Making Beggar’s Night: Battery-Powered Horror Filmmaking After Dark

Recorded in October 2021, Henrique Couto shares the making of Beggar’s Night, a six-minute Halloween horror short created as he began easing back into production after a long interruption. He explains why his supporters had asked for more short films, how the project fit his plans to rebuild a regular filmmaking rhythm and why a night shoot in the woods offered the right experiment for a seasonal story.The behind-the-scenes centerpiece is Henrique’s attempt to power modern LED film lights with portable battery banks. He describes the brighter hard-source lighting, the tradeoffs of working far from an outlet and the practical frustration of navigating a dark set between takes. A garage cleanup full of costumes, props and equipment extends the filmmaking conversation, as does his hope of eventually reviving Popcorn Fodder. These are personal production recollections, not electrical or set-safety guidance.Michelle and Henrique then turn toward Halloween traditions: pumpkin patches, squirrels that attack jack-o’-lanterns, competing trick-or-treat dates, trunk-or-treat events and the ambition to become the house that gives away the best candy. Their jokes about Mischief Night, egging and smashed pumpkins lead to the spontaneous phrase “pipsqueaks and Melvins,” which became the podcast title but is not the name of Henrique’s film.The episode also captures Michelle’s slow 2021 home-inspector licensing process, including a request to clarify errors-and-omissions insurance paperwork. Henrique anticipates Halloween Kills, while Michelle recommends the found-audio podcast Within the Wires. A 1988 Nickelodeon Halloween special featuring Marc Summers and magician Lance Burton completes this lively mix of independent horror filmmaking, seasonal nostalgia and creative friendship.LinksWatch Beggar’s Night Email the hosts: [email protected]