The dramatic challenge: Create a character named Victor or Virginia Chesterfield, introduce a floral prop, involve a hedge-fund manager, and employ the line: “That looks like fun.”
Such a task might not qualify as fun for many, but it definitely appealed to a group of former Unionville High friends. They answered the call for applicants issued by the Philadelphia 48 Hour Film Project, which is billed as the world’s largest timed filmmaking competition. In the process, they won multiple honors for their entry, “Before the Darkness Claims Us.”
Designed to advance the art of filmmaking, the 48 Hour Film Project requires competitors to complete all writing, shooting, editing and scoring of a four- to seven-minute film within a two-day time frame. “Before the Darkness Claims Us” won best film last week for CDAV Productions, a company started a few years ago by 2013 Unionville High graduates Adam Carl, 20, and Alan Dembek, 19; best acting for Abu Akki, a Unionville High junior; and best writing for Connor McShane, a 2012 Unionville graduate who attends Ohio State University.
Shot in East Marlborough and Pocopson Townships in late August, “Before the Darkness Claims Us” focuses on the strained relationship between Akki and his stepbrother, played by McShane, as they grapple with their father’s death. As Akki wrestles with his conflicted emotions through therapy, McShane confronts his demons at an AA meeting.
The film utilized local scenes and talent. The cast features a number of past and former Unionville students as well as Carl’s father, Bill Carl, who plays a recovering alcoholic, and his mother, Ruthie Kranz-Carl, who supplies the voice of a therapist. Dembek’s younger brother, Jonathan, appears in the film’s funeral scene, and his father, Scott Dembek, portrays the face of the deceased hedge-fund manager.
Dembek said he and his fellow filmmakers didn’t even know what a hedge-fund manager was when they got the film’s requirements so they immediately killed him off.
“It qualifies in the rules because there is no mention that your given character has to be a major character; he just needs to be on screen,” said Dembek, explaining the importance of the shot featuring a photo of Dembek’s father, who doubles as the decedent.
Carl, an aspiring sound engineer, and Dembek, who is studying cinematography, went in different directions to college – Dembek to DePaul University in Chicago and Carl to Ithaca College in New York. Despite the distance, they continued to collaborate on film projects, a geographic challenge that was eliminated when Carl transferred to DePaul after his freshman year.
Both Carl and Dembek credited their families with helping them pursue their cinematic dreams and expressed gratitude to the multitude of people who assisted them on the set with production chores or moral support. "This film was very tough to accomplish in just two days,” said Carl.
Elaborating on the deadline-driven production, Dembek added: “Normal set procedure was for the most part thrown out the window. We had to focus more on finishing the film than upholding the standard of quality that a regular production would bring."
“Before the Darkness Claims Us” will go on to compete against the winning entries from more than 60 U.S. cities and 30 countries. All "Best of City" films will compete for the international title of Best Film of the 2014 48 Hour Film Project. Ten of the best films of the 2014 Tour will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner in 2015.
Carl and Dembek’s partnership has received previous recognition. In 2013, “Chances of,” a nearly five-minute short they created, took second place statewide in the digital movie category of the Pennsylvania High School Computer Fair at Dickinson College. The film, which also starred Akki, depicted his awkward and often humorous efforts to take a girl he liked to a high school dance.
To watch “Before the Darkness Claims Us,” go to http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=20NapeieK3w.
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I am delighted to see that Kathleen Brady Shea has become associated with Chadds Ford Live! CFL is a gem in our community and the best source of local news. Kathy’s long association with the Philadelphia Inquirer, high journalistic integrity and her knowledge of the local scene are a fabulous addition to a quality local newspaper. There is an old saying about the whole being greater than the sum of the parts and this is one case where it certainly seems to apply. Welcome!
Publisher’s Note:
We are delighted to welcome Kathleen to Chadds Ford Live. She got to work so quickly and effectively that we didn’t even have time to announce her arrival. You just did it for us. Thank you.