The Forgotten Promise
A short film by Jay Ellison

Producers: Jay Ellison and Andrew M. LaMarche
Production Designer: Andrew M. LaMarche
Sound Designer: Seann Flynn
Music Composer: Dennis McDonald
Film Editor: Jay Ellison
Cinematographer: Kevin Voroselo
Writer and Director: Jay Ellison
 

Film Synopsis

A World War II veteran recalls his memories of a fellow soldier. A friendship was forged and a promise was made that haunts the veteran who lived the nightmare of war.

Filmmaker's Biography

Jay Ellison (Writer, Producer, Director) who was born in Ohio, recently received his BA degree in Film Studies at Bowling Green State University. While at BGSU, he was able to complete six short films and receive the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Scholarship for an outstanding achievement in film studies. In 2003, his film Lex won the Best Narrative Film Award at the BGSU Film and Media Festival. For the past two years, he was the producer of several promotional films for BGSU. He has also been the President of the University Film Organization for the past two years where he sought to create greater film awareness on campus and in the Northwest Ohio area.

Director's Comments

Historical dramas have always interested me more than any other type of film. I had never attempted to create one before, which is why I chose to make one for my final student film at BGSU. I wanted to re-create a small part of history that would tell a story dealing with contemporary issues of war. This project became very personal for me when I decided to base it on an experience my grandfather went through. The Forgotten Promise carries a message that displays the importance of memory and duty.

The Making of The Forgotten Promise

The Forgotten Promise seemed like an impossible film to make. The idea was too large and many people said it couldn't be done. The film posed many challenges that would be tough for a student filmmaker, which is exactly why Jay Ellison went ahead with the project.

The script was written in three months and production lasted twelve days. Many of the key crew members had worked with Jay on previous projects. "It was very enjoyable working with talented people that I could trust to get the job done," explained Ellison. This was the sixth time Ellison has directed actor Aaron Calafato in a short film. "Aaron and I had looked forward to working on this film for a long time. We had always wanted to do something like this since we started making films together," says Ellison.

The film contains a distinct visual style to create the sense that memories are being portrayed. The scenes that take place during the war have very desaturated colors aimed to create a feel of the time period.

One of the major tasks was to find the right cast. Aaron Calafato was attached from the beginning, so Ellison began auditioning actors who could work well with Calafato and with each other. Since the actors were playing real characters, he was looking for a specific look and talent.

Jared Smith was cast opposite Calafato. Smith had never acted in a film before, but he displayed an ability to act and take direction well, and he worked extremely well with Calafato.

The search for an actor to fill the role of the 70 year old Don Todd began by looking for actors in the local theater group in Bowling Green. The producers made some calls and were able to set up a meeting with Ellison and actor R. K. Clark. The meeting went very well, and Clark was immediately attached to the film.

Post-production took place in Bowling Green. The film took three months to edit. Ellison had to sync the sound to the entire film due to a shortage of funding. The sound design and music took about a month to complete. Everyone worked very hard to complete this film because they all believed in its message and its importance to cinema. The film was completed with a total budget under $5,000.