Height Markers

This paper examines formal conceits and production processes of my 75-minute narrative fiction film, Height Markers. I will focus on the evolution of the films formal identity, through exercises in art cinema narration, on the process of working with actors in a psychologically investigative and improvisational manner, on utilizing the cinematic opportunities present in real locations, and on writing the film in the cutting room. Height Markers follows Neva and her son Aaron, on Aaron's last two days before leaving home, as Aaron seeks closure after a bad break up, and Neva contemplates a life without her son nearby. They are both haunted by memories of Aaron's late father, Ted. The film is an examination of the ever-present role of memory in shaping our perceptions of love and loss and tries to capture a sense of being unable to fully understand those you love the most.