DESCRIPTION:
A short drama about the West Virginia Heroin Epidemic loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

This short film is the culmination of a year long research and production process looking at the drug epidemic, various adaptations of the Jekyll and Hyde Story, and adaptation theory as a whole. It tells the story of Dr. Henry Jeffries (portrayed by local actor Jeffrey Marcum), a modern day Dr. Jekyll who turns to opioids after a bad car accident. While Jeffries is a fictional character, he is a composite of many victims of drugs in West Virginia and around the country Susman read about during his research. In many ways Jeffries is not only one addict, but a metaphor for the state itself during this crisis. Rounding out the cast is Temetrie Encarnacion as Dr. Stone, Kaitlyn Miller as Andy, Michael Pittel as Alex, and Josh Meyers as Dr. Lanyon.

The film is produced by Austin Susman Productions in association with the Shepherd University Department of Communication as Austin David Susman's Senior Capstone Project. Written, Edited and Directed by Austin David Susman, Production crew includes Dr. Jason McKahan, Breanna Gladden, Attalia Brown, Greg Havenner, Alex Ponton and Blair Cherelstein.