Kris Shuman Brings Genuine Southern Storytelling to the Big Screen

Story by Katrice Williams

I ’m uniquely Southern to the bone. I want to bring authentic Southern storytelling to the big screen…” says Kris Shuman. Kris, a screenwriter and producer, is chief executive officer and co-founder of Bad BellaFilms. The production company’s mission is “to create work that resonates deeply, sparks conversation, and lingers long after the credits roll.” Kris brings a genuine taste of the South to film as only a true born-and-bred Georgian could do. With roots deep within the Effingham soil, he is Georgia proud.

Film Projects

Kris has been producing and developing several films. “The Last Stop” is an animated short film about an elderly man who prepares for what seems like his final journey—until an unexpected encounter at a mystical bus terminal reshapes how he meets death.

“Wilder” is a feature film where a Southern single mom impersonates a journalist to land the interview of a lifetime with a reclusive racing legend, forcing her to confront the truth about who she is and who she wants to become.

“Who Stole the Head of Bobbi Dupree” is a feature film set in 1876 Indian territory where a bounty hunter and a ruthless rogue chase a severed head rumored to contain a map to buried Confederate gold.

Kris is also working on the pilot for a television series, “What’s Buried Beneath the Pines,” which is about a black sheep of a family, who inherits his father’s timber empire—and the blood-soaked legacy that comes with it. When Gray Harris returns home to bury his father, he uncovers a tangled web of land fights, old debts, and family secrets the town refuses to face.

The series’ proof-of-concept, “FamilyTradition,” is in pre-production. “It is a tense, intimate short set in the world of ‘What’s Buried Beneath the Pines,’ exploring the moments when family loyalty collides with long-kept secrets.”

Kris’ scripts have been recognized at major competitions: Austin Film Festival, NashvilleFilm Festival, PAGE International, Final Draft Big Break, Script Pipeline, and Outstanding Screenplays. “I want to say how humbling it is to be gifted to live this life,” he said.

Homelessness and Addiction

Life was not always this way for Kris. He is a living testament that there is always hope beyond circumstances. Nearly four years ago, Kris was homeless in California and struggling with heroin addiction. “

In December 2021, I was living in a car in the parking lot of a Walmart in California for seven months,” he said.

Kris battled the addiction for years, which came along with experiencing bouts of homelessness. He went through treatment in January 2019 and moved to California in November 2020. Unfortunately, Kris relapsed in July 2021. In December 2021, barely five months after relapsing, Kris overdosed.

Persevering Past the Struggle

It seemed nearly impossible to break free from the clutch of addiction, but Kris was sick and tired of being sick and tired. He was determined to work toward treatment and real change. He marks his sobriety date as January 3, 2022.

“I’m a miracle. That Kris died in December 2021, and I was able to get my life turned around in January 2022. I just wanted to quit shooting heroin. I wanted to have a bed and maybe some toilet paper—those normal things that we take for granted,” he said.

Throughout his struggles with addiction, however, there was one thing that remained constant: his love for writing. Kris worked toward writing novels. He later found that he was more passionate about writing screenplays. He was an excellent storyteller.

“I’d always had a bunch of stories in my mind that I wanted to tell, but I didn’t know how,” he stated. Kris worked hard. He eventually purchased a laptop and began researching and studying screenwriting for himself. He persevered beyond what was imaginable.

In October 2022, Kris began writing his first screenplay. Determined to break through into the film arena, he established Bad Bella Films that same month.

The Real Storyteller

One of Kris’ biggest inspirations has always been his grandmother, Rossie Adams. She was the real storyteller in the family. Kris’ mom and dad, Kaye and Ashley Shuman, were entrepreneurs and often busy, so Kris recalls spending some weekends as a child with his grandma in Pembroke.

“She was like our family storyteller. She was born in 1919, and she had a ton of stories. She would write about the kind of adventures we would have when I was there. She would sit me on her knee and read those stories to me. I loved it, and I was enraptured by it. She taught me the power behind storytelling,” he said.

Family and the Films

Kris is excited to bring his stories to the big screen. His production team has been working tirelessly to develop “What’s Buried Beneath the Pines” and produce “Family Tradition.” The tone of the films is inspired by his own family dynamics, with characters loosely representing his relatives.

“A little bit of everybody and a little bit of Kris comes through. One part of my family is from Pembroke, and the other is from Effingham. In Effingham, 10 or 12 of us grew up on a 10-acre piece of property. Everybody knew everybody’s business, but they stayed out of it,” he joked.

“What’s Buried Beneath the Pines” is a Southern Gothic thriller set in the Georgia Lowcountry and pine forests. It is based out of Treutlen County where Kris’ granddad, Jimmie Morris, grew up. Kris has fond memories of time with his granddad there.

He remembered the abundantly lucrative pine industry in that area. That is when his creative wheels started to turn; he wondered about the conflicts that could arise within a large, influential family with control of such a wealthy empire in the South. The series was born, taking viewers into the world of the Harris Family with all their menacing schemes and sinister motives.

“I wrote the pilot for the series, which is essentially episode one. It will eventually become a whole season, then multiple seasons. I’ve submitted ‘What’s Buried Beneath the Pines’ to tons of screenwriting competitions. It’s done very well,” he said.

With that series in development, Kris decided to write its proofof-concept, “Family Tradition,” which gives viewers a glance into the world of the series. “Family Tradition” is a stand-alone short, so viewers who know nothing about the series can still enjoy the short. Kris is excited to begin shooting it soon.

“That project is moving forward quickly. The dates are locked in for December 7-11. We’ll be filming in Pooler and Effingham. ‘Family Tradition’ explores generational trauma and the secrets families keep that keep them sick. It is about analyzing that and healing,” Kris said.

Gratitude

Kris knows that he would not be where he is today without the help and mercy of the Lord.

“I’m very grateful to God for the ability to be able to be here,” he said. Kris is proud to work with local filmmakers and local talent; he strives to hire Georgia talent as much as possible.

“This is my first time doing this. The filmmakers in the Savannah area have been amazing and so supportive. They’ve been so willing to dive into this project with me and help,” he said.

He also appreciates the commitment and support of the talented cast. They are eager to help make everything a success. One of the most beautiful stories that Kris could ever write would be that of him and his wife Timea.

Timea is co-owner of BadBella Films. “I don’t think I’ve had a healthy relationship in my entire life until I was sober. My relationship with Timea is based on real love and real connection. It’s the first time I’ve had someone tell me they believe in me, and I believe that. She is amazing, beautiful, smart and intelligent. I feel very blessed,” he said.

Kris is forever thankful for the love and support of his sister and his brother-in-law, Kasey and Kendall Wilson, along with his niece and two nephews. “They’ve been an amazing support for me in my journey,” he said.

Overcoming the Odds

Kris encourages anyone battling drug addiction to seek immediate help because where there is a willingness to overcome, there is a way out. He does not take anything for granted, and he is driven to help others that feel like they are drowning in hopelessness due to addiction.

He may be contacted at: www.krisshuman.com / @thekrisshuman. “I want people to hear the name Kris Shuman and not associate it with my past.

I want them to say, ‘He picked himself up, and if he can do it, I can do it too.’ I want people to believe that second chances exist. I want to be a testament to that,” he said. ■