Here is a still from the “He Is Risen” trailer released in 2024. This Easter-themed indie comedy-horror will be released in full on April 11, shot and produced 100% locally. Photo courtesy of Brian Baggett

YUBA-SUTTER REGION (MPG) - What started as a joke between two college friends has turned into a full-blown horror-comedy film project complete with pastel cadavers, killer carrots and a vengeful bunny named Skittles.

Shot entirely within the Yuba-Sutter region on an iPhone 14 and a budget of $1,000, “He Is Risen” is the collaborative genius of local writer-director duo Brian Baggett and Nathan Brick.

“We felt like it was a niche market that had yet to be tapped into,” said Brick. “You see a lot of stuff based around Christmas, there's some stuff based around Thanksgiving but we wanted to do Easter.”

“He is Risen” follows a group of friends who reunite in their hometown over Easter break only to have a long-buried secret come hopping back into their lives.

As the friends begin falling victim to bizarre holiday-themed murders, the remaining members are forced to confront their childhood traumas head-on. This sends the group down a rabbit hole that they could have never imagined.

“It really has been our first foray into doing something of this scale,” said Baggett. “Most of our other stuff has only been three-to-five-minute sketches.”

Baggett and Brick met in 2009 during an English course at Yuba College and have since become longtime friends and creative collaborators. The pair frequently riff ideas during hangouts, often turning their comedic banter into short skits uploaded to Baggett’s YouTube channel.

However, “He Is Risen” marks a major cinematic milestone; it is their first full-length short film and the most ambitious project either one has tackled to this date.

“Attention to the fine details and consistency is very tough when making a film,” said Brick. “Especially with this one, this is the most people we’ve ever worked with on a specific project so there's a lot more things that can go wrong then when it's just the two of us.”

Considering most of the film takes place during a nighttime power outage, the filmmakers said one of the greatest challenges they faced was lighting. Working around streetlamps, neighboring lights, unintended reflections and the limitations of their gear made for an uphill battle.

“We definitely learned a ton from this film and at least know what we want to invest in next,” said Baggett.

Originally, “He Is Risen” was released as a three-minute mock trailer in 2024. Its bizarre premise quickly gained traction online and the enthusiastic response inspired the duo to expand the idea into a complete short film.

The crew went into production just over four weeks ago and is set to release on April 11 on YouTube via Brian Baggett’s channel “Brian Baggett” or @b.a.baggett.

“We hope everyone enjoys it and we look forward to sharing more projects in the future,” said Brick.