Everhand
SYNOPSIS:
Rancher Abe Brightwell (Lee Cleaveland)
struggles to maintain his livelihood alongside his
wife Edie (Sarah Beth Budd), until a shadowy biotech
company offers him a sleek new bionic limb — the
Everhand. Productivity soars, but so do the
consequences. The couple must confront a mute and
menacing corporate Sales Rep (Ron Williams) and
reclaim their humanity before the machine consumes
them — and everything they love.
A silent film, Everhand relies heavily on mood, music,
and visual storytelling.
GENESIS:
Filmed with a budget of $0 USD, Everhand was shot
in under 48 hours and created for the 2025 Easterseals
Disability Film Challenge . The film first screened at the
Carey Grant Theatre at Sony Studios where Everhand went on
to win Best Director and Best Picture while also receiving
a Best Editing nomination. Inspired by actor and producer
Lee Cleaveland's mind controlled bionic hand, Everhand is a
sci-fi thriller and body horror piece that draws influence
from The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror, and Fallout.
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Shane HillierDirector
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Mario CassemWriter
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Sarah Beth BuddProducer
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Lee CleavelandProducer
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Shane HillerEditor
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Lee CleavelandKey Cast"Abe"
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Sarah Beth BuddKey Cast"Edie"
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Ron WilliamsKey Cast"Rep"
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Din Pastrana1st Assistant Director
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Nick Matthews2nd Assistant Director
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Grace SchilpScript Supervisor
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Sean MoutonDirector of Photography
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Kevin Waltz1st Assistant Camera
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Luke Mulvaney2nd Assistant Camera
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Cooper ArentDIT
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Luke MulvaneyDIT
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Gianluca PetrazziGaffer
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Jake GottmanKey Grip
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Jaden StroudeSound Recordist
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Jake ClarkComposer
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Evan HoudekProduction Designer
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Jack HorriganGraphic Designer
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Alexis StacyGraphic Designer
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Hannah M. BuddCostume Designer / Key HMU
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Mikey VultaggioWardrobe Assistant
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Trever BarkhamLocations Manager
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Wyatt CleavelandProduction Assistant
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Trever BarkhamAnimal Trainer
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Samuel LoudonGrip
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Ryan RootareGrip
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Henry CleavelandSet Decorator
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Scot CleavelandSet Decorator
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Project Type:Short
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Runtime:9 minutes 3 seconds
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Completion Date:April 6, 2025
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Alexa Mini
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Film Color:Black & White
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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2025 Easterseals Disability Film ChallengeLos Angeles, CA
United States
May 8, 2025
Best Picture , Best Director -
2025 HollyShorts Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
August 16, 2025
Official Selection -
Heartland International Film Festival 2025Indianapolis
United States
October 12, 2025
Official Selection -
Midnight Monster Club Short Film Festival 2026San Antonio
United States
January 16, 2026 -
Slamdance Film Festival 2026Los Angeles
United States
February 20, 2026
Grand Jury Prize - Best Unstoppable Short
Shane Hillier (Detroit, MI) is a disabled director, editor,
and writer known for his commitment to inclusive
storytelling and impactful filmmaking.
His passion for film has been prevalent his whole life. He began acting as a child, participating in local theater. In his teenage years this interest then blossomed into behind the scenes work. This led Shane to pursue photography and video editing where he spent several years making skateboard films with his friends. Through this newfound interest he developed his skills and ultimately ushered him into narrative filmmaking.
Shane then enrolled at the Motion Picture Institute in Troy, MI. There he wrote and directed three short films; "Absolutely No Hunting", "If These Walls Could Talk", and "Yellow Bellied Rat". Upon graduating Shane took on his next project, "If These Walls Could Walk". Which went on to have a successful festival run, winning several awards throughout the process, including Best Film, Best Thriller, Best Production Design and Best Editing in various festivals.
Shane continues to pursue filmmaking in numerous avenues, including narratives and music videos. He also continues to work professionally in the Detroit film industry.
“We live in a world where technology, prosthetics, and augmentation has changed so many lives for the better. We wanted to take that narrative and flip it on its head. What would be the darker consequences? What are the more sinister consequences? Everhand explores those ideas. In the end, Everhand is a labor of love created by Michigan filmmakers.”
-Shane Hillier