SYNOPSIS
Successful, self-involved novelist Eric Lambert Jones has been dumped by his life long buddy Dylan. In an attempt to piece together the fractured friendship, Eric takes a side trip from his latest book tour to drop in on Dylan, newly settled in the picturesque backwoods of Washington state. An awkward weekend ensues as the two ex-buddies and Dylan's enigmatic new friend Jim, chop wood, match wits and ultimately embark on an impromptu, booze-soaked cougar hunt.

Writing in collaboration with the film's performers, Sean Nelson (lead singer of Harvey Danger), Basil Harris (We Go Way Back, Awesome) and Calvin Reeder (The Rambler, Little Farm, June & July), director Lynn Shelton takes a cinema verite approach to this, her second narrative feature. The deftly improvised performances in the film create a nuanced portrait of the unspoken intricacies of male friendship.

CAST AND CREW
starring Sean Nelson, Basil Harris, Calvin Reeder and Jeanette Maus
writers Lynn Shelton, Sean Nelson, Basil Harris, Calvin Reeder and Jeanette Maus
director of photography Benjamin Kasulke  camera operator Nathan M. Miller
additional camerawork Lynn Shelton and Elie Goral  sound Vinny Smith  music Ted Speaker
production design Jasminka Vukcevic  stills photographer Elie Goral  editors Lynn Shelton and Sean Donavan
producers Lynn Shelton and Mark Price  director Lynn Shelton

ABOUT THE CAST AND CREW
To create a performance-friendly on-set atmosphere, Shelton condensed her crew down to three key artistic collaborators: the cinematographer and sound designer from We Go Way Back, Benjamin Kasulke and Vinny Smith, and talented production designer Jasminka Vukcevic. Rather than writing a script and then searching for the right actors to fill the predetermined roles, the characters and plotline of MY EFFORTLESS BRILLIANCE were custom-built around its stars. Mark Price and Ted Speaker round out the team as co-producer and composer, respectively.