Re: JCO: Small Avalanches
Hi Cyrano,
I do remember the discussion about Small Avalanches, but strangely, I had forgotten comments about Nancy being mentally handicapped. What an odd interpretation, because she's clearly savvy and though she doesn't quite understand what is happening, she instinctivly knows the man wants to do her harm.
Now, to answer your question. To start, I planned a number of point-of-views shots (from Nancy's perspective) throughout the film and used a lot of wide angle landscape shots to convey the oppressive heat (which reflects Nancy's boredom) and the isolated location. More specifically, the beginning of the story reads "I kept bothering my mother for a dime". I decided to create a scene from this sentence as I felt it would convey Nancy's boredom, her character (she's a bit of a pest) and how her mother (who has a harried look) is just too worn down with chores and too insensitive to really pay attention to her daughter. I also made sure the actress playing her mother had her back to Nancy in several shots (except at the end, when the mother confronts her daughter), and that Uncle Winfield is under a vehicle or checking a log book, again not looking or paying much attention to Nancy. The only adult who really looks at her is the Man, of course.
I digress here, to mention that it was easy to cast Uncle Winfield and the mother, not too difficult to cast Nancy, but the Man was really tough. I didn't want him to look like a creep straightaway (or why would she be flattered initially by his attentions?), so we considered many actors. I was very fortunate, all the actors give super performances. On a low budget, it's very hard if the performances aren't on right away because you lose a lot of time (and that means you have to sacrifice other scenes).
ANother important choice was the progression of the camera movement. At the beginning, all the shots are fixed, stable, no pans, no tilts. Everything is still, echoing Nancy's state of mind (bored, hot, bothered). The camera starts to move a little at the garage, but only slight movements (still always on a tripod). Then, when the man approaches her in the car, we filming from a steadicam, a travelling shot that is smooth, but nonetheless, the camera is moving, indicating a change in tone. The camera is taken off the steadicam and onto the shoulder for the entire chase: it's all handheld and increasing frenetic (in tune with Nancy's feelings and fearful state). At the end, the camera is still once more: life is apparently "back to normal" at home (her mother complaining and scolding her) but not for Nancy, of course.
For the man, I asked the actor to smoke and take a pill when he has his car filled at the garage. It's done naturally and subtly (I think) so it's not an obvious marker that he will collapse. At one point the actor coughs while talking and walking (can't take credit for that, it was the actor's idea). All these were set up to make his collapse more credible.
Another visual equivalent were Nancy's flip flops. I wanted her to have something to fiddle with (it helps actors, especially someone with little experience which is the case for most child/teen actors). Nancy carries them around with her and when she drops one during the chase and it is picked up by the Man, that served to increase the tension (she later gets it back from the Man, when she is no longer afraid to approach him--he's on the ground grovelling at this point. The hasty retrieval of the flip flop is a small victory and shows without any kind of voice-over she's no longer afraid, but certainly shaken). And of course, I couldn't help planning a shot where we see Nancy's feet in close up, from behind, followed by a few rocks tumbling in their wake... I remember explaining the shot to the Assistant Director who had no idea why I needed a close up of the rocks tumbling after her feet had passed by camera.
The chase is not as long as in the original story because it seemed like I was dragging it out. Also their long conversation in the written story comes across a bit comical on film, so we cut some of the shots where the Man asks her questions. It works better (on screen anyway) as a shorter chase. By shortening the script and having less conversation (only the sound of the forest is heard, and their feet of course), I felt I was in keeping with the original story: the film is more about Nancy's state of mind and her 'brush with danger' which transforms her, than about the chase.
As to the clean shirt, it's a dish towel in the film, but the sentiment is there! Interestingly, some viewers hate the ending, wanting her to say something to her bitching mother or go back and find the man to have him punished. Others love it (we had some folks look at the rough cut, which is standard during the editing) thinking it just shows how Nancy cannot explain to her mother what has just happened and probably never will. A shirt was actually awkward to toss and receive--sleeves caught on the line, it doesn't fly toward Nancy--it's one of the decisions made on set.
I hope you will see the film sometime and give me your impressions. We aren't finished the final sound mix so it won't be ready until the fall. Generally, it goes to festivals first (so depending on where you are and if the film gets into a festival in your city, you may be able to see it). We'll also try to sell it to IFC or Sundance Channel, but that's never easy as there are few venues for short films on TV in the US. (CBC (Canada's national network) has the first broadcast window for a year). In any event, I'll let the group know when it is finished if that is alright.
I apologize for such a long response and that it's a little off-topic for the entire group!
Many of JCO's novels would be great films, her writing is so versatile and visual. It was a privilege to work from her original story.
Thanks for the interest,
Lara
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