9.21.2008

spirit ship(wreck)

Little Creatures is coming onto the scene with its first HD short film, featuring six children from the Broken Land. It will be a mystery, shot on location at the crumbling waterfront spaces of Red Hook, and, if fate will have it, the Navy Yard's Hospital Campus. This is the first time I will be working with a crew, and I'm very excited to be collaborating with Damaris Cozza (assistant director/co-producer), Roman Jaquez (DP), Sean Eno (Super 8), Henri Falconi (1st AD, 2nd Camera) and Sarah Hoit (costumes...additional designs by Kathy Malone of Fofolle and Elisha Georgiou). Here are images of what is to come:

And an excerpt from the story. . .

Three children are walking along the crumbling shoreline of Brooklyn and stumble upon a pile of detritus from what appears to be a shipwreck. Elements of a ship are interspersed in a pile in which a waterlogged violin in a weathered case, a barely-working music box in the form of a bird in its cage, a cracked magnifying glass, several ancient rusty keys, many water-damaged family photographs, and an old, crushed suitcase, are also strewn. . .

Inside Sophia’s drum is a tiny bird’s nest, which she tends to every few minutes. Anastasia carries a purse, inside of which are some stones and a folded up letter, discolored with age. Milo’s camera takes note of various unusual details--cracks in the ground and in buildings, plants growing from cracks, urban detritus strewn about, and the haunting specter of the post-industrial landscape around him. . .

Heaven tries the last rusty key in the lock and it finally opens, creaking. She and her friends step inside. They venture forth into a darkened room and follow the only light that emanates from a flickering film, projected into the back wall of a cabinet that has been propped open, the door unevenly teetering on falling off. . .

Once finished, Spirit Ship (working title) will function as Little Creatures' prototype/proof-of-concept, a piece that will appeal to potential investors. . . a tangible, beautiful, poetic, mysterious product that will win funders over to a vibrant new film company that produces a completely new kind of media by and for young children.