Short Film ‘Down’ Produced in Cullman County to be Released Jan. 31
By Maggie Darnell, Cullman Tribune January 23, 2020
CULLMAN, Ala. – Seventh Summit Productions, a film production studio based out of Hartselle, will release its latest short film, “Down,” on Vimeo, Facebook and YouTube Jan. 31, 2020.
Writer, director and producer David Nemeth shared, “Seventh Summit Productions was founded in 2016 as a film production studio, and they have made six short films to date with ‘Down’ being their seventh. It all started with ‘Killer’s Revenge,’ an award-winning mystery/thriller, but they quickly realized that their sweet spot was crafting dramas. Since that release, they have been working each time to challenge their team and abilities to continue to grow with each film, both with production value and overall story. They have never strayed away from difficult subjects, tackling loss and dealing with the loss of loved ones, the sometimes-nuanced meaning of sacrifice, the difficulties of foster care and how to look at life through a positive lens even when it’s seemingly awful.”
Filmed in Cullman and Vinemont, “Down” follows a man unwilling to face the dark secrets of his past. The film tells a deeply personal story about Daniel, who struggles with his memory. Daniel’s friend Seth attempts to help Daniel remember, but the memories hold a darker secret than Daniel is willing to confront. The film is described as “full of twists and turns, the film will keep viewers guessing until the very end, and the powerful themes will likely stick with them far beyond.”
Nemeth shared, “Without giving away too many spoilers for ‘Down,’ this film tackles a couple challenging subjects (one of which I can’t state without spoiling things, but it is very important, common and weighty subject matter). It addresses how to deal with a secret in your past that is seemingly impossible to move on from, as well as how something as complicated as an affair can start so innocuous and seemingly innocent. These themes and one additional one (no spoilers!) all connect in the end with a very poignant message, one we hope comes across quite clearly. It not only deals with the tough subjects but gives one clear answer for how to deal with the weightiest subject of all. ‘Down’ was an incredibly difficult project to work on not because of the logistics, but simply because of the weighty subject matter.”
He continued, “The story of ‘Down’ is a deeply personal metaphorical exploration of personal trials I’ve been through as well as what could have happened had I allowed those trials to continue. While there were many times that we had an enjoyable time on set, there were an equal number of times where the entire set was quiet and somber, allowing the actors to hone in on their character’s feelings and execute an incredible performance that required little guidance. The passion and dedication that everyone on set gave was nothing short of remarkable, and every ounce of our team was spent there on set. I believe it shows through the final product. This was by far our most intense project to date, and our team handled it with the utmost care and love.”
Why Cullman and Vinemont?
Nemeth answered, “For our location, we needed a very specific-looking apartment-like environment and our camera operator Michael Johnson, who had what we were looking for, happens to live in Vinemont. For our exterior shots, we needed a certain small-town feel that was picturesque, and downtown Cullman perfectly provided that distinct look. We also went to Life Church in Dodge City for a scene that required the look that church has.
“It was more challenging to capture the look and feel during the interior scenes in Vinemont, as everything had to be perfect. Our production designer, Kelly Nemeth, did an excellent job of designing our sets and making them perfect to achieve the aesthetic we were looking for. With the shots of downtown Cullman, the beauty of downtown really allowed us to simply point our camera and shoot. The beautiful brick walkways gave us a perfect shot that only required a little lighting for the actors, but the setting was perfect.”
Nemeth shared a message for viewers: “The last thing I will say is that while you may be ready for what ‘Down’ will bring, there’s not much that can prepare you. It’s full of twists and turns that will keep anyone guessing until the end and is a film that will stick with you long after you’ve seen it. Our hope is that it will resonate with our viewers in a deep way, beyond merely existing as a film. We also hope that they catch more and more on each viewing, as there are so many subtle ‘Easter eggs,’ for lack of a better term, throughout the film that help support the overall story and enrich the film each and every time.”
Find out more at www.facebook.com/seventhsummitproductions.
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