Plot:
A stop-motion animator has a week to make a film with his dumbstruck brother and the girl of his dreams without his parents finding out. As their shoot unravels, he must face his own selfishness and decide which is more important: his filmmaking or close relationships.
About the Film:
Winner of 35 individual film festival awards, SHELLFISH began with a $25K grant from Johnny Brenden, awarded by UNLV. After five years of collaboration with talented friends, family, students, and alumni, Shellfish premiered at the Dances with Films Festival at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, once owned by Johnny Brenden’s grandfather, Ted Mann. Now, Shellfish can be enjoyed on VOD, distributed by Freestyle Digital Media.
Filmmaker’s Statement:
“I wanted SHELLFISH to be about something I was very familiar with – the many funny and tragic things that could go wrong during the production of an indie film made with friends.
When I was nine, the first video I ever made was a stop motion animation, and I’m glad that audiences have embraced the unique mix of stop motion in Shellfish. It’s one of the many things that has truly made our feature film look and feel bigger than its budget.
I’ve been a producer at Disney for five years, I’ve always dreamt of working on their films, and as Walt said, “It takes people to make the dream a reality.” I was blessed to have this unique opportunity, and to receive a remarkable amount of “un-shellfish” support from UNLV staff, friends, and family.
There are nearly 200 names in the credits, each one representing significant contributions. So many standout performances from up-and-comers in our cast who I’m proud to call my friends and a crew who gave it their all to ensure every shot looks cinematic. My wish is for Shellfish to lead to more opportunities for me and my team. I plan on a lifetime of making movies, as a writer, director, actor, and composer, intent on helping others with similar passions by paying it forward. We hope you enjoy our film.”
For more information on SHELLFISH, please visit: hunterhopewell.com/shellfish
