The Sleeping Bear The Movie, Movie Review

How did I end up here? Where am I? I am standing on a stage, facing a crowd somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 people. I’m standing in the dark, and no one is looking at me. Some of the crowd has on tuxedos, most are in suits or cocktail dresses, and everyone is waiting patiently, looking beautiful. I am at the City Opera House in Traverse City, Michigan and we’re waiting for the independent feature film premier of The Sleeping Bear; an idea spawned in the mind of Richard Cameron White in 2007, which has come to fruition three days shy of 2012. White is speaking to the audience stage left.

A few months ago I was photographing a wedding outside Cadillac, Michigan and I had a conversation with a young woman that struck a cord with me and I opted to write about it. She saw the post and a few days later she wrote me an email; the conversation continued. One of the subjects was on a little project she was working on that needed a photographer for a party she was throwing. “I need some paparazzi.”

“That’s not really my thing, but I’ll gladly help you out if you can come up with another role for me”

“What about a photo booth? You’re loud and boisterous; you’d get people to have fun!”

Long story short, I was now the behind the scenes photographer for the red carpet premier with 600 attendees and the “official entertainment” for the after party across the street at ECCO Event Space – which sold out of it’s 300 tickets in about 48 hours. Turns out her, “little project,” was sort of a big deal. Ms Brooke Arciniega, another “local girl gone California,” organized an outstanding double-whammy event that caught everyone from the guests, to the Sleeping Bear team, and to all the volunteers, completely off guard due to the events thoroughness and complete success. The entire night, the only ‘glitch’ that occurred was length of the line at the drink ticket table.

One of my favorite aspects of working events like this is meeting new people and seeing great things. This event was no exception.

First, meeting new people: Arriving in town the day before knowing no one involved other than the organizer, I left two days later feeling guilty as I walked away early from a breakfast table with seven other friends, all of whom were strangers 48 hours prior. And this was only half the group. From the second I set down my first bag of gear, I was welcomed as an old-friend from all who were there – White and the rest of his crew from his production company RCW pictures, the volunteers, extras, family, actors, & coordinators – it was as though I was an old friend and was instantly brought into the fold.

Secondly, seeing great things: Yes, I was here to document the beautiful people of the red carpet event, get the behind the scenes images that no one gets to see, and “entertain the masses” afterwards, but it was the film that impressed me the most. The Sleeping Bear, directed by White, co-written and co-produced by White and Ryan Bradley, the lead actor, was so much more of a film than I expected. It is fair to say that I was blown away. Additionally, I would not be lying if I said this film made me laugh, gasp for breath (in beauty, then in shock), angered me, confused me, made me tear up (men don’t cry during films, we “tear up”), and made me want to scream with joy. It’s a tough-guy flick, it’s a love story, it’s real life that could happen to any of us at anytime. It’s a film for you, it’s a film for your parents. It made me think as it touched close to home. It’s a story that we all know, but none of us have ever heard. But most importantly, it was absolutely beautiful – I was inspired – this film, is inspiring.

The landscapes of northwest lower Michigan that so many of us know so well, became characters themselves. Director of Photography Ryan Hase showed us the landscapes in a wide expansive cinematic format that made you feel as though you were just a small piece of the puzzle and mother nature was calling the shots. His mood was dark but not gloomy or sullen; bright but filled with contrasting rays of light. Myself, a lover of northern Michigan and regular photographer of our great shores, felt as though I watching a film that could have been created in one of my photographs. The film and mood connected with me – it is how I see our surroundings as well. Maybe that’s why I’m partial to it, or maybe it’s because I’ve focused my camera and thoughts on so many of the same places the film did. Combined with an original score which crescendoed, paused, in all the right places, the imagery of the film often stole the show all the way to the very last fade to black.

Many locals were used as extras in the film of which many could be seen in the audience watching. Some were family, some were cashiers playing the part of cashiers, some were people who happened to be enjoying a glass of wine, some were friends of Cam’s who ended up getting more than they bargained for. All the lead actors & actresses were unknowns – all of which nailed their character interpretations. The parts were believable, the scripts were real, the delivery right on, but most importantly, I forgot they were acting.

The film itself was technically completed very well and very professionally – an impressive feat as the majority of the film was self funded on a shoe-string budget and is still looking for a distributor to take it to the next level. As Director White explained in his thank you speech prior to the film, it’s not perfect, there’s a couple errors, and tickets sales [from that night] will go towards helping finish off these last few costs. For his first ever feature film, being presented in his home town, featuring a unique geography near & dear to all the locals, he showed hardly any nervousness (not really admitting he was or was not) as be practiced his words a final time backstage before he was introduced. His team had completed a fantastic production, he was ready to show it off.

With his final words spoken, the film quickly started. I excitedly darted backstage, out to the lobby, up the stairs, onto the balcony and found an empty seat. I sat and watched with pure enjoyment through the whole film. When it concluded, the house erupted with applause & cheers and quickly turned into a standing ovation. This could not have been his first feature film. It felt like a seasoned production and it just. felt. right. If this is how RCW Pictures begins it’s career, I can’t wait to see what they’re capable of once they “get their rhythm.”