Shelby Oaks

Shelby Oaks is an upcoming American supernatural horror mystery film produced, written, and directed by Chris Stuckmann in his feature film directorial debut. It stars Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Michael Beach, Robin Bartlett, Keith David, Charlie Talbert, Emily Bennett, and Sarah Durn. The film is produced by Aaron B. Koontz and Paper Street Pictures.
Premise
The film centers around Mia's frantic search for her sister Riley, after Riley ominously disappeared in the last tape of a group of paranormal investigators called the Paranormal Paranoids. As Mia's obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley's childhood may have been real.
Cast
Camille Sullivan as Mia
Brendan Sexton III as Robert, Mia's husband
Michael Beach as Detective Burke
Robin Bartlett as Norma
Keith David as Morton, a prison warden
Charlie Talbert as Wilson Miles
Emily Bennett as Janet
Sarah Durn as Riley, Mia's sister
Production
Development
In July 2021, YouTuber and film critic Chris Stuckmann signed on to write and direct a supernatural horror mystery film titled Shelby Oaks for Paper Street Pictures. The film is based on an online marketing campaign depicting a series of found footage videos about a fictional paranormal investigative team named The Paranormal Paranoids. The film was produced by Stuckmann, Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead.
Initially, the production was set to begin in late 2021, but was delayed due to insufficient funds and a potential strike between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Funding for the film was achieved via a Kickstarter campaign that began on March 1, 2022. On March 21, Shelby Oaks became the most-funded horror film project on Kickstarter after raising $650,000. The campaign crossed the $1 million mark from 11,200 backers by March 25. During the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022, Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Michael Beach, Robin Bartlett, Keith David, Charlie Talbert, Emily Bennett, and Sarah Durn were revealed as the cast. Stuckmann and his wife Samantha Elizabeth co-wrote the story, while Andrew Scott Baird served as cinematographer.
Filming
Principal photography commenced on May 9, 2022, and concluded on June 5. Filming took place at various locations in Ohio, including Greenwood Farm, Ohio State Reformatory, Chippewa Lake Park, and Cleveland Public Library.
Post-production
By August 2023, post-production was suspended due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. The film's producer Koontz stated that the film is "in the final stages of post-production, including the all-important automated dialogue replacement, when actors re-record their lines. We need the actors in, but we are not a priority project because we are not in production, but we're trying to finish this film in the next month".
Release
Shelby Oaks is set to have screenings in Austin, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York.
References
External links
2020s mystery horror films
2020s supernatural horror films
American independent films
American mystery horror films
American supernatural horror films
Films affected by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike
Films produced by Aaron B. Koontz
Films set in amusement parks
Films set in Ohio
Films set in prison
Films shot in Cleveland
Films shot in Louisville, Kentucky
Kickstarter-funded films
Upcoming directorial debut films
Upcoming films
2020s English-language films
2020s American films