Garden Spells

When Claire’s grandma passes away, she leaves behind a spell book that promises magical help should Claire ever need it. Years later, Claire meets Colton in the bookstore where she works and instantly falls for him…but can’t quite seem to tell if he reciprocates the feeling. She calls upon the book and her grandma’s spirit to open his heart towards her. The following day she sees him again at the bookstore and thinks her chance has come, only this time he’s there with another girl. Claire is heartbroken. However her heartbreak turns to horror when, a few days later, he reappears at the bookstore alone and asks her out to lunch. She stumbles over an excuse and retreats to the back room. That night she consults her grandmother’s spirit asking if there’s a way to reverse the spell she cast, full of guilt at having turned his heart towards her when he already had a girlfriend. The next day, Colton and the other girl arrive at the bookstore. While in conversation with Claire, it’s revealed that the mystery girl is actually Colton’s sister Jennifer. Realizing the blunder and relieved at the outcome, Colton and Jennifer invite Claire out to lunch, and she accepts. We fast forward to years later, where an older Claire is passing her grandmother’s spell book onto her own granddaughter with the promise that it will help her find her own Mr. Right when the time comes.

  • Jordan Wilson
    Director
    What People Are
  • Mike McDonald
    Writer
    A Little Dead, I Wish Tonight, Remember Me, The Soul of Meghan Cromwell
  • Mike McDonald
    Producer
    A Little Dead, I Wish Tonight, Remember Me, The Soul of Meghan Cromwe
  • Karen Garlitz
    Key Cast
    "Claire"
    What People Are
  • Ryan Anderson
    Key Cast
    "Colton"
  • Adelyn Boyer
    Key Cast
    "Granddaughter"
  • Renee Spahr
    Key Cast
    "Grandmother"
  • Melissa Caswell
    Key Cast
    "Jennifer"
    Burning Down the Walls
  • Cheryl McConnel
    Key Cast
    "Old Claire"
    Dotty & Soul, The Toilet Zone, Agnes, Deadly Misconduct, Shifter
  • Gracie Parker
    Key Cast
    "Young Claire"
  • Johnny Horn
    Key Cast
    "Mr. Thompson"
    A Cowgirl's Song, American Underdog, Revival, Mono
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    fantasy, romance, romcom, childrens
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Cheryl McConnel
Director Biography - Jordan Wilson

Jordan Wilson graduated from Oklahoma City Community College with a degree in Digital Cinema Production in 2018. Since then, she’s directed “What People Are,” which went on win multiple awards at festivals around the country. She also works as an assistant director, having been a part of films including “A Little Dead” and “Golden Arm.”

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My last film “What People Are” dealt with a lot of heavy topics: sexual assault, homelessness, and prejudice. With “Garden Spells,” I wanted to create something that my 5 year old niece could enjoy and understand. When Mike, the producer and writer of the film, approached me about directing, I saw it as an opportunity to bring to life something fun and heartwarming that all audiences could enjoy. Everyone, even children, can relate to the themes of love and wanting something you don’t know how to get that are present in the film. I feel like a lot of films cater emotionally to only either an adult age group or a children’s age group, but with “Garden Spells” I believe anyone of any age can find an emotional connection and enjoyment to the characters and the story.