Three years ago, the pre-production began — scripting, casting and location scouting. During the summers of 2012 and 2013, the action was captured on digital video, and early in 2014, the film wrapped and all of the special effects were completed, along with music and sound.
Now on Saturday, area residents will have the opportunity to take part in the screening of a locally made feature film, Brian Taylor’s Battle at Beaver Creek.
“I should start by thanking The Morning Star for its support throughout this entire process. If it wasn’t for arts editor Kristin Froneman letting us run that tiny article in May 2012, Indie filmmaker seeks battle location, we may never have found a place to make our movie,” said Taylor.
“That article brought forward some awesome people that offered up their properties in Lumby, Lavington, Vernon and Armstrong. It really got the ball rolling.”
Coming in at 82 minutes, the film is slightly shorter than Taylor had originally planned.
“We had to cut some scenes, mostly because of scheduling problems, but also because I ran out of money,” said Taylor.
With a budget of $9,000, Battle at Beaver Creek is the most expensive production offered so far by Taylor’s all-volunteer company, En Queue Film.
The expenses went into costuming, props, makeup, insurance and mostly food.
“Our volunteers don’t get paid unless the film makes money, but we have to at least keep them in food and water. Most of those volunteers were inexperienced cast and crew but we did have some experienced talent as well, both in front and behind the camera,” he said.
Matt Brown, local actor and director, operates the Hub Arts collective in Vernon.
Brown portrays Terran, the main character, a man who feels it’s a better idea to go to the front and fight with everybody else, rather than wait for the possibility of the invading force making it to his sister’s home.
Lindsay, his sister, is portrayed by W.L. Seaton drama teacher Lana O’Brien.
“Lana has only one scene in the film but it’s an important and powerful scene, and it shows off the talents of these two actors,” said Taylor.
As Terran makes his way to Beaver Creek, an actual town on the Yukon/Alaska border, he meets up with a teenager named Newman, portrayed by the 27th Street Theatre’s Sheldon Graham, a senior at Seaton.
“Newman is the character that delivers our understanding of the world in which Canadians now find themselves. He is a gregarious kid who talks and talks,” said Taylor.
“Sheldon had to memorize the most dialogue in the film as Newman, but it’s the subtle things that make his performance stick out.
“If you are lucky enough to see the film, watch his expressions and body language, they speaks volumes.”
What happens at the Battle at Beaver Creek?
You can find out for yourself Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Towne Theatre in Vernon. En Queue Film will also be showing some other shorter films it’s made at 7:30 p.m. Plus, meet with the cast and crew.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Dulux Paints in Vernon or the Towne Cinema.
For more information or to see the trailer, visit battleatbeavercreek.com
