Searching For Closure

#woodbine #maryland #exploration #explore #closure #search #documentary #docudrama

Thirty years ago, I left home after an intense fight with my father.

He passed away last year.

My childhood home has fallen into an extreme state of disrepair. But beyond that, my sister and I left behind treasured memorabilia that my father refused to return.

He claimed he destroyed it all.

Still, the world’s deadliest question haunted many sleepless nights.

What if?

What if…he lied?

What if…there was a chance all those things left behind still exist?

What if…I finally had the opportunity to find out?

Thirty years later, I’ve returned to my childhood home in Woodbine, Maryland. Not only am I hunting for all the things we left behind, but I’m also seeking answers.

How did that happen? How did this once beautiful home end up on the verge of collapse?

This is my search for answers.

NOTES:
I didn’t intend this project to become a film. I didn’t go to the house in Woodbine to shoot footage for a documentary, and it shows. Had I, I’d have done it the right way, with proper lighting, better angles, b-roll footage, and scenes the reflect the actual story. Maybe even rent a drone and take aerial shots. The footage I shot was to show family and friends I grew up with what happened to the Woodbine house.

Days later, I watched my footage for the first time. I could see the lineups with old photos, mentally creating a then/now montage. That’s what began this crazy effort. The week after returning home, I began messing around with the then/now transitions. After that, I thought I’d try my hand at putting together a documentary of the trip and attempt to tell a story with it. Then came the music. What a painstaking effort that was, finding the right music for the scene’s mood. It took DAYS to audition most of the Epidemic Sounds library. I intended to write my own soundtrack, but that would have taken much longer. There’s only so much free time in a day. Work and all that.

I’d also never messed around with Adobe Premiere before. Not too steep a learning curve, thank the Universe.

Any-who, this is the result.

This film is a passion project that doesn’t follow strict filmmaker rules, clearly. But, so what? I did this for fun. I only hope my years of experience writing stories translate well to film. You’ll have to be the judge of that.

Be gentle, though. It’s my first time, after all.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevinprovanceauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinprovance/
Website: https://www.kevinprovance.com
Distributor: https://www.svlstudios.com

SOUNDTRACK
https://spoti.fi/2YsvbfM

MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS
https://bit.ly/3mTaL8V

GEEK STUFF
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T4i
Lens: EFS 18-135mm
Editing: Adobe Premiere Pro CC