Murder at Bellamy Estate: A WCU Junior Thesis Film

About the Project

Murder at Bellamy Estate is a junior thesis film produced by Western Carolina Students. This film is particularly significant for the writer, Megan Comer, and director, Connor Shannon, who are hoping to increase autism representation in student and professional films throughout their careers.

Synopsis

A group of friends come together for a heart-warming reunion after years of distance, but things take a dark turn when the host is murdered during the party. Ellie Walker must determine which of her friends committed the murder, while trying to keep emotion separate from her need to solve the mystery and desire for justice.

Director's Statement:

I am Connor Shannon, and my dream is to one day be a writer/director working on major feature films. I want to make films that utilize the conventions and aesthetics of genres I really love while also exploring themes and ideas that are personal to me. Our project, Murder at Bellamy Estate, satisfies both of these parts of me as a storyteller. The film will be a murder mystery in the vein of the classic Agatha Christie mysteries, but with a contemporary spin in the vein of the feature film Knives Out. I grew up loving mysteries and have more recently become enamored with murder mysteries, particularly Agatha Christie’s books and their subsequent film adaptations. However, the most personal part of this project will be the journey of our protagonist, Ellie Walker, who serves as the detective in this story.

An important thing to know about me is that I am autistic and have grown up learning how to navigate the world as a person whose brain thinks differently than that of most people. Like myself, Ellie is also autistic and navigates many of the same challenges that I do. The strengths and weaknesses of being an autistic person come into play as she is tasked with solving the murder at the center of this film. In short, this film allows me to explore themes personal to me in a genre of storytelling that I really love. Our ultimate goal is for this film to shine a spotlight on autistic people, creating wider recognition and acceptance. We hope to achieve this by putting an autistic character in an entertaining film made for a wide audience. We thank you for helping us bring this film to life through your contribution.

Writer's Statement:

Hi, I’m Megan Comer, a junior/senior at Western Carolina University, located in North Carolina. I have been writing for as long as I have been able to hold a pen, and my passion is to write for older children’s animation once I graduate. However, I am very excited to embark on my first work as the sole writer for my junior thesis, and in a genre I don’t typically write in: mystery! Murder at Bellamy Estate is a project that I am thrilled to be a part of, especially with a director as talented as Connor.

What make this project particularly special to me is the inclusion of both neurodiversity and female neurodiversity, especially in a genre that does not often represent those things together. While I do not have autism myself, many of my family members and other loved ones do, including my younger brother. I want to create works in which the people I love can truly see themselves and feel seen—not as a stereotype or inaccuracy, but as who they really are. I also hope that this film will encourage others to include more neurodiversity in their works, as well as help them to better understand and appreciate the incredible diversity that we all, as humans, encompass.

Why your donation matters!

This film may seem small, but it is an incredibly significant undertaking for a junior thesis project. Our film will shoot from March 12th-15th, in a location grand enough to pass as an estate. This location is where a significant amount of funds will be used, although we have also factored in the funds we will need to feed our crew well. As students, we are accustomed to consuming entire party-sized boxes of potato chips and $5 pizzas every day on set—however, good food goes a long way for team morale, and Connor and I want our crew to know they are appreciated during the long days. Your contribution will not only help bring our vision to life, but will also keep our crew happy and fed!

We greatly appreciate every single donation, and we cannot wait to share Murder at Bellamy Estate with you! Thank you!