Lauren Bacall / Josh Hutcherson film gets a new lease on life
Last year I was fortunate to do a little work on a film for a friend. Brian Sharp is an amazing art director (taught me everything I know – about art direction) and hired me to build him some props for Carmel By The Sea, a feature being shot in a nearby town (Carmel By The Sea film blog here).
Turns out the flick starred some of the biggest names in Hollywood, both new and seasoned… Lauren Bacall, Alfred Molina, Josh Hutcherson, and Hayden Panattiere, to name a few. The film had a terrific crew and the footage looks amazing.
I was charged with building many of the hero props… the story hinges on a cache of historical documentation – old photos, yellowed newspaper articles, medical and legal documents, love letters. I built them all from scratch, writing headlines and articles, printing them onto newsprint, aging them in tea and lemon juice, baking them in the oven on low. Old photos were printed on gloss paper, wrinkled, aged, dog-eared. I researched medical and legal documents and filing procedures, reproduced the folders and labels and forms, filled them with jargon and then beat them on a table top for good measure.
I got to work closely with Brian of course, and Director Lawrence Roeck and screenwriter Carlos De Los Rios to ensure the props looked and felt just as they needed.
Then, when it was all over, it looked like the film may not see the light of day. There were all the requisite post production budget issues and whatnot. The film threatened to languish in post Hell.
But now, it’s got the support of a new production partner, Experience Movie Studios, and they’re looking at a Sept release.
I hope it gets done… I enjoy working on these kinds of things just for its own sake… but it would be nice to see the finished product.
Keep your fingers crossed!
I love me some good set and prop design! I’m guessing you can’t post any pics of your work? Would love to see the close-ups. Great to hear about the wind in its sails!
Cheers,
Jeff
I would post but didn’t take any (I’m usually so good about that). It was an hour from home, and I was running back and forth two/three times a day, getting things right for them… I plum forgot to take pics. And didn’t get them back after, of course. But as I say, they’re heroes… big screen-filling close-ups, since they have narrative content in them. So you’ll see ’em. All articles, photos, letters/postcards, and paperwork. 🙂
Unless the same thing happens that happened to my close-up in The Tripper… which landed on the floor… 🙁
My husband and I were extras in Carmel, the movie, (Carmel-by-the-Sea). I heard the movie was having difficulties with it’s release, but have not heard any current updates. As of Nov. 2010, what is the status? I would love to see it!
@Shannon – I traded tweets with the new producers (the rights to the film have been sold to another production company, which is trying to get it finished) and he says they’re hoping for an early 2011 completion, aiming for a Spring release. Don’t know if that means theatrical or D2DVD though… hope you had fun. That was a gorgeous place to make a movie, wasn’t it?
I’m happy to announce after two years of delay The movie is being released in a public screening at the Sunset Center in Carmel. Tickets are $25 and the proceeds go to charity. If you’d like to attend go to sunsetcenter.org to buy tickets.
Cast and crew are invited to a free private screening on the 9th in Hollywood.
Lawrence Roeck
Creator and Director of the movie Carmel-by-the-Sea
Fantastic news! So happy to hear that! I hope the Hollywood invite extends to this lowly prop guy… but I’ll make it to the Sunset Center screening either way! Love to support the film. Congratulations, Lawrence — hope to congratulate you in person soon!