Austin Film Meet Presents

Shelf Elf

A comedic thriller short film
produced in the Austin Film Meet
Reels Accelerator Program

A couple’s already tense holiday season takes a strange turn when an unexpected visitor in their home begins stirring up trouble in unexpected ways.

Starring

Cait Leigh

and

Chad Evans

Crew

Directed & Produced by
Reneaux Ruffin

Written & Produced by
H.Cherdon Bedford

Director of Photography – Mark Parker

Art & Props – Maria Morales

Assistant Director – Liam Mathison Farmer

This project is an
Austin Film Meet
Reels Accelerator Project.

Director’s Statement

by Reneaux Ruffin

Coming soon!

Production Photos

Coming soon!

Cast Bios

Chad Evans

While watching ‘Top Gun’ at seven years old, Chad Evans determined there was no option but to become a Naval Aviator. For four years he carried the prideful burden of defending his country from the skies. Then he watched ‘Days of Thunder.’ It became clear that driving in NASCAR was the epitome of greatness. He was left with a dreadful choice – glory in the cockpit of an F-14 or winning at Daytona. A revelation was made. Maverick and Cole Trickle were the same man. Chad realized he could be a fighter pilot or a racecar driver – anything, so long as he was on stage or in front of a camera. He became an avid student of theater and film and began acting at The Harbor Playhouse in Corpus Christi, TX. The summer before his senior year of high school Chad went to New York and was fortunate enough to book professional acting jobs further stoking the dream. After graduating high school he went back to New York to study and act. There he was lucky enough to land roles in theaters very, very far off Broadway. As his second New York winter approached it became clear that sunny Southern California was a more appropriate climate. In Los Angeles Chad was able to experience life on set as an extra in many films and TV shows and land a few day player roles. After a two-decade hiatus, Chad has rekindled his love of being someone else – whoever that may be.

Cait Laigh

Cait is a largely self-taught filmmaker and storyteller with a passion for creating bold characters and visually striking narratives. She’s been working on and off in the industry since 2009 – jumping back into it full-time in 2025. Her work spans indie films, television, music, and short-form content both in front of and behind the camera. With a strong dedication to her craft and an eye for originality, she strives to deliver stories that resonate with audiences and leave a lasting impact. Her vision is to develop and elevate original projects for the big screen and become a household name by the end of her career. https://linktr.ee/laughingbesideyou

Crew Bios

Reneaux Ruffin – Director & Producer

Reneaux’s interest in storytelling began at a young age through video games, anime, and fantasy TV shows. Always fascinated with human interaction and the ideas that drive people, he started to create stories and comics. As time went on, other mediums like poetry and music became extensions of his storytelling process until film and television moved to the forefront in high school. This push to understand and create thought-provoking and inspiring TV led him to study Mass Communications at Grambling State University. From there, he moved his focus out of journalism and news to focus on dramatic writing at the Savannah College of Art & Design, where he obtained his Master of Fine Arts. When he’s not wandering around his own head for his next idea, he likes playing tennis, relaxing with family, and cooking up bewitching meals. www.eyeofshadows.com

Mark Parker – Director of Photography

coming soon

Liam Mathison Farmer

Liam Mathison Farmer is the writer of the award-winning psychological horror short Coercion, winner of Best Short Screenplay at the 2025 Los Angeles Crime & Horror and Austin Short Film Festivals. His drama feature Crosswater was a 2024 Academy Nicholl Fellowship quarterfinalist and Austin Film Festival second-rounder, and his comedy feature The Gospel According To Chad was a 2025 Big Apple Film Festival and Outstanding Screenplays Competition semifinalist. Farmer’s other credits include Assistant Director/Production Manager of the comedy shorts Acting 101 and Mis-Conception, both Austin Film Meet productions, and AD/PM of Downhill, a Creative Circuit Studios/Bellamy Films holiday horror short. https://filmfreeway.com/liam-mathison-farmer