Love Music Shelter, The Short

LOVE MUSIC SHELTER, the short film is derived from the feature film script, LOVE MUSIC SHELTER and is a true collaboration between actors, the production team, artists, musicians and crew. The film went into production during the SAG strike as a SAG approved Micro Budget Short. The short film serves as a proof of concept for the feature film by the same name. The film wrapped production at the end of October 2023 and is now being submitted to film festivals for consideration as well as to investors for funding. We cannot wait to share it with the world!

ABOUT THE FILM

NATALIE IS A TALENTED TEENAGER WHO ATTENDS THE MOST DANGEROUS SCHOOL IN THE ROCKAWAYS, JUST A FEW MILES OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK. CITY. HER ALCOHOLIC, ONCE PRIVILEGED, SINGLE MOM, LILA, IS FULL OF LOVE BUT TOTALLY UNRELIABLE. EVICTION IS A RECURRING THEME IN THEIR LIVES AND THEY END UP ON THE STREET, BUSKING(SINGING ON THE STREETS FOR MONEY) AS THEIR ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE.

BLOWN AWAY BY HER TALENT, NAT’S TEACHER AND MENTOR, MS. WILLIAMS, RECOMMENDS HER FOR A PRESTIGIOUS PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL. NAT KNOWS THIS WILL BE THE BREAK SHE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR.

HER DILEMMA: IF SHE GET'S INTO THE SCHOOL, SHE WILL HAVE TO LIVE IN A SHELTER WITH HER MOTHER AND LEAVE HER OLD LIFE AND FRIENDS BEHIND HER. WILL LILA BE ABLE TO FACE HER OWN DEMONS AND PUT HER DAUGHTER'S NEEDS AHEAD OF HER OWN ADDICTION? WITH THE RIGHT SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE, WILL DARKNESS GIVES WAY TO LIGHT AND CAN LOVE & MUSIC ULTIMATELY BECOME THEIR TRUE SHELTER?

ABOUT OUR CAST

Meet Our Team

Alixx Schottland/ Writer & Producer: Alixx is a writer/ producer/actor with over 20 years of experience in the independent film, fashion, television and theater worlds. She is an ardent believer in projects that feature strong, complex roles for women and minorities with a focus on subjects closest to her heart, such as social issues, charity, and music. Alixx has graced the stage OFF Broadway in "Katie", " Mommy in Manhattan"and most recently produced and acted in the controversial play "White Woman, Black Boy", directed by theater legend Austin Pendleton. Alixx's recent producing credits include "Slapface"(a Shudder Original), "The Four Walls of Charlotte Moreland," "In Fidelity" and "Godsend."Alixx enjoys being an ambassador for the door.org serving at risk youth and unhoused youth.

Scott Rosenfelt/ Producer: Scott Rosenfelt is one of Hollywood’s most successful independent producers. On the strength of such films as Home Alone, Smoke Signals, Mystic Pizza, and Teen Wolf, Scott has garnered international acclaim and recognition. Rosenfelt has just wrapped principal photography on Holiday Twist, an independently-funded Christmas film to be distributed by Grindstone/Lionsgate in 2023. The film stars Sean Astin, Neal McDonough and Kelly Stables. He's in production for SellBlock, a limited series shottin in the Philippines for Amazon Studios. Rosenfelt is a member of the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Courtney Miller/ Director: Former choreographer to the stars turned television and film director Courtney Miller has worked with the biggest names in music. From Michael Jackson to Prince, Beyonce to Usher, he's created some of the most iconic dance moves the world has ever seen. In 2017, Courtney won numerous awards for his musical short film "Reparations!" Over the the past four years, he's honed his talents and has become one of the hottest new directors in film and television. With over 20 episodes of television, including “Saints and Sinners”and 3 made-for-tv films under his belt, he's a force to be reckoned with and shows no signs of slowing down.

Learan Kahanov/ Director of Photography & Executive Producer: An Israeli-American and the son of a fine artist and an industrial psychologist, Kahanov is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Climbing his way up the ranks in the New York independent film scene in the nineties, he has worked with the likes of Kevin Smith, Christine Vachon, Ira Deutchman and Todd Solondz. His latest work includes Clerks, Ghost Powerbook and Madame president.

Wendy Kram/ Executive Producer: Wendy Kram served as Vice President for UK’s media conglomerate Granada Entertainment, where she oversaw development and international co productions. She was an executive for production companies based at Sony, Disney and Universal, where she developed and produced many projects that received Humanitas, NAACP, WGA, and Golden Globe Awards to include Mad Money starring Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes. She is producing several film and TV projects with Anonymous Content, OWN, Reuben Cannon Entertainment and Forest Whitaker’s Significant Productions.

Lauren Strogoff/ Executive Producer: Lauren Strogoff began her career as a news and documentary producer. She brings over 20 years of experience working for ABC, NBC, and CBS affiliates in San Francisco, Portland, San Diego, Salt Lake City and Denver. Lauren is recognized for her journalistic approach as a unit publicist on high profile feature films working with directors such as Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Weir, Alfonso Cuaron, Steve Zaillian and Sydney Pollack, among others. Credits include: Sleepy Hollow, A civil Action, Basic Instinct, The Firm, Toy Story, Dead Poets Society, Great Expectations, Green Card, A Walk in The Clouds, and Mystic Pizza. Lauren is currently producing two documentary films, one based on girls’ education in Afghanistan, and a personal look back at America in 2008 on the eve of Obama’s inauguration.

Susan Michaels/ Executive Producer: SWE Films has been producing award winning films and documentaries for over thirty years. Some of our recent accomplishments include Executive Producer Spike Lee’s, Son of the South, directed by Barry Alexander Brown. Recently released North of the Ten, starring George Lopez and directed by Rhyan Lamar currently streaming on BET+. Soon to be released, Switch Up, starring Cristian De La Fuente Jeff Fahey, Alicia Witt, Julieth and Donnell Rawlings and The mafia inspired Fresh Kills, written and directed by Jennifer Esposito starring Annabella Sciorra, Odessa A’Zion and Emily Bader.

Karyne Morris/ Executive Producer: Karyne Morris has always held an entrepreneurial leadership role, and has worked in the Entertainment Industry for over 30 years. In 1989, she became the Owner and CEO of ACTA (Academy Casting Team and Associates.) ACTA casted over 100 Hip Hop/Rap Videos from 1989-1991 working with groups like ABC, Bel Bev Devo, Keith Sweat and Boyz to Men. ACTA produced a transitional known RAP Group’s POW “Expression of RAP.” Karyne expanded the company to film and TV. Her relationship with Maximum Entertainment allowed her to successfully cast a number of their projects, including Disney’s “Honey I Blew Up the Baby,” Steven King’s “The Stand,” and Playboy’s TV/MTV “True Confessions and Fantasy. Karyne also volunteers her time with Make a Wish foundation and First Tee helping underprivileged children get into sport activities they cannot afford.

Pierre Roman/ Executive Producer: For More Than 30 Years Worldwide Entertainment and Media has embodied innovative creativity by standing on the front lines of the entertainment industry where all segments of the American and international population can meet under an umbrella of quality feel good, thought-provoking entertainment delivering premium films and TV series. Worldwide Entertainment and Media has produced Award-winning Documentaries and feature Films including: Mind The Gap, Coleman Family Legacy (Jazz Legend George Coleman, Sr. and his family), Fractured , All You Can Eat, The Pack, Bayou Caviar (Cuba Gooding Jr, Richard Dreyfuss, Fake Jansen), Son of The South, (Spike Lee) as well as Fresh kills-Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival written by Jennifer Esposito.

Check out our sizzle reel HERE

And to read more about the music of the film, check out our music page!

See even more on our LOVE MUSIC SHELTER SHORT FILM Instagram Page

Behind the Scenes Pictures