The feature film Your Monster, directed by Caroline Lindy (Aspirational Slut) and starring Scream VI’s Melissa Barrera, introduces audiences to a unique creature inspired by a blend of classic cinema and gritty realism. When makeup artist David Anderson joined the project, he brought his extensive experience — including work on films like Death Becomes Her (1992) and the 1996 comedy The Nutty Professor — to transform the title character, played by Tommy Dewey, who also stars in Saturday Night, which will be hitting theaters later this year. Anderson’s aim was to create a monster that felt both raw and relatable, a shift from the initial short film’s makeup design, which he found overly theatrical.

In Your Monster, Barrera’s character Laura, a young actress coping with illness and heartbreak, finds a Monster hiding in her childhood bedroom. As they form an unlikely bond, the Monster helps Laura confront personal struggles, including an ex and a lost Broadway role. Anderson’s vision was essential to bringing this Monster to life on screen in a way that felt both grounded and magical. His early designs featured a cleaner, more polished look but ultimately leaned toward a grittier, more textured style, inspired by real-life images, including that of a scarred boxer dog.

A surprising source of inspiration for Anderson was from the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz’s Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion. Anderson saw elements of each character in the Monster’s look and demeanor, blending roughness with vulnerability. Lindy and Anderson worked closely to create a Monster that felt layered and complex, with subtle scars and dirt that hint at a life of hardship and resilience.

The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024, is distributed by California production company Vertical, and is now playing in select theaters. Your Monster combines dark humor and heartfelt moments, inviting audiences to experience a story about friendship, resilience, and self-discovery.