Premiere of Locally Filmed ''Macbeth'' at Clayton Center for the Arts

10/2/2012

In keeping with it’s mission to support local talent and locally produced art, the Clayton Center for the Arts will premiere the movie “Macbeth” on October 12, 2012 at 8 pm. Prior to the screening, the filmmaker and cast will be available to meet the public. The screening will be in the Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall. Tickets may be purchased ahead of time by calling 865-981-9590 or at www.Claytonartscenter.com and will be available the evening of the film.  Tickets are $15 and $10 for students. 

Local filmmaker Rob Simpson decided to do a film based on “Macbeth” because he thought it could make a good short film. Simpson previously made films of “Twelfth Night” and “Hamlet”.  “We cut out some of the second and third act, including the banquet scene and by cutting those, you get a pretty fast moving film that still has what people know of “Macbeth” in it.”  Says Simpson.  Simpson says the film was shot on a shoestring with none of the cast or crew being paid. Striking locations really helped give the feel of the movie.  On the decision to film in black and white, Simpson says “ I decided to shoot in black and white because the setting of the play is described as pretty desolate and so many of the opening stage directions call for thunder and lightening or a “blasted heath”, a “dark cave with caldron boiling”; all great for some really horror style black and white cinematography.”  With a sot of post apocalyptic look, the film fits in perfectly in today’s stylistic films. The film was shot in and around Knoxville. 

Tueatha Dea did the music for the film, a coup according to Simpson who commented, “ …their music worked with the film wonderfully and it gave it a quality it wouldn’t have if we had just used stock music. It helps sell the overall look and feel of the movie. “ The movie runs about 55 minutes.