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While fictional, SHIFT is set firmly in the present-day social and political reality of contemporary America. As downsizing occurs across the country, private corporations like Microsoft, Levi’s, and TWA have turned to prison labor as a cost-cutting measure. Moreover, amidst the continuing wave of "tough-on-crime" legislation, some states have implemented mandatory labor for inmates, virtually necessitating partnership with outside industry. Finally, in many states, the prisons themselves are owned and operated by for-profit corporations like the Corrections Corporation of America. Surprised by these trends, filmmaker Kelly Anderson chose the subject of prison labor for herfirst narrative film. Work — and its unique role in Americans’ lives — has long been a focus of her documentaries. Anderson developed SHIFT with screenwriter Tal McThenia, whose script deftly folds the larger political context into a nuanced, character-driven drama. Filmed in and around Winston-Salem, North Carolina, SHIFT uses actual locations, including a prison and an airport (Melanie’s workplace), which are key to the film’s atmosphere. As shot by Keith Smith, protégé of acclaimed cinematographer Bob Richardson, the environments are chillingly interchangeable, creating an antiseptic world that weighs heavily on the characters.
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