Jul 2015

Utah Filmmaking | Moab Reverie

I’m well aware that I’m fortunate to live in Utah.

Firstly, I get to work with wildly talented people. Like, they live right here. I don’t have to travel to LA or NYC to find world-class videographers, actors, musicians, hair & makeup artists, or set stylists. To boot? They’re FUN and generous and like to play around on creative projects as much as I do. Robyn Cage wrote a song for us (!!!). I watched Emily White of Haute Hostess craft my fantasy glamping set before my very eyes after hauling it all the way from Park City. Actors that I’ve literally seen in movies and on the stage — the gifted Shona Kay and Christopher Squires — agreed to tackle very vaguely written roles. Award-winning makeup and hair styling artists (Carley Throgmorton, Becky Pederson, Lindsay Tausinga) journeyed down to Moab with us for an all-nighter and on-demand schedule. And local designers LissMee and Haute Attitude generously supplied us with gorgeous frocks.

Secondly, the ‘sets’ that are readily available for our work are honestly some of the most amazing places on the planet. Utah’s national parks (plural, mind you) are ALWAYS on Best Of lists, and people from around the world come to my state to explore Moab (where we shot our film), Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef. That we have access to this magic in our backyard is beyond incredible.

This is the second fashion film on which I’ve collaborated with Bryce Johnson. The first was Him, which I also wrote and co-directed (check it out here!). We wanted to take this film to the next level, traveling hundreds of miles to work on location and maybe even making the story a little more intense. A fabulous team came together to breathe life into words on paper, and the result is, in my opinion, totally epic.

Please, watch the film. And then scroll down for behind-the-scenes photos and a full credit list! And then be sure to check out a few of the images taken on set featured by Belle Lumiere Magazine, a premiere film photography journal!!