The Connector recognizes exemplary film work done by SCAD students. This week’s featured film is “Time Capsule” by first-year film and television student McKinley Benson.
The Connector: Tell us about your work.
Benson: With “Time Capsule,” I simply just started writing with no particular end goal in mind. I just went with whatever felt right and then walked away from my computer for a day or so. When I returned, I would revise what I had previously written and blend it together to be more cohesive. There were certain things I knew I wanted from the very start. I knew I wanted a female lead, ’60s aesthetic, bright color palette, the music and the opening shot of the movie. I’ve wanted that record player shot with that song for some time now. Something that came about while in the middle of writing the screenplay was I realized it was sort of a physical embodiment of the Time’s Up movement. That definitely gave me more inspiration to finish the piece.
When it came to the production design, I can’t really take much credit. I have to thank Caroline Givogre, the owner of the vintage clothing store we filmed in. Honestly, I didn’t change much to the set. It was already so close to what I wanted. I only had to move some things around and then added props of my own. Speaking of props, I spent a week searching for the best watches I could find. And two to three days just hunting for the right shirt for Parker to wear.
I probably spent the most time in pre-production for this film than any other I’ve worked on. I tried my best to have everything in the frame be meaningful or symbolic in some way or another. Shooting was a breeze and my actors were a delight to work with. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast and crew. We finished shooting in a day and a half, then I spent almost three weeks in post-production. I’m hoping to submit “Time Capsule” to some festivals coming up so stay tuned because there might be a local screening soon. Hope you all enjoy.
If you’d like to be considered for the Featured Film series, email video@scadconnector.com.
