Alana Kearns-Green, 24, of Los Angeles, sat with her legs tucked under her on a worn, but comfortable brown couch in her family’s home in Beavertown. She carefully sipped from a glass of water in between breaths as she described her most recent artistic endeavor, the independent film “Mary Marie.” Kearns-Green, along with a crew of 14, recently wrapped up filming “Mary Marie,” in the very same house she was born in, located at 325 W. Market St. in Beavertown.
Even though she has traveled a great deal throughout her life — growing up in Harrisburg, attending high school in California, and graduating from New York University with a degree in drama — something about the house she was born in, and the surrounding area, drew her back here when the idea of the film surfaced.
“Alexandra Roxo, the director, came up with the initial idea,” Kearns-Green said. “We wanted to make a story that was close to our hearts, so we both ventured into writing it. It took about a month and a half of serious writing to finish.”
Roxo and Kearns-Green wanted to find a location that would work logistically, with resources easy to access, and a place that meant something to both of them. Kearns-Green suggested her family home in Beavertown — owned by her grandfather Richard Kearns and occupied by her uncle, Carlos Kearns — and filming began shortly thereafter.
“Mary Marie” is a story about two sisters — played by Kearns-Green and Roxo — and their coming of age after the death of their mother. “It’s an intriguing triangle,” Kearns-Green said, of the unexpected visitor, played by Tim Linden, who comes between the sisters during their summer in their mother’s house. “They have to re-evaluate the meaning of each others’ relationship to be able to heal.”
And then “it really grew without us realizing it,” Kearns-Green said. “We became mini celebrities in the town ... there’s been a lot of support, luckily.” Filming took just 18 days throughout the month of July, with the project funded along the way by private investors, family, and friends who believe in the film, “We basically raised the money ourselves,” Kearns-Green said. “There have been obstacles along the way, but overall, it’s been a surprisingly smooth shoot.”
The finished product will indeed be quite an accomplishment, as most people in the film industry told the crew that “Mary Marie” would be impossible to make on their extremely low budget.
For the residents of Beavertown, the filming caused quite a stir in the otherwise quiet town. “There was a buzz for sure,” Kearns-Green said. “People would pull over on the side of the road, or stop on the sidewalk and take pictures.” When the crew had lights set up at night, the number of spectators grew, but eventually the residents of Beavertown grew used to the commotion. “We would order lunch from Rayauda’s in Beaver Springs almost every day, so people got used to seeing us around,” she said.
With filming complete, the next step is editing, which will take approximately eight weeks. “We’d like to get it out there as soon as possible, for the independent film festival deadlines,” Kearns-Green said. The finished film is expected to run between 80-90 minutes.
“I talked to Bill Wagner, the mayor, and he’s very excited about the film. He mentioned a screening in Beavertown,” she said, “I’m sure it will happen.”
“Mary Marie” is the first feature film Kearns-Green has helped write, produce and act in. In addition to being director, co-author and co-actor, Roxo also co-produced the film with Rachel Earnest. Actor Tim Linden was also production designer and cinematography was handled by Magela Crosignani.
Because of the small size of the crew (14 members), everyone had to fill various roles during production, an aspect Kearns-Green enjoyed very much. “I’d always wanted to be more a part of the game, more hands-on in all aspects of production,” she said. “We were all dumbfounded at the end, that it had actually happened. It’s chaos, but it’s great.”
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Independent movie makers film in Beavertown
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