In REMAINDERED, the short film I will be directing in September in Kentucky, the central character is a once-successful writer now on a self-funded book tour through rural America, signing at K-Marts and stores like it. The story unfolds at two discount stores and a house. We've locked down the house location, but we are still looking for a discount store to shoot in (and that would double as two different stores). It hasn't been easy. We're only four weeks from filming and a couple of possibilities have emerged… but the uncertainty is driving me nuts.
I suspect whatever location we end up at will require some adjustments to the script and some cheating. For example, one possible location is an office equipment store…which makes no sense at all story-wise. But if I use an establishing shot of a discount store, and then shoot tight in one corner, and have a bunch of people pushing shopping carts filled with groceries, garden items, etc. past where my protagonist is signing books, I might be able to sell the notion that we are in a K-Mart or Save-A-Lot…and not in an office equipment place.
But I sure hope it doesn't come to that…
If there’s an annoying coin-operated horse ride for kids in the shot, that would be hilarious.
how funny would it be if he was signing at a dollar type store?
Interesting. The story of making this film is really filled with lots of interesting subplots.
I’m re-reading Dara Marks’ book, “Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc: The Secret to Crafting Extraordinary Screenplays,” and she would say that the anxiety you are going through is a really, really good thing. The anxiety feelings are like threshold guardians trying to keep you from growing by keeping you within the boundaries of your normal and safe world. By working through it, she says, you expand you capabilities. Like, if you become a writer-director of feature films, how great would that be!? And so these anxiety feelings must be overcome and they won’t bother you on your next film project.
Of course, you know all this.
“Remaindered” is a really good story and the film will be a really interesting success that will open up many doors.