For the Long Run
“I think maybe I don’t belong here.” —Tetsya Mariko
A Super 8 Music Video
An important discovery for me is that I’m not suited to everything I try - even when I try hard. I must have taken my glasses off a hundred times during filming to see through the tiny viewfinder, wasting everyone’s precious time. I’ll never say never to directing though.
This Super 8 opportunity gave me a sense of the roles of director, producer, cinematographer, location scout, wardrobe, and post-production by taking them on - all of which will inform my rewrites and future screenwriting projects. I encourage all screenwriters to take the challenge if only for that.
Knowing that I wouldn’t see the footage before the public showing added to the fun as well as to my fear of failure. I hadn’t touched a video camera in over thirty years, a much larger, cumbersome one that allowed me to capture a few milestones with my children without developing costs. I’d also used it on a research trip to Grosse Isle in Quebec, narrating the shots for a novel-writing project that turned into my paranormal romance, Goodbye For Now, and a ghost story, The Banshee of Cholera Bay, that was published in a Canadian anthology. As it turned out, my voice was barely discernable given the strong winds off the St. Lawrence. It was a lesson in knowing the limitations of equipment, doing sound checks, and replaying footage before jetting away.
Casting: I wanted actors who were over 60 and had a spark between them that I could capture on film. Why over sixty? Because we are underrepresented in short films - in features, too - and love is important even in our senior years. When I saw the energy between Giuseppe and Michelle at a cold-read event, I knew they would be perfect, even if they weren’t a couple.
Scouting: My needs were simple: water, sand, rocks, driftwood - and hopefully some decent weather. I chose Arbutus Cove for its beauty, spaciousness, and the private alcove that matched the mood of the song. If only I’d checked the tide tables!
Wardrobe: I wanted a casual yet romantic feel that hinted at summer. The weather was cooler than expected because of the overcast skies from ongoing forest fires. Michelle and I sent photos back and forth and had an in-person session to try everything on. It reminded me of the days of getting dressed with girlfriends before going out dancing. Giuseppe brought a few sets of shorts and T-shirts so we could match his clothes to Michelle’s colour palate. They both looked great!
Blocking: Because the tide came in two hours before I’d scheduled it to, we had less beach to work with, and to get to “our spot” we had to traverse rocks and shifting driftwood bridges. One of Giuseppe’s shoes took a dip. Fortunately, he and the camera didn’t!
Serendipity: A lovely man named Al was the only person near the area we were filming. He was there to say goodbye to the beach before a move east, was a local Super 8 enthusiast, and was willing to shuffle about to facilitate our shots. A true patron of the arts. He said we’d made his day and helped with his send-off, then sent us off with his leftover beer.
Food services: After we wrapped, we had a wonderful dinner at the Monkey Tree Pub. The fish and chips were amazing!
Sound: The Super 8 camera has no sound, so synching my song with the film at the theater and online events was hit and miss. I look forward to nailing it in post-production.
Film: Despite trouble using the viewfinder with my glasses, I was fairly happy with the results. I knew that two of my shots could be tweaked in post-production. One was a blurry shot of Giuseppe that could be cut, and the other, an overly long pan of the water and driftwood, could be shortened.
My next task is to figure out how to do that! Never be afraid of a learning curve.
Vision: A few decades ago, when I was dabbling in acrylics and mixed media art - as a way to justify my procrastination with writing - I made a massive vision board of aspirations. On it was a tiny director’s chair and slate with my name on it. I fulfilled that vision in this film and created something I’ll be proud to show family and friends - once I figure out post-production. Now, to get back to the part of the industry I love best - screenwriting.
Sovitur per scripturam - It is solved by writing.
I write this with gratitude to Michelle Tremblay and Giuseppe Buccoliero, who agreed to act in my first - and last - Super 8 film, to Michael Korican for his encouragement and support in compressing my song, and to Sam Margolis for his help with scouting locations and being my pack mule.
I’m also incredibly grateful to Tony Horlor for tweaking my lyrics and melody for “The Long Run,” and doing an amazing job performing and recording it almost two decades ago. It never grows old or ceases to move me.
A huge shout out to CineVic for sponsoring the One Take Super 8 event and providing the camera, film, and instructions - although getting the batteries loaded into the camera was my first big challenge. I was worried that would be an omen. It wasn’t. Well, at least not completely.
