Candlelight illuminated the scene as two actresses in gilded age dresses read their lines on an authentic 19th-century set. Boom microphones were held overhead, a large camera focused on the scene, and the directors eagerly watched their vision come to life. While this seems like something that could only happen in Hollywood, it was actually a scene filmed by high school students in the basement of the Marblehead Arts Association.
This was one of the latest scenes in the filming of “Gilded Lily,” a film that has been written, directed and cast by MHS students. According to the co-directors, Cam Gibson and Matias Watts Cruz, they were inspired to create another movie after the success of
student-produced “Currently a Paperboy” two years ago. They spent countless hours writing and refining their 98-page script, and now they’re finally making their production a reality. They started filming on June 23.
“We just started tossing around ideas. I started writing, and then two years later, we have the script we have today. And now we’re filming it,” said Watts Cruz.
Their movie is about the process of making a movie. It features a group of teenagers who try to make a period piece film set in 1892 in Marblehead, but they face some unexpected problems.
Watts Cruz gave a quick synopsis.
“Four high school kids come together to make their own movie, and it’s all going well until ambition derails the project and the group’s relationships,” he explained. The film features MHS graduate Brady Weed, MHS senior Isabelle Scogland, MHS graduate Anya Kane and MHS sophomore Max Kane.
The group has been working around the clock to film and edit the movie over the last few weeks.
“We’ve been meeting at 9 a.m. and we wouldn’t be done until 12 at night. We would film scenes all day until 8 or 9 p.m., and then edit til midnight,” said Watts Cruz. “I saw the film crew more than I saw my own family.”
The process has been quite intense for the filmmakers, but they think everyone has grown accustomed to all the pressure on set.
“It’s been pretty hectic, but we’ve learned a lot for sure,” reflected Gibson. “There has obviously been growing pains, but I think we have really come into our own.”
Since starting the filming process in June, the filmmakers have been filming at locations all around town.
“I think our locations are one of the coolest things about the movie,” said Watts Cruz. “We’ve filmed at the Lee Mansion, at the Marblehead Arts Association and just all around town.” They are even going as far as Sudbury to film certain scenes.
The filmmakers talked about the outpouring of support that they have received from their town so far, in the form of both monetary donations to potential filming venues.
“The community has been helpful to us in so many ways,” said Gibson “I feel like I’ve gotten so much more connected with the town over this period.”
The directors expect the film to be more than 90 minutes long. They hope to finish the film in the fall, and show it at the Warwick around Thanksgiving. They expressed their hopes of starting a tradition of student filmmakers who can share their work with the community.
“We’re looking to start a tradition that brings people together,” said Watts Cruz.
“We’re so grateful for this town, and this will hopefully be a piece of art that the town can enjoy,” Gibson added. “We want to share the passion we have for filmmaking with our community.”
