Title: "Jars"
Runtime: 5 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Date Completed: Nov. 2007
Links:
Download the "Jars" Storyboard
About the Production:
"Jars" was shot in the fall of 2007 at Chapman University and was my first 16mm film. Chapman had just opened it's new film building the previous year, and although we were told we couldn't use the sound stages for such an early project, I was able to weasel my way through the yet to be established bureaucracy of the school to have access to the small stage reserved for cinematography class for a single day. I realize now was lucky to go through the school so early in it's life, because only a year later the administration cut off all access to the stages for non-thesis projects. We got a hold of the equipment easily because no one had figured out how to organize it all yet. Plus, no one had had time to wreck any of the equipment yet. Ah, how nice it was to be Chapman's film pioneers...
For the class we were given film stock and loose story line, and were instructed to shoot a short silent film. I had never shot on film or built any sets before, but didn't want to waste the opportunity to play with the school's toys. So set my sights high stylistically. I've always had lofty dreams of making children's television, and I thought this would be a perfect time to play around with a silly style and some forced perspective. For inspiration I looked to Pee Wee's Playhouse, some of Michel Gondry's short films, and the German expressionist films of the 1920's. I really wanted to combine the hand-made quality of the Gondry's work with the surreal angles of Pee Wee and zee Germans.
Unfortunately, this being for the lower-level, "Intermediate Production" class, finding extra hands to help me was difficult. No one had seen my work before, and it didn't have the "this will look good on your reel" draw that a Thesis film has. So, I was left alone to design, build and paint everything myself. To make things harder, I had recently been evicted from my house mid-month and had two weeks of being homeless immediately preceding the shoot. So, while crashing on some friends' couch, I started sketching and then constructing the ridiculous little world in their backyard. This house was of that certain caliber of college dwelling that contained a permanent beer pong table and a constant flow of various kinds of debauchery, so I went almost unnoticed hammering away on my ill-fitting pieces of wood. I quickly learned that for my next project I would be hiring a carpenter and a production designer.
I assembled the cast and crew for the shoot from friends and acquaintances that I was able to convince to waste a day of their lives to help me play around and am eternally grateful. The younger of the two factory worker was my friend, Joey Halegua, who although had never acted before was clearly a natural. He reminds me of a young Joe Pesci, and when he saw the sets immediately knew what I was going for in terms of style. The older of the two, Tony McCarthy I had met on the set of a senior thesis film I had worked production sound on the year before called "American Sinner" (http://www.myspace.com/american_sinner). I loved how his bubbly personality and knack for physical humor delightfully contrasted his naturally intimidating physique. Even with no rehearsals to speak of, I knew that the two of them would fit perfectly into the cute little world of "Jars." Fellow director Joe Dietch (see links page for website) ended up stepping in as my cinematographer and I have him to thank for those great diagonal push ins. All in all, I couldn't have been more satisfied with the effort and talent put in by all of the cast and crew. It really was my first taste of what it means to feel supported as a director, and I couldn't be any more grateful.
Full Credits:
Cast:
NED Joey Halegua
FRANK Tony McCarthy
Crew:
DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Cameron Clark
CINEMATOGRAPHER Joe Dietsch
CREW Bobby Wilson
Andrew Schuster
Nathan Giese
Jacob Tanenbaum
Louis Gabriel