Arbor Day: By Samuel Clemens Long
Arbor Day – Short Film – Horror/Fantasy 2013 Written + Directed by Samuel Clemens Long
In a slightly dystopian view of our near future, two men scour the country for a Hell born creature. Father and son, Thomas and Luke, must put an immortal demon-man back into it’s Earthly prison. Thomas regales his semi-captive audience with a yarn about a young boy named Thomas: The Yates family has a tradition. Every generation a father and son go into the woods and chop down a certain tree. They hollow out the stump and plant a new tree inside the old one. This is done because imprisoned in the roots bellow lay both man and demon inside one body. Undying. But as with any good campfire story the creature is let loose and it murders it’s way to freedom. But the little boy of the story within the story survives the creature. And he spends the rest of his life tracking down the creature and putting it back where it belongs. But are Thomas and Luke the characters from their own story? And can they be trusted?
Arbor Day was shot on Kodak 500T Color Negative Film 0230-011-1207.
Samuel Clemens Long has written and directed several shorts as well as completed a slew of screenplays. His proficiency behind the lens is quite impressive as well. Visit http://www.samclong.com for more info.
Credits:
Crew
Written + Directed Samuel Clemens Long
Property master Brittin Richter
Monster Make-up Artist Elizabeth Geck
DIT/ Data manager Clark Birchmeier
Director of Photography Keith Jefferies
Loader Ian Henderson
Creature/ sfx prosthetics Brian Demski
Stage Dad Robert Stanzler
Costumer Kimberly Leitz-mcCauley
All around bad-ass Andrew Pruden
All around bad-ass Steve Catherman
All around bad-ass John Brink
Stage Mom Pam Kay
Field Sound Mixer Mike Amman
Key Grip Amy Snell
Make-up artist Linda Blum Long
Gaffer Matthew Poertner
Associate Producer Ele Bardha
Costume Mistress Lara Goetzl
First Assistant Director Jonathan West
Key Production Assistant Dyllan McNamara
Second Assistant Camera Dillon Hargett
Director of Art/ Producer Ronit Pinto
Camera Queen Barbara Tozier
Production Assistant Sam Davis
Set Decoration Sandhya Hutchingson
Set Decoration Derek Berk
Set Decoration Nikki Sass
Blood and Guts Scott Kodrick
Fotokem hook-up Perry Supa
Fotokem telecine operator Matt Tomaszewski
Fotokem colorist Scott Fox
Stage Mom Reba Sommer
Stage Dad Jon Sommer
Costumes Kathi Moore
Best Mom ever Diane Long
Camera Operator Nickolas Gilbert
Grip Adam Kogelman
Crafty Megan Grant
On Set Dresser Michael Trosper
Composer Stephen Cooper-McCann
Audio Post-production Spencer Hall
First Assistant Camera/ Loader Sebastian Boada
Cast
Thomas – Ron Shedd
Luke – Nate Czarling
Mary – Jeni Lee Richey
John – Jack-Henry Kay
Creature (unseen) – Matt Buss
Uncle (unseen) – Kef Lee
Boy (unseen) – Taran Stanzler
Grandfather (unseen) – Sid Long
Father in woods (unseen) – Mike Fulton
Son in woods (unseen)- Andrew Fulton
Man with guitar (unseen) – Tyler Pray
Hand Stand in – John Brink
Wake goer – Sarah Heightchew
Wake goer – Rachel Harmon
Wake goer – Rebecca Long
Creature – Samuel Clemens Long
Uncle – Jim Buford
Grandfather – Keith Jefferies
Tree Planter – Derek Berk
Gore Girl 1 – Ronit Pinto
Gore Girl 2 – Nikki Sass
Gore Girl 3 – Sandhya Hutchingson
Gore Guy – Steve Catherman
Campground Dweller – Olivia Richey
Thanks
Truck provided and cut up by Steve Whipple of L&S Automotive with help from Jeremy
Lumber + Buggies Riverside Oak Furniture
Grip + Electric supplies Detroit Power & Light
Hazer Klaiss Stage Lighting Tow from TJ’s
Cardboard from Richards Appliances
Caskets + set dressing Pray Funeral Home
Cinelab s16mm processing + telecine Fotokem s16mm processing + telecine
Kodak and Bob Mastronardi Supplying all the film!
Stratton Camera Cameras
Eric from church van loan
Sidco Location + signage
Gear
Eclair ACL
Arriflex SR3
Panasonic HVX-200
Sony EX3
shot on Kodak 500T Color Negative Film 0230-011-1207
edited on FCPX