Opening Montage

Story Notes

Cage Martin is at play in his yard. He explores the world through the prism of childhood, and a form of autism. Inter-cuts to Cage's parents talking with Dr. Leanna Grant explain the origin of the prism in Cage's hand, obviously beloved by him.

As she often does, Leanna intuitively knew that this geometric light refracting object would fascinate him, and allow him to find focus in times of distress.

In answer to one of the most common questions, there is nothing mystical or magical about the prism...yet.

However, it does represent a powerful connection between Leanna and Cage. She understands him at a deep level, and what's more, he understands that she understands him, which is more than he can say for most people, even his parents. With everything that goes through his mind, he finds it hard to communicate and to be understood.

He also is very sensitive to change and entropy. He thrives on order and consistency. When he spies a pattern of beauty in the world he wants to hold onto it, and he crumbles quickly when things fall apart.

One more thing you may notice. The pattern of leaves he is fiddling with on the grass bears a rough similarity to the third eye chakra, (ajna). He doesn't know this, but it is significant that this pattern resonates with him.

More on that later.

Filmmaker's Notes

You'll notice that we treated the "Flashback" of the gifting of the prism with a fairly ethereal light. Leanna sits in front of a very bright window, almost angelic in appearance. This is juxtaposed against skewed and off balance camera angles on the parents, which foreshadow the horror which will soon befall them.

This scene is meant to be a semi-stylized view of this critical event, enhanced in a way through the prism of Cage's idealized memory.

We were also amazed to see in our edit that when Cage looks at the prism after the wind and before he cradles it, we got both a full spectrum of color, as well as a reflection of his face inside the prism. We hoped for one or the other, but the film gods smiled on us and we got both. No special effects needed.

 
 

Interviews

Selected Scene Explorations

  1. Opening Montage
  2. The Intruder
  3. Opposites Attract
  4. The Hospital
  5. The Patients
  6. First Impressons
  7. An Issue of Trust
  8. First Big Clue
  9. A Door is Opened
  10. Confronting the Witness
  11. Testing a theory
  12. Enter Mason
  13. The Conversation
  14. Leanna is Lost
  15. The Entity Forms a Plan
  16. Leanna's Call, Bill's Epiphany
  17. Only one of us can stay
  18. Resolution

Thoughts and Spooky Production Stories:

HInts and Inspirations.