THE BLACK SEA | FEATURE FILM | WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME | or WATCH BELOW

The Black Sea info

logline: When 5 friends arrive at a beach house on the Oregon Coast for a holiday weekend they ignore the fact that one of them is acting strangely, only reacting when shortly thereafter that same person disappears.

runtime: 75 minutes

format: shot on super 16

budget: $50,000. crowdfunded and a project grant from the Regional Arts + Culture Council

screenplay: available here

year: shot in 2013, finished in 2015

ORDER DVD: just 10$, includes postage (US only). limited quantity. HIT ME UP HERE

poster by: Mia Nolting

festivals: Portland FF, Seattle True Independent, Boise, Columbia Gorge, SoCal, and others.

thoughts: my debut feature. Originally conceived as a straight-forward thriller, the film’s narrative shifted over time after my diagnosis/treatment for a brain tumor in 2005 seeped into the mix and it all became a sort of hodge-podge of beach thriller + existential torment. Themes of isolation, dissolving friendships, aimless concerns, and confronting oblivion are all directly influenced by my experience. A central idea is that everyone is complicit in Allison’s disappearance by virtue of their lack of concern, unable to meet her, consumed by themselves. The only one who senses something is underway is Paul, in part due to his history with Allison and in part due to his artistic antennae, albeit slowly muffled as the vagaries of the real world begin to envelop and uncurl around him. The penultimate scene by the fireplace is meant to convey Paul’s final understanding, that Allison has to leave and how she needs his help, though I am almost certain none of that made it to the surface. I am very proud of this film and all it took to summon it, but find it exquisitely challenging to revisit because I see only directorial shortcomings and regrets of how certain things went down on set. Also there’s a whole scene of implied male on female aggression which comes off 180 degrees different from original intent for a variety of reasons. This was where I learned that writing a screenplay is not the same thing as making a film. I mean, I knew that already on an intellectual level, but I learned it in my core. We shot across 18 days in January/February 2013 in Arch Cape and Portland, Oregon. Post took a couple years and the film played in some festivals in 2015 and 2016. I made this film for the sheerest of microbudgets, financed solely by crowdfunding and grants. Some viewers have called the film bold and some have called it inscrutable. Some days I agree with both in equal proportion. Please watch and make your own determination. Trailer and some set pics are below.

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All characters and events depicted in this photoplay are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.