A devoted Butler tries to save his detective master from a mysterious vampiric kidnapping!
A 2D animated short film
A Butler’s Job follows Amos, the impeccably mannered butler to a sickly detective kidnapped by a seemingly nefarious vampiric organization. With his master incapacitated, Amos resolves to act. Armed with no detective training, no combat experience, and only an encyclopedic knowledge of tea and etiquette, he takes to the streets of London to unravel the mystery. If he can polish silverware to a shine, surely he can shine some light on this case… right?
an underdog story
- word from A director
The concept for the film draws inspiration from my fascination with historical phenomena and stories rooted in the past. The original pitch was inspired by the New England Vampire Panic of the 19th century, when superstition led many to believe that tuberculosis was caused by vampires. To capture that gothic, mysterious atmosphere, I reimagined the film in Victorian London, a setting that naturally evokes mystery and unease.
By placing it in an anthropomorphic animal world, our human butler at the center of the story feels even more like an outsider. As the narrative unfolds, the butler discovers that, like him, the antagonist is also misunderstood—a parallel that reflects my interest in characters who defy expectations and challenge how they’re perceived. I’ve always been drawn to underdog narratives, and the idea of a humble butler stepping into the role of a detective, solving a case in his own unconventional way, felt like a compelling story to represent being more than what we may appear to be.
- MADISON ARELLANO
