Lost in the Movies: I'm making a movie - and I need your help!

I'm making a movie - and I need your help!


But don't worry, the help I need isn't financial (not this time anyway!). The short film is called Class of 2002, and it details the lives of five characters whom the narrator remembers, friends and acquaintances whose lives intersected with his before and after his high school graduation ten years earlier.

The film will be composed largely of snapshots (real snapshots, as they will show the characters growing up, not something that can usually be faked) and narration. Being pre- and post-production based, I obviously don't need much money. On the other hand, finding pre-existing photos which will match (or at least not contradict) the characters I've created is a challenge. And that's where all of you come in.

A week or two ago, I posted listings on a casting website and was flooded with submissions, which is great. However, I want to cast the net as widely as possible before making final decisions. I would love everyone reading this to spread the word to their friends - circulate this announcement around as widely as you can.

I am looking for photos which could illustrate five characters. Ideally, the contributors will have the following in common: they grew up in (or at least have pictures from) New England and they graduated from high school in (or close to) 2002. Both features are flexible, but the closer to those marks the better.

As for each character, here are the specifics I'm looking for:

-An aloof and alluring girl who stands out in photos and seems to be withholding herself somewhat (not lots of goofy grins and funny faces)

-A guy with an air of intensity but also appears to be friendly and humorous (particularly in earlier, teenage pictures) who has photos of service in the Marine Corps, preferably in Iraq circa 2003-2006

-A female athlete, with high school and college sports pictures; the character is diagnosed with cancer, and while I'm not sure if this will actually be shown, if you are a survivor this could be a good fit

-A guy who went through rough times; though the character himself would not have pictures of addiction, prison, homelessness, etc. it should be apparent from snapshots that things are not going well

-A friendly-looking girl with plenty of good-time pictures from high school, but also pictures showing maturity in her twenties - professional attire, more adult demeanor, and most importantly pictures with kids (the character becomes a young mother)

The anecdotal memories and character descriptions relayed in the voiceover will not be illustrated didactically by what we see onscreen; I have something more impressionistic and allusive in mind. Nonetheless, if the people in the photos seem to come from the same background as the characters all the better.

If you think you know people whose past snapshots might fit these roles, get them in touch with me. If you yourself are interested, please contact me or leave a comment below with your contact info (I'll delete after reading, rather than approve and publish).

Class of 2002 will make its online premiere on The Dancing Image in late December. I hope some of you can be a part of it as well. Thanks in advance to those who can help, and to those who can't but are curious about the finished result - see you on the other side in about six weeks...

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