Taken In: Madelaine Hoptry

TAKEN IN is a handmade feature film about a man who must spend a weekend alone with his estranged teenage daughter at a roadside resort. It is here that Simon and Brooklyn must confront the issues that have driven them apart, and ultimately choose how they will move forward...together or alone.

TAKEN IN was written and directed by personal filmmaker, Chris White. It was made entirely with cash and in-kind contributions from friends and family. The story (co-written with his wife Emily), was inspired by Chris’ theatre work with students at a therapeutic boarding school. The film is dedicated to his own teenage daughter, Gibson.

TAKEN IN was filmed at South of the Border, Dillon SC USA in the Spring of 2011.

Showing posts with label Madelaine Hoptry. Show all posts

13 June 2011

EVERY TIME

When I watch TAKEN IN, each time Simon and Brooklyn's journey begins again...I feel like it's a stage play. I see Tim and Maddi getting into their costumes and places, ready to replay this story once more. I know where they're going...what's going to happen, of course...but it doesn't change the fact that I worry for them—characters and actors, every time.

02 June 2011

Taylors SC \ Pre-release Screening TONIGHT

A pre-release cut of the film will be screened tonight for Executive Producer Jim Dedman and his guests in Taylors, SC. The event is a private, invitation-only event.

IN ATTENDANCE: actor Madelaine Hoptry (with entourage), cinematographer Daniel McCord, writer-director Chris White, and co-writer Emily White.

15 May 2011

The Bridge

Photos by Adam Robitaille.

09 May 2011

OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED!

15 July 2011

07 May 2011

Shoes Matter

The shoes worn by Madelain Hoptry ("Brooklyn") and Tim Brosnan ("Simon") in TAKEN IN may be so small a detail, it may not even be worth pointing out to you.

But.

They do reveal a whole lot about these characters. And great consideration was given to each pair our actors wore.

Tim wore a black, lace-up oxford. Not a slip on, nothing fancy. Smart, reliable, elegant, sensible. This is all you need to know about his character, really. (And we sincerely thank Rush Wilson, Ltd. for providing them to us...at no charge.)

Maddi wore two-toned, lace-up, 3/4 boots (from Urban Outfitters). Of course, she wore them with two Sunday dresses...a pair of short-shorts...and skinny jeans. They create a sense of rebellion, I think...incongruency for her character that is most certainly played out in the film.

Most people won't notice our actors' footwear. But in a micro-budget film, every detail has to count. And rest assured...in TAKEN IN, every detail does.

02 May 2011

FIRST LOOK!

This is TAKEN IN.

Or at least, this is what it looks like on a Final Cut Pro timeline.

The picture edit is complete, and a DVD draft has been sent to Josh McGill in Dallas for scoring. A few people have seen the full locked-picture cut (Jeter and I...Emily, her brother Dan), and a couple have seen the very end of the film (Colin, Maddi and her roommate Alex, Tim).

There are a few problems. Most have to do with just how much exposition, or back story, we release to the audience. At present...there is almost none. Just...story happening. I wonder how much our audience needs to know, setup-wise, to commit to taking the ride with us. Most movies explain everything. And most of the time, they do a clever job at this.

Not sure if this film can stand up straight with as little as we're giving.

24 April 2011

Q&A with Cinematographer DANIEL McCORD

CHRIS WHITE: Daniel McCord…cinematographer for TAKEN IN…how did you and I first meet?

DANIEL McCORD: I believe it was at an open studios event at Milagro Studios. I overheard you talking about film and butted into the conversation. That was it until you asked me to shoot GOOD LIFE. Being nosy does pay off.

CW: What did you think after our first scouting day at South of the Border?

DM: I thought it was perfect for the film, but I was scared there were too many locations I would want to shoot.

CW: What’s the best part of making a movie at South of the Border?

DM: Well, I could just say that everybody there was warm and cooperative, but really it's the availability of Blenheim Ginger Ale no matter where we were - I'm a bit of an addict. That and the incredibly lush visuals. It's hard to beat those.

CW: What was the funniest thing that happened during the shoot?

DM: You mean other than my constant joke routine? HEYO! I'm still laughing at the million references to Silk Stalkings. I'm going to have to go with the look on your face and how you ran away when that crocodile tried to bite my ass, though You were two fences away from him and still ran away. I was laughing the whole time as I didn't realize how close I was to getting ripped a new...well, you know.

CW: What was the sweetest/sappiest thing that happened?

DM: That's a tough one. That nobody killed anybody else...? Or maybe that we (almost) all had nicknames by the end of the shoot. Actually, Jen (Hot Lava Mama) bringing shots to take with me and Hops after a particularly tough scene probably takes the cake.

CW: Talk about the Canon 5D camera that we shot the film with. How did it perform? What lenses were used to create the images in the film?

DM: The camera was great once I learned how to use it that first day. I used a simple Canon 50mm f/1.8 for a majority of the shooting, as well as a Canon 17-40mm f/4 for the wider shots. I slipped on an 85mm f1/8 for a single shot, but I'm not sure if we went with it. I just might be a DSLR convert when it comes to shooting video. You can get the small cameras in more places and it doesn't distract from the rest of the scene - it's just like the new wavers going to 16mm for portability.

CW: What do we do next?!

DM: Well, I'm actually writing a film (this very moment, so you are distracting me) that I aim to shoot early Summer and complete before my 30th birthday at the end of August. There, it's in writing. Hold me to that. You can help if you want...you might not like my style, though.

22 April 2011

ALMOST DONE!

Picture is almost set for the film, thanks to the amazing efforts of editor Jeter Rhodes.

Next up? Sound editing...which should be helped by Josh McGill's original score.

19 April 2011

REVISED ON LOCATION

Scene 12, as originally conceived, was to be an exterior. Instead, it was shot inside of an arcade due to wet weather. As well, sound man Brian Fellers's Camaro was way cooler than the pick-up truck I'd originally conceived for Dillon.

Brooklyn leans on a weatherworn bust of a sombrero-wearing man the size of a compact car. She smokes a cigarette, thinks. She is sad.

Soon, a rusty Chevy pick-up truck pulls up alongside. It is Dillon. But he’s not wearing a ball cap anymore. He’s had a shower.

“Hey.”

“You still wanna go out?”

“I guess.”

“We don’t have to.”

“No, I…I want to.”

“I mean…it’s looking like the pending nuptials have been put on permanent hold. I’d understand if you felt the need to bow out gracefully.”

Brooklyn smiles kindly.

“You have such a romantic streak, Dillon. I can’t believe you’ve never been married.”

“I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

Touched, she looks back toward the motel…shimmering in the cold night’s air. She skips around to the passenger side of Dillon’s truck, gets in. They drive away.

18 April 2011

SHOOTING UNDER A ROLLER COASTER

Photos by Adam Robitaille.

17 April 2011

WORTH WATCHING?

Does the story work? Does it hold together over the entirety of the film?

When each scene and sequence is locked in place...just as written, just as I intended...are sum of those parts, a story worth watching?

This is what I am thinking about as each scene falls into place and our picture edit nears a final lock. Right now...I'm not sure. Not sure if a consistent tone has been struck throughout or not...if Simon and Brooklyn's tale is worth watching yet.

It's one thing to direct a scene (re: GOOD LIFE). Quite another to direct a feature.