Following a fiery director walkout, college television producer Jack Dearborn must balance questions of power, romance, and morality to keep his dreams of getting his own pilot alive.
Dearborn perfectly encapsulates the experience of student filmmakers, who must stand strong as the pressures of set begin to reveal everyone's true priorities and values. As Jack works to appease his crew and provide damage control, he begins to realize that actions in pursuit of his goal might wreak emotional havoc along the way.
Following Jack’s movements and interactions as he weaves through the hectic set of his show "Lover's Cove," the audience gains a tangible sense of what’s at stake during the shooting process.
Featuring a run-and-gun style of cinematography as well as an editing process creating the appearance of a single, unbroken take, Dearborn is a gorgeous, yet rugged piece of cinema that will resonate with its audience.
Dearborn has been filmed in its entirety, but cannot be completed without your help.
Your contributions will help mitigate equipment fees, COVID-19 costs, and transportation accommodations, among other expenditures.
Take a look at our perks to decide which way you’d like to donate! All donations are greatly appreciated, and help young filmmakers like us to continue sharing important stories. Dearborn was directed by a female filmmaker, and draws heavy inspiration from her own set experience working on other films. Initially drawn to the authentic gender and power dynamics between characters, she worked with our writer to develop a more realized perspective of how women are treated on set. No matter the position or skill level of a woman, her gender influences how she is perceived and treated - both on film sets and in the general workplace.
This film captures an insidious element of gender politics that’s often glossed over in both film and television in favor of more explicitly visual topics, such as sexual harassment and assault. Those are easy to show. What isn't easy is depicting the overwhelming majority of demeaning moments we’ve grown accustomed to that don’t fall into either category. Male characters in Dearborn walk this nebulous line between professional and venereal in an attempt to exercise dominance over women working on the same set.
A film is never completed without challenges, as Jack knows all too well. For the Dearborn team, producing and shooting a film during the COVID-19 pandemic was certainly a big one.
Through diligent preparation and strict enforcement we were able to run a safe and secure set akin to larger professional productions also taking place during the pandemic. We kept our actors and crew members safe by following the COVID-19 guidelines outlined in “The Safe Way Forward” safety papers from the Massachusetts Film Office. A large portion of pre-production was completed remotely, including casting and table reads, but we enforced the following guidelines during in-person shoots:
COVID-19 TESTING:
Every member of cast and crew was required to present negative test results before entering the set area. Our actors removed masks only for takes, and immediately replaced them immediately after cameras stopped rolling.
ADHERENCE TO THE "ZONE SYSTEM":
“The Safe Way Forward” safety papers implemented the ZONE system to eliminate any crowds or large groups of people on set.
'ZONE A' - The location of the take, including only essential personnel; actors and immediate crew members only.
'ZONE B' - The secondary location for non-essential crew members to wait during shooting of a take.
'ZONE C' - Off-set location, including homes and campus.
Utilizing this system, we were able to safely transport essential crew and talent from ZONE B to ZONE A accordingly. Throughout shooting, no exterior group ever exceeded 15 individuals and no interior group ever exceeded 10 individuals.
THERMOMETER CHECKS:
Checks were conducted in order to ensure that all members of set did not have either a fever or high temperature, which could indicate symptoms of COVID-19.
COVID-19 SYMPTOM ATTESTMENT AND LIABILITY WAIVER:
Every member of cast and crew signed and returned both a COVID-19 symptom survey and liability waivers each day before in-person shoots.
LYSOL WIPES AND SANITIZATION:
Lysol wipes were provided to crew members to disinfect equipment before and after use. Multiple containers of hand sanitizer were accessible to crew and talent.
ADHERENCE TO MASSACHUSSETS STATE SAFETY GUIDELINES:
Crew and talent wore masks throughout the shooting process, maintained six foot social distancing regulations, and washed hands regularly.