Director hopes to shoot movie in hometown
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
In the past two decades, Shanra J. Kehl’s living backdrop has changed from the countryesque serenity of East Troy to the bright lights of Las Angeles. But she’s never forgotten her roots.
Kehl, a 1995 East Troy High School graduate, has amassed an extensive resume in recent years with roles in a number of Hollywood productions. Working behind the scenes, Kehl’s roles are technical and include such titles as camera operator and cinematographer.
In recent years, Kehl has worked on such disparate TV series as “America’s Next Top Model,” “Last Comic Standing” and “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.” She also participated in the production of Katy Perry’s docu-film, “Part of Me,” which was released a year ago.
Kehl also is passionate about the independent film circuit. Her most recent film, “Manscaping,” won an award in 2009 at the Honolulu International Film Festival. The comedy, about the lives of three men from different walks of life, is available for viewing on iTunes.
Kehl’s next independent project remains a work in progress, due primarily to her quest to obtain funds to see the entire film through.
As proposed, “Hunting Tale,” a comedy-drama, will be set amid the backdrop of East Troy.
“I’m looking to find local support for the film,” said Kehl, who was in East Troy last week doing prep work on the film.
While in town, she attended a local Second City film as part of a talent scouting process.
The script for “Hunting Tale,” proposed to be a feature-length film, has been written. The storyline follows four Chicago residents who embark on a guys’ weekend outing to hunt deer in the Wisconsin woods.
“Hunting Tale” includes plenty of comedy as the guys enjoy the camaraderie together and miss almost every deer they spot. But Kehl said the story takes a dramatic twist when one of the guys runs into a girlfriend from high school.
Kehl, a self-described creative person, is tapping into her business side as she aims to see “Hunting Tale” through.
She has been meeting with potential investors for the project, which has about a 30 percent commitment rate at the moment.
Kehl, the daughter of Dean and Pat Kehl, said she aims to keep “Hunting Tale” as Wisconsin-centric as possible.
“I’ve been looking for local support so I can shoot the film back in Wisconsin, rather than New York or another state,” she said.
Kehl, who studied photography and cinematography in college, said the creative aspects of her work compensate for the oftentimes long hours and, at times, challenging obstacles.
“I don’t do the same thing each day, which I love,” she said. “I’m always being creative and meeting new and interesting people. I get to create a story visually, which is an amazing experience.”
Help see the project through
For information on assisting Shanra Kehl financially with “Hunting Tale,” email her at heandshefilms@gmail.com.
