Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelley Reid.
Hi Shelley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been in the restaurant business, in some capacity or other, since I was seventeen. In 1986, I bought “The Rough House,” a local restaurant that has been in business since 1932 and still going strong today. I sold the business a few years back. In 1990, I built radio station, WZLA-FM in Abbeville and ran it for thirty years. Sold it too, a few years back. I’ve been doing stage plays since I was twelve. I’ve had speaking roles in commercials, television shows and feature films, as well. I started writing stage plays and screenplays in 1995. Two of my plays were produced at the Abbeville Opera House. In 2022, I finally sold my first screenplay, a western entitled, “Long Shadows,” which will see a theatrical release this September 26th, through Quiver Distribution. The official trailer is available on YouTube. We’re very fortunate to have some of the best talent in the business in Long Shadows. Industry heavyweights, Dermot Mulroney, Jacqueline Bisset and Dominic Monaghan star, along with Grainger Hines, Blaine Maye, Sarah Cortez and many other noted actors. Director William Shockley, of Tiki Tane Pictures, did a stellar job bringing Long Shadows to life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are struggles in any business. You just have to keep the big picture in mind and do what you can to keep moving forward. My screenwriting journey has seen a lot of disappointments over the last thirty years. Many times, I almost gave up because I couldn’t get any traction with production companies. I was considering calling it quits again after writing Long Shadows, but a screenwriter friend talked me out of it and I decided to keep trying. With the sheriff role in the story, it kept coming to me that my good friend, Grainger Hines, was perfect for the role, so I sent it to him for feedback. He loved the script and asked if he could send it to William Shockley, who just happened to be looking for a western to direct. To my amazement, William loved the story, too. Production wrapped at Old Tucson Studios in Arizona in 2023. William let me play a small role in the film, which I had to grow a beard for.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m very proud of Long Shadows, of course. It’s a dream come true. It was an amazing experience to watch actors on set recite the lines that I wrote. William and Grainger will also receive screenwriting credit as their input elevated what I wrote to a much higher level. When you work with industry professionals, they’ll bring great ideas to your story. William and Grainger did just that. Maybe the only thing that sets me apart from most other screenwriters is my love for writing westerns. I’ve written four others since Long Shadows, but I’m not a one note writer. I’ve also written sci-fi, supernatural, scripts based on true stories, rom-coms and television pilots.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Making a living for yourself and your family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tikitane.com/movies/long-shadows/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronald.shelley.reid
- Twitter: https://x.com/lowellgrippo
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/kFbOejT0XSw
Image Credits
Seth Young for the sixth additional photo and Tiiu Loigu for the seventh.
