Production Stills

Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick as Austen Kittredge III on the set of Northern Borders

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Lynx Kittredge

Lynx Kittredge, the famed stuffed cat, adorning Abiah's room, Egypt.

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On Set

Bruce Dern as Austen Kittedge, the meanest old bastard in Kingdom County heading up to Labrador.

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Grandmother and Grandson

Austen and Abiah at the chicken coop.

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Jacqueline Hennessy

Theresa Dubois, played by Jacqueline Hennessy, performing a scene in the schoolhouse.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Independent Film Producer Tyler Davidson Visits the Intensive

Independent Film Producer Tyler Davidson joined us this week for three days of discussions about the state of independent film producing.  During our first evening together Tyler screened his 2011 film, Take Shelter, starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain.  He followed the screening with a Q&A session about the film and how it came to be made.  In the following days Tyler Davidson and Jay Craven led a number of discussion sessions on film production and the ways in which the industry is being affected by the economic recession, audience interest, government funding (or lack thereof) and social media.  Students were also able to interact with Tyler by way of an informal pitch session during which they presented possible film and or screenplay ideas.  Tyler's visit culminated in the screening of the first feature he produced, Jay Craven's 2002 film, The Year that Trembled.
Tyler's insight and dialogue stimulated a great discussion about film production––and we are very grateful!

Tyler Davidson has worked as a creative Producer on a number of films including The Year that Trembled (2002), Take Shelter (2011) and most recently Compliance (2012) which just recently premiered at Sundance.  Take Shelter received global recognition and is the winner of the Cannes Critics Week Grand Prix.


Monday, March 19, 2012

Northern Borders Camera Test

The Northern Borders crew tests the ARRI D-21.












Photos Courtesy of Jeremiah Menzel Davis



 



Photos Courtesy of Willow O'Feral


Assistant Director Allan Nicholls Visits the Last Week of Classes

As classes drew to an end this past week we welcomed Allan Nicholls into our midst to discus the role of the Assistant Director.  Allan also told us what to expect on a day-to- day basis when we are shooting.  Allan was quite candid and full of stories that took the group through a number of his own experiences along with the ins and outs of being on set.  From walkie-talkie protocol to set vocabulary and the specifics of talking with actos, Allan affirmed through it all that compromise, collaboration, and respect are vital to the smooth running of a shoot.  Thinking on your feet , flexibility, and creative problem solving, according to Allan Nicholls, are always best--and the "you're to blame" syndrome is out, and out.    The class also took time to look at Robert Altman's 1992 feature, The Player, for which Allan acted as the Assistant Director.  Watching the first 10 minutes of the film repeatedly (all of which occur in a single shot) the class discussed the the production logistics of that sequence and how it came to fruition.  .


Leaving the class in high spirits, Allan Nicholls helped to reduce everyone's stress levels by simply saying, “It’s not as if  you’re building a highway….you’re just telling a f–––ing story!”
We're going to keep that in mind, Allan.


Allan Nicholls is a Canadian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, composer andmusician. He was nominated for both a BAFTA and WGA award for his writing on the 1978 Robert Altman film, A Wedding.  He has worked on a number of films as the AD (Assistant Director), including Altman's The Player (1992), and Short Cuts (date), John Madden's Ethan Frome (1993), and Tim Robbins' Dead Man Walking (1995) to name a few.  

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Location Scouting

Jake Morely, film intensive student and Locations Manager leads part of the team on a locations scout to the Franklin Farm in Guilford.






Mexican Standoff 





Maple Sugaring

Photos Courtesy of Willow O'Feral

Art Department Visits Terry's Studio

The Art Department heads over to Terry Sylvester's studio with some intense looking packaging materials, possibly for the creation of a gigantic snake?  Stay tuned to find out!








 


Photos Courtesy of Willow O'Feral

Monday, March 12, 2012

Props Department Visits Local Clockmaker

The props department's Dara Waxman and Willow O'Feral visit Sylvester Murphy, a clockmaker and repair man with a workshop in Brattleboro.  Sylvester, though retired, spends part of the winter season repairing clocks in Southern Vermont.  Taking our team through an array of clocks and a wall of pendulums Sylvester, the ex-submarine pilot, is donating 16 antique clocks to the production for our run of show!

















Photos Courtesy of Willow O'Feral