overview
The Trench was made in San Pedro in California in the spring of 2005. It came into being while the director Tom Wadlow was studying in Los Angeles. While there he met a producer, Soraia Ferreira, who has since gone on to set up a production company called Yellow Pictures and made there first feature Star Crossed. The two discussed the idea of The Trench and both were drawn to the story and the idea of all the drama taking place in the one location of the trench.
synopsis
The story written by Tom Wadlow was very loosely based on a first world war diary of his great uncle. "it more inspired by the find of the diary than anything thing in the diary" said the director of the connection. The story revolves around the central character of Sargent Steven Baker. With the choice being made quite early on to change the nationalities to American, Steven is the in charge of a ragtag bunch of misfits. All of whom are more than happy to sit out the war in the little hamlet they've created. That is until they are suddenly pulled into the war. Orders come through that they must go over the top. Steven has to decide whether to become the leader his men need of fight for self preservation.
production notes
The Trench reminds the most expensive film Light Films has made to date, but it still sticks to the ethos of every penny spent has to go on the screen. The Trench was not an easy film to pull together. The original idea was to build a trench in a field just outside Bakersfield in Northern California, however the location fell through at the last minute. This lead Tom and Soraia a frantic task of finding somewhere to film with less than a month before shooting was due to start. After a few days of hunting the search lead them to Fort MacArther in San Pedro. A place no strange to filming as films such as Dragnet and Pearl Habor having shot there in the past. The museum were incredibly helpful, us the production access to uniforms, weapons and a car. "I remember the week before we're due to start filming it rained solidly for whole week, which never happens in LA I thought we we going to have to spend the 3 days shoot getting soaked, but as it turned out the sun came out on the first day of shooting and never went in. We got some beautiful shots and it was an amazing time. The film was shown first time at the Egyptian in Hollywood, although this was to a test audience it's still an unbelievable feeling to have had a film shown in that Cinema. It then took a few years of on off changes before the film was final finished in 2007 and sent to festivals. "I think what I learnt from that film was that I need deadlines or else I'll just keep working on a project.
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- synopsis
- production notes
