Russell Sheaffer

Memory of Objects

Russell Sheaffer

David Maxson, Christopher Miles

There are spaces in this world wherein so many memories have soaked into the walls that it is hard to place these sites within a definite point in time. Memory of Objects illustrates these haphazard intersections of space and time by capturing film projections on dilapidated rural edifices. Shot on a beautiful 16mm, we see chaotic movements of light drape over barnyards and bathtubs—evoking memories of violence that haunt rural decay. Memory of Objects disrupts our linear perceptions of time by demonstrating how past traumas bleed into the present moment and latch themselves onto physical space.

Saltwater Baptism

Jared Callahan, Russell Sheaffer

Santiago Gonzalez IV, a first generation Mexican-American, struggles with the tensions between his sexuality, nationality, and religion as he prepares for his college graduation.

Masculinity & Me

Russell Sheaffer, James Franco

James Franco, Russell Sheaffer

Lurid monologues about rape and murder.

Masculinity/Femininity

Russell Sheaffer

Barbara Hammer, John Greyson

Masculinity/Femininity is an experimental film project interrogating normative notions of gender, sexuality and performance. Shot primarily on Super 8, the project merges academic and creative critique -- a document of gender de-construction rather than a documentary about gender construction.

Dick Pics! (A Documentary)

Hannah McSwiggen, Russell Sheaffer

Russell Sheaffer, Tallie Medel

A stop-motion documentary that asks men one of the crucial questions of our era: “What compels you to send pictures of your penis to non-consenting others?”

Jules of Light and Dark

Daniel Laabs

Tallie Medel, Robert Longstreet

In present-day Texas, Maya and her on again, off again girlfriend Jules total their car after a night of backwoods raving and teen mischief. They're rescued from the wreckage by Freddy, an oil worker whose stoic facade crumbles as he comes to see himself, and his repressed desires, in Maya. As Jules recovers, Maya and Freddy develop a rapport that dulls the debilitating silence of their small-town lives. Together, they subtly encourage one another to chase after what they want the most (or at least figure out what that might be).

Alone

Russell Sheaffer

Ben Strassfeld, Jim Bittl

Shot and edited entirely on 16mm black and white reversal film. Alone presents an experimental look at the connections people form with each other within their relationship to the city.

Monotony

Russell Sheaffer

David Maxson, Christopher Miles

'Monotony' explores themes of fantasy and desire through an examination of morning ritualism.

Étude 1a: Release (I)

Aaron Michael Smith, Russell Sheaffer

Exploring the musical concept of "release," this film is a haunting found-footage study in the plurality of visual and auditory meanings of the term. A series of collaborative works pairing artists working in visual and auditory mediums, the Études meditate on individual musical concepts through experiments with sound and film. Étude 1a: Release (I) is the first in this series and is directed by filmmaker Russell Sheaffer and composer Aaron Michael Smith.