Citizen Jane Film Festival - Crick in the Holler
During West Virginia's 2014 Elk River chemical spill, a first-generation college student charged with the care of her rebellious younger sister instead becomes consumed by an issue with their water supply.
Interview with Writer/Director Ursula Ellis
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
There were several reasons I decided to embark upon making Crick in the Holler! I guess the main impetus was that I had been wanting to tell a story set in West Virginia, where my family is from, for quite some time, and when I first began writing the script in the fall of 2015, there were already conversations being had about Appalachia as a lead up to the 2016 election that I felt were lacking more than a surface level perspective on the region, only further contributing to the feelings of isolation and alienation felt by West Virginians towards much of the country.
The 2014 Elk River spill was an event that impacted about a third of the state's population, but it was discussed very little in the national media. It seemed like the perfect backdrop for a story about differences of opinion regarding a coal-related environmental crisis within one WV family. But, in addition to this, I knew that at the center I wanted a determined, intelligent young woman who, with all the resources available to her, would takes matters into her own hands and try to help her family in a moment of crisis -- these are the qualities I've personally observed in a lot of young West Virginians, and I wanted to explore what one individual like this would even be able to accomplish in a crisis, when they try to exert as much agency as possible despite the magnitude of the event, before it's even been made public.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think the story of Dawn, Summer, and Buck is an extraordinarily relatable one, both inside and outside of Appalachia. Dawn naturally wants to help her family when a crisis occurs, but when her sister and uncle resist her theories about what's happening, she goes it alone and tries to take on the incredible task of figuring out (a) that the spill is actually going on and (b) how toxic it may be. As a chemistry student at the college level, she's able to accomplish this, but is uncertain of what to do with her own findings.
I really tried to imagine what I would do if caught in this circumstance, and think this realism resonates throughout the film. However, Dawn's perspective is not the only one at play, and I think there is merit to Buck's more resigned attitude and Summer's confusion as well -- environmental and public health crises like the Elk River spill have been around since the state's inception, and I think a lot of people have come to believe this is just how things are. I tried to make my portrayal of these characters and this scenario as critical but compassionate as possible, and I think this appeals to a wide range of viewers.
I'll also add that on a formal level, I think the score, production design, and cinematography add a lot to the cinematic experience -- we wanted to depict West Virginia in a way that is authentic to my own experience of my family's home state, even shooting on my late grandfather's farm and incorporating a lot of my family's belongings into the production design, and I think this translates into a fully realized world that the audience can inhabit for the film's duration. My production designer, Carrie Heckel, fully transformed an empty home, and my DP, Nick Perron-Siegel, did a fantastic job of capturing the world as well as the subjective experiences of its characters.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
In my opinion, universality comes out of specificity -- the more thoroughly conceived the world and its characters, the more a work's themes will resonate with an audience.
There are many themes at play in Crick in the Holler -- some, like environmental and public health justice, resilience in the face of crisis, and the need to problem solve, even when there's no hope for recourse, are very visible, but I think the pain of upward mobility and the way that family dynamics change when class status changes are also a big part of the narrative.
Dawn's backstory is that she's the first person in her family to go to college, and from my parent's experiences as well as my own, I know that this can often create a tension that is difficult to overcome.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
While I've written and directed several short films, this project was unique in that it was an Alfred P. Sloan grant recipient -- we had a science advisor, Dr. Lex van Geen, an MIT-trained geochemist and Senior Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. For the experiment that Dawn undertakes to discern how toxic the contaminated Elk River water may be, we worked closely to make sure it was both scientifically accurate and dramatically and visually intriguing.
In addition to my work with Lex, I also workshopped the script with my producers and peers in the Columbia MFA film program to refine the arcs of Dawn, Summer, and Buck, and to strengthen the lines of tension between them. Additionally, I spent as much time as I could in West Virginia prior to shooting, speaking to others about their experiences of the Elk River spill and incorporating their stories and perspectives into the script as much as possible.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The response has been very positive for the most part -- viewers respond well to the complicated relationship between Dawn and Summer, as well as to the suspense and overall look and feel of the piece. The most encouraging feedback we've received has been increased interest in learning about the Elk River spill and ultimately preventing more incidents like it, which was definitely something we'd hoped for in depicting this underrepresented and massive event in WV's recent history.
We've been compared to films I really respect, like Winter's Bone and Erin Brockovich, and I think one of my favorite comments has been that Dawn is like a young Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs, solving an injustice in her own home town -- I think it's a little remembered tidbit that her character is originally from WV, and I think the comparison is spot on, funny enough.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
One thing I didn't expect really was how much the class dynamic within the family would be clear for people -- this was something I thought a lot about when writing the piece and certainly in my own life, but I wasn't sure that it was really present enough in the narrative. I think a lot of people can identify with the feeling of growing apart from your own family and how difficult that can be, shading your decision-making and straining relationships with those you care for most. I'm really glad this comes through in the film and that others can relate to that feeling.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
As the film deals with environmental, social justice, and class issues, the larger the platform we have for connecting with others, the better. I think this story can resonate with a wide audience, and it's my hope to have it seen as much as possible on the festival circuit to specific, focused audiences, then through hopefully some kind of online distribution that's widely accessible as well.
At our world premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival, another community that has dealt with controversy around water-related issues, I was able to have many personal conversations about the film and the real events its based on, and I think connecting in person and online with as many folks as possible is the best outcome for Crick in the Holler.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We'd love to screen at and attend as many film festivals as possible to relate to audiences on a personal level, with the eventual goal of online distribution to ensure that we reach as large an audience as possible. As much press as we can receive to gain visibility would be phenomenal as well -- as filmmakers, we believe in the thematic, artistic, and real-life content of this film and want to connect with as many audience members as we can, to hopefully engage in a productive conversation over what can be done in crises like the Elk River spill and what change needs to be enacted at the government and corporate level to ensure incidents like this one stop occurring.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope that audiences connect to the film on a personal level through the family narrative of Dawn, Summer, and Buck, as well as thinking critically about the events of the spill, the various family member's reactions, and their own role when their communities are impacted by events like the Elk River Spill.
I think this film could be used to spark a conversation around issues like water security, maintenance of industrial sites, the role of the individual in a crisis, as well as the need for fossil fuels and the chemicals used in refining them (like MCHM, the leaked chemical in question in the film).
It also shows a more authentic, fully realized, and genuine depiction of West Virginia than is usually portrayed by outsiders, and it's my hope that this film will broaden outsiders' perspectives on the region and complicate the stereotypes they may have about WV, as well as ring true to folks from the state as well.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What would you do if you woke up one morning, and your family's tap water tasted strangely of licorice?
Would you like to add anything else?
I alluded to this earlier, but despite being based out of NYC, we filmed on location in Summersville and Alderson, West Virginia, my parents' hometowns, and worked with the WV Film Office and local filmmakers in securing our locations and a primarily local cast and crew. This was crucial for me -- despite the financial cost to the production, I knew this story could only be told in WV with the talents, skills, and perspectives of actual West Virginians made apart of the film. While my family is from there originally, my dad was active duty Army, and I moved all over the US and abroad as a kid. I was very aware of my position coming into the state as an Ivy League graduate student and wanted to broaden my own perspective through making the film as well.
Crick in the Holler would assuredly not have been possible without the efforts of Pam Haynes and Lisa Wells at the West Virginia Film Office, as well as the advice of local filmmakers like Martha Stephens, Tijah Bumgarner, and Elaine Sheldon and the cooperation of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, as well as the numerous locations owners and businesses who contributed their time to the production.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My producers Ben Gojer, Emerson Nosek, and myself are in post-production on a proof-of-concept short film that we're all incredibly excited about called For George on His 30th Birthday, starring acclaimed and truly phenomenal Broadway and screen actors Michael Esper and Allie Gallerani, along with our editor, Russell Yaffe. I tend to work with the same team across multiple projects, and it's really humbling to see how we've all grown together as filmmakers over the years.
It's a much different film -- a relationship drama with heavy music influences that is based on some of my own personal experiences growing up in Huntsville, Alabama, with a focus on performance and tone -- which is nice after undertaking such an ambitious and wholly encompassing project like Crick in the Holler.
I'm also working on various feature scripts and TV pilots, many of which are set in WV, and hope to begin prepping for my first feature or working in a writer's room for television soon, now that I've graduated from the Columbia MFA program. Next month I'm directing a short film out in LA for playwright Addison Heimann starring Allie Gallerani as well, which I'm really excited for. Hopefully during my time out there I can secure representation as well.
Actor Rebeca Robles (Dawn), just completed a run of the play Blackbird in Atlanta that she also produced, starring as Una, and Van Hansis (Buck), just had a role of HBO's The Deuce.
Interview: October 2017
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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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Crick in the Holler
During West Virginia's 2014 Elk River chemical spill, a first-generation college student charged with the care of her rebellious younger sister instead becomes consumed by an issue with their water supply.
Length: 17 min 41 sec
Director: Ursula Ellis
Producer: Ben Gojer, Kiera Kyoto Lewis, Emerson Nosek, Nadia Zoe
Writer: Ursula Ellis
About the writer, director and producer:
Ursula Ellis, writer/director: Ursula Ellis is a recent MFA graduate from Columbia University, committed to telling stories that explore underrepresented aspects of the American experience.
Ben Gojer, producer: Ben Gojer is a Chicago-based producer and make-up effects artist. Other credits include FOR GEORGE ON HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY, CHICKEN TUESDAYS, and ASSHOLES.
Kiera Kyoto Lewis, producer: Kiera Lewis is the founder of boutique production company CRITICAL FINDINGS. She has worked with established directors like Joel and Ethan Cohen as post coordinator.
Emerson Nosek, producer: Emerson Nosek is an NYC-based producer (FOR GEORGE ON HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY and THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG) and post-production accountant at Trevanna Post.
Nadia Zoe, producer: Nadia Zoe is an NYC-based writer/director/producer and recent MFA graduate from Columbia University. Her short, MARIACHI MADNESS, has screened in over a dozen festivals.
Key cast: Rebeca Robles, Chloe Roe, Van Hansis
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Distributors, Film Festival Directors, and Journalists
Social media handles:
Facebook: facebook.com/crickintheholler
Twitter: twitter.com/crickinholler
Instagram: instagram.com/crickintheholler
Hashtag: #crickintheholler
Funders: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Columbia University School of the Arts Film Dept, and many generous IndieGoGo backers
Made in association with: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Columbia University School of the Arts Film Dept, Little Bear Pictures, and Critical Findings
Where will the film screen in the next month? The Citizen Jane Film Festival on October 29th and the Cucalorus Film Festival and Lone Star Film Festival, both on November 10th. We had our world premiere earlier this month at the Woodstock Film Festival, and our educational premiere in May at the Columbia University Film Festival, where we were awarded the IFP Audience Choice Award and Faculty Jury Honors.