IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit Zodiac Killer Project - Director, Charlie Shackleton
Dec 5, 2025
Charlie Shackleton, a filmmaker known for his innovative documentary work, dives deep into his project, Zodiac Killer Project. He reflects on the original true crime documentary that fell apart and how that setback fueled a more compelling meta-documentary. Shackleton explores the irresistible pull of true crime storytelling, revealing the emotional layers behind filming and its unique visual approach. He questions narrative tropes and the ethics of the genre while discussing how constraints transformed his project into something inventive and engaging.
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The Film He Already Made In His Head
- Charlie planned a Zodiac true crime doc based on Lyndon Lafferty's book but lost the rights late in development.
- He had already mentally made the film, which made the project's collapse uniquely devastating and persistent.
Pubs Became A Rehearsal Room
- After returning to London Charlie described the unmade film to friends in pubs, iterating scenes beat by beat.
- Those repeated verbal reenactments seeded the idea for Zodiac Killer Project as a film about conjuring an unmade movie.
Turn Constraints Into Creative Rules
- Use constraints to spark creative solutions; Charlie turned legal and material limits into formal ideas for the film.
- Design deliberate, repeatable camera mechanics to convey a concept consistently across locations.
