Production art for Happy Story.
Danielle Sakota / Submitted
Ryerson film student Davina Rimmer is gearing up to start
filming her adaptation of Australian author Peter Carey’s short story, Happy Story.
At the beginning of last summer, Rimmer set out to gain the
rights for the two-time Booker prize winner’s story she was first inspired by years
ago. The adaptation will be her 4th year thesis film.
“I called agents in New York, London and Australia,” said
Rimmer, “finally HLA management answered.”
To Rimmer’s happy surprise,
HLA gave her the green light to make the film, charging an option fee of only
three per cent of the film’s total budget.
“By having Carey’s name attached to the film we not only get
to work with amazing source material, but it gives our film a lot of legs,” she
said.
Described as “magical-realism,” the ten-minute short will
follow the story of a couple that find romance in the night sky. Theatre actor
Claire Calnan has signed on to play the lead as Marie, and actor Rick Roberts
is tentatively chosen to play Peter.
“It’s amazing to have names like these on board,” Rimmer
said of the cast. “They really do it out of kindness.”
The student production team, the actors, and Monty the pug –
the film’s starring canine actor – will soon head north to a 1860s farmhouse for
shooting.
The average Ryerson thesis film costs $15,000. The student
films are funded through ongoing campaigns, personal contributions and through
grants such as the $1,500 William F. White award for equipment rental fees,
which Rimmer received.
The production team hopes Happy Story will have a good run on the film circuit, beginning
with its screening at the Ryerson University Film Festival in May.