THE WESTERN Bulldogs commissioned and produced a short film as part of their pitch to Zak Butters through the year, in a move that ultimately helped tug at the superstar's heart strings to choose the Dogs as his new home.

The Bulldogs on Friday lodged their free agency paperwork to sign Butters, with Port Adelaide having until Monday afternoon to either take the No.5 compensation pick or match the deal and force a trade.

But the lengths to which the Bulldogs went to win over Butters through his decision year can be further revealed, with AFL.com.au able to detail the documentary the Dogs shot, produced and wrote to show Butters in their presentation to him mid-year.

With president Kylie Watson-Wheeler's links to the film industry as the senior vice president and managing director of Disney Australia, the Bulldogs produced a video that was the centrepiece to their pitch to bring Butters back to the west.

The short film followed a young boy who was a Western Bulldogs supporter, wearing a No.6 jumper – Brad Johnson, the club's former No.6, was a childhood hero of Butters', who grew up a big Dogs supporter.

The extra detail is that the boy playing the role of a young Butters was Jack Regan – the 11-year-old son of Bulldogs list manager Michael Regan. 

The production was filmed at Darley Football Club, Butters' beloved home club, and pulled at his emotional ties to the region as well as the Bulldogs.

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The Dogs had teased the involvement of Watson-Wheeler in their pitch to Butters since the Port superstar nominated them as his preferred destination last month, but Watson-Wheeler using her connections and resources for the making, directing and producing of the film was central to their key meeting with their top target. 

It was shown to Butters in the theatrette at Whitten Oval mid-year, as one of Butters' catch ups during the season with the clubs vying for him, having also met with Collingwood, Richmond and Geelong at various times, including mid-year as he was weighing his call.

That night saw Butters have a discussion with key Bulldogs players, including Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards, Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy, while coach Luke Beveridge also added a unique touch by presenting Butters with a Bulldogs themed skateboard that included his inscriptions and a message about what could lay ahead at the Dogs if he chose them.

Butters swung in different ways through the season on where his future lay, including periods of strong leanings to the Cats, before the Dogs won the battle late having upped their record nine-year offer, and also hitting the spot with his emotional and childhood links to the club and his ambitions to be a role model for young players in the western suburbs. 

Included in those feelings for the three-time All-Australian and three-time best and fairest winner was the letter he received from a young Bulldogs fan, 11-year-old Hunter Zerafa, who penned a heartfelt note to him and left it in his letterbox begging him to join the Bulldogs. 

After AFL.com.au revealed the letter's impact on Butters, and Zerafa became identified as the fan to send the letter and 20-cent piece, Butters went and visited Zerafa at his local primary school to meet him.