I revisit ideas. Or rather, they roll around in my head, continuously refining themselves. “Tales of The Ghostlight” was a concept for a series of short ghost stories set in theaters. The idea initially sparked when I was working as a scenic painter at a community college late one night.
I was alone, busy painting set pieces for a variety show. A noise from backstage interrupted my work. It sounded like someone had come in through the back door and I was hopeful they were there to help me paint.
I called out.
No answer.
I grabbed my flashlight and walked backstage. This time, a thump came from upstairs in the prop room. Shining my light into the loft, I couldn’t get a good look, so I climbed up to investigate. Standing at the top of the ladder, I saw a shadow move between racks of costumes.
I called out again and still no one answered. I felt panicky, so I climbed down without investigating further and headed home.
The next night, I brought my big Aussie Shepard to work. She would not set foot in the theater, even when I offered treats. That was enough for me. From then on I worked during daylight hours, since nothing like that had ever happened while other people were around. That department eventually closed, and I began studying filmmaking at another college.
The haunting experience led to my first short film, Ghostlight, which I wrote under the pen name Helen Wheels and credited to a fictional production company, Indigirl Productions. I was fortunate to have access to a theater, stage props, and all, a perk of being a stage manager at my new college. However, my priority in the film wasn’t the script or story. Instead, my focus was creating practical effects, which is the best thing about this no-budget production.
It took an entire team to create the effect of the lightbulb exploding, the face rising from the paint, and the ghost possessing our actress. I fell in love with the process. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the resources, experience, or connections to turn my dream of opening a production company into a reality.
A master of the pivot, after graduating from the film program, I adapted the script into a short story and turned my focus to story development.