By Athena Mekis
Contributing Writer
Up-and-coming local cinematographer Pamela Johnson has joined the ranks of filmmakers such as director Stanley Kramer, who also took advantage of Long Beach’s coastal, urban, suburban, and civic filmmaking backdrops. Noteworthy local productions include: It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, which used the Pike’s wooden rollercoaster and Rainbow Pier; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which used the famous mansion on Country Club Drive in Bixby Knolls; and the sequel to the box office giant Transformers, which is currently being filmed downtown.
Johnson’s film Stitches depicts a girl’s love for sewing and her struggle to patch her life back together after being displaced from New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. Originally a New Yorker, Johnson has since moved to Long Beach and jokes, “When you move to L.A., you have to have a script to get in.” Stitches was filmed entirely in Long Beach at locations like Polytechnic High School, the Wardlow train station, and Johnson’s friend’s house.
Out of 200 candidates, Johnson was one of eight selected by The American Film Institute (AFI) to direct a film. “I think they chose my story because it’s topical. It’s about Katrina from a narrative standpoint,” she said. Most of the media’s focus has been about the storm’s destruction in New Orleans, but this film is about the triumph of family in the face of a disaster.
What first began as a script centered on a parent’s struggle with her kid’s choice of clothing became a story about a kid discovering her identity beyond fashion. This revision came after the hurricane when Johnson imagined running water carrying away clothing, which then wrapped around light poles and trees. The clothes belonged to an irritated young fashionista who was then forced to embark on a journey of self-discovery.
AFI got the students started with $5,000 and then it was up to the filmmaker to raise up to another $20,000 to begin their work. Johnson’s mom put forth the largest contribution, matching the film institute’s donation, while other Long Beach organizations like Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, and Signal Hill’s Curves also helped birth the short film.
A fellow Curves member helped her contact principal Shawn Ashley at Poly High who allowed Johnson to shoot at the school for a reasonable fee. “We shoot about a dozen times a year— movies, commercials, and television,” Ashley said. One recent example is the film Coach Carter starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Johnson said the major conflict of the story comes with the question, “What is the most precious thing I own?” For the main character Delphine, it’s her sewing machine. For her mom, the family photo album. Delphine doesn’t understand that the photo album represents the memories she’s had while immersed in New Orleans’ energy and the sewing machine is a tool used to carry on that culture. At first Delphine chooses fashion over family but by the end of the story she realizes that by sewing a dress for her new roommate Hannah, who comes from a plain brown paper bag culture, she is creating new memories for her future photo album. To divulge the turning point would be a devastating spoiler.
The clothes are the most important part of the story. Nancy Wei, a fashion design student at California State University, Long Beach, collected most of the wardrobe from Long Beach sources. She worked both ends of the spectrum by gathering exotic indigo and boring beige garments for the director’s “edgy” and “safe” kids, respectively. In her newly formed business, the indigo pieces Delphine sold were quite simple. “They wouldn’t be anything too extravagant yet, as she was just getting started in her business,” Wei said, about finding the indigo accessories. Even the dress that turned Hannah into a princess for the Autumn Leaves Ball was found at a local Goodwill store. Of course, Wei sprinkled a little magic on top, embracing her passion of fine arts like Delphine would.
It is in the works for the film to show at Polytechnic High School or a local venue in Long Beach. To find out more information about Pamela Johnson’s film, visit www.stitchesthemovie.com.
