2018 Digital Shorts
Red Water Valley
2018 Digital Shorts
Funded

Red Water Valley

AB

Tanner and his widower father Clyde struggle to repair an imploding relationship on their isolated farm.

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Length10 min.
DirectorRyan Drescher
GenreDrama
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Synopsis

Tanner lives with his widower father Clyde on an remote farm in rural Alberta. Haunted by the death of his wife, Clyde blames Tanner for the accident, and continues to remind his son of his deadly mistake. Tanner has no one else and nowhere to go. After all, his aging father needs him to run the ranch. Clyde's abuse is pushing Tanner to the edge. Will they reconcile their differences, or fall victim to their dark past? Red Water Valley is a Western Thriller set against the beautiful backdrop of the Drumheller Valley, an area that sees very few film crews. In this beautiful, haunting landscape, our character driven film finds tension amongst the hoodoos, exploring the ways people deal with loss, betrayal and sacrifice.

The team

We have a killer team of graduating SAIT students. Together we have worked on a wide range of projects, and have proven that we can come together to make an effective team that creates riveting content! Seeking a great actor for the role of Clyde!

Profile picture of Ryan Drescher
Ryan DrescherDirector, Editor, Writer, Producer
Profile picture of Spencer Streichert
Spencer StreichertWriter, Producer, Actor
Profile picture of Emily Perley
Emily PerleyProducer, Production Manager
Profile picture of Kristina Fithern-Stiele
Kristina Fithern-StieleProduction Design
Profile picture of Amelia Kaine
Amelia KaineCamera Operator
Profile picture of Dayne Ewen
Dayne EwenLighting, Electrical
Profile picture of Callum Carnegie
Callum CarnegieLighting, Electrical
Profile picture of Emma Brockelbank
Emma BrockelbankSound Engineer

Production

Production Design

This photo of the farm emphasizes how isolated our location is. Kristina, our Production Designer, will have a lot help in setting the scene with just what is at the location already. With a multitude of old, run down buildings, we will be able to create a believable, eerie setting for the story to unfold within.
A photo of one of the old buildings on the farm we will be filming at. Located near a river in a land full of valleys and hills, the area is often shrouded in mist, lending a mysterious and creepy atmosphere that would be very useful for setting the atmosphere of the film. This building will be used as a tool shop, where Tanner often hides to escape his father's cutting gaze. It is also in this building that he finds an old trinket that belonged to his mother; one that will become pivotal near the end of the film.
Red Water Valley is a story about collapse. The collapse of the minds of its characters, the collapse of the world beyond, and the collapse of the physical world within which it takes place. The film will focus on showcasing old buildings and props, using them as a metaphor for the degradation of Clyde and Tanner's relationship as well as how their minds are slowly giving out, and giving up.
This is the outlook from the farmland at the top of the valley. We will have full access to the river itself, and the hoodoo-ridden cliffs that lead down to it. While starkly beautiful in the winter, the summers here are hot and dry. This will help to emphasize the isolation that Tanner feels, as he is stuck here with no mode of transportation, in a land whose climate will kill him if he isn't careful.