Chester
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Crime, Drama
In 1960, three women were murdered at Starved Rock Park, and a young dishwasher was framed for the crime. Spanning six decades, the film follows Chester Weger’s haunting fight for freedom and the truth that could finally set him free.
Chester
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Crime, Drama
2 Campaigns | California, United States
21 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$5,830
Goal: $20,000 for production
In 1960, three women were murdered at Starved Rock Park, and a young dishwasher was framed for the crime. Spanning six decades, the film follows Chester Weger’s haunting fight for freedom and the truth that could finally set him free.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In 1960, three women were brutally murdered at Starved Rock Park, and with no suspects, police turned their attention to a young dishwasher named Chester Weger. Pressured into a false confession, Chester was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit. The film traces his six-decade journey through incarceration, loss, and perseverance, capturing his fight for truth and redemption. Told in three chapters that span from his arrest to his long-awaited parole hearing, it explores how one man’s strength and humanity endured against a lifetime of injustice.
Three young women were brutally murdered at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, leaving the community in shock and police with no clear suspects. Investigators soon turned their attention to 21-year-old Chester Weger, a dishwasher at a nearby lodge.
After prolonged and coercive questioning, he confessed to the murders, even though he had passed multiple polygraph tests and there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime scene. Over the years, inconsistencies in the investigation, witness statements, and forensic evidence cast serious doubt on his guilt.
Attorney Andy Hale has worked tirelessly to review Weger’s case, uncovering flaws in the original investigation and advocating for a full exoneration. Weger spent more than sixty years in prison before being granted parole in 2019, and Hale’s continued efforts aim to challenge a conviction that many consider deeply unjust.
As Chester's attorney, my father had been fighting for Chester Weger's innocence for the last nine years. I had the privilege of getting to know Chester briefly during that time.
Growing up with his story opened up my eyes to the bigger picture of life. He moved me to be myself and never take things for granted. Every moment is precious, and you never know when it could all be gone. If the case is never able to go our way and Chester is unable to be exonerated, the only thing we can do is try our best to spread his story. We've been through many versions of the script, but have landed here in trying to showcase as much of Chester's journey in as little time as possible. We want to expand upon this idea into a feature, as there is so much more to talk about that will blow people away. Chester Weger's story deserves to be told, and people need to understand the many injustices that happened to him. His story is only a microcosm of the injustices going on in America that have been happening for far too long. In order to fix them, we need to understand the people who are directly affected by them. A life sentence for a crime you didn't commit is a fate worse than death. He does not deserve to fade away in history as a killer. He deserves to be remembered as an innocent man. A free man.
We are currently in the pre-production phase, working hard to bring this film to life. Your support is essential in ensuring a smooth and successful production. Contributions will primarily go toward securing locations (including scouting jail and police station settings), production design (costumes, makeup, and set dressing), and other key logistics.
Thank you so much for taking the time to check out our crowdfunding campaign! Beyond donating, you can also support us by following our project on Seed & Spark and on our Instagram page (@Chestertheshortfilm). Sharing our campaign with friends, family, and your community makes a huge difference.
Your support helps us bring our film, Chester, to life and share his important story with the world. This film matters deeply to us, and we’re truly grateful for every contribution that helps ensure Chester Weger's story is told with the care and truth it deserves.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering&Caffeine
Costs $3,500
It is always important to provide the cast and crew with great meals and sources of caffeine on set!
Equipment
Costs $5,000
Every filmmaker needs a camera. Not only that, to make this visually important film, we need lighting equipment, sound equipment, and more!
Transportation
Costs $2,500
To have each crew on set, we need to make sure they have transportation!
Location&Set Design
Costs $5,000
Our film needs a strong and authentic location and set design to bring Chester’s story to life in a deep and realistic way.
Post Production
Costs $4,000
A good production needs a good post-production! Post-production, especially sound and score will be very important for this project.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Haden Beswick-Hale (Writer/Director)
Haden is a writer and director from Chicago, Illinois. He received his BFA from Ringling College of Art and Design for Digital Filmmaking and his MFA from UCLA TFT for screenwriting. He has wanted to be a writer/director since his earliest memories of watching movies. Growing up, he wrote short stories that would have him reaching into the deepest parts of his imagination, and those evolved over time from action heists to dramatic social relationships based off those who are close to him. He approaches filmmaking with optimism and curiosity, always seeking new stories and perspectives. His films aim to move audiences and challenge how we see the world. The power that film has can be greatly forgotten at times, and his goal is to continue to showcase its power in as many ways he can.
Andrew Hale (Executive Producer)
Andy M. Hale is a civil rights attorney and documentary filmmaker based in Chicago. Andy has been practicing law for over 30 years and is licensed in the States of Illinois, California, and Florida. Both Andy’s law practice and his filmmaking focus on wrongful convictions. His Netflix documentary “A Murder In The Park” lead to the exoneration of Alstory Simon after sixteen years of wrongful incarceration. Andy was an executive producer on the Netflix documentary “White Boy” which chronicled the case of Rick Wershe, Jr., a 17-year-old from Detroit who was sentenced to life in prison for a non- violent drug offense. This story was also depicted in the scripted version titled “White Boy Rick” starring Matthew McConaughey. Most recently, Andy appeared with his client Chester Weger in the HBO docuseries “Murders at Starved Rock.” Andy continues to shine a light on cases of injustice with his filmmaking.
Soyeong Emma Chang (Producer)
Emma is a filmmaker originally from Daegu, Korea. She completed her BFA in filmmaking at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and completed MFA in Film Directing at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her works have been selected in multiple film festivals and have received awards. Her goal as a filmmaker is to amplify unheard voices with her own vision.
Tanner Deutsch (Cinematographer)
Born and raised in Southern California, Tanner graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design and discovered cinematography through a lifelong fascination with light and storytelling. A former multi sport athlete, he finds the spirit of teamwork and shared purpose on set reminiscent of the camaraderie of sports, with different people coming together to achieve something larger than themselves. Films played a formative role in his life, shaping his worldview, offering comfort, and sparking imagination. He focuses on crafting images that feel honest, immersive, and emotionally true.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In 1960, three women were brutally murdered at Starved Rock Park, and with no suspects, police turned their attention to a young dishwasher named Chester Weger. Pressured into a false confession, Chester was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit. The film traces his six-decade journey through incarceration, loss, and perseverance, capturing his fight for truth and redemption. Told in three chapters that span from his arrest to his long-awaited parole hearing, it explores how one man’s strength and humanity endured against a lifetime of injustice.
Three young women were brutally murdered at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, leaving the community in shock and police with no clear suspects. Investigators soon turned their attention to 21-year-old Chester Weger, a dishwasher at a nearby lodge.
After prolonged and coercive questioning, he confessed to the murders, even though he had passed multiple polygraph tests and there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime scene. Over the years, inconsistencies in the investigation, witness statements, and forensic evidence cast serious doubt on his guilt.
Attorney Andy Hale has worked tirelessly to review Weger’s case, uncovering flaws in the original investigation and advocating for a full exoneration. Weger spent more than sixty years in prison before being granted parole in 2019, and Hale’s continued efforts aim to challenge a conviction that many consider deeply unjust.
As Chester's attorney, my father had been fighting for Chester Weger's innocence for the last nine years. I had the privilege of getting to know Chester briefly during that time.
Growing up with his story opened up my eyes to the bigger picture of life. He moved me to be myself and never take things for granted. Every moment is precious, and you never know when it could all be gone. If the case is never able to go our way and Chester is unable to be exonerated, the only thing we can do is try our best to spread his story. We've been through many versions of the script, but have landed here in trying to showcase as much of Chester's journey in as little time as possible. We want to expand upon this idea into a feature, as there is so much more to talk about that will blow people away. Chester Weger's story deserves to be told, and people need to understand the many injustices that happened to him. His story is only a microcosm of the injustices going on in America that have been happening for far too long. In order to fix them, we need to understand the people who are directly affected by them. A life sentence for a crime you didn't commit is a fate worse than death. He does not deserve to fade away in history as a killer. He deserves to be remembered as an innocent man. A free man.
We are currently in the pre-production phase, working hard to bring this film to life. Your support is essential in ensuring a smooth and successful production. Contributions will primarily go toward securing locations (including scouting jail and police station settings), production design (costumes, makeup, and set dressing), and other key logistics.
Thank you so much for taking the time to check out our crowdfunding campaign! Beyond donating, you can also support us by following our project on Seed & Spark and on our Instagram page (@Chestertheshortfilm). Sharing our campaign with friends, family, and your community makes a huge difference.
Your support helps us bring our film, Chester, to life and share his important story with the world. This film matters deeply to us, and we’re truly grateful for every contribution that helps ensure Chester Weger's story is told with the care and truth it deserves.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering&Caffeine
Costs $3,500
It is always important to provide the cast and crew with great meals and sources of caffeine on set!
Equipment
Costs $5,000
Every filmmaker needs a camera. Not only that, to make this visually important film, we need lighting equipment, sound equipment, and more!
Transportation
Costs $2,500
To have each crew on set, we need to make sure they have transportation!
Location&Set Design
Costs $5,000
Our film needs a strong and authentic location and set design to bring Chester’s story to life in a deep and realistic way.
Post Production
Costs $4,000
A good production needs a good post-production! Post-production, especially sound and score will be very important for this project.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Haden Beswick-Hale (Writer/Director)
Haden is a writer and director from Chicago, Illinois. He received his BFA from Ringling College of Art and Design for Digital Filmmaking and his MFA from UCLA TFT for screenwriting. He has wanted to be a writer/director since his earliest memories of watching movies. Growing up, he wrote short stories that would have him reaching into the deepest parts of his imagination, and those evolved over time from action heists to dramatic social relationships based off those who are close to him. He approaches filmmaking with optimism and curiosity, always seeking new stories and perspectives. His films aim to move audiences and challenge how we see the world. The power that film has can be greatly forgotten at times, and his goal is to continue to showcase its power in as many ways he can.
Andrew Hale (Executive Producer)
Andy M. Hale is a civil rights attorney and documentary filmmaker based in Chicago. Andy has been practicing law for over 30 years and is licensed in the States of Illinois, California, and Florida. Both Andy’s law practice and his filmmaking focus on wrongful convictions. His Netflix documentary “A Murder In The Park” lead to the exoneration of Alstory Simon after sixteen years of wrongful incarceration. Andy was an executive producer on the Netflix documentary “White Boy” which chronicled the case of Rick Wershe, Jr., a 17-year-old from Detroit who was sentenced to life in prison for a non- violent drug offense. This story was also depicted in the scripted version titled “White Boy Rick” starring Matthew McConaughey. Most recently, Andy appeared with his client Chester Weger in the HBO docuseries “Murders at Starved Rock.” Andy continues to shine a light on cases of injustice with his filmmaking.
Soyeong Emma Chang (Producer)
Emma is a filmmaker originally from Daegu, Korea. She completed her BFA in filmmaking at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and completed MFA in Film Directing at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her works have been selected in multiple film festivals and have received awards. Her goal as a filmmaker is to amplify unheard voices with her own vision.
Tanner Deutsch (Cinematographer)
Born and raised in Southern California, Tanner graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design and discovered cinematography through a lifelong fascination with light and storytelling. A former multi sport athlete, he finds the spirit of teamwork and shared purpose on set reminiscent of the camaraderie of sports, with different people coming together to achieve something larger than themselves. Films played a formative role in his life, shaping his worldview, offering comfort, and sparking imagination. He focuses on crafting images that feel honest, immersive, and emotionally true.