The Roswell Shorts Indie Film Fest is set for Sept. 25-26 at the International UFO Museum & Research Center, and a Ruidoso filmmaker will be playing a big part in this year’s event.
This marks the festival’s second year, which recognizes some of the best in short filmmaking, and Ruidoso resident Jacob McCaw will be presenting his film “Vessel.” The 31-year-old wrote the screenplay and filmed the production in Lincoln County.
“Vessel” is a short horror story about a young girl who is forced into a supernatural ritual by her cult family, he says. She must face her demons literally and figuratively in order to survive. Filming took place over three days in October of 2025 in Capitan.
“My cast, crew, and I all drove to a friend’s aunt’s house out there, and we shot for about seven hours each night,” McCaw says. “We had a cast of seven principal actors, eight background actors, and 14 crew members.”
Funding came from 15 Kickstarter backers who supported production financially, as well as donations from Ruidoso’s Oso Productions and Books Etcetera. Viewers can expect retro-style horror visuals and a tone paying homage to the classic horror movies of the 1960s to the 1980s.
Putting together a production on a limited budget means short filmmakers wear many hats. McCaw served as the writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and visual effects artist.
“This film was the biggest and most involved production I have been the leader of yet and I could not be happier with how everything went,” McCaw says. “My cast and crew are all people whom I deeply love and appreciate. They are my best friends and family and I love them all.
“The biggest thanks in that regard goes to my wife, Kendra, for her unending support and for keeping me sane during the extremely late nights of editing and stress.”
Winning Awards
Growing up, McCaw dreamed of making movies. As a child he produced short films and wanted to build his skills and learn the ins and outs of the industry. In January 2023, he enrolled in the Los Angeles Film School’s online program. Ruidoso’s burgeoning film production scene also offered some hands-on experience. He landed a job on Apple Original Films’ production of “The Lost Bus,” some of which was filmed in the village and starred Matthew McConaughey.
McCaw served as a production assistant and has scored similar roles on other projects filming in town, including “Exit Protocol” with Dolph Lundgren and “Romance at Hope Ranch” with Alison Sweeney. The film student has now worked on five feature films, a docu-series, and a commercial – all in Ruidoso.
“That professional on-set experience combined with the work I did for my degree brought ‘Vessel’ to life,” he says.
“Vessel” is McCaw’s final project for his degree before graduating in January. The production earned first runner-up for best cinematography at the Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival in South Carolina in May and best short film under 10 minutes from the Dunwich Horror Fest online in June.
The film heads to the Phantasmagoria Horror Film Festival in Wales in October. His previous short film “Woman at the Well” took best student film at the Las Cruces International Film Festival in April and McCaw’s hoping to feature his new work there in 2027.
Short films are generally under 30 minutes and offer potential filmmakers real opportunities to work on their craft without huge budgets of full-length productions. Technology has made the entire process more accessible, aiding filmmakers like McCaw.
“Most modern smartphones have very powerful cameras built in, and platforms like YouTube and TikTok are amazing sources of education and learning outside of film schools and university programs,” he says. “There has never really been a time like this before that has so much potential and support for new filmmakers.”
Midtown Movie Making
When not writing a script or behind the camera, McCaw works at Books Etcetera in Midtown Ruidoso. He’s worked at the shop since 2022 and says staff members have been supportive and have even served as cast and crew on his projects.
“My boss has been extremely generous and allows me to take the time off anytime a movie comes to town so that I can work towards my ultimate goal of being a full-time filmmaker,” he says. “I could not do this without her support and patience.”
When not working on a film, McCaw describes himself as a “big nerd” who enjoys reading books, playing video games and Dungeons & Dragons, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family. He’s an active part of the local theater scene as well.
With “Vessel” making some waves on the festival circuit, the filmmaker is gearing up for another production: A Kickstarter campaign to fund the project goes live on Oct. 1.
This year’s Roswell Shorts Indie Film Fest features 31 official selections. Many of those feature New Mexico filmmakers, with some from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Lamy, and other communities across the state. McCaw is thrilled to see his short screened so close to home.
“I am deeply honored to be a part of the Roswell Shorts festival this year,” he says. “Roswell is so close to home, and it is actually the city that I was born in, so getting to bring ‘Vessel’ to a festival there is a full-circle moment for me.”
For more information on McCaw, visit mccawjake.wixsite.com/jacob-mccaw. For information on the Roswell Shorts Indie Film Fest, visit RoswellShorts.com.
