In The Weeds
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
Through the backdrop of mid-century suburbia, 'In The Weeds' offers a hilarious and freaky critique of social conformity. Do you want to watch a gross, horrific weed slowly consume the lawn and life of a man just trying his best? Boy, we do!
In The Weeds
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $13,320 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
94 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Through the backdrop of mid-century suburbia, 'In The Weeds' offers a hilarious and freaky critique of social conformity. Do you want to watch a gross, horrific weed slowly consume the lawn and life of a man just trying his best? Boy, we do!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
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Daniel is a hardworking husband to a beautiful wife, Rosie. Together they live in utopia: the suburbs. However, when Daniel discovers an odd, blue weed in his yard his world is turned upside down. As the days go on, the weed keeps coming back, stronger, meaner, and is it starting to grow teeth?
To make matters worse, he can't let the neighbors know! He would be the laughing stock of his community. All the while Rosie starts to question what their marriage is even built on.
In the end something's gonna break... and it just might be him.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Still from The Next Big Thing, a documentary by DeAndre Sawyer
From left to right: Emersen Fitch, Evan Jeppson, Tyson Edwards, Mackie Jackson
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
It's not unique for me to say I overthink. I overthink about my life, where I'm going, what my friends think about me. Going in and out of psychiatric care I've learned about how to speak to others about these issues, and what I discovered was that everyone feels this way to varying degrees. So I think it's more urgent than ever that we have positive messaging about how we need to stop searching for validation, online or from social groups that are toxic to your health. We need to embrace ourselves and find the right people in our life that will embrace that too.
I've battled with pretty severe OCD for about half of my life now. What started as anxiety about home invasions became anxiety about how others thought of me. That I was somehow less than, and that became a compulsion to confess my wrong doings or ask for reassurance to remove that fear. This cost me relationships, it cost me time, it cost me happiness. There was always an expectation that I had to be a perfect human to be accepted.
In The Weeds is not a story about OCD. But it is a story about how social conformity can reinforce a desire to feel accepted. When we strive for perfection we are forgetting what really matters, who accepts us for who we are. Our family, our friends... all of our loved ones.
.png)
Summer Evening, 1947 by Edward Hopper
THE AESTHETIC MISSION
In The Weeds takes place in a styilized mid-century United States. What we find so interesting about the 1950s aesthetic is how uniform everything is. Look at any image of suburbia from this time period, it's all clean lawns, single story houses holding a nuclear family.
By incorporating this art style into the film, we will subvert what this era represents. It's instead an oppressive society holding people to a standard of conformity that's difficult to maintain. The art direction and cinematography will work hard to portray this perfect reality, heightening the contrast with the dangerous, monsterous weed, thus enhancing the message.
Preliminary CGI and Miniature TEST
COMPARABLES
While In The Weeds will have a tone and feel all it's own, some comparables include A Serious Man, Little Shop of Horrors, Evil Dead 2, and Edward Scissorhands.
THE MONEY
We're already in the midst of Pre-Production. The funds from this campaign will be used to get everything in place for us to film late THIS JUNE. Afterwards we will enter an intense and thorough post-production process with our editor Fletcher Williams. No stone will be left unturned as we clean up shots, find the best rhythm for scenes, and use any VFX needed to tell the story while removing distracting elements.
$16,000 is a lot to ask! That's why we've made sure to pump as much value into our donation tiers as possible. We want to make sure the film is the complete embodiment of what it's trying to say. So while the mid-century aesthetic and practical plant puppets may make it more expensive, it will enhance the message. Besides, these are the kind of fun things filmmaking is all about!
And while we would have loved to offer Producing Credits for our higher pledge tiers, recent PGA rulings no longer allow it. As all of us work in the industry already, we hope to stay in the good graces of the unions.
But no contribution is too small! If our lowest $10 tier is still too much, you can directly contribute to any of the wishlist items with an amount you set. Even $1 would be $1 more than what we had.
STRETCH GOALS
Any additional funds raised in this campaign will be distributed amongst a few places:
- $18,000: Additional Production Costs - More money means more things are possible. We will not adjust the script, but rather use that money to make sure we have additional time, crew, and resources to make it the best.
- $21,000: Post-Production - A film is only as good as how it's put together and polished for the world to see. Additional money will help afford better VFX, and a professional audio mix session.
- $23,000: Distribution - Festivals are expensive! We want to submit to a handful of quality long-standing film festivals with the best poster, trailer, and other marketing material possible.
I CAN'T PLEDGE...
If you can't afford to contribute but want to help, fret not. Here are some things anyone can do!
- Follow us here on Seed & Spark! After 250 followers, our project starts unlocking rewards through the Seed & Spark platform that can help with the production and distribution of the film!
- Follow us on instagram @intheweedsshort! That will be the primary source for news and updates if you aren't a backer. Also, it'll be a party! Who wants to party?
- Share our campaign. If every person passed this along to someone else, we would double our chances for success. We need to hit at least $12,800 for us to keep any of the money. Let's get as much as exposure as we can to help make that possible.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Mid-Century Location Costs
Costs $4,000
Every film needs its set! A heightened mid-century aesthetic is important for the message of the film, and spaces are expensive to film in.
Insurance
Costs $1,400
Help us cover our behinds if our plant props come to life and destroy something. Boring, but important!
Props & Puppets
Costs $5,000
We won't make something as big as Audrey II, but a scary weed is crucial to the plot of the movie! Additionally some 1950s props will pop!
Equipment Costs
Costs $2,000
Well... we would need to film it right? We are able to borrow a lot currently, but not all! This covers our gear.
Catering Costs
Costs $1,600
All of this will be for nothing if people are hungry and agitated. To get the best work possible we will be supplying nutritious catering.
Transportation Costs
Costs $900
With gas prices going up (am I right or am I right?), truck rentals, and coordination between prop houses and camera houses, this is big!
Production Supplies
Costs $1,100
A productive set requires good communication. This money goes towards walkie-talkies, surveillance, crafty, and expendables. Set operations.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
.png)
Still from LINSEY - Strictly Business (Official Video) shot by our Director of Photography Ray Shay
Tyson Edwards
Writer, Director, Producer
Tyson Edwards is a writer and director originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After moving to Los Angeles, he built a strong community working in the industry as a production assistant, coordinator, and assistant director. For his personal projects, Tyson frequently directs horror shorts for his YouTube channel. His voice is noted for featuring offbeat humor, vivid colors, and strange monsters. Tyson's recent horror short film Look Closer, is currently building buzz as it undergoes it's festival run. Early reactions say "that's some scary sh*t."
Ron Shelef
Producer
Ron Shelef is a Producer raised in the Silicon Valley, and majoring in Film Production through Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts program. The experience of producing a wide variety of narrative films and commercials has drove Ron to constantly looks to work with the best of talent on their newest projects.
Ray Shay
Director of Photography
Ray Shay is a senior at Chapman University, specializing in cinematography with a passion for crafting compelling visual narratives. His love for filmmaking began at a young age, influenced by a fascination with light, movement, and composition. Whether behind the viewfinder or shaping the visual language of a project, he is committed to capturing imagery that enhances storytelling in bold and creative ways.
Beyond film, Ray has a deep connection to the ocean, having grown up in San Diego. The ever-changing light, movement, and vastness of the sea continue to inspire his artistic approach, influencing how he frames and interprets stories through the camera lens. His background in sports, including football, basketball, lacrosse, and rugby, has shaped his ability to work under pressure and collaborate seamlessly on set.
Ray has also worked as a content creator at UMG, collaborating with artists like Billy Idol and producing high-quality video content for digital platforms. His expertise extends beyond cinematography into social media strategy, video editing, and brand storytelling, making him a versatile creative professional.
With a strong foundation in both the technical and artistic aspects of cinematography, Ray continues to refine his craft, drawing inspiration from directors of photography like HVH and cinematographers like Mandy Walker. As he prepares to graduate, he remains dedicated to pushing creative boundaries and bringing visually striking and emotionally resonant stories to life.
Julia Hennesey
Production Designer
Julia Hennessy is a Production Designer and Art Director from Los Angeles. She has worked in film since 2019, and loves to design and create visually compelling worlds. She is extremely excited to be a part of this project!
Fletcher Williams
Editor
Fletcher Williams is an editor from Wilmington, North Carolina and a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, where he studied Media Production and Vocal Music. He resides in Los Angeles, where he has done freelance and contract work as a video editor on a wide range of projects, including short films, podcasts, and music videos. He recently completed work as a Post Production Assistant on Captain America: Brave New World for Marvel Studios.
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Christopher Esther
Composer
Christopher Esther is a composer, musician, and audio engineer from North Carolina specializing in piano and orchestral composition. He has written music for a wide variety of productions and ensembles including documentaries, podcasts, live theater, over a dozen award-winning short films, plus three studio albums. Most notably, he composed and arranged the orchestral version of Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" used in the 2021 Google Year in Search video, which has been viewed over 240 million times since its release. His musical training includes the study of piano performance, composition, percussion performance, classical voice, and music production for a combined 19 years, which includes coursework at the Berklee College of Music and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Still from Montage (2023)
Dom Antionetti
Actor
Dom Antonietti is an LA-based actor, standup, and writer, originally from Chicago. He has starred in and produced a number of popular sketches with his production company BackforBack alongside Matthew Keith, including the upcoming short Little Ed's Big Sale. On stage, he stars in recurring sketch shows with his team the Stupid F**king Has Beens and trains with the Groundlings Improv school. On the standup side, he performs at venues across LA and the country, including the Elysian Theater, the Hollywood Improv, Dynasty Typewriter, Zanies Chicago, and more.
Matthew Keith
Actor
Matthew Keith is a filmmaker and actor living in Los Angeles, CA. He's written for and acted in the hit CBS sitcom The Neighborhood and can be seen performing around L.A. in his sketch comedy group The Stupid F*cking Has Beens. When he's not working in film, Matthew also enjoys playing piano and singing.
Emily Yonker
Actress
Emily Yonker is an actor and a class ’27 producing fellow at the American Film Institute. Her most recent film, Dandelion, which she worked on as cast and unit production manager, premiered at the 2025 Spokane International Film Festival and won the Golden SpiFFY Jury Award for Best Short.
Thompson Sewell
Voice Actor
Thompson Sewell is an LA based actor, originally from Athens, GA. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill where he studied dramatic art and global cinema, receiving extensive training and experience in theater, performance, and film study. Since moving to LA, Thompson has had the opportunity to participate in several short films, commercials, podcasts, and more as an actor, voice actor, production assistant, and producer. When asked to do Tyson’s film, Thompson responded with “ok.”
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Daniel is a hardworking husband to a beautiful wife, Rosie. Together they live in utopia: the suburbs. However, when Daniel discovers an odd, blue weed in his yard his world is turned upside down. As the days go on, the weed keeps coming back, stronger, meaner, and is it starting to grow teeth?
To make matters worse, he can't let the neighbors know! He would be the laughing stock of his community. All the while Rosie starts to question what their marriage is even built on.
In the end something's gonna break... and it just might be him.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Still from The Next Big Thing, a documentary by DeAndre Sawyer
From left to right: Emersen Fitch, Evan Jeppson, Tyson Edwards, Mackie Jackson
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
It's not unique for me to say I overthink. I overthink about my life, where I'm going, what my friends think about me. Going in and out of psychiatric care I've learned about how to speak to others about these issues, and what I discovered was that everyone feels this way to varying degrees. So I think it's more urgent than ever that we have positive messaging about how we need to stop searching for validation, online or from social groups that are toxic to your health. We need to embrace ourselves and find the right people in our life that will embrace that too.
I've battled with pretty severe OCD for about half of my life now. What started as anxiety about home invasions became anxiety about how others thought of me. That I was somehow less than, and that became a compulsion to confess my wrong doings or ask for reassurance to remove that fear. This cost me relationships, it cost me time, it cost me happiness. There was always an expectation that I had to be a perfect human to be accepted.
In The Weeds is not a story about OCD. But it is a story about how social conformity can reinforce a desire to feel accepted. When we strive for perfection we are forgetting what really matters, who accepts us for who we are. Our family, our friends... all of our loved ones.
Summer Evening, 1947 by Edward Hopper
THE AESTHETIC MISSION
In The Weeds takes place in a styilized mid-century United States. What we find so interesting about the 1950s aesthetic is how uniform everything is. Look at any image of suburbia from this time period, it's all clean lawns, single story houses holding a nuclear family.
By incorporating this art style into the film, we will subvert what this era represents. It's instead an oppressive society holding people to a standard of conformity that's difficult to maintain. The art direction and cinematography will work hard to portray this perfect reality, heightening the contrast with the dangerous, monsterous weed, thus enhancing the message.
Preliminary CGI and Miniature TEST
COMPARABLES
While In The Weeds will have a tone and feel all it's own, some comparables include A Serious Man, Little Shop of Horrors, Evil Dead 2, and Edward Scissorhands.
THE MONEY
We're already in the midst of Pre-Production. The funds from this campaign will be used to get everything in place for us to film late THIS JUNE. Afterwards we will enter an intense and thorough post-production process with our editor Fletcher Williams. No stone will be left unturned as we clean up shots, find the best rhythm for scenes, and use any VFX needed to tell the story while removing distracting elements.
$16,000 is a lot to ask! That's why we've made sure to pump as much value into our donation tiers as possible. We want to make sure the film is the complete embodiment of what it's trying to say. So while the mid-century aesthetic and practical plant puppets may make it more expensive, it will enhance the message. Besides, these are the kind of fun things filmmaking is all about!
And while we would have loved to offer Producing Credits for our higher pledge tiers, recent PGA rulings no longer allow it. As all of us work in the industry already, we hope to stay in the good graces of the unions.
But no contribution is too small! If our lowest $10 tier is still too much, you can directly contribute to any of the wishlist items with an amount you set. Even $1 would be $1 more than what we had.
STRETCH GOALS
Any additional funds raised in this campaign will be distributed amongst a few places:
- $18,000: Additional Production Costs - More money means more things are possible. We will not adjust the script, but rather use that money to make sure we have additional time, crew, and resources to make it the best.
- $21,000: Post-Production - A film is only as good as how it's put together and polished for the world to see. Additional money will help afford better VFX, and a professional audio mix session.
- $23,000: Distribution - Festivals are expensive! We want to submit to a handful of quality long-standing film festivals with the best poster, trailer, and other marketing material possible.
I CAN'T PLEDGE...
If you can't afford to contribute but want to help, fret not. Here are some things anyone can do!
- Follow us here on Seed & Spark! After 250 followers, our project starts unlocking rewards through the Seed & Spark platform that can help with the production and distribution of the film!
- Follow us on instagram @intheweedsshort! That will be the primary source for news and updates if you aren't a backer. Also, it'll be a party! Who wants to party?
- Share our campaign. If every person passed this along to someone else, we would double our chances for success. We need to hit at least $12,800 for us to keep any of the money. Let's get as much as exposure as we can to help make that possible.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Mid-Century Location Costs
Costs $4,000
Every film needs its set! A heightened mid-century aesthetic is important for the message of the film, and spaces are expensive to film in.
Insurance
Costs $1,400
Help us cover our behinds if our plant props come to life and destroy something. Boring, but important!
Props & Puppets
Costs $5,000
We won't make something as big as Audrey II, but a scary weed is crucial to the plot of the movie! Additionally some 1950s props will pop!
Equipment Costs
Costs $2,000
Well... we would need to film it right? We are able to borrow a lot currently, but not all! This covers our gear.
Catering Costs
Costs $1,600
All of this will be for nothing if people are hungry and agitated. To get the best work possible we will be supplying nutritious catering.
Transportation Costs
Costs $900
With gas prices going up (am I right or am I right?), truck rentals, and coordination between prop houses and camera houses, this is big!
Production Supplies
Costs $1,100
A productive set requires good communication. This money goes towards walkie-talkies, surveillance, crafty, and expendables. Set operations.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Still from LINSEY - Strictly Business (Official Video) shot by our Director of Photography Ray Shay
Tyson Edwards
Writer, Director, Producer
Tyson Edwards is a writer and director originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After moving to Los Angeles, he built a strong community working in the industry as a production assistant, coordinator, and assistant director. For his personal projects, Tyson frequently directs horror shorts for his YouTube channel. His voice is noted for featuring offbeat humor, vivid colors, and strange monsters. Tyson's recent horror short film Look Closer, is currently building buzz as it undergoes it's festival run. Early reactions say "that's some scary sh*t."
Ron Shelef
Producer
Ron Shelef is a Producer raised in the Silicon Valley, and majoring in Film Production through Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts program. The experience of producing a wide variety of narrative films and commercials has drove Ron to constantly looks to work with the best of talent on their newest projects.
Ray Shay
Director of Photography
Ray Shay is a senior at Chapman University, specializing in cinematography with a passion for crafting compelling visual narratives. His love for filmmaking began at a young age, influenced by a fascination with light, movement, and composition. Whether behind the viewfinder or shaping the visual language of a project, he is committed to capturing imagery that enhances storytelling in bold and creative ways.
Beyond film, Ray has a deep connection to the ocean, having grown up in San Diego. The ever-changing light, movement, and vastness of the sea continue to inspire his artistic approach, influencing how he frames and interprets stories through the camera lens. His background in sports, including football, basketball, lacrosse, and rugby, has shaped his ability to work under pressure and collaborate seamlessly on set.
Ray has also worked as a content creator at UMG, collaborating with artists like Billy Idol and producing high-quality video content for digital platforms. His expertise extends beyond cinematography into social media strategy, video editing, and brand storytelling, making him a versatile creative professional.
With a strong foundation in both the technical and artistic aspects of cinematography, Ray continues to refine his craft, drawing inspiration from directors of photography like HVH and cinematographers like Mandy Walker. As he prepares to graduate, he remains dedicated to pushing creative boundaries and bringing visually striking and emotionally resonant stories to life.
Julia Hennesey
Production Designer
Julia Hennessy is a Production Designer and Art Director from Los Angeles. She has worked in film since 2019, and loves to design and create visually compelling worlds. She is extremely excited to be a part of this project!
Fletcher Williams
Editor
Fletcher Williams is an editor from Wilmington, North Carolina and a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, where he studied Media Production and Vocal Music. He resides in Los Angeles, where he has done freelance and contract work as a video editor on a wide range of projects, including short films, podcasts, and music videos. He recently completed work as a Post Production Assistant on Captain America: Brave New World for Marvel Studios.
Christopher Esther
Composer
Christopher Esther is a composer, musician, and audio engineer from North Carolina specializing in piano and orchestral composition. He has written music for a wide variety of productions and ensembles including documentaries, podcasts, live theater, over a dozen award-winning short films, plus three studio albums. Most notably, he composed and arranged the orchestral version of Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" used in the 2021 Google Year in Search video, which has been viewed over 240 million times since its release. His musical training includes the study of piano performance, composition, percussion performance, classical voice, and music production for a combined 19 years, which includes coursework at the Berklee College of Music and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Still from Montage (2023)
Dom Antionetti
Actor
Dom Antonietti is an LA-based actor, standup, and writer, originally from Chicago. He has starred in and produced a number of popular sketches with his production company BackforBack alongside Matthew Keith, including the upcoming short Little Ed's Big Sale. On stage, he stars in recurring sketch shows with his team the Stupid F**king Has Beens and trains with the Groundlings Improv school. On the standup side, he performs at venues across LA and the country, including the Elysian Theater, the Hollywood Improv, Dynasty Typewriter, Zanies Chicago, and more.
Matthew Keith
Actor
Matthew Keith is a filmmaker and actor living in Los Angeles, CA. He's written for and acted in the hit CBS sitcom The Neighborhood and can be seen performing around L.A. in his sketch comedy group The Stupid F*cking Has Beens. When he's not working in film, Matthew also enjoys playing piano and singing.
Emily Yonker
Actress
Emily Yonker is an actor and a class ’27 producing fellow at the American Film Institute. Her most recent film, Dandelion, which she worked on as cast and unit production manager, premiered at the 2025 Spokane International Film Festival and won the Golden SpiFFY Jury Award for Best Short.
Thompson Sewell
Voice Actor
Thompson Sewell is an LA based actor, originally from Athens, GA. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill where he studied dramatic art and global cinema, receiving extensive training and experience in theater, performance, and film study. Since moving to LA, Thompson has had the opportunity to participate in several short films, commercials, podcasts, and more as an actor, voice actor, production assistant, and producer. When asked to do Tyson’s film, Thompson responded with “ok.”