SARATOGA SPRINGS — Black Mountain Visuals is dipping its toes into the realm of horror this fall with a film it shot right in Saratoga.
“The Rickety Man,” a film written by Jeremiah Lewis, is a film that explores the unseen. Much like the horror films gracing the silver screen today, it takes away the “BOO!” factor of an inert figure and focuses more on the psychological and the realistic.
“I think what drew us to ‘The Rickety Man’ is how it’s such a minimal film, but had such a distinct sense of style,” Cameron Gallagher, the owner of Albany-based Black Mountain Visuals, said. “When we contacted Jeremiah, we knew we could do justice to the film because of the work we do here.”
Gallagher said the film is about relationships, particularly those within a family slowly swallowing itself in grief. Its darkness lends itself to a fairytale figure, The Rickety Man, whose presence is a mental force influencing what is going on, particularly in the relationship between the father and daughter in the family. Gallagher didn’t want to give away too much, but he did mention much of the film was done in one of the most beautiful, ornate buildings in Saratoga. Filming wrapped during the first week of June.
“I’ve always been drawn to horror films that are a little more psychological based, as opposed to ones that are overtly terrifying,” Gallagher said, “because the psychological stays with you longer. When someone is lying awake at night thinking about that movie that scared them, they’re not thinking about the jump scares. They’re thinking about the psychological component of the film.”
Gallagher praised the talent of the film, which includes actress Ava Torres (the daughter) and Russell Shealy (the father). Torres’ skills are unmatched, Gallagher said, and watching her transition from the sweetheart she is to her character was exhilarating.
“I can’t take a lot of credit for this, though, because it’s all down to the strength of Jeremiah’s script,” Gallagher said. “Our crew just took all of these amazing pieces and gave it a vehicle to come to life.”
He’s also looking at a potential feature film based off of Lewis’ script, as this is more of an indie film; Black Mountain is aiming for a fall release, with Gallagher marketing it to film festivals and hoping to use it as a proof of concept for a larger project. As of right now, Gallagher said the release will be done via private link — Black Mountain will announce more details as fall draws closer — so the chance of the concept getting picked up stays as optimal as possible.
Gallagher is a force around the Capital District. Between Black Mountain Visuals and his wedding outlet, Black Tie Visuals, the filmmaker has his hands in almost everything, from advertising to music videos. He’s been in the business since he was 15 years old, when he would obsessively watch YouTube videos about how to create films. He’s surrounded by a team of equally talented individuals, including “right hand man” Zachary Porlier, Tyler Field and Allison GiamBruno.
“The nice thing about having such a vast catalog is each has its own style,” Gallagher concluded, “which allows us to have a grasp on more of what each project needs. Some like the more stylized vibe of a wedding video, while others don’t. But, having those skills means we can lend them into any project we take on.”
To keep up with “The Rickety Man” news, visit http://blackmountainvisuals.com/.
