Sheri Sussman was born in New York, grew up in Cincinnati, and went to Los Angeles when she was 18 years old, where she studied at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. Soon after, she became a working screenwriter in Hollywood. She has been a writer-for-hire, working in all capacities, from rewrites to script consultant to treatments. She has written, directed, and/or produced award-winning feature films, documentaries, and shorts. We caught up with the award-winning filmmaker to discuss her career and short ‘Shutter The Doors’
Sheri, thanks for taking the time to speak to us about your work. How and when did you decide to embrace a career in film and television?
When I was 18 years old I had a scholarship for journalism to Ohio University and I was in Los Angeles for the summer where I met a group of working actors. I always knew I wanted to be a filmmaker, so I decided not to go to college. I got an apartment on Hollywood Blvd, a job, and enrolled in writing and acting classes.
Please tell us more about your initial training as a writer.
I studied at UCLA Creative Writing Extension Program and took Robert McKee’s seminar (a few times!). I studied acting at a place called Staircase Studios and The Groundlings. Acting helped my writing and I just started writing scripts, one after the other. I was extremely fortunate to have behind-the-scenes mentors who were friends with my step-father who read my work and believed in me. Earl Lestz was head of Operations for Paramount Studios and, when Billy Wirth and I did my first short film, he gave us everything we needed to make the film. Paul Haggar was President of Post Production at Paramount, who did as well. I produced indie films with access to top studio talent like Augie Hess, an amazing editor who edited a few of my films. All the people and vendors I met through them are still incredibly generous and supportive of my career. Also, Maggie Abbott, a former agent, has been an invaluable guide for me.
You were a writer for the critically acclaimed independent film, “MacArthur Park”, directed by Billy Wirth, which premiered at Sundance and was distributed by The Sundance Channel. What impact did that have on your career?
It was a very meaningful film that has helped a lot of people who are struggling with addiction. I met great actors through it and am always proud of the work on that. I think it gave me great confidence to write and rewrite from existing material. Billy had 500 handwritten pages from Tyrone, whose story it was, and a first draft. We worked for months on the script from all the material Billy had gathered. Overtly in my career, I don’t think I’ve had one project that has “broken me through” or impacted my career to move me to a more successful level. But work always seems to lead to more work for me. But, I feel good that I’ve been able to put together a body of work that I’m proud of. And I’m fortunate to have worked with incredibly talented and kind people.
You’re a judge for the prestigious PAGE International Screenwriting Awards. For our readers unfamiliar with PAGE, can you tell us more about the awards and what judges are particularly looking for?
I’ve been a judge for the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards for ten years. Kristin Overn, who created it (and also Executive Produced my last two short films), does an incredible job helping support new and unknown writers around the world. We have ten categories of genres from features to shorts to pilots. It’s run with great integrity to find very talented and competent writers. It gives them opportunities to get representation and meet established filmmakers to help launch their careers. We look for original scripts and unique voices from writers that are skilled at the craft. Many winners are top writers in the industry now. And many writers that don’t even win have had judges reach out to them which has changed the trajectory of their lives. I’m honored to be a part of it and am always blown away and inspired by some of the great scripts I read.
Congratulations on your latest project ‘Shutter The Doors’ being selected for the FirstGlance Festival in May. You are the writer, director, and producer of this short. Can you share with us the origins of the storyline and what audiences can expect?
It was February 2021 and I hadn’t written since the beginning of the pandemic. I am literally always writing something – a gig or just for my own sanity. I had always pictured Ian Buchanan sitting at a bar with a glass of whiskey. I had always wanted to write a role for him that started with that scene in my head. I’ve wanted to write and direct Billy Wirth, so I wrote it for them. I didn’t have a story, so I started with Ian’s character and basically just poured every emotion and thought I had at the time into the film. I created the plot in real-time, in one pass. I had no intention of shooting it and when I showed the script to Ian then Billy and Justin Janowitz, a brilliant DP I’d always wanted to work with, they all said let’s do it. We shot it three weeks later.
As a filmmaker and writer, particularly with ‘Shutter The Doors’, what feelings do you want audiences to have after watching your projects?
I hope people have a sense of comfort that everything will be okay even though my work is on the “darker side” of life. And that life is complex and even in the darkest moments, things will be okay. I always try to write and do films that present the inner voice we all have and by bringing it out through a character on screen, hopefully it leads to empathy for other human beings. I hope they find a bit of relief that other people experience the same emotions about the triumphs and tragedies of life that they’ve experienced, and in that, they are inspired or feel they’re not alone in the world in some sense. That’s what movies have always done for me.
Please tell us more about the filming schedule. To what extent was it affected by the pandemic and filming restrictions?
We shot it at The Mint in March 2021. They were closed for the year, so we knew it was Covid safe. We made sure it was only a one-day shoot and crew of less than 15 people. We only had access to The Mint a few days before shooting. Places were just starting to open and not many people were vaccinated yet. Justin Janowitz, our DP, hired his crew that he works with, and I had the other half of the crew that I’ve worked with for years. Antonio Cortese and Adam Rex produced the film and were Covid Compliant and very cautious. Bryan Hoffman, my first A.D., and Justin did a super tight shooting schedule for the day that we knew we’d make. With Covid testing, etc., we didn’t have the budget for another day.
The whole crew was very safe and respectful about shooting during the pandemic, as some of us had high-risk situations. For post-production, I worked remotely with long-time colleagues Scott Harvey, our super talented editor, and Andy Kantos, my sound designer, who is just magic! Andy and I only worked in person once for the final sound mix. Mark Todd Osborne was our colorist, who works extensively with Justin, and did beautiful work on our film and very quickly. We worked in person with him for one day for the final color. Dave Eggar and Phil Faconti worked remotely on the music and Ian recorded the final song at his house. Basically, most of the film was done remotely because of Covid.
What has been the most challenging project to work on?
“Life in a Basket”. A documentary about what homeless people have in their shopping carts and why those items are vital to their survival. There were challenges with every aspect of the project. The priority was not to do anything that exploited anyone we filmed. It was Paul Haggar’s idea. He was the former President of Post Production at Paramount Studios. He asked me to produce it with him.
We shot on 35mm film over three days. I asked my friend, David Hogan, a veteran music video director, to direct it. He was inspired by photographer Richard Avedon’s “American West” series and chose to shoot everyone against a white background. We set up a makeshift film set at the Salvation Army storage hanger-on Skid Row. We had so many wonderful homeless people show up to be interviewed. I spent months prepping and spending time in downtown LA meeting the people who lived on the streets. Orlando Ward, former director of the Midnight Mission, who became our narrator in the film taught me about “the world” and had his security team help us as well. I’m really proud of this project, and the humanity we show in our film.
What has been the most personally rewarding?
All the films I’ve worked on have had a positive personal meaning to me in different ways. But, “Shutter the Doors” encompasses the most completely rewarding film I’ve done as a writer/director/producer. It has a deep personal meaning to me on many levels and is completely my voice as a writer, and precisely the type of films I want to make. It was an unexpected project that came from a very honest place with the purest intentions – to just create and to work with the people I admire and respect. It is the most personally rewarding film that I’ve done so far.
What advice would you give a younger you, starting in the industry?
I always tell people just keep focusing on the work. Especially if you’re a writer there is no excuse. It’s the one thing you have control over in the industry! Unless you’re getting paid, create projects you believe in, and don’t give up on them no matter how long it seems to take!
What other projects are you working on?
I am looking for financing for the feature to “SHUTTER THE DOORS”. I wrote “SAM’S PLACE” a few months after we finished the short film. Ian Buchanan is Sam, and he’s also a partner on the project. Justin is going to DP it as well. The feature is Sam’s story. It’s a classic style film in the vein of “La Dolce Vita” and “Casablanca”. It follows Ian’s character as he loses his sense of identity when his world seems to fall apart.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
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