Quiet on Set

It has dawned on me that while I have had my film idea in mind for quite some time now, I have never explicitly stated it in my blog. From what I have shared, you all know that I want my film to focus on one singular adolescent character as she is finding her place in the world and undergoing societal pressures to pick a safe path that will most likely guarantee a safe future, even if that is not the future she wants. Although I do not have all the details of my protagonist planned out (don't you worry, that's to come!) I do know that I want my film to focus mostly on her and my film opening to solely feature her, since the plot of my film is more about self reflection and self discovery rather than about relationships or bonds that are formed. The opening of my film will feature a voice over while my protagonist is creating art in a forest.

Yes, another decision made! I know my location. My inspiration for a forest scene came because I began thinking of environments that would seem very personal and private. I thought about just having the setting be in her room, but as a late high school student, complete privacy in her home seems unlikely. I thought about filming in an art studio, supposing she rented the space, but thinking piratically, there is no where I know where that would be a plausible filming location. And then I thought about the film Mean Creek. I have mentioned it before in this blog, it is also an independent coming of age film, and although it's themes are a bit darker than mine it has many similarities in the audience the films target and who they focus on. Mean Creek is about a group of kids that take misunderstood bully George on a boat trip in which they plan to prank and humiliate him, however, in a twisted turn of events (SPOILER ALERT!!!) they end up killing George instead. The majority of Mean Creek was filmed on the Lewis River in Southwest Washington.

It is a beautiful location which is isolated and totally private and when matched with the plot of Mean Creek where no one would ever know of the crime that took place there, the location also becomes painstakingly haunting and eerie. For my film however, a secluded wooded location was appealing for a number of separate reasons. One: I think it is very artistic which matches the personality of my protagonist. How original and unconventional is it to go create art in the woods as opposed to simply a studio? Two: With a location like this it allows my film opening to be personal and very intimate. However, the woods not only shows isolation from others but also isolation from society and the modern world which is something my character is struggling with and attempting to fight. Three: thinking realistically, I know the perfect location where I could actually go and film where my idea could be nicely executed. It is a nature park not 10 minutes from my home, Totally accessible and totally waiting for me to film in it, it just seemed perfect.

"Filming Locations." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.

IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.

Mean Creek scene. Digital image. Filmfortress,com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.

Mean Creek scene. Digital image. Mubi.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.