I’ll have a chance this weekend to check out the latest feature film offering from a good buddy of mine, and local Philly Philmmaker, Ben Hickernell. ‘Backwards’, the rowing inspired offering which makes expert aesthetic use of Philly’s own Boathouse Row, stars James Van Der Beek and Writer/Producer Sarah Megan Thomas in the lead roles.
The film, which opened locally last weekend to moderate reviews, offers a glimpse behind the curtain at the world of Women’s Olympic Rowing, and the sweat equity endured by athletes competing for spots on the official US Rowing Team.
While the reviews may be so/so, I’m confident that the rowing scenes themselves will look great. DP Harlan Bosmajian was our Cinematographer on the film, and was assisted by Key Grip Nic Reader, of Expressway Grip fame. The boat rigs, which were custom built for the project, were painstakingly crafted especially for the film by Nic and his Best Boy Zac Rubino…and they allowed for some fantastic camera placement that I look forward to watching on the big screen. And who knows, maybe the ‘Beek himself will make an audience appearance.
Having spent a part of this past weekend helping out with some loose ends on the indie feature “Backwards”, as they were back in the saddle for some pick-up footage, I’m hearing rumors that the film is coming together quite nicely. And while it was fun to get back into the field with a collection of the department heads & crew again, I’ll admit to being at least mildly distracted by NLDS Game 1 (the Fightin’s were also hosting the visiting Card’s down @ CBP).
While balancing my UPM-esque duties with my addictive Phil’s fever, I was reflecting on the growing collection of local philmmakers that are proud to set their sticks in the Greater Philly region. The gents over at the South Jersey-based Kphat Productions always seem to be up to something feature-film related, and have begun to amass an impressive collection of company credits. Meanwhile, the Producer/Director team of James Madison & Nic Reader seem to be ready to take their Expressway Productions moniker to the next level, hot on the heels of their successful short film collaboration “Runner”. And with the likes of Ben Hickernell’s “Backwards”, the environmentally conscious indie darling “Future Weather”, and the horror treat “Alpha Girls” all bound to hit screens in the coming year, we could be in store for a potential hat-trick of Philly-based philm fare witnessing some much deserved exposure.
As I ramp up talks this week with the philmmakers behind the comedy “Angus”, penned by local screenwriter David Greenberg, I remain as optimistic as ever that Philly will soon witness its full potential as a viable and sustaining film market.
With principal photography officially in the can (or, more appropriately, stored efficiently on the hard drives), it’s on to the post-production leg of things for Director Ben Hickernell, Producer Sarah Megan Thomas, and their rowing infused feature “Backwards”. Editor Phillip Bartell (“In Her Shoes”, “Undertow”) has been in Philly since week two of production back in July, and has been working out of ODM in Old City.
The film, lensed on the RED One by DP Harlan Bosmajian, took full advantage of the tapeless format by enlisting the services of NYC-based post house Mega Playground for all digital intermediate duties. With twice-weekly treks up the turnpike, footage runners were dropping off fresh drives for transcoding. As a result, the filmmakers were able to stay on top of the projects aesthetic and coverage benchmarks while viewing dailies from footage only a couple of days old.
There’s something to be said for a gig that solidifies nearly two straight months of steady work…long live feature film opp’s! However, I’m finding a number of fringe benefits to my current run as the UPM on “Backwards”, in addition to the welcomed financial stability. Chief among those benefits has been a privileged glance behind the curtain of Philly’s very own Boathouse Row.
With more than a week’s worth of production along Kelly Drive, and pit stops at the Waterworks and Philadelphia Art Museum, we’ve set up camp in Vesper Boat Club…one of the more prominent rowing clubs along the waterfront stretch that is Boathouse Row. Surrounded daily by more than a century’s worth of history, it’s been a humbling experience to say the least. And the funny thing is, I’m one (of many, I’m sure) that’s come to take this world-famous strip of Philly real estate for granted. I’ve driven, peddled, and even strolled past these houses countless times over the years, all the while largely oblivious to the daily goings on taking place on their docks. It’s been fun to gain such all access status to such a historic location, and i’ll never look at this section of the Schuylkill the same way again.
In fairness, working for weeks on end with the talented crew and cast has been a noteworthy fringe benefit as well. Director Ben Hickernell and I have been pals for years, so working with him was bound to be fun. The film does, however, mark my first teaming with Line Producer Brian David Cange, and only my second with 1st AD Michael DelPolito…both of whom I look forward to subsequent collaborations with for sure.
With wrap looming ever closer, it will be equal parts refreshing to get some much needed R&R, yet a bit of a bummer to part ways with the crew…bittersweet.
So I’ve admittedly been struggling to find the time to update lately, or much of any free-time at all for that matter. As mentioned recently, I’ve jumped on board as the UPM for the indie feature “Backwards”, and the 70+ hour work weeks have a way of impeding things. Nevertheless, I did want to carve out time to bring attention to a group of philmmakers well worthy of mention.
Currently, in tandem with the filming of “Backwards”, a group of dedicated indie filmmakers are in the midst of production on the horror film “Alpha Girls”. I know a number of the crew members personally, and have the utmost respect for what these fellas (and ladies) are putting together. I would strongly suggest to anyone of you out there who support Philly-based indie film production to visit the film’s Kickstarter page and make a contribution…no matter how modest. After all, in a world where budgets are micro-cosmic, every penny helps!
In some respects, the City of Philadelphia is clobbering the competition when it comes to PA-centric bragging rights. The Fightin’ Phil’s hold a significant advantage, after all, over the trailing Pirates, when it comes to the State’s baseball rivalry. Regardless of their 1-1 split in the pre-season ending On-Deck Series, the Phil’s have established themselves once again as the team to beat in the NL East…or, even arguably, in the NL overall. With the team well on its way to another championship season, their four straight NL East division titles offer them a hefty edge against the woeful Pirates (who haven’t even witnessed a winning season during the same stretch).
Having said that, the efforts of the PaFIA seem to be tilted strongly in favor of our sister city to the west, as Pittsburgh continues to attract high profile films looking to take advantage of the State’s tax incentive. Already this year, films like “Steel Town”, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, and “The Dark Knight Rises” have all staked a claim in the vicinity of the three rivers, while Philly sits in absence of any features of note thus far in 2011. A disheartening statistic after recent years have witnessed the likes of “Transformers 2”, “Limitless”, “Law Abiding Citizen”, and “The Last Airbender” setting up camp in the CoBL.
I’m fortunate enough to be jumping on board the first feature of note (the indie “Backwards”) to visit Philly this calendar year, but remain conscious of the dwindling options nonetheless. I, for one, love our fair city and decided long ago to settle in the Greater Philly region. It’s for that very reason that I remain hopeful (or dare i say optimistic) that Philly will once again start to hold its own in the production showdown. Maybe not in lopsided Phil’s versus Pirates fashion, but at least enough to even up the odds! Here’s hoping…
Well, it’s seeming pretty official…local Director Ben Hickernell will be helming this summer’s Philly-based indie film “Backwards”, which is set to commence principal photography sometime in mid-July. Written & Produced by Sarah Megan Thomas, and Line Produced by Brian David Cange, “Backwards” is a dramedy focused on an Olympic-hopeful rower who’s faced with a few 30-something life decisions that leave her at an emotional crossroads. Thomas will also play the lead role of Abi Brooks, in addition to producing.
As it stands, I’ll be joining Mr. Hickernell as well this summer in the role of UPM for the film. I’m looking forward to yet another chance to team with Ben, as we’ve developed a long-standing relationship of successful collaborations over the years. It’s good to see another indie select Philly as their backdrop of choice, as the CoBL will be featured pretty heavily in the film.
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