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Shari Lynette Carpenter (born 14 July 1961) in Washington, D.C., USA, is an African American filmmaker, script supervisor and screenwriter.
She is best known as the director and writer of her debut feature film Kali's Vibe (2002). Shari has also worked with Spike Lee.
Career
Shari received a BFA at NYU, but it was not until 1986 where she saw Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have it that inspired her to pursue a career in filmmaking. After seeing Spike Lee's film she wrote him a fan letter asking to be a production assistant. Within a month later,she became a production assistant for a Music video Spike Lee was Directing. Continuing to work with Spike Lee, Shari's first film credit was as a script supervisor for Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues where she then became one of the first African American Script Supervisor to join the Local 161 Film Union.
In 1994, Shari wrote and directed her first short film called Since Lisa in which she received several rewards in the Black American Cinema Society, Rochester International Film Festival and Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
It was not until 2002, that she did her first full feature film Kali's Vibe, in which it circulated several queer and African American related film festivals such as, the 2002 Vancouver Queer Film & Video Festival, 2002 Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film festival and Image Out. Kali's Vibe, would receive an Audience and Jury Award at the Denver Pan African Film Festival. She also won the Vision award at the Los Angeles Pan African Film Festival.
After the recognition of Kali's Vibe, Shari would continue to do more short films and would win several grants/ fellowships including the IFP Fellowship.
In 2005, Shari directed her second feature film called Building Girl, starring Gillian Jacobs in her debut in acting on screen (including television). Shari noted in calling this a "her white- cross film".
As of today, Shari has not yet done other Feature films but has continued to work on several short films including her first tackle in animated short with illustrator Zen Browne called Transcendental : The Adventures of Dicky and Clitti (2010).This would be featured in QBC Film Festival.
Shari continues to work as a Script Supervisor towards several film productions. Although she spends most of her time speaking on panels and seminars. She also serves as a mentor and helps to aid those wanting to work in the film industry especially Script Supervising.