Lilly Wachowski Executive Produces Bold New Short ‘Shed’ Filming in Chicago This Spring
Imagine coming home one day and there’s a garden shed in your backyard that wasn’t there before. Imagine it’s locked and you can’t get into it. Imagine your partner won’t tell you why they got the shed, why they locked it, and what’s inside of it. This is the premise behind the upcoming indie short, Shed.
Shed, written and directed by Stephanie Jeter, is a grounded fantasy film centered around the growing tension between a couple who can’t see eye-to-eye about the big shed in the room. The film is driven by mystery and metaphors, and while it has some thrilling surprises, the characters’ psychological journey is at the heart of the film. Shed is Executive Produced by Chicago filmmaker Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix, Cloud Atlas), a friend and mentor of Jeter’s.
“I love film and the ways it can stand for so much more beyond narrative storytelling. And I love how it can be turned over and over like a prism to look at the world, or a mirror to look at yourself like a Rorschach test,” says Wachowski. “The visual metaphors in Shed do this for me. As someone who has experienced the profound grief of familial loss, as someone who has lived in the closet for many years of my life, the themes of this piece activate deep feelings in me. I cannot wait to engage with Stephanie while she investigates her truths while I dig at my own.”
Set to be shot this June, Shed already has a very impressive team behind it. In addition to Wachowski, Chicago-based producers Kimberly Wehr (Viktory) and Maja Memišević (American Warrior) are combining their savviness to steer the ship. Cinematographer Michael Ognisanti (Work in Progress) brings his keen perspective to the film. Cris Garcia, whose work has been featured at the Chicago International Film Festival, contributes a sharp sense of imagination delivered on an indie budget.
“I’m so heartened by the loads of support this project has gotten so far,” Jeter says. “My collaborators on this project are not only incredibly talented individuals, but the energy and excitement they’ve brought to Shed warms my heart. Filmmaking really is a community affair and Shed has a beautiful community behind it.”
The team launched a Kickstarter campaign last week, with an indie-friendly goal that they are hoping to stretch. Some of their cooler perks include a digital download of the film, a film poster, on-screen credit, and a private virtual screening with Jeter and Wachowski.
“People should pledge because they like good stories and want to support the homegrown artists who bring them to life,” says Wehr. “If everyone who ever complained about Hollywood being out of ideas gave us the $25 they were gonna spend on popcorn at The Fast & The Furious: Eleventy Billion, we could make A LOT of movies.”
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Photo Credits: Lilly Wachowski by Christa Holka; Stephanie Jeter by Eddie L. Jerks.
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