3 weeks ago
1 of 5 | Jason Butler Harner stars successful "The Big Bend." Photo courtesy of Eammon Films
LOS ANGELES, April 25 (UPI) -- Actor Jason Butler Harner said his independent film, The Big Bend, successful theaters Friday, is an illustration of really movies tin woody mildly pinch crises. Harner, 53, plays a begetter searching for a missing kid during a godforsaken vacation.
"It's truthful uncommon to show stories that person humanity and conflict successful a gentle, quality measurement nowadays," Harner told UPI successful a caller Zoom interview.
In nan movie, Cory (Harner) and Melanie Price (Virginia Kull) bring their kids for a play pinch Mac (David Sullivan) and Georgia Talbott (Erica Ash).
Before they arrive, Cory asks Melanie not to show Mac and Georgia astir a awesome issue, though nan movie only reveals that concealed later.
"It was very enjoyable to person a shared concealed pinch my woman that we're each processing," Harner said. "There are capable moments wherever Cory is successful different world wherever you cognize he's weighing thing heavier."
Harner said he related to Cory's inclination to get mislaid successful his ain thoughts.
"I'm a thinker," Harner said. "I'm a Libra. So, it was nosy to get to beryllium that constituent of myself, which is very easy."
Over nan weekend, Cory and Virginia woody pinch their secret, their missing child, Mac's outdoorsman plans and much problems from nan extracurricular world that intrude connected their vacation.
Harner said he and Kull improvised a infinitesimal to convey that their characters still support each other.
"There's a segment pinch nary words connected nan elevation pinch Virginia and I conscionable hugging each other," Harner said. "It was really important to america that location was emotion location betwixt everybody, but decidedly betwixt us."
Writer-director Brett Wagner based The Big Bend connected a existent couples picnic he took. Harner said he was formed first and helped combine nan ensemble.
It was important, Harner said, that nan formed beryllium divers and that each characteristic had thing worthwhile to do.
"I travel from nan theatre truthful I'm a institution guy," he said. "I for illustration to dispersed nan wealth. It's conscionable a amended story."
Harner has joined galore tv ensembles, including playing FBI Agent Petty connected Ozark, a commandant successful The Handmaid's Tale and a personnel of an Alcoholics Anonymous gathering connected This Is Us.
Compared to web productions, filming successful Big Bend, Texas, was roughing it, Harner said, adding that nan situation added further complications to a movie that did not person nan resources of a Hollywood studio.
"It's really difficult for group to understand really acold it is," Harner said. "It's beautiful, but you are retired there."
Harner said basal accumulation elements for illustration catering proved challenging that acold into nan desert. Environmental challenges were inherent to nan location too, including temperatures supra 120 degrees.
"I had ne'er learned that erstwhile it rains successful nan desert, it floods and you can't get anywhere," Harner said. "I had a scorpion successful my furniture 1 night."
On location successful Big Bend, Harner had a segment by himself atop a cliff, but it was only 8 feet disconnected nan ground. For nan agelong shots successful which nan camera tin spot nan height, Harner wore a bladed information ligament astir his waist.
"I've done a batch of stunts and I for illustration doing stunts," Harner said. "That was a full-trust exercise. Thank God I'm not acrophobic of heights."
Harner said he and cinematographer Paul Atkins were unsocial together connected nan cliff, pinch a unit personnel holding his information statement from 14 feet away. Such friendly and affectional moments are what tie Harner to independent films, he said.
"That was 1 of nan biggest highlights and gifts, particularly for personification going done emotionally what he's going through," Harner said. "You do those films to beryllium opinionated connected a cliff having an affectional experience."
