“Body Bag” By Yellow Shoots

'Body Bag' is the way we compartmentalize death when not able to properly grieve.

“Body Bag” is a story of grief, and the ways in which we grieve when it feels impossible to do so. How we process and compartmentalize—mentally and physically—life and death. It’s a frame narrative, told through memories and conceived because of the passing of an old friend.

Though there is a bit of magical realism in the film, especially with how literally the song title is taken in the form of the body bag we see in the intro and outro, the story is very much rooted in the real world, in a very truthful account of grief. When Isaac (the lead boy and old man) stands bewildered amid a sea of livestock carcasses, he learns that grief and death can be very cruel things.

If there’s any greater sentiment that the song “Body Bag” captures for me, it’s that kid like desire to understand death and one’s own grief. Unfortunately, these things are never very clear-cut, no matter how old we become.

Nathaniel Stevens - Director

Credits

Elesar Pictures presents “Body Bag” feat. Ryan Mitchell Grey

Music by Yellow Shoots
Song written by Yellow Shoots and Ryan Mitchell Grey

Written and Directed by Nathaniel Stevens

Executive Produced by Gregory Matthews and Brickhead
Produced by Adrian Lausell

Starring Isaac Harte, Luke Friis, Bob Feathers, Brad Herzog, Lisa Matthews and Annie

Director of Photography: Derrick Chen
Steadicam Operator: Collin Welch
1st AC: Idil Eryurekli
1st AC (Philadelphia): James Powers
Swing: Sam Clegg
Edited by Nathaniel Stevens
Color: Parker Jarvie (Company 3)
Sound Design: Sean Paulsen
Titles: Faysal Matin
Illustrations: Joaquín Esteban Jutt
16mm print by Metropolis Post NY

Special Thanks:
Greg and Lisa Matthews, Jim Jones and The Brandywine Red Clay Association
Cuyler Walker, Jake Strauss, Bre Kelly, Luc Ung, Handheld Films, Kissin Fresh Meats Inc

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