One mysterious evening, a college student named Chet fell down three flights of stairs in his residence hall. Naturally, Chet needed to be evaluated by a doctor; a rather common circumstance one could find themself in. There’s just one difference — Chet is a puppet made of aquamarine blue felt. Chet is a fully cognizant puppet trying to get through daily life, just as anyone else would.
On Oct. 31, SUNY New Paltz’s Hawk Studios released an original short film, “Chet Goes to the Doctor.” The production was created by third-year digital media production major Wyatt Leach and third-year graphic design major Michael Losquadro. Leach wrote the script and screenplay, while Losquadro directed and filmed.
Second-year digital media production major Mars McInerney played Jodie, or Jo, and third-year digital media production major Dominic Cacchione portrayed Todd, starring alongside the iconic Chet, voiced by Leach.
Additionally, McInerney assisted with audio engineering and synthesizing. “This is all new to me. Finding the best way to describe the sounds, because I’m struggling with it too. But like, even sending me the ‘I feel fantastic’ thing, because I just kept playing it and playing it and then trying to make something and the synthesizers I was working with and being like, that sounds like the same vibe.”
Local Hudson Valley-based band The Schwegs showcased one of their songs in the film. ‘I Can’t Forget (Schweg at a Restaurant)” is a single released in April 2023. The alternative/pop song is from their debut album titled “Half Baked” which dropped on Nov. 1.
“I don’t have a visual brain, really,” said Leach. “I’m more into writing and screenwriting, and I’ve been learning to write scripts for a really long time. So, being able to defer all of that work, trying to figure out how everything’s going to be coordinated and directing it on set, it takes a lot of weight off of my shoulders, and I can focus more on the writing and the story and what’s being shown in the themes.”
Losquadro said that he “just started doodling concepts of a simple puppet that could be made within two weeks. Chet was kind of the end concept from free templates you can find online, mostly, except for the arms and legs, which I kind of just cut up. But, he’s very much a concept, just sewn together from basic templates.”
Third-year philosophy major Demetria Boussios assisted in the process of stitching Chet together. In addition to Boussios’s needle and thread, Chet was also constructed by Losquadro.
As a full-time college student, Chet lives in a dorm on campus with his roommate, Todd. When his plans to go to a party are canceled, Chet wants to hang out with his friends. While Jo and Todd are out for a drive, they are stunned when Chet unexpectedly sprung up from the backseat.
McInerney remarked upon their experience as an actor in the film. “This was just so fun, and I love the story. Satire and psychological horror are my favorite genres. So, there was more excitement towards it. And I love puppets,” they said.
The school nurse is played by fourth-year marketing major Nicole Earle. When Chet is being evaluated in the doctor’s office, the nurse questions his existence, saying, “I’m not sure how you’re alive.”
In his next endeavor, Chet meets with the school psychologist, portrayed by Liam Gorelin. In his typical standoffish demeanor, Chet banters with the psychologist about healthcare and social security numbers. The next day, Chet and Todd catch up on each other’s lives while smoking a cigarette down by the water as they plot out plans for that evening.
Losquadro explained how “the color palette of the show was insanely thought out, and every single time you see a color, it’s there for a reason.”
This scene directly cuts to a room coated in blue lighting with Todd lighting up the bong in their dorm. Chet takes one big hit while his eyes suddenly become bloodshot as he leans out of frame to cough. With Star Wars playing in the background, the two roommates banter about the original script versus that of the numerous film releases since. Still visibly high, Chet begins to space out and excuses himself to the bathroom, where he visualizes his own reflection as a human hand.
“It’s genuinely something that I had a feeling would get into people’s minds, and people would be seeing it and thinking about it. I didn’t want it to just be like another dumb comedy, like the stuff that I’ve made at Hawk Studios before. I really needed to figure out how to use that voice that I was going to have, regardless, to say something that I thought was more important,” Leach expressed. He went on to say that “There’s a lot of interesting themes to explore just in the idea that he is a puppet. So, it sort of became about the framing device of the show and the mechanics of [Chet] being there, and that’s how we went underneath the layers of it.”
On Nov. 7, The Oracle had the honor to interview the man himself. Third-year performing arts major Chet worked tirelessly to embody the persona of his character, Chet.
Chet recalled the experience from his perspective. “I was running after Todd when I tripped and I fell. I must have slipped under the railing. It was like a comedic Mario Kart scene where they start slipping on banana peels and doing a cool flip,” Chet said.
“I’m not gonna go back because she’s so weird. I’m 100% fine with this. Other people are gonna be pissed off and up in arms or whatever, but I don’t even care that much. Honestly, I don’t have to go back to the psychologist. It was a mandatory school thing. I went to the doctor because I fell down the stairs. I can’t believe that they made a film about it, because it was so inconsequential,” Chet said. “I don’t really feel pain. Like it feels weird when my foam comes out for sure. It doesn’t feel good because I actually have organs, and those can hurt.”
In the near future, Leach, Losquadro and the Hawk Studios team are planning to dive into the next segment of Chet’s life. If you haven’t already, this is your reminder to gather around and watch (or rewatch) “Chet Goes to the Doctor.” If you or your friends are Chet groupies and would like to keep up with his updates, you can follow @chetgotfelt on Instagram. To stay tuned for more Hawk Studios productions, check them out on Instagram @nphawkstudios.