SHUDDERBUGS
a film by Johanna Putnam
Sam returns to her childhood home in the wake of her mother’s mysterious death, spiraling down a rabbit hole of grief, suspicion and isolation.
SYNOPSIS
SAMANTHA (SAM) COLE returns to her childhood home when her mother suddenly passes. In place of familiar spaces and memories, Sam finds only uneasiness and confusion. Things are missing, the environment seems unnatural, and the neighbor (NOAH) is suspiciously obtuse. Isolated with these mysteries, a scavenger hunt her mom had prepared for her upcoming birthday, and rising red flags from Noah, Sam wrestles with her sanity and certainties.
In her journey to untangle the truth, she finds herself at a dangerous crossroad: How far can she trust instincts that may be clouded by grief, guilt, and desperation?
Shudderbugs is a psychological thriller about the strange ways we cope with loss, and the many sides of ourselves that engage in the struggle.
OUR STORY
Shudderbugs was born while quarantining with my parents in my childhood farmhouse in spring of 2020. Our frustrations and confusions during this unprecedented time were tempered by throwing ourselves into an incredible challenge. We’d make our own feature, start to finish. With the soaring pandemic in New York came vast limitations. As our locations, crew, on-screen talent, and other key elements of traditional filmmaking were stifled, we replaced those pieces with what we did have available: the natural beauty of our isolated environment, time, excessive planning, the three of us, youtube tutorials, cinephilia, and bugs. Lots of bugs.
Shudderbugs is our attempt to capture the psychological experience of a woman unraveling, and to portray our minds' abilities to inform and adapt our realities, beyond logic and reason, often by necessity. In equal measure, we were drawn to telling a story of grief: the weird ways we wrestle and wrangle it, and the very different ways we learn to live with it. In the spaces between childhood and adulthood, memory and present, imagination and reality, live all the versions of who we are and how we may behave in the scariest and most difficult of moments.
We hope Shudderbugs may offer a voice in our collective portraits and conversations on isolation and grief.
- Johanna, Brennan & Jamie
Johanna Putnam
DIRECTOR / WRITER / ACTOR / PRODUCER
After studying Film and Theater at Dartmouth College, Johanna spent a decade acting in Los Angeles where she played a main character in Project Greenlight's Feast trilogy from Dimension Films. Most recently, she can be seen as a lead in the indie coming-of-age drama July Rising, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
An indie arthouse nerd beyond, Johanna returned to the east coast, determined to create her own work of independent vision and artistic storytelling. Shudderbugs is her first full creation as director, writer, lead actor and producer.
Brennan Brooks
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY / ACTOR / PRODUCER
Brennan is an on-set veteran with over a decade of experience as a first AD on features, commercials and television. Over the years he has stood next to directors and cinematographers behind a monitor, but never directly behind the camera.
When presented with the opportunity to be the director of photography on Shudderbugs, Brennan dove head first into a new, yet strangely familiar world of telling a story with a lens. As a producer, Brennan lent his comprehensive skill sets and production knowledge to the vision of Shudderbugs.
Jamie Unruh
EDITOR / PRODUCER
Jamie is an award-winning television and film editor. With over a decade of experience in the post-production industry, Jamie brings passion and creativity to every project she edits. From scripted spots to verité documentary, she is committed to finding compelling stories and crafting them into seamless and entertaining edits. Her portfolio includes work for PBS, Bravo, and A&E, as well as commercial clients including Stella Artois, Budweiser, Hilton Hotels, Puma, Chase and more.
In addition to editing and producing Shudderbugs, Jamie recorded production sound, as well as assisting with lighting and camera operation.
Eric Elterman
COMPOSER / SOUND DESIGNER
Eric was classically trained on the viola and his interest in music led to an interest in recording. In the early 2000s he began working in NYC studios like Sound on Sound, Philip Glass's Looking Glass Studios and Eastside Sound.
His credits span numerous genres and include Grammy-nominated and Grammy Award-winning projects working with the likes of Les Paul, John Zorn, Thurston Moore, and Meshell Ndegeocello, among others. In the television industry he has worked for the Emmy nominated Dan Patrick Show and currently heads the audio department for the CBS show Tooning Out The News, recently nominated for a Critic's Choice Award.
In 2016 Eric designed and built Boomtown Studio in Brooklyn, where he currently works creating, composing, editing, mixing and designing audio.
Johanna Putnam as SAM COLE
Brennan Brooks as NOAH SHULTAS
CONTACT US
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SUPPORT SHUDDERBUGS
SHUDDERBUGS made its World Premiere at Naples International Film Festival in October 2022, where we were honored to receive both the Indie Spirit and Rising Star Awards. In the months since, SHUDDERBUGS has been awarded Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Festival Director’s Choice, Indie Auteur of the Year and Special Jury Mentions, as well as awards and nominations for its musical score. As we continue a festival run to share our tiny mighty film with audiences far and wide, we’re more grateful than ever for the support and interest of our friends and communities. If you’re in a position to help support our festival submissions, promotional materials, and travels costs, contributions at any level are enormously helpful!
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To make a tax-deductible donation to the project through our fiscal sponsor Women Make Movies, CLICK HERE or follow the DONATE link above.
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We are thrilled to be a Women Make Movies Production Assistance Program Project. Established in 1972, Women Make Movies is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media arts organization registered with the New York Charities Bureau of New York State. As the fiscal sponsor, WMM accepts donations or grants on behalf of the filmmaker and takes the responsibility of administering the funds received in support of the development and completion of the film.
CLICK TO LISTEN
full original musical score coming soon