Director’s Statement:

The idea for The Great American Scream Machine began at my grandmother’s funeral in the spring of 2019. As in the script, the funeral was held in a small cemetery across the street from an old worn down amusement park. Throughout the service, screams of joy from a roller coaster were heard in the distance. I found the contrast of these polar opposite emotions within such short proximity to be fascinating: someone having a very good day, while I was having a very bad day. The thriving spring climate provided an ironic accent amongst the mourning of the burial. This is something I wanted to explore.

As told through the eyes of the main character, Dean, a pessimistic alcoholic, the world, though full of beauty, seems dull and lifeless. He believes that the new life of spring is a facade which masks the inevitable and continuous death of all things, including his mother. “There can be no life without death…” are the words he chooses to say during a speech he gives to the awkwardly confused patrons and family members at the funeral. Though initially macabre, this story showcases the theme “a shift in perspective” through the eyes of Dean. For the first time, Dean goes from cursing those who are celebrating life and enjoying themselves at the amusement park to riding a roller coaster himself and enjoying the genuine happiness that comes from simple worldly experiences.

Because this project is so personal and offers considerable amounts of memory of my own story, I made the decision to shoot the film on Super 16mm film. After doing some test shooting with a recently acquired Arri SR II and Kodak 250D stock, I knew this was the format I wanted. The vintage, organic quality that film gives is perfect for the mood and tonality of the story. The images remind me of what I experienced as a child, interacting with the very same locations and characters to be used in the film, including the amusement park, Lake Winnipesaukee. This will be my first movie shot on film, and I welcome the challenge. I believe it’s going to make me an all around more efficient filmmaker as I’ll be forced to focus much more on per-production and planning than ever in the past. After shooting and practicing abundantly with this format within the past few months, I am confident my team will be able to successfully optimize the potential of Super 16mm film.