Beacon Point
A group of hikers get lost on the Appalachian Trail and stumble across a disturbing secret that threatens their survival.
Interview with Writer/Director Eric Blue
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I’ve always loved movies and telling stories. As a kid I was so blown away by movies like Star Wars and Time Bandits. I knew early on that I wanted to be a filmmaker. It seemed so cool and fun. I’ve worked towards this goal ever since. I’ve made a bunch of shorts that you can watch on my www.bluelanternfilms.com website. The next step for me was to make a feature film. That was my goal. I wanted to make a feature that would fit in an Indie budget and have awesome production value, story and acting. I think I accomplished that with Beacon Point.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think the best part about Beacon Point is that it's a fun and entertaining movie. It is a Sci-Fi Thriller and is full of suspense, great characters, and a story that really makes you think. The entire movie, the story, acting and cinematography are all fantastic. There are also some good unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing. We've had a great response so far and look forward to sharing it with the world when it is released in April by our distributor, Uncork’d Entertainment.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The movie touches on Cherokee legends and folklore, lots of Sci-Fi themes (no spoilers sorry) and how people deal with personal loss. The themes are tightly aligned with the character’s motivations and the plot of the movie. It is definitely the kind of movie that forces you to think about the themes.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The movie is about 95% accurate to the script. We dropped a couple scenes that weren’t necessary to improve pacing. I also used some improved lines that we discovered during our rehearsals, especially from Eric Goins (Dan) since he has such great comic timing. We will include deleted scenes and a copy of the script on the DVD extras for people to check out.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We have had an amazing response. We’ve won multiple awards at film festivals, we’re getting fantastic reviews from critics, we scored a good distribution deal, and we are in the midst of a theatrical run for the movie. The audiences we’ve screened to have really enjoyed the movie and have given us very positive feedback. It’s such a rewarding experience as a film maker to get this type of feedback from an audience.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
No, not really. I think the main thing to remember as an artist is that art is subject. Not everyone is going to understand or love your work. That’s okay. The majority of our audiences have really enjoyed the movie and understood what we were trying to do.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want give people visibility to Beacon Point. My goal is to intrigue people about the movie so they will want to rent it in April when it comes out. It’ll be on the major VOD platforms, on DVD, cable and in international markets as well.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Now that we have done a theatrical run and secured distribution, my goal is to have the media, outlets like, We Are Moving Stories, discuss Beacon Point so people will know about it and hopefully want to see it. At this point it’s really about press and marketing to get people interested in seeing your movie.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I’m hoping people like it of course. However, more than that, I hope it’s entertaining and forces people to think a bit about the story and characters. That was my real goal.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
The key question or theme I’ve heard people ask in regards to Beacon Point is, “Is there life beyond the earth?”
Would you like to add anything else?
I just hope people will watch the movie when it comes out in April. There is tons of information at www.beaconpointmovie.com about the movie and many of the things we discussed here. Check it out!
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We have an action adventure movie that we’ll hopefully be shooting in 2017. We are working on securing some star power for our script presently. I’m very excited.
Interview: November 2016
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Beacon Point
A group of hikers get lost on the Appalachian Trail and stumble across a disturbing secret that threatens their survival.
Length: 85 min
Director: Eric Blue
Producer: Eric Blue, Matt Ackerman, Scott Salamon
Writer: Eric Blue & Traci Carroll
Key cast: Rachel Marie Lewis, Jon Briddell, Eric Goins, Jason Burkey, RJ Shearer.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Made in association with: Blue Lantern Films
Release date: April 2017
Where can I watch it in the next month: Theatres around the South-eastern USA.