Behind the Scenes

If Shadows in the Snow was an endurance test, Night Dicks was a fever dream fueled by dehydration. The production is legendary within the group not for its technical precision, but for the physical state of its creators. Both director Daryl Della and star Becker Von Felsburg filmed the entirety of the project while severely hungover, having gone out hard the night before. The resulting film’s "uneven" tone, manic energy, and loose performances are a direct reflection of a crew running on adrenaline and headache medicine.

The script originally featured one of Dollars & Donuts' most absurd creations: "Bar Baby," a hard-boiled criminal informant played by a toddler. The role was written specifically for Daryl’s son, Henry Della, who was one year old at the time. However, reality intervened. The filming location, Wine Down SF (a real bar Daryl frequented), could not legally allow a minor on the premises during the shoot. Forced to pivot, the role was reimagined for Sarah Garand, the co-owner of the bar. While she delivered the exposition admirably, the loss of the "Bar Baby" remains a "what if" moment for the studio, trading a surreal visual gag for logistical legality.

The production became a flashpoint for the deteriorating relationship between the partners. Michael Martin explicitly refused to produce the film.

The Chief of Police was played by Slade Lewis, a close friend of Becker’s and the actual namesake for the lead character. The production value was boosted significantly by Rich Castromayor, who lent his iconic red Mustang to the production, allowing the hungover detectives to look cool while driving in circles.

The film’s villain required a unique special effect. "Desmond," the dog-man, was created using a practical composite: Daryl Della’s body provided the suit-wearing torso (filmed against a green screen), which was then digitally replaced with the head of his Great Dane, Merle.

The film found one major champion: Hank Della. It remained one of Hank's favorite entries in the catalog, primarily because the ending featured his beloved Labradoodles making their screen debut as the transmogrified detectives.

The project found two unexpected champions in the audience that night: Sasha Boggs and David Quintanilla. Far from being alienated by the low-brow, hungover absurdity, both Sasha and David were enamored by it. They immediately petitioned Daryl for roles in any potential follow-up. True to his unwritten code, he obliged.

his enthusiasm birthed the sequel, Night Dicks: Miami. David Quintanilla was written into the ensemble, while Sasha Boggs was gifted the role of the villainous Dr. Bitch, a character written specifically for her.

The sequel served as the final battlefield for the studio's internal war. In a moment of searing meta-commentary that did not go unnoticed by the inner circle, the script called for Dr. Bitch to use her powers to literally "delete" the Dollars & Donuts universe. Her first victim? Deke Trenton—the franchise character famously played by Michael Martin.

It was a ruthless, symbolic gestures. Michael had tried to kill Night Dicks, so Night Dicks returned the favor by deleting him. The scene solidified the transition of power: the "Serious Era" was over, and the "Loyalist Era" had begun.