A pair of indie films shot in SLO County just had local screenings. Here’s how they went

Within eight days of each other in mid-January, two indie movies made unofficial debuts in San Luis Obispo County.

Stretching those odds even further, the stories of both films were based in this county’s North Coast.

“Hidden Creek” was written, cast and produced entirely in Cambria’s rural and downtown areas, and involved many area residents on- and off-screen.

“Camera,” a Beau Bridges film, had a renamed Morro Bay setting, and included days’ worth of “establishing shots” filmed there, including of Morro Rock, Morro Bay Harbor and on locations like the “back lot” at Giovanni’s Fish Market and Galley.

Confession time: Until Jan. 13, it had been almost a decade since my family last saw a film in a theater.

It was “Chef,” a very funny movie that was released in May 2014. The last one before that? Probably the original “Shrek” in 2001 with our grandkids.

Why the long dry spell? Increasingly intense caregiving for a seriously ill husband who died in 2020; the COVID 19 pandemic, which shut down theaters for months and left lots of people wary of sitting in crowds for more than an hour; some health concerns for me and my resident son; my job’s unpredictable schedules; and quite frankly, we just got out of the habit.

What finally drew us out of our rut to watch two new films on a big screen in a movie house?

The lure of new stories with local ties, curiosity about the photography and the enticement of watching on the big screen people and places we know very well.

Watching locally filmed movies in theaters was an experience

After so long away, it felt strange to be back in a theater again. So did getting all dolled up for the gala. Like I was looking down at myself the way I’d observe someone else.

Surprise! I really enjoyed both movies. So did the people who went with us, and not just because of the familiar locations.

I’m usually a hard sell. I can’t help it: My inner editor-critic comes to the fore, and I find myself nitpicking.

Sure, there were little things in each show that I would have changed, but an advantage of these pre-release showings — a gala Hearst Castle Theater launch for “Hidden Creek” and a benefit showing for “Camera” at the Morro Bay Theatre — was the producer-directors really wanted audience input, and even gave us forms to fill out with our suggestions for the films’ final cut.

Plus, in each case, we were the first audiences to see the film in a theater setting.

While the settings and vibe of “Hidden Creek” and “Camera” were very different, there were some startling similarities beyond their ties to San Luis Obispo County and California ways of life that have been threatened in recent years.

The movies shared a few key themes, such as preservation of land and a way of life, father-son conflict and family betrayals, serious illness, community clashes and spectacular scenery.

Both also are based in part on life experiences of the screenwriters and filmmakers, which added emotional depth, gravitas and realism to the difficult topics.

Fortunately, there were flashes of humor throughout to temper the theatrical tension.

Here’s more on each of the films:

‘Hidden Creek’

Producer-directors Darien Jewel and Julian Mercado Avila of the versatile Slabtown Studios are Coast Union High School graduates. The Plummer brothers of SuperImage Ltd., Kyle and Carlos, who are each accomplished filmmakers, led the production staff.

Longtime Cambria psychologist and author Steve Brody wrote the intense screenplay.

The four talented young filmmakers skillfully brought Brody’s story to life.

Among the movie’s familiar settings are Cambria’s Green Valley, Santa Rosa Creek and Highway 46 West, areas known for their rural drama and beauty.

Professionals top the cast. Veteran actor John Henry Richardson (Jimmy Tucker) was commanding, likeable and believable in the lead role of the aging rancher battling the dual pressures of advancing dementia and developers who covet his land.

In her very first film, Abi Renner did an outstanding job as Tucker’s daughter, Emerson.

Many of the secondary roles, slots for extras and crew assignments for “Hidden Creek” were filled by San Luis Obispo County residents. There were far too many locals for me to list them all here, which makes me sad.

With topics of dementia, widower-hood, new love and a battle for the ranch, backed by some evocative songs by Juni Fisher, it’s an emotional movie that brought a lot of the more than 400 viewers in the audience to tears. Quite a few were men.

Many in the audience (so many people we knew!) told us they want to see it again.

By the way, Fisher does one-woman concerts at the Cambria ranch where much of the movie was filmed.

‘Camera’

Attach the name Beau Bridges to a new film and you already have moviegoers’ attention.

That casting in the lead was a stroke of brilliance by producer-director Jay Silverman, a photographer and filmmaker with 30 years of industry cred.

Eric, Bridges’ character in “Camera,” is equal parts gruff fix-it man and warm, welcoming grandpa-type who got his mojo back by mentoring a young pupil who shares his passion for photography.

That his mentee is nonverbal and a victim of almost constant bullying who is being raised by a single mom after the death of his dad adds poignancy and tension to the plot.

Veteran actor Bridges, with his slightly gravelly but tender and caring voice and manner, played well against young Miguel Gabriel as Oscar, a youngster with no voice except the one he develops through the camera. As he finds his subjects in the right light, he builds a story that helps the town heal.

Gabriel’s part had no lines to learn, of course. But with his facile face, when his character feels safe enough to communicate, he does so quite well, thank you.

The charity fundraiser’s original 5 p.m. showing for more than 300 attendees on Jan. 20 sold out so fast that the theater’s new owner Cameron Wilson had to quickly add a second showing the same night.

It nearly sold out, too, Silverman and Wilson said Monday. People queueing up for that performance stood in the rain to get in.

Money raised goes to the Morro Bay High School Arts Department. Wilson estimated Monday that the net proceeds should be closed to $5,000 from the $10 per ticket cost.

“We decided to do it as a charity event as payback for all the lovely support we got from Morro Bay,” Silverman said.

That included Mayor Carla Wixom.

“If not for her, we might never have been able to make the movie there,” he said. “We were eating at her restaurant, found out she’s the mayor and …”

Again, as we left the screening, we overheard many departing audience members saying they’d watch the film again.

When will viewers be able to see the films?

Getting an indie film shown in theaters across the country or streamed to digital devices can be a long, costly, frustrating experience.

The producer/directors of both movies said by phone Monday that they’re making some edits based on the audience feedback they got from the test screenings. They’re also nailing down their plans for entering film festivals and arranging distribution.

Funds raised at the “Hidden Creek” showing will help the young, local filmmakers promote the boot-strap, self-financed movie. They’re still seeking donations from their generous community and other supporters.

Meanwhile, the Tanners hope to see the movies again soon — another first after our long dry spell — if only to revisit our friends, familiar turf and a ranch house we’ve been in so many times.