Blog by co-writer/director: Daniel Campbell
What inspired you come up with the idea for the film?
The idea came from the mutual experience of losing our fathers early on in our adult life and all of the confusion, pain and denial that comes along with it.
Why did you want to tell this story?
We wanted to make a movie that addressed a heavy subject, but still be charming and lighthearted enough where people felt like it was ok to laugh.
How do you relate to your characters or subjects?
The characters in the film are largely based on an amalgamation of people that we’ve met through the years. So it was somewhat easy to create their dialogue and quirks, having grown up around these eccentric types of personalities. Our cast did such an incredible job of portraying exactly what was needed to make these characters work.
What aspect of the story changed the most during writing and production?
We stuck to the script pretty closely throughout production. It was during the editing process when we started to rebalance and shape some of the characters and story points. Once we saw the characters on screen and how they were portrayed, it was easier to mold them as needed.
What was the most courageous decision you or your crew made during production?
After DAY ONE, we decided to keep filming. That’s by far the most courageous decision we made.
Were there any risks that you faced during production and how did you find a way to embrace them?
The biggest risk came with shooting in Arkansas during the fall weather. Antiquities was a very low budget film, so there wasn’t much, if anything, budgeted for inclement weather. Our producers and assistant directors did an incredible job at scheduling for that and, fortunately, we never ran into any Arkansas tornadoes during production.
What influenced the visual style of the film?
The south and the eccentric world of antique malls, where we grew up, was the visual foundation of the film. We also wanted to show the beauty of Arkansas, so we always knew we wanted to shoot in the fall for the autumn colors and have the Ozark mountains as our backdrop. The autumn leaves served primarily for our visually color palette.
What risks did you take to tell your story?
I think the biggest risk was (and still is) telling the world a very personal story and opening yourself up to criticism. It’s an ensemble comedy that takes place in a southern antique mall, so the risks, outside of destroying a plethora of priceless antiques, were pretty limited.
How would you encourage others to tell their story or manage through the process of screenwriting or film producing?
The key is to surround yourself with people smarter than you who share your passion for the project and who are also willing to contribute any of their advice if it serves your vision and if it makes for a better movie. Be willing to listen and to collaborate.
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