Katherine's Capstone Journel

The Process

Pre-Production/Research

Source:

The idea for this film is from the book "There and Back" written by Sam Compton.

I chose an excerpt from Chapter 5 "Gateway to the Yukon"

Gateway to the Yukon- Tuesday, July 6th 1992

Paul and, I are at the base of a moving mountain. The earth’s seismic plates that make it up are still shifting so; it moves east approximately five feet per year.

It's the middle of the day but it's pouring rain so we are taking cover in our tent.

We arrived in port of Haines around 3 am. The end of the line. Luckily we got off the boat ok. Stoked!

It was a few three or four miles into town from the ferry terminal. A guy in a jeep eagle with wood panels gave us a ride.

We ended up camping down by the marina under an abandoned old pier. The pilings holding it up were covered in barnacles. There was dense fog and the pungent smell of the ocean was rich!

We didn't set up our tent. Just pulled out our sleeping bags and tried to get some rest.

We slept in until 10am or so. We relaxed for a while and, puffed tuff! It's hilarious; when we got on the boat I had one green lighter. Now I have four green lighters!

As we casually packed up the clouds broke and, the sky was an amazing blue. The mountains surrounding us were massive and, go on forever! Seems like heaven for a mountaineer!

We walked into town and found a laundry mat. I played harp and, we took turns calling back home to let everyone know that we were alive and very well.

We had clean clothes and a fresh start. We had about a thousand miles to hitchhike and, were ready to cross the Canadian border into Yukon Territory.

We are so far north now! We had to somehow get across! Otherwise we were considering a ten or fifteen mile hike around through the backcountry we had heard about.

We walked about a mile or so out of town. In that time only a few cars passed us.

All of the sudden we could hear music in the distance but, getting louder and closer. The tone of the sound changed as an old muscle car went flying by! We had our thumbs out but just got dusted. Right before the music completely disappeared into the forest, we heard a screeching skid then, the music started getting louder. They had flipped around to come back and, pick us up. They kicked open the door and yelled, "Get in!" They were a couple of dirty rockers smoking cigarettes and, blasting metal! We could see guns on the passenger floor! We both new it was a bad decision but, they were teenagers about our age so we pilled in. We peeled out and, were instantly going like eighty through the forest with lots of winding turns! They were trying to talk to us but we couldn't hear shit over the music. The driver was yelling, telling us he was a pro skier and that he used to shred with the infamous Glen Plake. Then, out of nowhere we did 180 skid into a dirt clearing off the side of the highway! They kicked open the doors and we all got out. They pulled out their guns and, started blasting a bunch of junk like old TV's and, bottles that they had already set up on the top of an old, rusty, abandoned car! One of them was shooting some sort of fully automatic machine gun and, the tip fell off. It looked like a silencer tip or something. He tried to pick it up. "Fuck it burned my hand!" He yelled! Then, he just kept firing! The passenger kid handed me a glock nine mil with a full clip so, I fired off some rounds. Paul was shooting some other gun! Then, we ran out of ammo. So, we all piled back in the car and, peeled out!

We were hauling ass down the highway again for a few miles. Then they pulled over and, let us out. They flipped a bitch and, burned rubber! We could hear the music get quitter as the disappeared into the silence.

Paul and I were left standing there with our hearts still pounding in complete peace, and silence other than the sound of a distant river and birds chirping.

"Holy shit! Did that really just happen!?" Paul said. Then we both started laughing hysterically, not caring at an all that we were stranded in the middle of nowhere!

After some deep breaths we, put our heavy packs back on and started walking north.

Conveniently, there was a service station right around the bend about three quarters of a mile.

There were RV's and campers fueling up. There were people taking pictures of the big sign that said, gateway to the Yukon.

We were filling up our water bottles when a guy approached us and asked, "Do you guys need a ride? I'm going to Haines Junction" Which is across the border. We said,” Yes" It was so unexpected! He said,” Jump in!"

He and, his girlfriend had a sweet new truck with a camper on top.

"Threes some cold ones in the cooler. I won't tell anyone if you tip a few" He seamed so nonchalant about crossing the border with two teenage American hitchhikers in his camper!

When we got to customs, they were waiving most vehicles through but stopping others. A few cars were being searched.

I was so nervous!

After waiting in line for ten minutes or so we stopped. Our driver exchanged a few words with the mounty and……. We drove away.

Paul and, I instantly cracked a brew to cheers!

We made it into Canada!

It was a couple hours drive to Haines Junction. On the way we stopped at a bridge. The girl ran and grabbed their stash out from under it. They leave it there when they cross the border.

Then, we drove a ways until we turned up a dirt road that winded around a short distance to a little, rustic, cabin that they owned.

We got out and enjoyed a beer together and, introduced each other.

The girl rolled a pinner' it was the skinniest joint I have ever seen but, I have never smoked weed that smelled and, tasted so good! We were so blazed!

They asked us where we were staying. We told them we were camping and, they insisted we stay with them in Haines Junction. We said," We would love to so, we drove the rest of the way to their house. On the way we stopped at the market to pick up wine and, other groceries for dinner.

After we arrived they called up some friends who came over with some guitars, a mandolin, and, a banjo.

We were having a great time jamming and, drinking wine while dinner was prepared.

Then, dinner was ready. It was corn on the cob, salad, and corn bread from scratch and, moose steaks. Paul and I looked at an each other and, without saying a word both made the silent decision that, we were no longer vegetarians! It was delicious!

We went to bed with full bellies.

We woke up to a proper breakfast, took hot showers and, got going.

They drove us down to the highway, gave us a nugg' and dropped us off. We said our goodbyes and, started walking.

After a few short rides we ended up here.

It sounds like the rain is weaning. I'm getting out of the tent.

Closterfobia!

This story obviously takes place in a different part of the country but for this short film I was going to try to make this area work here in Southern Utah. That meant finding enough space to shoot over the span of time we had avaliable.

Crew

For this film my crew consited of my peers, along with friends and family that would be willing to make it happen. This short was shot for a directed studies class and the deal was we would all return the favor of helping with their films when it came time to shoot there screen play. Everyone was generous with their time especially the professor and including all the actors, who basically worked for food.

Casting

Cold Reads/Callbacks, Rehearsals

Script/Treatment Development

This is a portion of the script breakdown, each day I would have a new revised version for everyone to follow "side" is what the official name for this would be. It is a way to keep on schedual with the shooting and also is small enough that it's easier to make changes day by day.

In breaking down the script we had a total of about two weeks to shoot and complete this. For my version of Sides I would also include any props or wardrobe needed for that day so that I would have reminders and more easily prepare each evening.

Day 4-Friday on the flatbed

Shot- Master from the windshield inside the car the windows are open music blaring, wind blowing through their hair.

Shot- Camera is on Sam's face on the back passenger side

SAM

Thanks again man for the ride.

Shot- POV view of the driver head banging.

Action-(pause)no response from the driver or passenger(they are head banging to the music, driver has a cig in his mouth) they cant hear Sam over the music...

Shot-Action-Sam and Paul's face as they look at one another.

Shot- drivers face.

DRIVER

Action- Pulls cigarette out of his mouth flicking it out the window

Dude where you guys headed (yelling over the music, hair blowing)

Shot- Sam and Paul's face

SAM

(yelling) Alaska

Shot-Close up on the passenger

PASSENGER

(yelling) Where you from?

Shot-Sam and Paul’s face.

PAUL AND SAM

(yelling) UTAH (Paul and Sam yell it together awkwardly, then they look at one another kinda laughing, because they say it at the same time. )

DRIVER

That’s bad Ass... you ski? (still yelling)

Shot-Close up of Sam’s face

SAM

Nah man, Snowboard (yelling)

Shot- Drivers face and then pull back to see the driver and the passenger.

DRIVER

Righteous! I used to be pro, I skied with Glen Plake back in the day...

PASSENGER AND DRIVER-

Action-(Driver passenger bump fists with each other and nod)

saying Yeeeeah...

PASSENGER

Action- Passenger plays some air guitar.

Day 5-Sunday April 7th

Shot-The car is flying down a winding forest road and out of nowhere the driver pulls into a clearing and does a 180.

Shot- camera is pulled back to see the car pulling into a gravel/dirt clearing where it kicks up dust and comes to a stop.

Shot-In the clearing there is an old a rusty abandoned tractor.

Shot-medium shot to see the driver get out and Passenger come climbing out with the guns in hand., car still running and music screaming.

Shot- of Sam and Paul looking at one another in the backseat not sure what to do...

Shot-Out side the car

DRIVER

Grab the gun boys

Action- He motions to the gun in the back window of the mustang. Paul reaches back for it and hands it to the driver

Action-Sam and Paul get out, (doors are left open) and the driver begins shooting the rifle and the passenger, the handgun.

PASSENGER

Action-drops the handgun on accident, then tries to pick it up by the barrel,

"Shit" it burned my hand!"

Action-Picks it up again and he keeps firing!

DRIVER

Action-hands Sam a gun with a full clip.

SAM

Action- Looks at the gun and then to Paul, then walks towards the targets aims and fires off some rounds.

PASSENGER

Action-Hands Paul a gun, and starts screaming woooooooh!!!

PAUL

Action- looks at the gun then walks over and starts firing at the targets too.

Shot-All of the sudden it gets quiet, smoke and dust from the guns lingering and music is still blaring they have run out of Ammo.

PASSENGER

Action- Takes gun from Sam and Paul, motions to them and everyone piles back in the car.

Shot-Tires peeling out and their hauling ass back down the road

Shot-A Shot of the car back on the highway speeding.

Shot-The car flips around and comes to a stop and they let Sam and Paul out, and they burn rubber.

Action-Fists waving out the window

Shot-POV of the car disappearing in the distance.

Shot-Sam and Paul are standing in shock hearts still pounding, in the middle of the road bags by their side. All you can hear is the cars music fading and then silence, birds chirping and nothingness...

Shot-close up on Sam and Paul, they turn to one another...

Production Design

Sets/Props/Wardrobe/Hair and Makeup/Special Effects

These are the two main characters Sam and Paul played by Jessie Nyberg and Beau Harvey Elliot wardrobe circa 1992 dirtbags. The flannel Jesse is wearing is my late brother Scott Dunn, the baseball cap the at Beau is wearing is Cirica's dads old band hat "Without a Thought".

The back packs we used were actually osprey brand just like the same one that Sam saved up for to take on the take on his trip to Alaska in 1992.

"Mustang Sally" on loan to us from Rebecca and Joey DeVito. This is a 1992 mustang, something like the muscle car described in the story, that picked them up.

Here we have the Driver Tristen Weight next to him is Kelsey Knell. We had a bit of a dilemma when it came to the driving scenes, amazingly enough the driver and most the men on set did not know how to drive a manual so we improvised, we had this black wig and switched wardrobe so fill in's could drive in the scene.

My niece Brooklyn

Tristen and Kelsy

Kelsy as Triston

For the shoot out scene we required Zerts and dust balls to be used in a paint ball gun, these we ordered through our special effects department and supervisor Bob Willard.

Locations and Production

Essentially we had 9 locations Theses are not not necessarily in the order they were shot.

Location1-Enterprise Gas station and road.

This location is for the scene when Sam calls home to let his mom know everything is ok and where they are headed.

Location 2- Baker Reservoir

Here we shot the scene of the boys camping and enjoying the freedom of the road. We acquired permission through parks and recreation BLM, because it was for a student film and it was only to be shot for an evening there was no permit required. I just made them aware we would be there.

Location 3- Gunlock road

The old Hwy 91 road that takes you to gunlock was where a lot of the driving scenes were shot. This first pictures are of when Sam and Paul are first picked up by the guys in the muscle car.

This second set of Photos are on the same road but farther up closer to Veyo. These were shot for the scene when the boys are picked up before the Mustang, by a guy who is a holy roller. This character is actually played by my uncle David which is the real Sam's mothers brother. Thought it might be a nice inclusion. When shooting because of time limitations and access to props, locations and actors I altered the story for the script from the original book. This character doesn't actually come into play until another chapter of the book, and he has a partner riding with him. In the book Sam and Paul get the impression that the two of them are on the run from the law, but that they have found Jesus. They have a conversation with thetwo men and they inquire if Sam and Paul believe in god. Its also telling in the fact that in the cab of the truck there are stacks of bibles and post it notes everywhere with sayings of "the Lord"

This sequence was shot in the early morning and was used as a piece to show the distance of travel. One way to utilize the locations We had chosen was to shoot in varying light "time of day"