First, we found an extraordinary production design team and then we found the land.
@lukejaden9 is a deeply visual and auditory filmmaker. Every script he creates is accompanied by curated imagery and carefully built playlists. For him, building a world that someone can fully immerse themselves in, and just as importantly one he can step into himself, is always a top priority. So, when we began pre-production on ANIMALS OF THE LAND we knew the production design would be an immense undertaking.
We needed a team willing to take on that challenge. Artists who could truly breathe life into this fairytale. Thankfully, we found exactly that -
@johndunivantart ,Brett Carson,
@pretty_in_pigment alongside an incredible crew, built these structures entirely from the land, using their own hands. They even camped on-site for a month before shooting, enduring every possible element to transform this imagined world into something real.
The main dwelling required over 50,000 reeds to build the roof and it took almost a week to construct. The reeds were all sourced from miles away and assembled by hand with an amazing team. We even called in additional support from friends and family to help build the roof. It truly was a team effort and a labor of love to finish the womb we all ended up calling home.
When building the structures John said he felt like he became Clay (the father in the film) building something that this family could have realistically created without modern tools. That spirit is embedded in every inch of the design.
The production design stands as a masterpiece in its own right. The team became one with Mother Nature, learning when to work with her, when to accept what she offered, and when to surrender to her force. The process of building the set became its own lesson - one that carried through into the film itself and into the themes we hope audiences will take with them.
I couldn’t be more excited that the film premieres tomorrow!! I can’t wait for people to experience the beauty of the land, the set, the animals, the world we built, and the performances that bring it all to life.
#animalsoftheland #filmmaking #bts #productiondesign #film
![“CELERY MAN started as a small idea about the quiet absurdity of everyday betrayals, but became something far more personal,” the writer & #director of the unsettling & absurdist short film Diane Michelle (@dianemichelleofficial) tells us. The film was shot on #Panavision #SuperSpeed lenses, and serviced by Panavision Chicago.Michelle continues, “We chose to shoot on 16mm to give the story a timeless, nostalgic feeling that mirrors the in-between space many people with mental health struggles inhabit. Huge thanks to Panavision for helping bring that vision to life. This is one of the pieces I’m most proud of. I hope it reminds people that even in the darkest moments, there can still be room for laughter because sometimes that’s all we have.”#Cinematographer Jonathan Patterson (@midwestcowboy_) adds, “CELERY MAN was conceived as a dark comedy film by Diane Michelle which for me was a challenge outside of my comfort zone to define a look and presence that felt honest to the film's sense of tone. I relied on versatility and consistency to guide the look across the board. I found the lensing crossed paths uniquely in a way that carried this quasi-retro world these characters brought to life with us through their performances and the writing on the page. I’m always so fortunate to be in Stan [Glapa]’s graces over at Panavision Chicago here in Detroit.”](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6739443819357238356427_0_35dab38a05169c39e54b45a3acebf082.jpg?o=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&h=906d21644f8f2dfaebe9df448d47333f)
