Virginia Minnesota Synopsis (Short) Childhood Friends Addison and Lyle Reunite 15 Years After a Tragedy That Robbed Them of Th
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Virginia Minnesota Synopsis (Short) Childhood friends Addison and Lyle reunite 15 years after a tragedy that robbed them of their mysterious and inspirational little friend Virginia. The three girls had lived at Larsmont Bluff, a forbidding lakeside mansion, which served as a private home for children from troubled families. After the tragedy, the home was forced to close, and Addison and Lyle were sent off to unsettled futures many miles apart. Years later, when the owner dies, they are summoned back to Larsmont for the reading of the will. Together again, Addison and Lyle reluctantly return to a place they vowed never to return. They embark on an illuminating overnight journey where they revisit painful memories and discover long-forgotten gifts Virginia had bestowed on them so many years before. Synopsis (Long) Separated for fifteen years by a childhood tragedy that has haunted them ever since, two young women—Lyle and Addison—are reunited at the place both vowed never to return. Lyle and her unusual companion, a “wandering robot” named Mister that she’s picked up on the latest of her never-ending road trips across country, returns to Minnesota’s Lake Superior coastline for the first time since the devastating incident that robbed her and Addison of their mysterious and inspirational little friend named Virginia. Addison had fewer options than Lyle when the tragedy ended their time together at Larsmont Bluff – a private home for girls from troubled families. Lyle was shipped off to California to live with distant relatives, and instead of returning to her dysfunctional mother, Addison was sent to foster care until she aged out of the program and eventually succumbed to a life of dead-end jobs and small-town pettiness. Lyle returns to Larsmont when the last surviving owner, Moira Phoebus, dies. It seems Mrs. Phoebus has something to share in her estate instructions, and the four girls who lived at the home when it closed in the aftermath of Virginia’s passing are summoned back to hear whatever might be revealed. When Lyle arrives, she learns that everyone but Addison has made the trip. Because all four girls must be present for the reading of the will, Lyle is forced back out on the road to track down stubborn Addison in Grand Marais – a quaint harbor town near the Canadian border. Lyle arrives in Grand Marais in the midst of a festival celebrating the history and legends of Minnesota’s North Shore. After an awkward reunion, she convinces Addison to return to the site of their enduring nightmare, so they can close that chapter of their lives once and for all. What begins as a routine two-hour drive quickly turns into an oddly tumultuous and mystical overnight journey. Their unplanned adventures summon up poignant memories of Virginia and the powerful reminders of their days together, those innocent few years when anything seemed possible and the legends of the vast Lake Superior were as real as life itself. Addison and Lyle learn that the tragedy that sent them off on their own uncertain lives many years before had spawned an entirely new legend on Minnesota’s North Shore – one that would strip them of their guilt and change their lives forever. DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Daniel Stine The inspiration behind Virginia Minnesota was drawn partly from stories my grandparents shared with me about a home they managed for boys from severely troubled families. I was struck by the sad reality of what those boys had suffered to bring them there but also by their determination and unique coping mechanisms—even if based in fantasy—and wondered if it gave them what they needed to keep their dreams alive and lead them into a “normal” adulthood. I am also inspired by locations and their ability to tell stories in themselves. On a trip a couple of years ago along Minnesota's Lake Superior coastline, I was impressed by the remote beauty and strong sense of history and folklore associated with the Iron Range region. I travelled through tiny towns and explored forested hiking trails with waterfalls and was moved by the haunting remnants of this region’s proud past. I knew I had found the ideal backdrop for my story, and as I developed the original concept, I felt it would be more powerful if told through the eyes and memories of two young women who had spent time as children in a similar home for girls. I wanted the film to also pay tribute to the stunning scenery and unique essence of the North Shore—the perfect locale for a mystical, poignant and humorous road trip into the past for my two main characters, Addison and Lyle. While the underlying theme of the story is based on a 15-year old tragedy that left these characters scarred and isolated, I didn’t want the movie to have a somber tone. I chose to focus on an uplifting message based on reconciliation, finding the truth and rediscovering a sense of childhood hope and wonder—long forgotten gifts that a little girl named Virginia had imbued in them before her untimely death. Virginia Minnesota is a drama-comedy with a compelling female-led cast, rich in images, music and a host of interesting, accessible characters, each of whom contribute to Addison and Lyle’s journey to recapture lost innocence and what it means to truly believe. Our tireless and dedicated crew was drawn from 10 states, with strong representation from Minnesota, which is an extraordinarily film-friendly state. Our two leads, Aurora Perrineau and Rachel Hendrix, developed great chemistry on set and together were the heart and soul of Virginia Minnesota. The supporting cast was superb, and each actor added a distinctly memorable layer to the story. My goal was to give the film as "big" a feel as humanly possible on a modest budget, and to accomplish this, I needed great cinematography and compelling music. Brazilian cinematographer Pedro Ciampolini, with whom I'd worked on two of my award-winning short films, was an easy choice for this project, and he delivered beautifully as I knew he would. I also wanted an original score to complement a collection of indie folk songs from artists I've admired for years. Our composer, Gary Dworetsky, who had worked under Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe, created a dynamic score, and the singer/songwriters who contributed their music truly gave this film an amazing soundtrack. Virginia Minnesota Production Notes Week 1: Duluth-Two Harbors • Prep Days—Enthusiastic crew takes over the breakfast room at the Days Inn Duluth…art department, UPM work stations and impromptu meetings. Hotel staff very accommodating…so far. Cleaned out a truck full of costumes and props from the University of Minnesota-Duluth Theater Department. Aurora Perrineau finds the perfect Scandinavian beer wench outfit. Recognize quickly that we need a dedicated wardrobe supervisor…local PA won’t cut it on this project. • Days 1 and 2—tough opening day with a remote outdoor location (Stanley Road, Two Harbors). Good support from Two Harbors police, but roadblocks were marginally effective. Bradley Hasemeyer turns in good comedic turn as the police officer. Aurora has change of mind about wearing her wig the rest of the movie—seemed like a good idea, but way too uncomfortable. Director Daniel welcomes the change! First of many interesting days with catering—restaurant take-out and eating by the side of the road. Day 2 much smoother as crew finds their rhythm. Changeable weather (sun then clouds) giving our lighting/camera crew challenges with scene continuity carryovers from Day 1. The airport runs commence in earnest as we pick up inbound actors (Jessica Miesel and Julia Keefe)flying in from Atlanta and Spokane, respectively. • Glensheen Mansion (Days 3,4,5)—Glorious setting at this historic estate on the shores of Lake Superior. Larsmont Bluff exteriors and horse stable scenes. First big challenge of the shoot right off the bat when the staff of Glensheen informs us that they have a wedding on the grounds on Saturday night, which was supposed to be day 6 of filming. This news comes despite our written location agreement that gave us access to film on Saturday. A schedule with zero flex time takes a big hit in week one! Another surprise on first day when the horse we had hired (and coordinated with the on-site staff) for the stable scene with Lyle (Rachel Hendrix) and Hillman (Daniel Stine) shows up and the Glensheen manager informs us that we cannot bring the horse into the stable, as it is an historic site. Communication, communication….can never assume everyone is on board. Daniel makes a change on the fly…the stable will be empty…no horse. Turns out to be an even more poignant scene in the end. A planning and communications glitch forces a last-minute scene change, but this one works out fine. Little did we know at the time that Daniel would prove to be an amazing mental gymnast as a Director. Unexpected circumstances and bad weather would prove to be a daunting challenge, and how well he and the crew could improvise would be telling for the next 6 weeks. Highlight of the week at Glensheen is the water scene with Director, DP and 9-year old Ava Justin (Young Addison) donning wet suits and plunging into the shallows of Lake Superior for a dramatic nighttime scene. Lots of safety and equipment coordination to pull this off. Fortunately, the water temperature of the lake was at least 10 degrees above normal for September.