With 1998's unfortunate "A Place to Grow," 2008's competent yet all too ambiguous "Apollo," 2011's absurd "180," and the promising yet ultimately underwhelming 2012 web series "Epilogue," it's safe to say that Springfield, Missouri has seen a mixed bag of local productions, with none yet to truly qualify as a hit. With 2013's silent horror web series "Shadow Bound," writer, director, executive producer, star (polymath?) Nathan Shelton may have done just that.
When pulp writer Jack Pickman (Shelton) returns to his hometown Veritas following the death of his estranged father (George Cron), he arrives only to learn that his brother (Drew Diveley) has been committed in a mental asylum and that his father's last case may be directly related to these unfortunate happenings. Jack, perplexed by the news, begins an investigation to uncover the mysterious circumstances of his brother's illness and his father's sudden death. As he descends deeper into his inquiry, plagued by what begins as a series of unsettling dreams, Jack soon realizes he is being tormented by occult forces and that the people of Veritas are not all what they seem to be.
His acting being one of the stronger elements of both "Apollo" and "Epilogue," it should come as no surprise that Shelton's starring performance as Jack Pickman would arrive with such routine excellence. It is, however, admittedly surprising to see writing and execution of so high a quality from the first time filmmaker. A regular director and producer in the Springfield theater community, Shelton's talents have unquestionably translated smoothly through "Shadow Bound" from the stage onto the small screen (to quote Nicholas Meyer, "If only when it was good, it wasn't SO good!").
Shelton shares directing credit with Jason Brasier, Kevin Keppy, Sam Long, and Garrett Tripp, all of whom have (so far) brought a high level of commendability to the production, proficiently shooting in glorious black & white and welcomingly exploiting the area's more cinematic period locations, including some haunting Ozark forests, Central High School, and the historic Pythian Castle.
I am admittedly only reviewing as of what has yet been released (currently up to Episode III: Insomnium), but if the baroque build and high production quality that have so richly populated the first three episodes are any indication of what apocalyptic climax will come, "Shadow Bound" will no doubt solidify itself as the best thing to come out of Springfield, Missouri and the first best showcase of the many talents concealed therein.
Bravo, Nathan Shelton and company!
