present company excluded. - in production -

“Tired of carrying the weight of existence, Life meets Death at a diner and asks for one final request.”

I’m incredibly proud to announce that our first official short film — Present Company Excluded — is now in production.

The story follows the personification of Life as she meets Death and asks for something he may not be able to grant. At its core, it’s a conversation about burnout — something many of us have felt. This film was born out of moments where I felt overwhelmed, not just by my own life, but by the state of the world around me. It asks a simple, devastating question: What happens when the force that’s meant to hold everything together… can’t anymore?

I wanted to tell something quiet and intimate, but with weight — a cosmic conversation in a very human place.

We’re currently deep in pre-production, with a brilliant producer onboard in the form of Claire Ward, and an exceptional cinematographer, Bisan Byadsi. I’ll be directing the film, and we’re in the process of building a stellar team around it. Casting announcements will follow soon — both here and across the socials.

This is just the beginning. We have so much more to share, and we’d love for you to come along for the ride.

Thanks for being here. Let’s build something meaningful.

— Ash

Owner of Shushka Productions

Concept Art for “Present Company Excluded”