickly spiraled, with Ray heckling Cairo from the backseat, drunkenly yelling, “HOUSECAT! You’re a HOUSECAAAAT!” and accusing him of being whipped by his girlfriend while bragging about his own carefree, street-roaming freedom.
Cairo attempted damage control by confiscating Ray’s flask, only to hear the unmistakable “KR-CHIK” of an airplane bottle moments later. Cairo snagged that one too, but each confiscation was met with another “KR-CHIK.” Ray kept cracking open new ones like a magician pulling drinks out of thin air, frustrating Caiiro to no end. The cycle repeated until Ray’s arsenal was finally depleted, and the trio arrived in Los Banos. Thanks to their delay, it was too late to trek up the mountain, forcing them to crash at a motel. Ray chose to sleep in a chair by the open window, leaving Cairo freezing and regretting every second of the journey.
The Shoot
Filming took place over two days, with the cast and crew camping overnight. Daniel Cruz, a photographer making his debut as cinematographer, captured stunning visuals while carefully avoiding the local bees, to which he was severely allergic. Becker kept morale high with his offbeat humor, including narrating some of his more private moments via shadow puppets. Robert Ruiz took charge of craft services, ensuring the team was well-fed throughout the shoot.
The jackalope itself came straight from Daryl’s family lore. His grandfather’s mounted jackalope bust, a long-time fascination, made its first film appearance in Dead Right II. This inspired the purchase of a full-body taxidermied jackalope from eBay, which was then used as a puppet for After the Jack’s star. Both jackalopes have since appeared as Easter eggs in countless productions.
Filming wrapped just as the rain rolled in, but not before the team captured one of their most ridiculous stunts. To show the jackalope’s legendary strength, Becker was dragged behind Mitch’s truck, proving his commitment to slapstick in the most literal way.
The project marked the Dollars & Donuts debut of composer Thomas Van Oosting, whose score perfectly balanced whimsy and western grit. In 2020, Daryl remastered the film with sharper editing and a vibrant new color grade, ensuring After the Jack stands tall as a testament to the team’s creativity, resourcefulness, and love of absurd storytelling.