Release Date:
September 25th, 2020
Directed by:
Steve Sanchez Rosales
A Perfect Debut:
When I was sixteen years old I decided I wanted to make a short film set in my town of Willimantic, CT. I spent my teenage years taking walks and picturing what I could do here. It was an old town with historical remenants and abandoned buildings. My family immigrated here in the 21st century, so the history was not ours, yet we made it our own along with the rest of our hispanic community.
I felt pressure from failing, I didn't want to make a fool of myself and debut as a loser. My first film had to be great, and because of this mindset I kept making false starts and cancelling projects mid-production. When I turned eighteen years old I knew I needed to finish a film or else I would never progress as a filmmaker or an adult.
March - August, 2020
A Change In Plans:
The COVID-19 pandemic altered what my idea for the short film could be. I had a script ready for my best friend and I to star in set in our high school, but we had to shut it down. I turned my attention to using pure cinematography to tell the story instead of character and plot. I took inspiration from short films such as L'Observateur, Wheels, My Josephine, Pandemic, and Stuck In Sunday Morning. These short films use cinematography to create a unique environment with emotion and I would study films like these to work on my own craft.
I was most inspired by The Last Black Man In San Francisco because of the rich golden imagery of its city. It's a great example of a location acting as a character in a film. I wanted to make Willimantic glow like San Francisco did in that movie.
September, 2020
Bittersweet Poetry:
I couldn't have characters that spoke in dialogue so I opted to do voiceover and read aloud a poem I wrote about growing up in Willimantic. I spoke about the sadness lingering in the streets, the few prospects for the lower class, and how much I wanted to leave.
Willimantic is filled with problems and I was ready to go somewhere else. I recorded my poem and used the words to dictate what the film would be. The plan was to capture footage of the nastiest neighborhoods, the most obnoxious highways, and the lifeless streets left by the COVID-19 pandemic.
September, 2020
What a Day for a Walk:
I walked to the Main Street and shot video of cars and trucks polluting the air with their smoke and noise. I got what I came for but above me was something special. The sky was a deep blue that instantly made the footage feel majestic. I kept walking and spent the rest of the morning capturing the iconic buildings and landmarks I was so used to seeing. I was a child again, taking walks for the first time and being amazed that I live here.
The film transformed from a poem about angst into a love letter for the town that raised me. That week I went outside whenever I could to get more footage and enjoy the nice weather. Anxieties and pressures I had from needing to have a perfect debut were eased because I was having a splendid time with my camera.
September, 2020
Editing:
I cut together the footage with the voiceover however I wasn't feeling the poem anymore. I deleted the recording and the poem, they are now lost media. The footage spoke for itself and I listened to how it needed to be assembled. I reversed the direction of the moving cars because I thought it was funny. I added in music and an opening card with text. I would only change the use of the name 'Windham' and replace it with 'Willimantic'. Windham is the official name of the town, but us locals call it Willimantic.
I finished the edit but there was still a lot of insecurity. I didn't know how people would take to a film with no characters or story. That if my vision of Willimantic would resonate with the community. I delayed the release by a week to get myself together and posted pictures on social media to promote the film.
At Long Last:
My debut was a success, people accepted the vision and I felt relieved with the support I was receiving. At the time of release, I didn't think Sunshine was perfect. I knew I could do better and I shifted focus on what films I could produce in New York City.
Today, I think the film has aged wonderfully and I'm proud of the heart I put into it. The most important lesson was to set my anxiety aside and let myself work on the film. Self doubt will kill any progress and it's what was preventing me from debuting at all. A closed heart will keep failure out, but an open one will let the sunshine in.
