Private Project

Shit Happens

During a post-prom night make-out session in the back of a car, Max is suddenly hit with the incredible urge to use the bathroom. In his desperate attempt to relieve himself, he finds himself face-to-face with a serial killer in a women’s truck stop bathroom.

  • Matison LeBlanc
    Director
    Dirty Laundry, Ada and the Doc
  • Ryan D'Souza
    Director
  • Matison LeBlanc
    Writer
    Dirty Laundry, Ada and the Doc
  • Brock St. Clair
    Producer
  • Ryan D'Souza
    Producer
  • Matison LeBlanc
    Producer
    Ada and the Doc
  • Kendall Whitmore
    Producer
  • Isaac Liu
    Key Cast
    "Max Belcher"
  • Kate Croonquist
    Key Cast
    "Christina"
  • Cleon Ony
    Key Cast
    "The Killer"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 10, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 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:
    Yes - Savannah College of Art and Design
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Matison LeBlanc, Ryan D'Souza

Matison and Ryan met during their freshman year at the Savannah College of Art and Design where they had one of their very first film classes together. Currently based in Atlanta, GA, award-winning filmmaker Ryan D'Souza has developed a passion for telling the stories of underrepresented communities-- working on projects all the way from rural Alaska to the mountainscapes of Peru. After teaming up with Matison on a variety of projects in the past, Ryan was incredibly excited to collaborate with her yet again when he reached out to her with the concept for "Shit Happens." Matison was intrigued by the concept and the way it put a fun spin on a classic misogynisitc horror trope, so she immediately wrote up a first draft. It was an instant hit, and her and Ryan went on to collaborate on the story with executive producer Brock St. Clair, CEO of MUG Media. Matison is an award winning writer and director currently based in New Orleans, LA. She has always been impressed by how seamlessly her and Ryan's creative visions mesh and was eager to co-direct for the first time.

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Director Statement

Based in the nostalgia of the 1980s, Shit Happens explores a new take on the classic “Slasher” genre while incorporating underlying themes of the virgin-whore complex that was so often seen in horror films decades ago. This classic trope is showcased in numerous horror films in which the “whore” dies first, and the “virgin” always lives. In Shit Happens, this concept is turned on its head when 17-year-old Max awkwardly attempts to lose his virginity the night of his senior prom in the back of his MINI Cooper. Matison and Ryan shared a clear vision for the look and feel of the film, maintaining a specific campy 80's aesthetic with a Gen-Z twist, while the actual time period remained ambiguous throughout the film. They specifically went this route with the setting of the film due to the timeless themes explored in this coming-of-age horror comedy. Above all, they wanted to make a film that was equal parts campy, funny, and bloody that challenged the horror norms of the past.