Filmmaker and Photographer
SHOOTS + LADDERS
Written and Directed by Keira Reneau | Produced by Julia Moran
A SCAD Senior Thesis Film
Capstone Credit for
Keira Reneau - Writer and Director
Julia Moran - Producer
Dakota Callicott - Director of Photography
Val Higgins - Editor
Elle Katsaros - Sound Designer
Logline
During the weekly swap from one parent’s house to the other, 9-year-old Kyla becomes acutely aware, with the aid of a mysterious masked man, of the problems adults face while simultaneously facing her increasing need to go pee.
Synopsis
Taking place on one winter afternoon during the economic recession of 2008, the story follows 9-year-old Kyla as she transitions from her mom’s care into her dad’s. Through the lens of an oblivious child– and with the aid of a mysterious masked man doubling as Kyla’s anxieties, we witness an afternoon in one split family’s life as they address issues such as unemployment, single parenthood, and other repercussions of a recent divorce.
Director's Statement
At its core, shoots + ladders is an exploration of the intricacies that made me who I am as a person, an artist. A moment of catharsis. Being an avid lover of stories myself, I think the most important job anyone could have is to be a purveyor of them. The reason the arts are so important in our culture is because everyone, regardless of status, class, or identity, loves to find bits of themselves in someone else. The idea of being seen and understood is an innate human desire that is seldom acknowledged, but often felt.
When I was seven, my parents got divorced. Of course, being seven, I had no idea of the implications of this or how much it would affect me in my future. I was concerned with much more important matters, such as the proportion of peanut butter to jelly on my sandwich. Then, when I was eight, my mother–raising two kids on her own– lost her job during the Great Recession. Again, I was none the wiser, protected by my obliviousness and my (at the time) optimistic nature that is characteristic of a child.
These are the experiences that inspired me to write and direct shoots + ladders. The lead character, 9-year-old Kyla, is living in her little reality, only acutely aware of the issues that affect her parents. Though this film is reflective of my own experience with divorced parents, I appreciate and acknowledge that it addresses issues that are experienced by many. By sharing my own perspective, someone else may find a piece of themselves within this story or these characters and experience a bit of catharsis for themselves–the feeling of being seen.
- Keira Reneau, Writer/Director
