04/21/2026
As our senior film students reach the culmination of their time at Loyola, we’re proud to highlight Maddy Geauthreaux and her thesis film, Watchman’s Woods.
Originally from Covington, Louisiana, Maddy has spent over a year developing this project, bringing together the skills she’s built throughout her time in the program. Rooted in her longtime love of horror, Watchman’s Woods is a horror-comedy that follows two friends searching for a local monster, inspired by urban legends and shot in the “found footage” style.
“My strengths lie in the art department and editing, so I aimed to make a film that leaned heavily into both,” Maddy shares. Over the course of the process, she embraced the challenges of filmmaking, even returning to reshoot key scenes in order to better align with her vision. “A major takeaway… is to trust your gut and not be afraid to take a knife to your work in order to carve out the good stuff.”
That willingness to refine and take creative risks led to a film that more closely reflects her voice balancing humor, character, and the eerie tone of the woods.
As Maddy prepares to graduate, we’re excited to see her continue creating and exploring the horror genre and maybe even return to the world of Watchman’s Woods.
Check out some photos and behind-the-scene images of Maddy's incredible work.
