Sometimes the idea that can spark a creative project can come from anywhere, like the long narrow hallways of your parent's new home.
Josh Martin was intrigued by the idea of the kind of monster that would haunt those hallways. That became the first idea of many that would lead to the independent short film "Frankie."
As the idea continued to develop what emerged was the story of two sisters who basically are raising themselves after their mother dies and their father is absent. They use fantasy to deal with a harsh world.
Frankie's older sister Alex is angry at having to take on responsibilities beyond her age and takes it out on Frankie by reading a story intended to frighten her sister. It's a tale of a witch who dies in childbirth and in her unrest looks for her child, stealing the whispers of children as she searches.
When Frankie says the story's not scary, Alex tells her the story is true and the woman of the story is really their mother, who died giving birth to Frankie.
From there the story becomes real for Frankie. Everything Alex has read to her in the bedtime story comes to life.
The group working together to make the short film, for the most part, have worked together on previous projects. This film, for which they are seeking $5,000 in crowdfunding through Indie Go Go, is their most ambitious project to date.
The goal is to create a movie that truly entertains those in the audience. "We don't want it to be one of those films that people wander away from and forget all about it," Martin says.
Though the movie is a short, its characters have emotional depth. Alex and Frankie do the best they can to overcome obstacles before them and become better people.
The writing and shooting of the film has been in the works for about a year. The team is taking its time with the film to make it into a project they are proud of.
With "Frankie" the team is constructing sets, hiring professional actors, and using more advanced equipment. It is pushing itself to go beyond what it has created in the past, creating a complex world of stylized lighting, fantastic characters, and elaborate effects.
Martin, the director of "Frankie," says the group believes the filmwork they have done in the past has given them a strong foundation on which the new short film is built.
About 10 of those in the crew of 25 have worked together on previous film projects, including one that they undertook five years ago when none of them knew as much as they do now about what it takes to make a film.
Previous films they have created together have been seen at festivals such as Waterfront, Newport Beach, and Thriller Chiller. They plan to take the new film to festivals as well and maybe even catch the eye of film industry insiders.
Martin says the local filmmakers want others to know about the potential West Michigan has for movie making and the quality of talent here. If "Frankie" is well received the hope is that it could led to a feature-length film with a real budget for those involved.
"We want to make a film that entertains people," Martin say,"and at the same time push our careers forward."
Source: Josh Martin, "Frankie"
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.