Synopsis
The Deep Woods is a mystery/thriller/drama that follows Powell Livingston. He works two dead end jobs while taking care of his heroin addict mother (Janet) and mentally checked out younger brother (Lou). When Janet overdoses, it triggers Lou to seek asylum in the strange and mystifying woods on the outskirts of town. Powell must set out on a dangerous journey into the unknown if he wants to save what's left of his family.
Why The Deep Woods?
This past year and a half has been a rollercoaster for the entire crew. We were in the middle of our junior year at film school when COVID hit. It fundamentally changed the way we had to make movies. However, it gave me the opportunity to bring to life The Deep Woods. With no movies being made in our fall semester I had the chance to write and make a business plan for this film. I don't think I would've had that same opportunity or same mentality I had if it weren't for the extreme circumstances that COVID put us through. It brought us together, closer than anything else ever will.
I find the origin of how the story came to life is important because this story revolves around being trapped in your surroundings and living for yourself. That's how it felt for all of us when COVID hit. We were trapped and our outlet was still making movies.
We are all young and enthusiastic filmmakers with a passion for the craft. Being this young comes with its disadvantages because we don't have the same money, resources, or experience as older filmmakers. We still have to pay back exorbitant student loans which is why we are jumping on making this. We have six months deferment from our graduation to start paying back the student loans and this falls perfectly in those six months.
We are no strangers to adapting our thinking and our stories to fit the restrictions we are given. That is why we are confident we will be making this no matter what. We experienced it firsthand during our thesis year in which we had to change and adapt stories because of lack of funding. We welcome all of the challenges we'll face and whatever money we raise will be enough, but the more we get then the better position we will be in.
The Deep Woods is meant to be a fun, exciting, and thought provoking thriller/drama. The woods itself embodies some fantastical and horrific elements. If any of these genres or ideas interest you, then The Deep Woods is the right film for you.
What We Need
We don't need a lot to make this film come to life. Our budget is estimated at around $40,000. This covers everything that we would need to make this film possible: paying cast and crew, housing, equipment, marketing, insurance, etc.
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There are also some great perks available! On top of helping young filmmakers fulfill their dreams you can also get something out of it. We have some of the most resourceful people I know at the helm and we can achieve what we need on a limited budget.
Meet the Team
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Writer/Director/Co-Producer - Tyler McDonald
Tyler McDonald was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee and raised in Ocala, Florida. He loved filmmaking from an early age, but didn’t decide to pursue it as a career until his senior year in high school. His focus in the future is as a writer/director with skills and aspirations as a producer/editor. He is best known for his work on “Georgie”, “Misguided”, and “Barkeep”. Tyler graduated in May 2021 with honors and a BFA in Film and a minor in creative writing from Ringling College of Art and Design.
Co-Producer/1st Assistant Director - Harrison Konick
Harrison Konick is a writer/director from Philadelphia. He focuses on the art of story and doing what's right for the world and its characters. Filmmaking quickly became the chosen medium when it came to storytelling for Harrison. He took his passion to Ringling College of Art and Design and graduated in May 2021 with a BFA in Film. Harrison also has a great respect and love for production design and wants to immerse himself in that world.
Director of Photography - Joseph Gardyasz
Joseph Gardyasz is a young and upcoming filmmaker. Originally from Philadelphia, he saw a ton of different of scenarios and decided to travel into the realm of filmmaking. From a young age he had the idea of bringing the real world to the screen. His journey took him to Ringling College of Art and Design. He graduated in May 2021. Joseph hopes to continue his journey by continuing to bring enjoyable content to the world.
Production Designer - Erika Jessen
Erika Jessen is a production designer who fell in love with filmmaking early on and chose to be a professional filmmaker in third grade. Born and raised in Sarasota, Florida, she attended performing art schools with a focus on film in both middle and high school. Her love for production design comes through the idea of connecting with the audience or making them uncomfortable. She’s best known for her work on “Stick”, “Misguided”, and "Alexander the Greatest". Erika graduated in May 2021 with a BFA, and as the Trustee Scholar, in Film and a minor in photography & imaging from Ringling College of Art and Design.
Sound Mixer - Jacob Shapiro
Jacob Shapiro graduated from Ringling College with honors, majoring in Film and picking up a Creative Writing minor along the way. He is a prolific sound mixer and spent his senior year running from set to set recording sound for everyone. Born in a suitcase, he’s traveled the world and back. A true nomad at heart. On cold nights, he can be found dangling under your bed.
Story Editor/Data Manager - Connor Cunningham
Connor Cunningham graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design in May 2021 with a BFA in Film. At Ringling he learned everything he could about not only writing and directing, but every other aspect of film, like sound, production design and editing. He is currently in the process of screenwriting multiple shows and a feature that he hopes to pitch. He's excited for any and all projects that come his way. His mission as a filmmaker is to reinvigorate classic storytelling conventions through the lens of a different perspective, whether it be through race, ideals, or through the neurodiverse.
Other Ways You Can Help
We understand that times are tough with the world working its way back to normality. If you are to contribute anything at all it could go a long way, but if you are unable to then please spread the word and share this link with your friends and family. The more people that see this, the better!
You can stay updated with us on Facebook and Instagram:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheDeepWoodsFilm
Instagram - @thedeepwoodsfilm
We will be posting on social media consistently throughout the production process up until we complete the film.