Halfway at the Carmel Art & Film Festival

Steph and I had such a great time at the Carmel Art & Film Festival! 

Steph with our poster we put up near the Filmmaker's Lounge

Our two screenings in the shorts program went really well--the seats were filled at both of them--by the end of the film you could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet! We especially enjoyed getting to hear feedback and answer questions at the Q&A after the screening. Everyone was impressed with Halfway and wanted to know all about our prep, shoot, wrap, actors, locations, hula hooping, story, costumes--you name it!

Naomi and Steph before attending the Women in Film Luncheon

It was a fun and interesting experience getting to speak with other filmmakers and industry professionals at screenings and at parties the festival hosted. The Beach BBQ complete with burgers, s'mores, and bonfires (lots of bonfires) was amazing! We were even lucky enough to attend the Women in Film Luncheon and were excited to see so many other women filmmakers at the festival.

A few of the feature films we saw while we were attending were: "The Immigrant," "Big Sur," and "The Barefoot Artist." We also got a chance to see some of the shorts programs, including two other Dodge College thesis films. The venues at the festival were quite eclectic and charming, they ranged from theater spaces with inflatable couches we got to lounge in to a small art gallery that was hidden amongst the houses and trees of Carmel.

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the festival to see our film, it meant a lot to have you there! Here's to a great experience and hopefully more festivals in the future!

P.S. We even got in a little beach time!

Carmel Art & Film Festival Screening

Showtimes: Thursday Oct. 10th at 1pm and Saturday Oct. 12th at 4pm

Where: Carmel Youth Center, 4th Street

You may purchase tickets on the day of the screenings, or, if you're interested in the entire festival there are ticket packages on the Carmel Art and Film Festival website.

Writer/director Naomi Shepherd and Producer Stephanie Yatco will be attending the festival and screenings.

We're very excited that Halfway will be screening at the Carmel Art & Film Festival!

Credits

Written & Directed by Naomi Shepherd

Produced by Stephanie Yatco

Cast

Julia Perri .............................. Phoebe

Scott Mallace......................... Patrick

Lisa Goodman....................... Ellen

Joel Kramer........................... Dean

Brianna Oppenheimer........... Lana

Director of Photography: James M. Parker

Editor: Mary Ostic

Production Designer: Francesca Halleman

Sound Design by: John Doty

Unit Production Manager: Ashley Bower

First Assistant Director: Steven Kanter

Second Assistant Director: Emily Manheim

Casting Director: Pamela Staton

Composer: Anders Ericsson

Music Performed by: Anders Ericsson, Ramzi Kawar, David Rayment

Still Photographs by: Glen Cheriton and Naomi Shepherd

First Assistant Camera: Doug Frerichs

Second Assistant Camera: Ryan Game, MacKenzie Marlowe

Script Supervisor: Mary Ostic

Sound Department: Krista Abela, Jessica Deutchman, Seth Falstein, Alex Garland, Becky Gill, Daniel Jennings, Michelle M. Lin, Nate Ruff

Gaffer: Johnny Chang

Key Grip: Austin Anthony

Griptricians: Robert Barnett, David Hansen

Location Manager: Spencer Creigh

Set Photographer Glen Cheriton

Synopsis and Director's Statement

Synopsis:

Phoebe and Patrick are in a long distance relationship, but make it work by meeting halfway once a month. During this rendezvous, Phoebe confronts her fears and perceptions of what it means to be an independent woman and must decide if being with Patrick is what she truly wants.

Director's Statement:

"Halfway" started out as a simple pitch: A couple in a long distance relationship meets once a month at a rundown motel in the middle of nowhere.

After that, I ran with it. As someone who has been doing the long distance thing for two plus years when I started this project, going on four now, I wanted to bring attention to the dilemma that many young women, including myself, often face in these situations: Should we move to be with our significant others and risk being perceived as weak? Or should we put our relationships second to our image as independent, career-driven women?

Phoebe struggles with this question throughout the course of "Halfway" and ultimately must decide whether she should work for the approval and happiness of others in her life or choose to take action and make herself happy. At the end of the film, her decision is not necessarily definitive, and the audience is left to come to their own conclusions to a certain extent. For Phoebe and many young women, even after they do make the choice one way or another it is difficult to say if there is a right choice, a wrong choice, or a little of both.

Official Poster

Photography & Poster design courtesy of Glen Cheriton

A quick behind-the-scenes look at our shoot

Photos from the shoot in late September and early October 2012.

On location at Joshua Tree National Park, Scott (playing Patrick) and Julia (playing Phoebe).

1st and 2nd AC Doug and MacKenzie on the job!

Scott and Julia ready for a take

Art imitating life.

Life imitating art imitating life (Glen and Naomi standing in).

Hipster wedding photo for our prop album.

Brianna and Joel as Lana and Dean, the ultimate hipster bride and groom.

On location at Santiago Oaks Regional Park.

Julia and Lisa (as Phoebe's mom, Ellen) on location at Naomi's apartment, they definitely could be related.