Open to Hope
Military Loss: The Ultimate Sacrifice with Chris Shank
Christopher Shank discusses grief, loss, and the experience of losing his brother, U.S. Army Cpl. Jeremy Shank.
Press
Press and
published writing.
Some of this is press. Some is stuff I wrote somewhere else. A surprising amount of it begins with my brother.
Most of what has been written about me circles one death in one small Missouri town. That is where the questions started. It is not where they stopped — the same questions turn up in horror, comedy, thrillers, fantasy, and science fiction. Work
01
CONVERSATIONS
Evolved Podcast
Be the Fire
Christopher Shank joins Joe Fitzpatrick for a conversation about personal growth, creative work, and the process of continuing to evolve as an artist.
The Black Man Talking Emotions Podcast
Grief
Christopher Shank talks with Dom L’Amour about grief, working with grief, and the ways loss continues to shape a person’s life.
The Black Man Talking Emotions Podcast
Beyond Inspiration: The Hidden Rituals That Fuel Creativity
Christopher Shank and Dom L’Amour discuss creative process, organization, personal development, and the practical rituals that help sustain creative work.
02
THINGS I WROTE SOMEWHERE ELSE
Pieces Christopher Shank wrote and published elsewhere — his own byline, rather than coverage written about him.
Living with Less After Loss
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
Christopher Shank writes about grief, loss, and the experience of continuing to live after losing his brother, U.S. Army Cpl. Jeremy Shank.
03
RECOGNITION
Competition and festival placements are listed at the exact level the awarding body published them. Nothing here is a win unless the source says so.
THE BATTLES OF BIRDTOWN
- Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay CompetitionSemifinalistRESULT
- Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay CompetitionQuarterfinalistRESULT
- Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards QuarterfinalistRESULT
- ScreenCraft Screenwriting FellowshipQuarterfinalist
- Filmmatic Inroads FellowshipQuarterfinalist
- Los Angeles International Screenplay AwardsRecognized
- Big Apple Film FestivalRecognized
- Richmond International Film FestivalFinalist
Entries marked “Recognized” are confirmed placements for which no specific round has been published. They are not counted as finals or wins.
ACROSS THE SLATE
The recognized scripts sit in the territory this page keeps circling — family, grief, marriage, service, small towns. The genre range is in the catalogue. SEE THE CATALOGUE
- STANDBYQuarterfinalistRichmond International Film Festival
- THE RESERVISTFinalistRichmond International Film Festival
- HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELYSecond RounderAustin Film Festival
- THE TWILIGHTSemifinalistRichmond International Film Festival
- KEEP DRIVINGOfficial SelectionRichmond International Film Festival
- KEEP DRIVINGQuarterfinalistRichmond International Film Festival
- ME, THE DOG, AND THE DARK FOGSemifinalistNashville Film Festival
- ME, THE DOG, AND THE DARK FOGSecond RounderAustin Film Festival
- ME, THE DOG, AND THE DARK FOGQuarterfinalistVail Film Festival
Every placement above also appears on its own project page. VIEW THE FULL RECORD
04
THE RESERVIST / JEREMY SHANK
Written in the aftermath of his brother’s death, The Reservist became Christopher Shank’s attempt to turn grief into a story. The project grew out of his family’s experience following the death of U.S. Army Cpl. Jeremy Shank and received early coverage in Southeast Missouri.
FOR JEREMY
The Southeast Missourian profile of Shank and the early development of the screenplay. Featured in full at the top of this page.
Southeast Missouri / Jeremy Shank Archive
Archived Southeast Missourian coverage surrounding the death of U.S. Army Cpl. Jeremy Shank and the events that eventually informed The Reservist.
- Mayor orders Jackson’s flags to half-staff for soldier
- A community mourns
- Fallen soldier’s father — “You can be a hero at any age”
- For Jeremy
The collection documents the loss of Cpl. Jeremy Shank and its aftermath in Jackson, Missouri. Not every article concerns Christopher directly.
05
FEATURED PROFILE
FOR JEREMY
Following the death of his younger brother, U.S. Army Cpl. Jeremy Shank, Christopher Shank wrote The Reservist, a screenplay inspired by grief, memory, and the community surrounding his family. The Southeast Missourian profiled Shank and the early development of the film.
Originally published by the Southeast Missourian. The link opens an archived copy hosted at IraqWarHeroes.org.
06
THE ARCHIVE
This archive is still being assembled. Older work, earlier media appearances, and family history connected to the writing are being tracked down and will be added here as the original articles, broadcasts, or archive pages are located.
Nothing appears on this page until the source has been found and read. Leads are held back rather than listed as credits.