Synopsis
Based on the short story “A Recipe For Jam” by Leslie Thiele.
The film follows Del and Marjorie who start off their life as a young married couple in the 1970s moving into their first home on a farm in Western Australia.
Del is mystified by a request from Marjorie to install a shelf, way too high up for her to reach. One evening, Del returns home to see Marjorie in the kitchen cooking with two buckets of Peaches. The acrid smell of burnt sugar makes its way to every corner of the house. Next morning Del is surprised with the most beautiful looking sight, five jars of peach jam, lined up on Marjorie’s shelf, illuminated by the sun, flooding the kitchen in bright orange marmalade.
Everything changes one cold afternoon...
Years go by and Del remains on the property, with memories as rich as the jam and their love still linger.
(Approximate Runtime: 15 minutes)
Why Make This Film?
We’re focussed on creating a short film that tests the audience and evokes the two biggest emotions: love (growing old with your best friend) and death (dealing with the grief of losing them).
Supporting this project you are directly supporting local up and coming filmmakers. One of our goals is to bring filmmakers together from all stages of their careers. We have students, graduates, early career filmmakers and seasoned professionals.
We’re honoured to adapt this film from the short story of the same name by author Leslie Thiele. The story, from the book ‘Skyglow’ is extremely visual and authentic in the exploration of human relationships.
Who Are We?
Director/Producer/Editor: Ryan Silvey
Ryan is an emerging writer/director from WA. His debut short film ‘Entangled’ premiered at the WA Made Film Fest picking up ‘Best of The Fest.’ Ryan previously worked in the online space, amassing over half a million followers on his YouTube channel producing viral comedy videos. Working previously as a freelance editor, Ryan has shifted focus towards creating narrative content in film and TV.
Production/Costumer Design: Mya Elliott + Hannah Terpsis
Mya and Hannah both have a plethora of experience working in the art department. Known for the feature film “He Aint Heavy” (2023) and the ABC’s “Gruen” (2023), both Mya and Hannah have a meticulous eye for detail and taking each and every production they work on to the next level.
1st Assistant Director: Alex Szabadics
Alex is a Perth based writer/director. A recent uni graduate, Alex has recently wrapped production on his experimental short film “Feedback Loop”. Szabadics previously collaborated with Silvey on ‘Entangled’ as 1st Assistant Director.
Cinematography: Elliott Nieves
Elliott is an award winning, professional cinematographer based in Perth, WA. Previously collaborating with Silvey on the short film ‘Entangled’, he brings his careful eye for detail and strong work ethic onboard as another creative leader on set. Elliott has a portfolio of exceptional work under his belt, working in film, commercial TVC and music videos.
Del - Ben Mortley
Ben is a highly skilled actor/writer based in Perth, WA. Known for McCleods Daughters (2001) and The Decadent and Depraved (2018), he has a meticulous attention to detail when working on any project. With a background in psychology, Ben’s understanding of human behaviour and the way we change over time ties in perfectly for the role of 'Del' in this film.
Marjorie - Jo Morris
Jo is a Perth based Actress/Producer. A veteran of her craft, she currently works at the prestigious Black Swan State Theatre Company as a performer and theatre maker. Jo most recently appeared in Lé Nør [The Rain] for Perth Festival, which was nominated for a 2019 Helpmann Award. Jo recently starred in the award winning short film "Carmentis" (2020), bringing her talents from theatre over to the screen.
Edith - Christie Sistrunk
Christie is a professional actress based in Perth, WA, known for Blue Heelers (1994) and Lockie Leonard (2010). She currently manages Creative Learning and Development at The Black Swan State Theatre Company. With a bright and energetic personality along with many years in the industry, Christie is a perfect fit for the role.
More Amazing People
- Co-producer: Angie Stojic
- Sound: Blade Schoen, Riley McKenna
- Camera Department: Ben Parrott, Joe Henderson
- Graphic Designer: Ardumas Design
Where Will Your Money Go?
We are backed!
We are lucky enough to have a portion of the project personally backed by our director. In addition to this we are fortunate to have many skilled crew members volunteering their time to make this project possible.
Breakdown of the production costs
Production Design
A large portion of our time and budget is going toward dressing scenes. The film takes place in the past (1970s) and the present. This means switching back and forth between time periods and also a lot of wardrobe changes for our actors! We have access to a lot of materials which can be borrowed but a lot of it will have to be sourced externally.
Cast and Crew
Having a highly skilled cast onboard is essential for any character driven story. Along with a professional cinematographer, all these industry experts help up-skill our up and coming filmmakers who are taking part and provides them with the opportunity to gain valuable experience.
Location and Equipment
We have snagged some awesome locations for this film and cannot wait to start shooting! We have secured an older cottage-style house in the Swan Valley along with a beautiful orchard in Pickering Brook.
We are currently in talks with the City for extra support with location costs and will keep this page posted with updates.
Catering
We estimate catering to be around $800. We will have around twenty hungry mouths to feed over two full shoot days from sunrise to dinner time! We expect no left overs!
Stretch goal
This crowdfund is only a portion of the total funding of the project. All funds over our goal go directly towards supporting crew who are volunteering their time to get this project made.
Risks & Challenges
One of the biggest challenges making a short film on a budget is time. With just two days to shoot and over forty scenes in total, time is going to be of the essence.
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Location: We have the safety net of having access to our locations for an extra day before and after our scheduled shoot days. In case anything goes wrong on the day, this will be our backup. It also allows us to rehearse in the space beforehand which will make things go much smoother too.
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Production Design and Wardrobe is another hurdle we are tackling. We are sourcing wardrobe from the era and also dressing an entire house. Switching between different time periods can be tricky, especially with limited time, this is why we have doubled down and have managed to get the best in the business onboard!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you're unable to donate, sharing this page is a massive help! We also have a facebook page you can share, this is where we will be posting updates on all the stages of this production.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to support in any other way.
We cant wait to show you what we make!