Press Release – Filming Day One – LC63

November 6, 2023

Press Release – Filming Day One – LC63

Ambition Pictures ~ Life Cycle 63

Press Release - Filming day one - 10-12-23

“A Curious Beginning”

by Ethan Specht

all photos (except the Badlands) by Gregory Dean Photography

It’s a curious beginning where the production of Life Cycle 63 has found itself. A new beginning, that is, after some initial shooting of background plates in the New Mexico Badlands. But here in this dingy old abandoned fruit factory was the official first day of shooting.

It was a long road to get here, from a short story originally conceived by writer Just B. Jordan and published by GoHavok in 2019. It then became the project of previous cinematic collaborators Timotheus Hucklestone and Phillip Wade, who had started Ambition Pictures here in Salem Oregon. And it was here, along with Matthew O’Donnell, that they began building up not only a crew, but the sets, props, and costumes for the film.

Before they got to this main shoot, In January of this year, Jordan, Matthew, Phillip, and Tim traveled to the New Mexico badlands to film some initial scenes with a tiny crew that only consisted of themselves, Daniel O’Donnell, and Micah Sundholm. For three weeks they lived an hour from civilization in the frigid ice cold winter desert. This core crew believes immensely in this film, and have thus poured everything they have into making it.

They intended to begin officially shooting shortly upon their return, but with the Writer, and then Actors strike, they were forced to delay. But now finally, they were able to begin.

And it is a strange place to start. Life Cycle 63 will assuredly be a film praised for its enchanting and intriguing world, the themes it encompasses, its design, and the fully realized sets. It is thus ironic that the first day of shooting is at an old eccentric warehouse, in one of Salem’s old eccentric warehouse districts.

Arriving crew members made their way past odd staircases, railed platforms and catwalks, and into the interior of the building with its rough, wet concrete, littered with piles of ash and cat litter – presumably used to clean up oil spills. Nuts and bolts appropriately cluttered the floor.

In the heart of the factory was the great beast of a machine, the giant tank around which the scene would be shot. Most prominently perhaps, was the large pipe in the complex above the catwalks which sat on the beast, that originated a leak of steam which shot out so fast and hard that it hardly sounded like steam at all, but like rushing water. Fittingly, passing through the dripping condensation of the steam vent, one would think they were passing by one of the great Pacific Northwest waterfalls. And, while it may have been some trick of the mind, one crew member swore that the sound was steadily growing louder as the day wore on.

Location shoots, especially short ones, are perhaps most difficult for any production. Especially for the first day for a new crew which is yet to find its rhythm. Though it’s clear the final performance is going to sound great, right now it’s a cacophony of strums, beats, and passing trains. And it is the first shots of the day that are perhaps the hardest. People had to expertly move through the machinery like they were excavating and exploring an ancient tomb. They introduced themselves to each other as they set up lights. From the state of things, the crew seemed both malnourishedly understaffed, and redundantly overstaffed, depending on the moment.

Overseeing much of this was Matthew “Matt” May. He is a pro if there ever was one; stern but cold, he commanded the crew like an army.

Whilst this was going on, Jordan was preparing the costumes and props for both the stars and the extras.

After that, production seemed to charge through the day like a bull at the matador. Everyone walked dutifully and purposefully scattering like ants that have just found an abandoned piece of candy and are planning on bringing it back to the hill. With all the wetting down of the floors to look glossy and industrious, and stepping through the puddle under the dripping steam vent, some crew members might get trench foot if they’re not careful.

But as actors Timotheus Hucklestone and Cierra Marie began their scene, everyone was reminded of what they were creating, and the happiness and excitement was clear to all. But, thusly, at the end, the red cape was pulled away and the animal crashed into the coliseum wall as things got harder.

When it comes to location shooting, it is the last shots of the day that are the hardest. By that time, many people were running out of steam. It will take time to build up the endurance for long work hours, especially ones so hard. But everyone’s heart is in it. And if the heart is in it, the body will follow.

As the final pickups were being shot, others were set to begin packing up, a task made harder by the fact most was set up that morning, and some even the day before, so not everyone was there to see where everything went.

Still, despite everything, at the end of the day, the crew can confidently walk out, knowing that they got all the shots that they intended, and are looking forward to the coming weeks of production. One crew member even left the building, ironically whistling hi-ho. And with that, the beginning comes to an end.

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