Green Peaks and Valleys (2013); 5mins; Drama
BACK COVER
On the eve of her heart surgery, seven-year old Eve reflects upon her mother's last words.
CONTENTS
Visual Scrapbook
In Front of the Camera
Behind the Camera
Production Notes/Trivia (Contains Spoilers!)
Director's Statement
PERKS
Official Green Peaks and Valleys Facebook Fan Page
On the eve of her heart surgery, seven-year old Eve reflects upon her mother's last words.
CONTENTS
Visual Scrapbook
In Front of the Camera
Behind the Camera
Production Notes/Trivia (Contains Spoilers!)
Director's Statement
PERKS
Official Green Peaks and Valleys Facebook Fan Page
VISUAL SCRAPBOOK
IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA
Rachel Lopez - Eve
"Alfredo is a very nice person to work with. He inspires me to do something I never thought I can do. It was very fun, but when I think about it, it wasn’t about being famous; it’s about having fun when you're acting, and I love acting and understanding how characters and emotions work.
"The makeup was spooky. It was so cool when they put my makeup on. Heather, my makeup artist, was super nice. When I was on set, we all worked together and everyone was kind to me; like a big family. All the people were very, very, very, nice.
"You know what? Maybe I want to be in more movies. I might want to become an actress one day and try to be in new movies. I hope I can do more, it was so much fun. I know I can do another awesome movie; another one that is fun. That’s all I have to say. Thanks!"
"The makeup was spooky. It was so cool when they put my makeup on. Heather, my makeup artist, was super nice. When I was on set, we all worked together and everyone was kind to me; like a big family. All the people were very, very, very, nice.
"You know what? Maybe I want to be in more movies. I might want to become an actress one day and try to be in new movies. I hope I can do more, it was so much fun. I know I can do another awesome movie; another one that is fun. That’s all I have to say. Thanks!"
Elizabeth Campos - Evelyn
"When Alfredo and Brian first told me about the film, I thought I wouldn't be able to do it, however, the story was compelling and I wanted to be a part of Green Peaks and Valleys. Brian had asked me to do the part and so I agreed, and then met with Alfredo.
"Alfredo is a very intelligent person and filmmaker. He is educated and artistic in his craft. I thought the entire cast was sociable and easy to work with. I thought when playing my character it was not only challenging but also an important part to play as I have strong similarities with the character Evelyn. I can easily relate to her struggles. At times, it felt real and it was my biggest obstacle. Seeing how I am related to most of the other actors, it made the film feel vividly real and truthful.
"It was great meeting new people. We all worked hard in a positive atmosphere. I always was fond of acting, but never had the opportunity to study this profession. This is a very passionate field of work that takes a lot of commitment. I am grateful for this opportunity."
"Alfredo is a very intelligent person and filmmaker. He is educated and artistic in his craft. I thought the entire cast was sociable and easy to work with. I thought when playing my character it was not only challenging but also an important part to play as I have strong similarities with the character Evelyn. I can easily relate to her struggles. At times, it felt real and it was my biggest obstacle. Seeing how I am related to most of the other actors, it made the film feel vividly real and truthful.
"It was great meeting new people. We all worked hard in a positive atmosphere. I always was fond of acting, but never had the opportunity to study this profession. This is a very passionate field of work that takes a lot of commitment. I am grateful for this opportunity."
Brian Quintero - Evan
"This is my third time working with Alfredo Salvatore Arcilesi. I always enjoy teaming up with him because he challenges me to push further as an actor with each role I play. Not only is he a great director to work with, he is also a great person at heart and deserves the best.
"My previous collaborations with Alfredo have been on the feature film Canswer and the short film Reality Check, however this is the first film I have ever co-produced. This responsibility comes with patience and dedication. I always like taking on a new challenge and bringing forth the best performance I can as well as produce the magic of film. Co-producing was interesting because it truly makes me appreciate the time given to find certain products and tie things together; in a way I have become more attached to the film for that reason. Green Peaks and Valleys has given me a new experience, a new appreciation behind the camera that has enabled me to create art and beauty.
"Green Peaks and Valleys is a drama that truly relates to the sympathy of the characters, and the access of heart-felt emotions found in the story. The circumstance that was brought to this film made it more challenging for me as a performer. This piece of art has touched my heart in many ways. The cast was amazing, with a limited amount of crew members; however, we worked hard and bonded with one another in a short period of time. I am grateful that this film was made and excited with where it goes in the New Year. Thank you team!"
"My previous collaborations with Alfredo have been on the feature film Canswer and the short film Reality Check, however this is the first film I have ever co-produced. This responsibility comes with patience and dedication. I always like taking on a new challenge and bringing forth the best performance I can as well as produce the magic of film. Co-producing was interesting because it truly makes me appreciate the time given to find certain products and tie things together; in a way I have become more attached to the film for that reason. Green Peaks and Valleys has given me a new experience, a new appreciation behind the camera that has enabled me to create art and beauty.
"Green Peaks and Valleys is a drama that truly relates to the sympathy of the characters, and the access of heart-felt emotions found in the story. The circumstance that was brought to this film made it more challenging for me as a performer. This piece of art has touched my heart in many ways. The cast was amazing, with a limited amount of crew members; however, we worked hard and bonded with one another in a short period of time. I am grateful that this film was made and excited with where it goes in the New Year. Thank you team!"
Kelly-Marie Murtha - Nurse
Kelly-Marie Murtha, born and raised in a small town in Eastern Ontario, got the acting bug while singing and dancing in her high school musicals. She continued in university where she preformed the role of Hermia in A Midsummers Night Dream with a local theatre group.
Since moving to Toronto, Kelly-Marie has performed and starred in numerous award-winning films including Eyes Beyond, which won Best Screenplay and Best Actress for Kelly-Marie at the 2010 Horrorfind Weekend Film Festival; The Little Guardian, which premiered at the 2008 Cannes Short Film Corner; and Rex vs. Singh, which took top honours at the 2008 Spinning Wheel (Sikh) Film Festival in Toronto. She also appeared in the CBC TV primetime documentary Air India 182 in which she portrayed Irish nurse Sheila Wal, and Open Window, which made its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto
International Film Festival.
Kelly-Marie also has numerous theatre credits, most recently as a cast member of Sex, Relationships and Sometimes ...Love, which ran at the Poor Alex Theatre in Toronto and where she was awarded Best Female Performer. She also recently starred in the theatrical production A Little Happiness, which ran at the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto from August 9-14, 2011.
In 2012, Kelly-Marie, starring in the principal role of Carol Shaw, wrapped on the feature film Tapped, which was filmed in London, Ontario. She recently wrapped principal photography on her first short film Smart Work where she undertook the roles of writer, producer and director. The film is currently in postproduction with a completion date of January 2013. In April 2013, she will reprise her role of Angela in the award winning webseries Out with Dad.
https://www.facebook.com/kellymarie.murtha
www.kellymariemurtha.com
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3289900/
https://twitter.com/kelly_marie_m
http://www.youtube.com/user/kellymarienov?feature=mhee
http://kelly-mariemurtha.workbooklive.com/
Since moving to Toronto, Kelly-Marie has performed and starred in numerous award-winning films including Eyes Beyond, which won Best Screenplay and Best Actress for Kelly-Marie at the 2010 Horrorfind Weekend Film Festival; The Little Guardian, which premiered at the 2008 Cannes Short Film Corner; and Rex vs. Singh, which took top honours at the 2008 Spinning Wheel (Sikh) Film Festival in Toronto. She also appeared in the CBC TV primetime documentary Air India 182 in which she portrayed Irish nurse Sheila Wal, and Open Window, which made its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto
International Film Festival.
Kelly-Marie also has numerous theatre credits, most recently as a cast member of Sex, Relationships and Sometimes ...Love, which ran at the Poor Alex Theatre in Toronto and where she was awarded Best Female Performer. She also recently starred in the theatrical production A Little Happiness, which ran at the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto from August 9-14, 2011.
In 2012, Kelly-Marie, starring in the principal role of Carol Shaw, wrapped on the feature film Tapped, which was filmed in London, Ontario. She recently wrapped principal photography on her first short film Smart Work where she undertook the roles of writer, producer and director. The film is currently in postproduction with a completion date of January 2013. In April 2013, she will reprise her role of Angela in the award winning webseries Out with Dad.
https://www.facebook.com/kellymarie.murtha
www.kellymariemurtha.com
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3289900/
https://twitter.com/kelly_marie_m
http://www.youtube.com/user/kellymarienov?feature=mhee
http://kelly-mariemurtha.workbooklive.com/
BEHIND THE CAMERA
Makeup Artistry Dubois - Makeup
An award-winning bilingual makeup artist, Heather Dubois has a passion for making clients look and, moreover, feel beautiful.
Vivacious, classy, memorable, outgoing, positive, and armed with a professional attitude, Heather enjoys excelling as a makeup artist in what she calls a "very rewarding industry."
She has worked with such reputable brands as Dior, Nars, Lise Watier in the fashion, film, theatre, print, and bridal industry. From actors, models, producers and directors to photographers, designers, PR firms, CEO's and fellow makeup artists, Heather has worked alongside industry leaders to bring their visions to life.
Heather is a self-proclaimed over-achiever and a perfectionist at heart with a penchant for detail and a personal goal to always reach a higher level of expectation. She constantly strives to create the one thing that should take precedent over all else - to create a fabulous memory.
As she always says, "You might remember what someone says, but you'll never forget how someone makes you feel. C'est Moi!"
Vivacious, classy, memorable, outgoing, positive, and armed with a professional attitude, Heather enjoys excelling as a makeup artist in what she calls a "very rewarding industry."
She has worked with such reputable brands as Dior, Nars, Lise Watier in the fashion, film, theatre, print, and bridal industry. From actors, models, producers and directors to photographers, designers, PR firms, CEO's and fellow makeup artists, Heather has worked alongside industry leaders to bring their visions to life.
Heather is a self-proclaimed over-achiever and a perfectionist at heart with a penchant for detail and a personal goal to always reach a higher level of expectation. She constantly strives to create the one thing that should take precedent over all else - to create a fabulous memory.
As she always says, "You might remember what someone says, but you'll never forget how someone makes you feel. C'est Moi!"
Cengiz Ercan - Assistant Camera
Cengiz Ercan was born in Turkey on October 2, 1988. When he was young boy, his family took him to the local movie theatre where the big screen made a big impression on him, thus inspiring him to become a filmmaker.
His first job was as a videographer and editor for sports website in Turkey. Wanting to improve upon his technical skills, he decided to move to Toronto where he would study film and television production at Seneca College.
His first job was as a videographer and editor for sports website in Turkey. Wanting to improve upon his technical skills, he decided to move to Toronto where he would study film and television production at Seneca College.
Ryan A. Moore - Sound Recordist
Ryan A. Moore is a graduate from Ryerson University’s Radio and Television Arts Program. Although he loved the program, he found that he also enjoyed working with students in the Film Program on their projects.
While working in Radio and Television, he continued devoting his free time to independent filmmakers, eventually being recognized for his passion and commitment to the art.
Ryan has held several different positions across the arts, music, radio, television, and film, however, one of his greatest passions is sound. He has taught and led workshops on various elements within the realm of sound recording, editing and mixing in Toronto and Ottawa. He has been fortunate enough to work with numerous talented people from all over North America and the United Kingdom.
His gravitation towards the audio world has remained the strongest constant, and, at present, he has committed most of his time strictly to the mediums of film and television.
While working in Radio and Television, he continued devoting his free time to independent filmmakers, eventually being recognized for his passion and commitment to the art.
Ryan has held several different positions across the arts, music, radio, television, and film, however, one of his greatest passions is sound. He has taught and led workshops on various elements within the realm of sound recording, editing and mixing in Toronto and Ottawa. He has been fortunate enough to work with numerous talented people from all over North America and the United Kingdom.
His gravitation towards the audio world has remained the strongest constant, and, at present, he has committed most of his time strictly to the mediums of film and television.
Bruce Peters - Stills Photographer
Bruce Peters is a photographer and graphic designer. He frequently shoots stills for films and theatre productions in the Toronto area. His work can be viewed at www.BrucePetersPhotography.com.
PRODUCTION NOTES / TRIVIA
Making Green Peaks and Valleys (Contains Spoilers!)
Rachel Lopez, Elizabeth Campos, and Brian Quintero are, in fact, a real-life family.
This is the first time that Rachel Lopez and Elizabeth Campos have ever acted for the camera. They were rehearsed and coached by actor/brother/son Brian Quintero.
Brian Quintero and his family lived above a walk-in clinic. This substituted as a hospital room and waiting room.
Each character in the film is wearing at least one green article of clothing.
This is the first time that Rachel Lopez and Elizabeth Campos have ever acted for the camera. They were rehearsed and coached by actor/brother/son Brian Quintero.
Brian Quintero and his family lived above a walk-in clinic. This substituted as a hospital room and waiting room.
Each character in the film is wearing at least one green article of clothing.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Regaining One's Rhythm
Every now and again we feel we lose our way. We detour from our programmed ways of thinking, our goals, our dreams. We stray off the path that we have travelled for so long, and more than likely find it to be a frightening experience, but perhaps what we consider "straying off the path" is simply us taking the path we were always meant to take.
For me, the path I was traveling was made of yellow bricks. I had immersed myself in the world of Dee in a dark modern fantasy rendition of The Wizard of Oz called Yellow Brick Road; a feature length script that will hopefully reach the end of its road of yellow bricks. It was a story that was inspired by my ex-girlfriend whom had decided to watch Snow White and the Huntsman, a film that I would not have necessarily chosen to see. By the time I wrote "FADE OUT" on Yellow Brick Road three months later, my ex was doing the same to "our relationship."
And then I was lost.
I was certain that she was "the one." I was certain that I was on the right path. And, though I didn't realize it at the time, I was. I was meant to meet her, to see a movie with her that I would not have necessarily chosen to see, to be inspired to write Yellow Brick Road, to complete it, and to be left not necessarily alone, but with this piece of literature.
But by the end of it, I was spent. Emotionally and creatively spent.
I was broken up with because I didn't have money. Well, I had money - an independent filmmaker's income. And for a while I flirted, yet again, with the idea of putting the cap on the lens for good.
My closest friends knew what I was feeling, what I was thinking. Some were involved in the film industry, some were not. The one thing I learned was that family and friends don't necessarily need to understand what you're exactly going through, but that you're going through something, and that, sometimes, is all you need.
One such friend was Kelly-Marie Murtha. She's been a sort of passenger on my roller coaster of creativity and emotion, both of which are symbiotic. I remember telling her that I was "locking up my heart" for a while.
And there was the trigger. "Heart."
I went home, dug into my old computer files, and I found what I was looking for in the place that I had last left it; a script whose title I was never really sure of until these experiences: Green Peaks and Valleys.
I was hesitant yet excited to revisit a script I had written on a whim a couple of years ago. It was written after a producer friend had asked for a 6-page script for a budget acquisitions submission, but was ultimately turned down. Reading it, I began to read between the lines with a clarity I hadn't had when writing it. I wanted to tell this story, to share it with others, but, as is always the perpetual plague of an independent filmmaker, I didn't have the means to do so.
And so I filed it away. Again.
As anyone whom has suffered a loss of any kind will tell you, the ups and downs are rhythmic, hypnotic, nauseating, euphoric, numbing, and more. At that moment, I was still feeling lost. And there was one friend who knew exactly what I was going through.
Actor Brian Quintero had gone to high school with my sister. I had seen him on stage during their school shows. At the end of a show, he'd tell me how maybe one day we'd work together. More times than not, those possibilities never happen, much like a coffee that two longtime friends promise each other, but never go out to drink. Having worked on Canswer and Reality Check together years later, Brian and I had proven otherwise.
I met with him for a late lunch. Again, he knew exactly what I was going through as his own relationship had ended. And there we were. Lost. Confused. Angry.
I told him that not only was I "locking up my heart" for a while, but that I wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue the camera any longer. Of course, Brian wouldn't just let me walk away. "But what about that script you still haven't sent me?" he asked.
That script was Green Peaks and Valleys. And how ironic, I thought, that a script I hadn't thought of in a couple of years was suddenly resurfacing. But I told him that not only did I not have the location to shoot the film - a hospital room - I also didn't have the drive. "Send it to me anyway," he said.
I had thought about it, and eventually I got around to sending it to him. A couple of days later, Brian asked to meet with me at our usual haunt. There, he told me that he loved the script, the idea, the characters, the sentiment, and that before I could interrupt him with my declination, he had some good news. "I live above a walk-in clinic and the doctor there, who I know, says we can us it. You've just got to come and see it for yourself," he said.
Admittedly, the creativity began to spark, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. I did that before, and look what happened. But as I toured the small walk-in clinic, the doctor was singing music to my ears by allowing us full access to everything (except the meds, of course!). Things seemed possible all of a sudden. Deep down, I knew I needed to do this not only for myself, but for Brian.
But there was another issue. We needed to find a child to portray our little Eve. "How about my sister?" was Brian's suggestion.
I had never met Rachel, but after two sentences, she was singing and dancing Remembrance Day and Lady Gaga tunes with an admirable confidence. Though she had never acted for the camera before, I cast her as Eve. All we needed now was the mother character, Evelyn, and seeing it as how Brian and Rachel were related, it was only natural to ask their mother, Elizabeth, to complete the onscreen family.
For Elizabeth, English is a second language, and this was inspiring in that I felt it would add an extra layer of truth if there was a language dynamic in the film. Our city is made up of generations within a family where the young generation speak English and their ethnic language in order to communicate with their parents and grandparents, as well as not to lose their cultural tongue, while the older generation mostly speak their own language. The same goes for my family.
The cast was assembled. A family "playing" a family.
But there was one more person we needed. An actress to play our nurse. And who better than the woman and friend who played my impromptu healer of sorts. "Happy to see you back," said Kelly-Marie Murtha.
For me, the path I was traveling was made of yellow bricks. I had immersed myself in the world of Dee in a dark modern fantasy rendition of The Wizard of Oz called Yellow Brick Road; a feature length script that will hopefully reach the end of its road of yellow bricks. It was a story that was inspired by my ex-girlfriend whom had decided to watch Snow White and the Huntsman, a film that I would not have necessarily chosen to see. By the time I wrote "FADE OUT" on Yellow Brick Road three months later, my ex was doing the same to "our relationship."
And then I was lost.
I was certain that she was "the one." I was certain that I was on the right path. And, though I didn't realize it at the time, I was. I was meant to meet her, to see a movie with her that I would not have necessarily chosen to see, to be inspired to write Yellow Brick Road, to complete it, and to be left not necessarily alone, but with this piece of literature.
But by the end of it, I was spent. Emotionally and creatively spent.
I was broken up with because I didn't have money. Well, I had money - an independent filmmaker's income. And for a while I flirted, yet again, with the idea of putting the cap on the lens for good.
My closest friends knew what I was feeling, what I was thinking. Some were involved in the film industry, some were not. The one thing I learned was that family and friends don't necessarily need to understand what you're exactly going through, but that you're going through something, and that, sometimes, is all you need.
One such friend was Kelly-Marie Murtha. She's been a sort of passenger on my roller coaster of creativity and emotion, both of which are symbiotic. I remember telling her that I was "locking up my heart" for a while.
And there was the trigger. "Heart."
I went home, dug into my old computer files, and I found what I was looking for in the place that I had last left it; a script whose title I was never really sure of until these experiences: Green Peaks and Valleys.
I was hesitant yet excited to revisit a script I had written on a whim a couple of years ago. It was written after a producer friend had asked for a 6-page script for a budget acquisitions submission, but was ultimately turned down. Reading it, I began to read between the lines with a clarity I hadn't had when writing it. I wanted to tell this story, to share it with others, but, as is always the perpetual plague of an independent filmmaker, I didn't have the means to do so.
And so I filed it away. Again.
As anyone whom has suffered a loss of any kind will tell you, the ups and downs are rhythmic, hypnotic, nauseating, euphoric, numbing, and more. At that moment, I was still feeling lost. And there was one friend who knew exactly what I was going through.
Actor Brian Quintero had gone to high school with my sister. I had seen him on stage during their school shows. At the end of a show, he'd tell me how maybe one day we'd work together. More times than not, those possibilities never happen, much like a coffee that two longtime friends promise each other, but never go out to drink. Having worked on Canswer and Reality Check together years later, Brian and I had proven otherwise.
I met with him for a late lunch. Again, he knew exactly what I was going through as his own relationship had ended. And there we were. Lost. Confused. Angry.
I told him that not only was I "locking up my heart" for a while, but that I wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue the camera any longer. Of course, Brian wouldn't just let me walk away. "But what about that script you still haven't sent me?" he asked.
That script was Green Peaks and Valleys. And how ironic, I thought, that a script I hadn't thought of in a couple of years was suddenly resurfacing. But I told him that not only did I not have the location to shoot the film - a hospital room - I also didn't have the drive. "Send it to me anyway," he said.
I had thought about it, and eventually I got around to sending it to him. A couple of days later, Brian asked to meet with me at our usual haunt. There, he told me that he loved the script, the idea, the characters, the sentiment, and that before I could interrupt him with my declination, he had some good news. "I live above a walk-in clinic and the doctor there, who I know, says we can us it. You've just got to come and see it for yourself," he said.
Admittedly, the creativity began to spark, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. I did that before, and look what happened. But as I toured the small walk-in clinic, the doctor was singing music to my ears by allowing us full access to everything (except the meds, of course!). Things seemed possible all of a sudden. Deep down, I knew I needed to do this not only for myself, but for Brian.
But there was another issue. We needed to find a child to portray our little Eve. "How about my sister?" was Brian's suggestion.
I had never met Rachel, but after two sentences, she was singing and dancing Remembrance Day and Lady Gaga tunes with an admirable confidence. Though she had never acted for the camera before, I cast her as Eve. All we needed now was the mother character, Evelyn, and seeing it as how Brian and Rachel were related, it was only natural to ask their mother, Elizabeth, to complete the onscreen family.
For Elizabeth, English is a second language, and this was inspiring in that I felt it would add an extra layer of truth if there was a language dynamic in the film. Our city is made up of generations within a family where the young generation speak English and their ethnic language in order to communicate with their parents and grandparents, as well as not to lose their cultural tongue, while the older generation mostly speak their own language. The same goes for my family.
The cast was assembled. A family "playing" a family.
But there was one more person we needed. An actress to play our nurse. And who better than the woman and friend who played my impromptu healer of sorts. "Happy to see you back," said Kelly-Marie Murtha.
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